When Smooch Sunk woke up, the sun was shining. The happy light made him think of his best friend Sugar. “I should do something nice for Sugar today,” he said. But what?

Smooch had an idea. Sugar’s favorite food in the world was strawberry jam. He would make her some! It couldn’t be too hard.

But it was. It was very hard. It was also very messy.

Finally Smooch got more jam in the jar than on the counter. So he set off to Sugar’s to give her his gift.

The path to Sugar’s was windy and long. The jar of jam was heavy in Smooch’s paws. He sat down on a tree root to take a break. 

As he was sitting, he noticed something. The jam looked red and shiny. It sparked in the sunshine. It was tempting. 

If he listened very hard, Smooch thought he could hear the jam calling to him.  “Eat me!” And so he did. Just a tiny taste.

“Oh dear,” said Smooch. “This jam is for Sugar.” He got up and started walking again. The jar was a little lighter now.

Soon Smooch noticed something again. The jam smelled berry-fine. The smell tickled Smooch’s nose. It made his mouth water.

“Eat me!” it said again. And so he did. Just a tiny taste.

“No, no, no!” said Smooch. “This jam is for Sugar.” He kept walking. The jar was even lighter than before.

Soon Smooch noticed another something. The jam was drip, dripping down the side of the jar. A splat landed on his paw.

“Eat me!” it said. And so he did. All of it. He arrived at Sugar’s with NO MORE JAM.

When Sugar came out of her door, Smooch was busy being upset.

“I’ve eaten all your jam!” wailed Smooch.

Now Sugar was upset, too. But, when Smooch apologized, Sugar decided to forgive him. “Because friends are better than jam,” she said. “But do you know what’s the best thing?” She took another pot of jam from her cupboard and got out two spoons. “Jam and friends together!”