Fishel and Faivish ran to the closet and pulled out their musical instruments. Positioning themselves near the open window, Fishel blew a series of blasts on his trumpet, while Faivish gave some loud bangs on his drum.

Tan-tan-tara! BANG-BANG-BANG!

Leah nearly dropped her bag in shock, but before they could see if her expression looked any happier, a window swung open in the house next door. A red, angry face looked out.

“Stop that horrible racket! What do you think you’re doing?”

Uh-oh. It was Mr. Krankowitz. Any minute now, the old man would bang on their door to complain to their father. Reluctantly, the pair put away their musical instruments. Someone else would just have to cheer up Leah Morris.

Leah, meanwhile, was hurrying indoors. Her head was pounding from the awful noise. She dumped her bag in the hallway and went up to her room to recover.

Moishy peered inside, surprised to see his sister lying in bed wearing eyeshades.

“You all right, Leah?” he asked in concern.

“Headache,” she said.

“Oh no! Refuah shleimah,” Moishy wished her. He gently closed the door.

His little sister Miriam came up. “What’s da matter? Why’s Leah in bed? It’s not da night,” she said.

“She’s not feeling well,” replied Moishy.

“Oh.” The little girl thought about what she could do to help Leah feel better. “I know what! I’ll give her one of my toys,” she decided.

“I don’t think she wants toys,” pointed out Moishy. But Miriam had already gone to get her beloved raggedy rabbit. “I bet she’d rather read a book. I’ll get one of mine,” Moishy said to himself.

The two children took their things to Leah’s room.

“I’ve brought you one of my books to read,” said Moishy. “It’s called The Baker’s Dozen.”

“And I brought you a rabbit to play wiv,” piped up Miriam. “He’s called Reuven Rabbit.”

But Leah just groaned. “Not now,” she waved them away. “Ouch! My head!”

Moishy and Miriam left the room, disappointed. They left the book and rabbit behind in case Leah changed her mind. Miriam was a little sad at not having her rabbit.

Then Miriam had an idea. “I know what! Let’s call Jolly Solly to make Leah happy!”

Moishy smiled at his little sister. “Good idea! I’ll ask Mommy if we can.”

Mommy agreed, and the clown said he would be there soon. “Tell your sister to look out of the window in ten minutes,” he instructed.

Leah was not very interested, but she got up and went to the window. The clown’s hat appeared.

“Hello, Jolly Solly,” she muttered in a dull voice.

There was no answer. “Um… thanks for coming, but I just want to rest right now,” she continued.

Still no reply.

Leah looked again — and almost fell over in astonishment! There was no smiling clown face under the hat; instead, there was a pair of feet! The clown had turned upside down, and popped his hat onto his feet, which were now up in the air. His feet looked like his head with a hat on. Leah had been talking to two feet! She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing.

Moishe grinned. Miriam looked relieved.

“I can take my rabbit back now,” she said. “Leah’s all cheered up.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 934)