"I have a very big problem," cried Chief Short and Round in a loud voice. "Everyone, come here! I have a very big problem."

The people of the Village of Many Shapes formed a big circle around Chief Short and Round. They wanted to hear what he had to say.

Chief Short and Round began, "This is the worst news ever. I have lost my spring horn."

The villagers whispered to each other, "Oh no!"

Chief Short and Round continued talking, "If I don't find my spring horn then I can't blow my spring horn! And we can't start the springtime party if I can't blow my spring horn. And spring won't come if we don't have a springtime party."

Little Square Jojo stepped into the circle and lifted up his hand. "I will find your spring horn, Chief Short and Round."

"Good, good," said the chief with a smile. "You can start looking at the last place I visited this morning. Go to Tata Rectangle's house. I remember having my horn with me there."

Tata Rectangle was happy to see Jojo. He opened his door and welcomed Jojo inside. "I remember seeing Chief Short and Round earlier this morning," said Tata Rectangle, "but I don't think he had his spring horn with him."

Little Square Jojo looked under Tata Rectangle's bed and behind his books. He even looked into his fridge. But Jojo couldn't find the spring horn anywhere.

"Go and see if Mama Triangle has the spring horn," said Tata Rectangle. "Chief Short and Round visited her before he came to see me."

"Thank you, Tata," said Jojo as he waved goodbye. Mama Triangle's house is about three kilometres from here, thought Jojo. That is a far distance to walk. I will stop at my house along the way and have a rest.

Little Square Jojo was hot and tired by the time he reached his house. He went inside to open his freezer and pour a glass of cold water with ice blocks. "I must be half the way to Mama Triangle's house," he said. "I hope she has the chief's horn."

Then Jojo had an idea. "I can visit Dudu Diamond. Her house is only half a kilometre from here and it's on the way."

Dudu Diamond was cleaning her house when Jojo arrived. Her earrings were making a lovely tinkling sound as she worked. "Hello, Jojo," she said. "What are you doing today?"

"I am on my way to Mama Triangle's house to find the chief's spring horn," said Little Square Jojo.

"That's nice of you," said Dudu. "I am happy to come with you. How much further do you have to go?"

Little Square Jojo scratched his head. "Let's see. Mama Triangle's house was three kilometres away from where I started. I walked about half the way to get to my house, that's one and a half kilometres. Then I walked another half a kilometre to get to your house. That makes 2 kilometres. So we only have one more kilometre to go!"

"That's not so far then!" smiled Dudu. "I'll pack some things to take with."

Dudu Diamond and Little Square Jojo walked until they reached the bottom of a tall mountain.

"Mama Triangle's house is right up there at the top," said Dudu. "Let's stop for a while and have a rest. You can have the sandwich I packed."

Jojo cut the sandwich into four smaller pieces. "Here, let's share the sandwich, you have two pieces and I'll have two."

Soon Dudu Diamond and Little Square Jojo were half the way up the mountain. Things were very different there.

"Look," said Jojo. "That's the strangest spider I've ever seen."

"Wow," said Dudu. "It has spun a beautiful web. Let's count the sides. One, two, three, four, five and six! That makes it a hexagon then!"

After climbing over a very big rock, Little Square Jojo and Dudu Diamond finally arrived at Mama Triangle's house. They were high up now and felt a bit dizzy.

"Hello, you two," said Mama Triangle with a smile. "I am so happy to have visitors. Most of the time I'm all alone here on the top of my mountain. Come inside and sit down at my table."

"Mama Triangle," said Jojo after catching his breath, "We've come to find Chief Short and Round's spring horn. Tata Rectangle said that the chief visited you this morning."

"Yes, that is correct," said Mama Triangle. "The chief came to ask me to help prepare for the springtime party. But he didn't leave his spring horn here."

"Oh no," said Jojo sadly. "We've come all this way for nothing!"

Mama Triangle held Jojo's hand as she led him outside. "Don't worry Jojo," she said. "Chief Short and Round didn't leave his spring horn here but I know where it is. That chief can be such a silly thing!"

Mama Triangle, Little Square Jojo and Dudu Diamond all ran down the mountain and in no time at all they were safely at the bottom.

It was evening by the time they reached Chief Short and Round's house. Mama Triangle knocked on the door and when it was opened everyone rushed inside.

"Hello," said Chief Short and Round, blinking sleepily. "Did you find my spring horn? Will we be able to have the springtime party?"

Little Square Jojo felt very bad and shook his head.

"Jojo looked for your spring horn all day," said Mama Triangle. "It is not his fault that he didn't find it. It is your fault, Chief Short and Round. Don't you remember?" Mama Triangle pointed at the chief. "You are wearing your spring horn on your head!"

Chief Short and Round gasped, "Oh my, I remember it now. I was so hot from climbing up that mountain that I put my horn on my head."

"I am so embarrassed," said Chief Short and Round as he took his spring horn off his head. Then he passed it to Little Square Jojo. "You have done all the hard work, Jojo. You should blow the horn."

Little Square Jojo smiled. He lifted up the horn and gave it a loud blow. "Now we can have the springtime party!"

All was well in the Village of Many Shapes.