The clover-heavy air of early morning at the wooded cottage of Noodle and Jelly was filled with snores and the soft murmurs of escaping dreams. Noodle's large pink ears twitched and his soft grey fur began to bristle just as a weather-vane rustles at an incoming storm. As usual, Jelly had gathered up all the blankets in the house, disappearing beneath them like a bagworm. As the soft drizzle tapped against foggy windows, the snails announced their arrival with a thump against the door.

  The first thump signaled it was time to wash your face and put on trousers. The second thump always seemed to be racing the first and, while never once beating it, arrived as a tumbling thud that momentarily transformed the pictures frames on the wall, now being dusted, into the aspen leaves of the tree outside. Upon the arrival of the third thump there had been more than enough time to gather sweets and set the table. The fourth thump signaled it was time to warm the kettle. The snails rode on the dew of dreary mornings so warm tea was a request carried on the tips of all tongues. And the fifth thump, without exception, arrived in chorus with the kettle's whistle and meant the house had been tidied and all of the five had arrived.

  Snails were great friends to have. Whether it was the fact that their insatiable fondness of sweets meant they carried with them all manner of candy (and were always eager to share) or that their persistent travels found them countless half-buried treasures, you knew their thumps brought something delightful. (In addition to their company, of course.)

  It was with this morning's visit that they brought the residents of Maus cottage ...maps. Snails are renowned cartographers but never quite satisfied a map is finished, a snail keeps their maps close and guarded. It's true they frequently share them with one another; hoping their companion will fill in additional information that has been missed, but to have a snail share its map with you? Assuming YOU, dear reader, are not a snail, that is quite a rarity indeed.

(It should be noted that in their map making, each of the snails are assigned a direction; North, West, South, and East. And then the fifth snail usually just goes in circles. Which is accounts for there only being these four Garden Snail pieces. The fifth is around here somewhere, circling away.)