The Roof He Put on First
Chapter 1The Red Roof
Shloime and Avrum built a paper house in Rebbi's supervised craft lesson.
The red roof was Shloime's favorite part. It had two neat folds and a chimney Rebbi had helped prepare.
The walls were already joined. Shloime wanted the roof on now so the house would look finished.
Avrum held a paper floor.
"We still need this inside."
"It can go through the door," Shloime said.
He placed the roof on the walls before trying that idea.
Chapter 2A Narrow Door
Rebbi came to check before anything was glued.
Avrum brought the floor to the little doorway.
The floor was much wider than the opening.
He tipped it sideways. One corner went in, but the other stayed outside.
Shloime held the roof to keep it from sliding.
"Fold it smaller."
Avrum looked at the floor's drawn rug.
"Then it won't lie flat."
Rebbi asked them to put the loose roof aside rather than force the floor through.
Chapter 3What Looked Finished
Without the roof, the walls looked unfinished again.
But Avrum could lower the floor through the open top. It fitted between the walls with its rug drawing visible through the windows.
Shloime peered inside.
"I forgot how wide it was."
He had been judging the next step by which piece made the model look complete. The paper floor needed space that the finished-looking roof would cover.
"Anything else goes in from above?" he asked.
Avrum showed him two small paper chairs.
Chapter 4Before Closing
They placed the chairs on the floor according to their plan.
One chair hid the rug. The boys moved it slightly and looked through the window again.
Rebbi checked the inside arrangement.
"Now try the roof loose once more."
Shloime set it down carefully. Through the windows, they could still see the rug and both chairs.
The roof's folded edge rested on the wall tabs. Nothing inside pushed against it.
Shloime lifted it again so Rebbi could help with the fastening step.
Chapter 5The House Holds Together
Rebbi helped the boys use the approved glue and leave the house undisturbed as instructed.
Shloime wanted to check it at once by lifting the chimney.
He stopped his hand and asked Rebbi how to handle it when it was ready.
"From the base, not the chimney," Rebbi said.
They left the model on the steady table.
While waiting, Avrum drew a little garden on a separate paper sheet. Shloime added a path that could be placed beside the house later.
Chapter 6Through the Window
When Rebbi said the house was ready to move, he helped put it on the display base.
The red roof stood above the walls. The chairs and rug were still inside where the boys had checked them.
Shloime bent to look through a window without touching the model.
"You can see the rug."
Avrum nodded.
The roof had been the first piece Shloime wanted to show and the last large piece they needed to fasten. He straightened the separate garden path beside the base and let the house stay still.
