EDMOND HARRY LUCY

LUCY
Well...? Did you find something?

EDMOND
Give me a second!

HARRY
So tell me kids, what are you looking for today?

EDMOND
This morning, we saw a bunch of mushrooms at the foot of the trees. We're worried and want to make sure they're not harming the trees.

LUCY
Maybe we should rip them all out.

HARRY
Oh no, you should never do that! Mushrooms are very useful to forest trees.

LUCY
Oh really? What do they do that's so useful?

HARRY
How can I explain this to you?

HARRY
First of all, you need to know that all mushrooms are connected to each other underground by a kind of gigantic spider web.

LUCY
Oh, no! I don't like spiders!

HARRY
It's like a spider web, but without the spiders, and its name is the mycelium.

EDMOND
My-ce-li-um... Found it! You're right, it does look like a spiderweb.

LUCY
Ewww! And it's also way bigger than the mushrooms themselves.

HARRY
The mycelium is a part of the mushroom. The stem and the cap are only its visible parts.

EDMOND
You mean it's like the root of the trees?

HARRY
Yes. But tree roots are not connected to each other. However, thanks to the mycelium, all mushrooms are connected. And who knows? Maybe this allows them to communicate with each other.

LUCY
Oh yeah? And what do they tell each other?

EDMOND
I'm sure they tell mushroom jokes.



EDMOND
Hey! What do you think of my new cap?

LUCY
Oh! It's so pretty! I want the same one!

EDMOND


LUCY


HARRY
They don't communicate to tell each other jokes, but to help out one another. Furthermore, the trees need the mycelium and the mycelium needs the trees.

EDMOND
Yes, it's explained in this drawing. It looks like the mycelium and the tree roots are connected.

HARRY
You're right, there is a relationship between the roots and the mycelium. This connection they share allows the tree roots to absorb water and nutrients the tree needs to live. In exchange, the mushrooms are nourished by the fallen leaves that they help decompose, but are also nourished through the tree roots.

LUCY
But, isn't it a bad thing when there are mushrooms on the tree?

HARRY
You're right. Some varieties of mushrooms are bad for trees and can kill them. Thankfully, there are other types of mushrooms that help protect the trees.

EDMOND
Do you think the trees and the mushrooms talk to each other?

HARRY
Not all scientists agree, but it is possible that the mycelium also allows trees to communicate with each other.

LUCY
That way they can tell each other tree jokes. Hey, Oakey! Do you want some pine cones?

EDMOND
Sure, why not! You can just leave them on the ground.

LUCY


EDMOND


HARRY
Hmm 

LUCY
Oh! So that's why we should never rip out mushrooms. So we don't harm the mycelium.

HARRY
That's absolutely right. You should never rip them out, but delicately pick them, so you don't damage the mycelium too much. Speaking of which, it's time to taste this mushroom soup I made with the mushrooms I delicately picked yesterday.

EDMOND
Yay!

LUCY
Yay!