The Little Stories

 

"Hi there, Midge," greeted Jake as he and Booker-T entered the front yard and walked to the porch where Midge was sitting there staring into space.

"Hey Midge," said Booker-T. "What are you doing? Hey!"

"Oh, hi," smiled Midge.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Jake. "You looked like you were off in another place."

"Did you know there was a woman who lived in a shoe?" asked Midge.

"How can a woman live in a shoe?" asked Booker-T. "They are too small."

"Maybe she was a little person," said Midge.

"She would have to be a bug," said Jake. "No one can live in a shoe. Humans are too big. Only their feet fit in and only one foot in each shoe."

"Were you watching a cartoon on TV?" asked Booker-T.

"No," said Midge. "My owner was reading a story to her nephew last night and it was about this old woman who lived in a shoe."

"Maybe it was a giant's shoe," said Booker-T. "Are there giants big enough for someone to live in their shoes?"

"I don't know," said Jake.

"Did the story say why she was living in a shoe?"asked Booker-T.

"No," said Midge. "But she had lots of little humans. I think they called them children."

"How could she live in a shoe with a lot of children?" asked Jake. "That shoe must have been really crowded in there."

"I wouldn't want to live in a shoe," laughed Booker-T.

"What did she do with all those little ones?" asked Jake.

"She was having a hard time feeding them all," sighed Midge. "The story said she only had something called Broth that she fed them. She didn't even have a slice of bread for them."

"Oh that is sad," said Booker-T. "Did it say where she lived? Maybe we can take them some food."

"I don't know where they live," said Midge. "The story was really short. It only said that the woman human lived in a shoe with all these children humans and had no bread."

"That is sad," agreed Jake.

"I know," said Midge. "There was another old woman human who had no food for her and her dog."

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Midge. "She went to get her dog a bone from the cupboard and it said her cupboard was bare and the dog didn't get anything to eat."

"Does she live near the woman living in the shoe?" asked Jake.

"Did she live in a shoe too?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Midge. "It only said she didn't have any food for the dog."

"The poor little dog went hungry," said Jake.

"I think so," said Midge. "That is all the story said."

"Those are short little stories," said Booker-T. "Where did they live?"

"I don't know," said Midge. "The stories don't say where they live."

"I don't think they live in our city," said Jake.

"Then there was a little boy," said Midge. "I think he was a king or maybe a prince."

"How do you know he was a king or prince?" asked Booker-T.

"The story said he wore a crown," said Midge.

"I wish I could meet a king or prince," said Jake. "It would be fun to be a prince."

"I think his mom and dad were mad at him," said Midge.

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"He was going up a hill somewhere because he had to get some water," said Midge.

"Why did he go up a hill to get water?" asked Jake.

"I don't know," said Midge. "But he fell down and broke the crown. So now he can't wear

his crown until they fix it."

"Oh," said Booker-T. "His mom and dad were probably mad at him for breaking the crown."

"Why was he going up that hill?" asked Jake.

"It said he went to get some water with this little girl," said Midge. "I think she was his sister."

"Is she a princess?" asked Booker-T.

"Maybe," said Midge. "They maybe tripped on a rock and fell down. It was a really steep hill because the little girl rolled on the way down it."

"Was she hurt?" asked Jake.

"I don't think so," said Midge. "I think they both were okay. He only broke the crown he was wearing."

"I hope his dad can fix the crown for him," said Booker-T.

"There was this little girl and she had a pet lamb," said Midge.

"She don't like dog?" asked Jake.

"Or cats?" asked Booker-T. "Why did she have a lamb?"

"I don't know," said Midge. "I didn't know that lambs could be pets. There is a little lamb at the petting zoo where we go visit Pinky."

"Oh yes," said Jake. "I remember seeing it."

"Well, this little girl had the lamb and one day, she went to school," said Midge. "And the lamb followed her."

"Did they let it go into the school?" asked Booker-T.

"No," said Midge. "The teacher was not happy and made the lamb go outside."

"Why?" asked Jake.

"The kids were laughing and wanted to play," said Midge. "And the teacher wanted to teach the lessons so they made the little lamb go outside."

"I wonder if the lamb can talk like we do?" asked Booker-T.

"Maybe," said Midge. "But humans can't hear what we say. All the humans hear is us barking or meowing. We can understand the humans but they don't understand us."

"What happened to the little lamb?" asked Jake.

"He waited outside for Mary to come out and then they went home," said Midge.

"Hey you guys," said Gabby as he flew down from the trees. "I was listening to your little stories Midge."

"Hi Gabby," said Midge. "I heard them last night. My owner was reading the little stories to her nephew."

"Those stories are something the humans call nursery rhymes," said Gabby.

"Are they real stories?" asked Booker-T.

"No," said Gabby. "They are made up stories to tell little humans before they go to bed."

"Oh," said Midge.

"Well, they are nice little stories for the little humans," said Jake.

"Little stories are easy to remember," said Midge.

They all sat and laughed. "Lets go play at the park or go to the little petting zoo," said Jake.