The Merry-go-Round

 

    Midge walked into the living room singing, “Hickory Dickory Dock.  The mouse ran up the clock,”

   “What are you dinging, Midge?” asked Snappy.

    “I think it is called Hickory Dickory Dock,” said Midge.  “Our owner's little niece was singing it yesterday.”

    “I didn't hear her singing,” said Snappy.  “Did she sing her little song outside?”

    “Yes,” said Midge.

   “Why did the mouse run up the clock, Midge,” asked Snappy.

   “I don't know,” said Midge.  “He didn't do anything when he ran up there.”

   “Maybe the mouse was lost,” suggested Snappy.  “What happened next?”

   “It says that the clock hit one and the mouse ran down,” said Midge.  “Maybe he didn't like the number one and he got scared when it made a noise.”

    “Silly mouse,” said Snappy.  “Is that all there is to the song?”

    “That's all she sang,” said Midge. 

    “That is a really short song,” laughed Snappy.  “Did she sing any other songs?”

    “Yes,” said Midge.  “Something about a humpty.”

    “What is a humpty?” asked Snappy. 

    “I think his name is humpty dumpty” said Midge.  “I don't know what he is but he fell off a wall.”

    “Did he get hurt?” asked Snappy. 

  “I think he broke,” said Midge.  “She sang that no one could put him back together.”

   “That is sad song,” said Snappy.  “It must be a very high wall if he broke. I think those are funny songs.  Was humpty made of glass?”

   “Yes, they are funny ,” said Midge.  “But maybe not funny that the humpty broke.”

    “What are you guys doing?” asked Booker-T as he entered the room.”

    “Midge was singing some funny songs,” said Snappy.  “But one of them is little sad.”

   “What funny songs are you singing?” asked Booker-T.

   “Our owner's little niece sings them,” said Midge.  “She sang about a mouse who ran up a clock and about someone named Humpty who fell off a wall and got broke.”

    “I think those are the same ones my owner's nephew sings all the time,” said Booker-T.  “He also sings about rowing some kind of boat down a stream.”

   “The little humans sing short little songs,” said Snappy.  “What are you guys going to do today?”

   “We are going to Jake's house now,” said Midge.  “Do you want to get in the wagon and come with us?”

   “No,” said Snappy.  “I am good staying here and It's safer for me.”

   “Okay,” smiled Midge. 

   “Lets go,” said Booker-T.

   “Okay,” said Midge.  “later, I will tell you some more silly songs, Snappy.”

   “Okay,” smiled Snappy.  “I like your silly little songs.”

    “See you later Snappy,” said Midge.  “Come on Booker-T. 

    Booker-T followed Midge to the kitchen where they crawled through the doggie door into the back yard.  They ran around the house into the front yard and out the gate.

   “What are we doing today?” asked Booker-T. 

  “I don't know yet,” said Midge.  “We already went to the zoo building.  Maybe Jake has an idea.”

  “What are you guys doing?” asked Gabby as he flew down and landed on Midge's head. 

   “Hi Gabby,” said Midge.  “We are going to Jake's house. Your feet tickle my head.”

   “I just saw Jake and Lucy and they are walking this way,” said Gabby.  “See there they come around the corner.”

    “Hey Jake!” called Midge.  “We were coming to your house.”

   “Lucy wanted to come this way,” said Jake. “So we started walking.  I thought we would get to your house before you left home.”

    “What are we going to do today for fun?” asked Booker-T.

    “I don't know,” said Jake.  “What do you guys want to do?”

    “Lets go slide down the slides,” suggested Lucy.

   “You really like the slides, don't you,” said Midge.

    “They are so much fun,” smiled Lucy. 

   “Have you tried to swing on the swings in the park?” asked Booker-T.  “Midge tried one time.”

    “Do you like to ride the  swings?” asked Lucy.

   “It's fun,” said Midge.  “If you can hold on.  I kept falling off. I tried to hold on to the rope with my teeth and I slid off the swing and was hanging there by my teeth.”

    “What happened?” asked Lucy.

    “I had to let go and I fell into the sand” said Midge.

   “Did you get hurt?” asked Lucy.

   “No,” said Midge.  “Just something else the humans do and I can't do it.”

   “You can slide down the slides like they do,” said Lucy. 

    “Yes,” said Midge.  “Maybe we can try the swings again and that thing they call the seesaw.”

   “Do you think we can make it work?” asked Jake.  “I don't think our legs are going to be long enough to sit on it and make it go up and down.

  “As they neared the park, Midge saw the merry-go-round.  “Hey guys,” said Midge.  “Lets ride that.”

  “How do we make it go?” asked Lucy.

  “We grab the bar with our teeth and push hard and run around and when we are running fast, we jump on top of it,” said Jake.  “That's what the little humans do.”

   “We can try it,” said Midge.  “Lets count to three and start running at the same time. When we are going fast, Jump!” 

    “Okay,” they all agreed.

   “They grabbed a  bar and started to run around and around.  Booker-T was so short that as the merry-go-round went faster and faster, his little feet came off the ground and Lucy lost her grip and fell in the sand and Midge tripped on her when she came around.”

  “Ouch!” said Lucy.

  “Are you okay?” asked Jake as he let go of the bar and ran to check on her.

   “I'm okay,” said Lucy.  “I think we need to leave this thing to the little humans. It's too hard for us animals to do.”

   They sat on the Merry-go-round and laughed. 

   “We need to find something safer,” said Midge.