The King and The Cricket

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Once upon a kingdom…

there lived a lonely, miserable, grumpy king who did nothing all day except sit on his royal throne and shout, “I AM THE KING!”

Doing nothing all day made the King very cranky. He had servants to dress him, feed him, and answer his every desire. He did nothing for himself and he shouted commands at everyone. With every new day, the King grew more and more miserable to be around. So much so, that his family and loyal servants were finally driven to leave the royal residence and retreat to the castle’s guest house.

“You can ALL go!” the King shouted, as his family sadly packed up their bags and trunks and suitcases and walked over the drawbridge to live the castle’s guest house.

The King was SO miserable to be around that even his devoted dog packed up his favorite chew toys, and HE went to live in the guest house too.

And when the sun set in the distance, the king bolted the castle door, closed the drawbridge, and remained a sad hermit. Strangely, not even the king knew why he was behaving so badly.

The king spent his days sitting idly on his throne. As time passed, the once clean and orderly castle became covered with dust and spiderwebs. The moat dried-up and the drawbridge became rickety. The mechanism to raise and lower the drawbridge rusted and it finally stopped working altogether.

One night the king was awakened from a sound sleep by a strange noise.

“Chirrip, Chirrip” went the sound.

The king placed the royal crown on his head and looked down from the the window of his royal bedroom, located high up in the castle.

Down, down, down, into the darkness he looked. “Who has dared to approach the castle of the king?” he shouted into the night.

A gentle voice called up, “It is I, Sire,…Chirrip…the Cricket.”

The king frowned and squinted his royal eyes at the small figure illuminated by the moonlight. “Who are you? What are you?” he asked. But before any answer could came back, he shouted, “I AM THE KING!”

The cricket jumped extra high, landing on the windowsill so that the king could see him clearly.

“And I,” replied the cricket softly as he introduced himself, “I am the cricket.”

The cricket’s tiny green body and long antennae sparkled in the moonlight. He rubbed his fore wings together and an ear-piercing chirp filled the castle.

The king stuffed a finger in each ear and shook his head. “What do you want, Cricket?” he asked.

“Some water, please,” replied the cricket. “I see your moat is dry”, he observed. “Who drank all the water?”

“I did. I AM THE KING!”

The cricket smiled. “I’m weary and suffering hunger pangs, Sire. If you could spare a bite of lettuce and a place for me to lay my head, I would be very grateful. We Crickets are a proud lot, so I assure you I’ll work to earn my keep.”

The king asked the cricket what kind of work would he do.

“I will bring happiness to anyone who shelters or feeds me,” replied the cricket.

The king responded that he didn’t need to be happy because he was the ruler of the kingdom. “I have a crown, a royal cape and, further more,” he added, “I own this big castle.”

The cricket flexed his hind legs and leaped.

The king raised a quizzical eyebrow. “How do you that?” he asked.

“It comes natural to me. I am a cricket.”

“And I AM THE KING!” he bellowed.

“Yes,” sighed the cricket. “Sounds to me like you have it all.”

“Jump again!” ordered the king.

The cricket responded with a jump and added a double twirl for a finale.

The look on the king’s face changed. It almost looked like he wanted to smile.

“How about that lettuce?” asked the cricket. “If I don’t eat, I can’t jump.”

The king prepared dinner for the cricket and asked about the chirriping sound.

“It’s a song of merriment,” replied the cricket.

“Do you make it with your mouth?” the king asked.

“No,” replied the cricket. “I rub one wing against the other wing.”

The king grunted. “I can do that by rubbing my arms against my body!”

The cricket tried to explain that no human could duplicate that sound, but the king became enraged.

“I AM THE KING, AND THE KING CAN DO ANYTHING!”, he shouted.

And so, the king began rubbing his arms against his body. He rubbed until the sleeves of his royal velvety cape became frayed. The more frustrated the king became, the crankier he got.

Breathless and frowning, he flung himself onto the soft red cushions of his golden throne. “I am the KING”, he declared, to nobody in particular.

“Yes,” replied the cricket, “but only a cricket can make this sound. “Chirrip, Chirrip”

Meanwhile, the king was unaware that he was changing. He wasn’t lonely anymore. The cricket made lots of noise around the castle. Every time the king would order the cricket to jump, the cricket would ask the king to do something. “Jump, cricket!” demanded the king.

“First let’s clean this floor,” said the cricket, and the king ran for the broom and cleaned the floor until it sparkled. On and on the work continued until the castle looked neat and clean.

“Cricket,” the king called one day. “We’re almost out of food.”

“Can’t jump or twirl without food,” said the cricket. “Let’s plant some seeds.” They settled on tomatoes, potatoes, watermelon, and corn.

The king and the cricket went to the drawbridge. It was stuck in the up position. The cricket shook his head. “We’ll never get out of here. Unless, of course, you repair this bridge.”

The king thought for a moment. “You can jump out,” he said.

“Yes,” the cricket agreed, “but how will you get out?”

The king placed his hands on his hips. “I AM THE KING!”, he shouted.

“Well, ” replied the cricket, “that won’t help us now.”

So, the king repaired the drawbridge. He banged, hammered, sanded, filed, and painted until the bridge fairly gleamed. With one mighty push the drawbridge opened, and the bright sunshine flooded the castle.

The cricket gave a “Chirrip ” that was heard for miles. The king laughed, and quickly composed himself.

Something interesting was happening to the king. He wasn’t miserable anymore and he was fun to be with.

The cricket looked around. “Nice day for planting,” he said.

“Jump in the grass,” the king ordered.

“You call this grass? It’s hay. I’ll scratch my tender body. You’ll have to do something about this,” said the cricket.

The king jumped to attention. “I’ll take care of this right now.”

There was no doubt that the king was enjoying himself. He raked and plowed and planted, and even sang a royal song. By night, the king had planted rows and rows of vegetables and even seeded the entire royal lawn.

The cricket wiped his brow. “That was some day’s work,” he said as he sat back and admired the evening sunset. The king yawned and stretched his arms. “Cricket!” he said, “Let’s hear those wings.”

A “Chirrip, Chirrip” filled the castle and the king laughed all the way to the royal bedroom. He promptly fell onto the bed and slept soundly all night long.

There was a definite, noticeable change in the king

That night, while the king and the cricket slept, it rained. By morning, the moat was filled.

“What a perfectly spectacular day!” exclaimed the king. “Cricket,” he said with great affection, “Come and jump and leap for the beauty of this day.”

Certainly this was a joyous day. But the cricket knew that the king missed his family and his servants and his dog, and wanted them all to return to the royal household. So, the Cricket suggested that the king summon his people back to the castle for a party.

“I will give a royal performance for the entire kingdom!” exclaimed the cricket.

The king gave a welcome home party for his very surprised family, friends, and servants. When they left, the king was a cantankerous ruler who cared only for himself. Now, he was charming, cheerful, and kind. And, best of all, he wasn’t cranky anymore.

“Thanks to my wonderful friend,” he said, “I am a new person.”

“And who is this wonderful friend?” asked the queen.

“He is THE CRICKET!” the king shouted joyously.

“And he…” the cricket proudly exclaimed,

“He is THE KING!”

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The King and The Cricket by Diana Savastano

Sam’s Rainy Day Boots

The sky was dark with big, puffy, gray clouds, and there was a light drizzle of rain. The little boy in the bright green boots and bright green raincoat did not seem to mind at all.

“Sam, come swing with us!” called his friends from the playground.

“Thanks, maybe later!” Sam shouted back.

Sam loved to swing, but right now he was too busy jumping in puddles with his rainy day boots. Sam loved his rainy day boots. They were soft and bright green, his favorite color. Best of all, they made squishy sounds when he walked through puddles.

Squish. Squish. He tramped through the puddles. Squish. Squish.

“Sam, come play blocks with me!” called Timmy from his front door as Sam squished by.

“Thanks, Timmy, maybe later!” Sam shouted back.

Sam loved to play blocks, but he had puddles to jump! He had a big smile on his face as he jumped from puddle to puddle. Squish. Squish.

When it was time to go home for dinner, Sam walked slowly. He went through every puddle. Squish, squish went the bright green boots.

Looking up at the sky, Sam saw the sun peeking through the big, puffy gray clouds. By the time he reached home, the sun was shining brightly, and the puddles were beginning to disappear. Sam felt a little sad.

“Just in time for dinner,” Sam’s mother said as he plodded through the front door. “We’re having pizza!”

“Pizza!” Sam shouted enthusiastically as he took off his bright green raincoat. He grabbed his green teddy bear soap and scrubbed his hands. Then he sat down in his chair at the kitchen table. Puddle jumping always made him hungry!

After dinner, he ran up the stairs to his bedroom. The green boots squished one last time before he took them off and carefully put them away.

Still feeling a little sad, he put on his favorite pajamas, the ones with the race cars on them, and climbed into bed.

Sam’s mother came into his room. “Tomorrow will be another rainy day,” she whispered as she leaned over to kiss him goodnight. Suddenly Sam smiled.

He was still smiling when he fell fast asleep.

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Sams Rainy Day Boots by Cathie Breen

The Mouse Brothers Naptime for Benji and Pete

The Mouse Brothers Naptime for Benji and Petey

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Once upon a time, there was a little brown mouse named Benji. Benji had a younger brother named Petey. The Mouse Brothers looked almost exactly alike.

If it hadn’t been for the little patch of white fur on top of Petey’s head, you might even have taken them for twins, although, in truth, Benji was a bit taller than Petey.

  The MouseBrothers made their home in a wee little mousehouse at the edge of a field, not too terribly far from here.

Their little house was pale yellow (some might say that it was the same color as Swiss Cheese), and a rainbow of tiny flowers grew next to their front door.

Benji was a good little mouse. His brother Petey was good most of the time, but Petey had a bit of a mischievous side too.

As a very young mouse, Benji had learned to take naps so that he wasn’t tired all of the time. His brother Petey hated naps! Petey thought naps were for babies, so he tried to avoid them as much as possible.

  One day, Benji and Petey were playing at the neighborhood mouse-playground.

It was a wonderful playground, with a tiny swing set, a ball field and a little mouse exercise wheel that everyone loved to run around in.

On this particular day all of the little mice were very excited. Their favorite mouse “Superhero” movie was going to be on TV that night and they had all wanted to see it for a very long time. It was the talk of the playground.

All the little mice had taken a nap that afternoon so they would be able to stay up late and watch the whole movie! All but Petey, that is.

“I can’t believe you guys! Naps are for babies!. I’m a big boy. I’m not going to fall asleep during my favorite movie!” Petey bragged.

“Petey, everybody takes naps, not just babies.” said Benji. “As a matter of fact, Moms and Dads and Grandmas and Grandpas take naps too.”

Petey just sniffed. “I didn’t take a nap and I’m going to watch to WHOLE movie!”, said Petey. “You guys are just a bunch of babies.”

The other mice just shrugged. It was no use arguing with Petey. Honest-to-goodness, they thought, sometimes that little mouse could be such a know-it-all it just wasn’t worth the aggravation to try to explain anything to him. So they didn’t. Later that night, after dinner, Benji and Petey got all ready to watch the movie.

They put their matching mouse PJ’s on, made some Swiss cheese flavored popcorn, and settled down with their pillows on the comfortable little blue couch.

“Benji, I’m so excited I can hardly wait to see the movie!, said Petey excitedly. “I’ve been waiting for this show for the longest time!”

“Me too,” replied Benji, “but I sure am I glad I took a nap, because this is a long movie and I don’t want to miss any of it.!”

“SSSSHHHH, the movie is about to start!” Petey scolded his brother, and with that he tucked his feet up under him and settled himself against the comfortable pillow.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, no more than ten minutes after the movie started, Petey’s eyelids started to feel heavy.

First he tried changing positions on the couch, then he got up and moved to the other side of the couch to try to wake up a bit.

It was no good. He felt himself falling asleep again. “Oh no! I just can’t fall asleep!” he thought to himself. He even tried shaking his head back and forth to try to wake himself up.

“What on EARTH are you DOING?” yelled Benji “You’re making me crazy, Petey! I really want to see this! Will you please just sit still and watch the movie!”

“Sorry!” yawned Petey.

Sure enough, halfway through their favorite movie, Petey had fallen sound asleep.

Benji reached over and shook his brother. “Wake up Petey!”, said Benji, “You’re missing the movie!”.

“Mmmmphh”, said Petey, “Go’way”.

“Petey, wake UP!”, said Benji, “You’re missing EVERYTHING!”. It was no use. Benji tried and tried to wake his brother up, but Petey simply would not move a muscle.

In fact, he even started to snore!!

“Oh for crying out loud Petey wake UP!”, wailed a frustrated Benji. In the end, Petey was snoring so loudly he finally had to be carried up to bed just so that Benji could finish watching the movie in peace and quiet!.

  The next morning, at the breakfast table, Benji told Petey about all of the great parts of the movie he had missed.

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“So…Petey”, he teased, “Maybe I wasn’t such a baby to take a nap after all ?” Petey felt like crying. He didn’t say a single word because he knew Benji was right. And he knew all of their friends would be talking about the movie today at the playground. Petey really wished he hadn’t fallen asleep right in the middle of it!!!

Later that afternoon, after Benji had taken his nap, the Mouse Brothers rode their bikes to the neighborhood playground. All the mice were gathered around the exercise wheel, talking about what an awesome movie they had seen the night before.

“That was probably the best movie I have ever seen in my entire life!” exclaimed one of the little mice. Everybody agreed with him. Petey couldn’t stand it! He felt bad enough already and didn’t need to be reminded about all the fun he had missed by falling asleep.

“Hey Benji,” suggested Petey, “Why don’t we go over to the other side of the playground and play ball?”.

“Petey!” exclaimed Benji, “Not NOW…. We’re busy talking about the movie!”

Petey sighed and kicked at a little pile of playground dirt. He slowly turned and walked away, heading toward the other side of the playground where another group of mice were playing catch.

“Can I play?” Petey called to them. “Sure!, Yeah! Come on!”, they shouted.

After a while, even though Petey had been doing a pretty good job of playing catch, he began to get so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open. He knew that if he didn’t stop playing, he was likely to doze right off and get bopped on the head by a flying ball.

Petey waved to the other mice as he headed off the field. He went over and sat down on a little bench to wait for Benji. The next thing he knew, somebody was poking him in the ribs.

“Wake up, Petey, it’s time to go home now.”, Benji was saying. Benji was sitting next to his brother. He was talking rather quietly and nudging Petey in the ribs with his little elbow. Petey had fallen asleep right in the middle of the playground!

He was so embarrassed. What if the other mice had seen him sleeping? He would never hear the end of it.

“Did anyone see me sleeping?” Petey asked Benji as he looked around to see if anyone was looking at him. “Nope, the other mice have all gone home”, his brother assured him. “Come on Petey, lets go home” suggested Benji. Benji helped Petey up and the two of them were on their way.

“You know, Petey, if you would just take a nap once in a while you wouldn’t get so tired.” “For sure you wouldn’t miss out on so much”, said Benji to his little brother as he peddled his way across the field towards the bike path.

Benji nodded sheepishly. “I’m starting to think maybe a nap isn’t such a bad idea.” agreed Petey

The next day, when Benji went in for his nap, Petey decided to take a nap too. After all, he told himself, his brother Benji and all their mouse friends took naps and they weren’t babies .

So Petey climbed up the little ladder on his bunk bed and tumbled onto the mattress. In a flash he fell sound asleep.!

By the time he woke up, Petey felt wonderful.

“Wow Benji, I feel great! I have so much energy! Hey—Let’s go play ball!” Petey chattered excitedly.

Benji yawned. “Okay, okay, but give me a minute to wake up” insisted Benji, who was still just a wee bit groggy.

Petey was tossing a ball in the air and skipping around the room, he felt so good. As soon as Benji finished waking up, the Mouse Brothers went to the playground where they played ball all afternoon. Benji was right!, Petey didn’t even get tired!

Petey felt so wide awake and full of energy that he decided from then on, he would try to take a nap every single day.

And do you know what? It worked. He never missed out on another mouse hero movie ever again!

THE END

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The Mouse Brothers: Naptime for Benji and Petey by Valerie Busic
The Mouse Brothers stories are for Chelsie, with love.

The many sister of molly brown

So many sisters had Molly Brown; Upstairs and downstairs, and all over town. Sisters in cupboards, sisters in books; Sisters in corners and crannies and nooks. Sisters in closets and under the stair; Sisters in bathrooms, combing their hair. So many sisters had Molly Brown; Upstairs and downstairs, and all over town. “I don’t have a place to call my own!” “I wish they would all just leave me alone!” “My sisters are driving me CRAZY I say!” “I wish they would all just GO AWAY!” So many sisters had Molly Brown; Upstairs and downstairs, and all over town. But one day when Molly woke up to say; “Be quiet! Please move! Get out of my way!” There was no one around to hear her protest! “Maybe they packed up, and all moved out West !” No more sisters had Molly Brown; None upstairs… None downstairs… Nor all over town. “Hooray!” Molly cried, “I’m here all alone!” “Finally some space I can call my own!” Molly Brown danced around and around; Except for her feet, there wasn’t a sound. But when Molly Brown stopped to think a bit; She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. She remembered that silence is golden, they say… But she wasn’t quite sure that she liked things this way! “There’s nobody here to dance with me!” “No one to share cookies or biscuits and tea!” “Nobody around to play hopscotch and dolls!” “Nobody to go to the park or the malls!” “If silence is golden, then why am I blue?” “I miss all my sisters! I miss them, I do!” “I want them all back and I want them right now!” “I must find my sisters, but good-golly…how?” Now Molly was crying and pacing the hall; “I wish I’d not wished them away at all!” Then in the next moment, perhaps it was two; Young Molly heard sounds… “Boo-Hoo-Hoo, Boo-Hoo-Hooo!” The next thing she knew there were two-dozen more! Then all of her sisters burst through the door! “We’re sorry dear sister, for causing you pain!” “We promise we’ll never leave you again!” So many sisters had Molly Brown; Upstairs and downstairs, and all over town… My sisters are driving me CRAZY I say! But don’t worry, I think I may like it that way!

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The Many Sisters of Molly Brown
Story & Illustrations By Dyan Reynolds

Tidy Ted

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Tidy Ted’s always tidy from his head to his toe, But nevertheless, Ted’s a pig you know! But he brushes his teeth and washes his face, He’s the cleanest of pigs in the whole piggy place!

Ted ironed his clothes and polished his shoes, And made up his bed after taking a snooze. But the most remarkable thing of all? Ted kept his room clean… from wall to wall!

Ted even ate meals with manners and grace; While the other pigs made a mess of the place! They slurped, and burped, and dribbled, and ran; But Tidy Ted ate like a true gentleman.

“What’s wrong with that pig?” they’d say with a snort, “He’s truly a pig of another sort!” “Our way is better! Who cares if we’re clean?” “Good manners and cleaning just make us turn green!”

But Ted didn’t care
what the other pigs said.
Maybe someday they’d do
things his way instead.
Then one day while
the pigs were at play,
And dressed in their usual
so-sloppy way…

Young Henry Hog tripped and fell to the ground! Behind him the others came tumbling down! Ted tried not to laugh as their faces turned red; “Perhaps you should tie your shoe-laces!” he said.

And then later on
that very same day;
Pete Pig saw a pretty sow
looking his way;

She was clean, she was neat,
and she smelled very sweet.
And she seemed to be smiling
at dirty ol’ Pete!

But she suddenly turned and then smiled at Ted; “I prefer my pigs clean and tidy!” she said. “P.U! Take a bath!” she suggested to Pete; “I’m about to pass out from the smell of your feet!”

The pigs had begun to resent Tidy Ted; “Just wait! We’ll teach him a lesson!” they said. And the very next day, while the pigs were at play; Ted was pushed in a puddle, where pigs made him stay!

Whenever young Ted made attempts to get out; He got pushed right back in by a big dirty snout!

“You’re not tidy at all Ted!”
they said and they giggled;
And they watched as poor Ted
fought and struggled and wriggled.

But when they all saw Ted was truly upset; They decided to leave, and they left him there wet! And they laughed as they left with their snouts held up high; And when Ted made it home Well, he wanted to cry.

But he took a warm bath using plenty of bubbles; And once he was clean he forgot all his troubles. He washed all his clothes then mopped mud from the floor; And soon all was just as it all was before .

Now, even though the pigs
had been terribly cruel;
Ted still said hello
when he saw them in school.

But again they all stuck
their old snouts in the air;
And gave Ted an icey-cold,
beady-eyed stare.

And when the school bell rang to say time for lunch; The pigs all ran right out the door in a bunch!

They stumbled and fumbled
to get to the food;
With nary a thought
about acting so rude!

By the time poor Ted finally sat down to eat Almost nothing was left but a lousy ol’ beet! And Ted hated beets! So he started to cry; His tummy was growling for blueberry pie!

When somebody figured out
what they had done
Teasing Ted didn’t seem
to be very much fun.
Poor Ted would go hungry
with nothing to eat;
The pigs got embarrassed
and stared at their feet.

They said “We’ve been lazy
and jealous and mean;
Could you maybe teach us
to be tidy and clean?
We could stand to learn manners
from you Tidy Ted!
We’re ashamed we were
all mean and nasty!” they said.

So Ted dried his eyes and started to smile; He said he would help, though it could take a while!
Ted forgave the pigs for all their rudeness and greed; And the rest of their other unkindly misdeeds.

And from that day forth
all the pigs were good friends;
But were they all clean?
Well I’d say that depends…
The pigs all worked hard
aimed to clean up their act;
And did very well
as a matter of fact!

But their manners and grooming are not perfect yet… Because now and again you know, pigs do forget!

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By Dyan Reynolds