GRAN'S GARDEN
by
Wendy Laharnar
The garden was especially beautiful this summer.The plants knew they were the pride and joy of the little lady everyone called Gran, and it pleased them
to give her pleasure. They all worked very hard choosing the righe elements from the soil, soaking up the sunlight and drinking the fresh, cool water she sprayed on them in the evenings.They wanted to look their very best and
they did, until a mean little boy came to visit Gran.
"Who is this little fellow?” asked the mighty Oak who stood at the centre of
the garden. “I haven’t seen him before.”
“He must belong to one of Gran’s friends,” said Ivy rearranging herself
over the garden gate. “But I can tell you this: he’s a very rough little boy.
Did you see the way he shook me?”
“Oh, no! He’s trampling the beans!” cried Blue Lupin, trembling in sympathy
with the crushed shoots. “Gran will be so upset.”
“Something will have to be done before this child causes more trouble,”
said Rosebush who had a fiery temper and knew exactly what she would do
if this child didn’t show some respect.
But the Oak, being wise and patient, believed the plants should all stay as
calm as possible and try to keep out of harms way. “After all, how much
damage can a small boy do?” he added, just as the child pulled off the
head of a big yellow carnation and squashed it between his fingers.
All of the plants heard the Carnation’s cry and felt her pain.
“It’s not fair!" the Daisies chorused. “She was our friend. We must chase
this child from Gran's garden."
“Be patient,” called the Oak but his voice sounded strained.
Even the bees and the butterflies were afraid to sit on a flower for too long. They flew about swiftly, especially when the boy picked up a stick
and began hitting the Hedge and the Azalea Bushes.
“Stop it! Stop it!” Hedge yelled. “You’re hurting me.”
But, of course, the boy did not hear and he did not stop.
By mid afternoon the plants in Gran’s garden looked wilted, but the boy
was full of energy.
He pulled a small branch of the Orange Tree towards him. It snapped under
the strain. Then he picked an orange from the broken branch and left the peelings where they fell on the lawn. He stood for a moment scanning the garden. His gaze fell on the axe lying near the wood pile. He took hold of it
by the handle and, with both hands, dragged it across the grass to the
mighty Oak tree.
“He wouldn’t dare, would he?” whispered the Daisies to Blue Lupin.
Before the lupin could answer, the naughty boy took a feeble swing at the
trunk of the old tree, then another and another. The Daisies were so
shocked they closed their petals, too afraid to watch.
Wisteria, who was a special favourite of the Oak, clung tightly to his bark.
Her lavender curls hung limply on her vine. Even her perfume lost its sweetness.
Outraged, Rosebush called to the swarm of bees passing overhead,
“Sting the little monster, will you? Someone has to stop him.”
“Wait!” demanded the Oak. “That’s the wrong thing to do. My trunk has
only a few scratches and, besides, the child doesn’t understand he is being cruel. Be patient.” He smiled down at Wisteria. “I know this child will learn
his lesson.”
The bees buzzed in anger but kept clear of the boy.
Rosebush stiffened. “He’s coming this way, but do not worry,” she said to
her buds, “I won’t let him hurt you.”
As the little boy stretched up to pull the petals from a velvety red rose, the
bush thrust out a thorny arm and pricked the boy on his finger.
“That should keep you for a while,” Rosebush called after the boy as he
ran wailing to his mother. But she was wrong.
Soon the boy returned wearing a large Band-Aid to hide the single spot of blood that had oozed from his finger.
The plants held their breath and waited. The boy wandered through Gran's garden kicking up gravel on the path. In the far corner of the garden he
spotted a pretty little bush covered in shiny red berries.
Walking with long strides he made his way towards it. He settled himself comfortably on the ground and began to pick the berries. This was his big mistake!
The plants sighed with relief, and the mighty Oak smiled to himself, but the
Sun hid behind a cloud.
The boy placed the berries in a little pile beside him. Then he bit one.
The berry jumped and tumbled inside the boy's mouth. Its hot chili juice
danced over his tongue until his mouth felt like a fire. He spat out the
chewed up berry, but it was too late, the damage was done. He tried to wipe away the juice with his hands but he couldn’t.
“The poor little fellow is crying,” said Blue Lupin. She wanted to cover him
in her soft, cooling blossoms.
“Don’t be so soft, Lupin. He is getting just what he deserves,” snapped Rosebush, who quite enjoyed watching the boy's distress. The boy
rubbed his eyes with his little fists, but the chili juice on his hands made his eyes sting. Calling for his mother he run blindly from the garden.
“Oh! No you don’t!” Ivy spread herself across the garden gate and wrapped her long creepers around the boy. “You won’t get away that easily.” She
spun him around to look at the garden. “See the mess you have made of
Gran’s garden. See how miserable we are.”
Of course the boy did not hear, but through his partly closed and stinging
eyes he saw a very different garden to the lovely one he had so happily
entered that morning. It was no longer bright and sunny. Red berries and orange peel lay scattered over the grass. He saw his own footprints in the new bean patch and yellow petals had blown over the lawn. There were cuts on the trunk of the big tree at the centre of the garden and the axe was lying where he had dropped it. He saw the broken branch of the orange tree and the stick by the damaged hedge.
The ivy released her hold on the boy. He looked sad and ashamed as he ran back to Nan's house.
Within a few minutes, before the plants had time to recover, the boy reappeared carrying something in his hand. He ran towards the mighty Oak and very carefully placed three Band-Aids over the cuts on the tree trunk. They looked very small compared to the one on his own finger.
Gentle drops of rain began to fall. Wisteria took a deep breath and sighed a great sigh. Her wonderful perfume flowed once again, and she allowed her petals to caress the boy.
With his little arms, the boy stretched around the Oak’s big trunk as far as he could reach,
which wasn’t very far at all, and hugged the giant tree with all his might, until the sun
reappeared from behind the cloud.
by
Wendy Laharnar
The garden was especially beautiful this summer.The plants knew they were the pride and joy of the little lady everyone called Gran, and it pleased them
to give her pleasure. They all worked very hard choosing the righe elements from the soil, soaking up the sunlight and drinking the fresh, cool water she sprayed on them in the evenings.They wanted to look their very best and
they did, until a mean little boy came to visit Gran.
"Who is this little fellow?” asked the mighty Oak who stood at the centre of
the garden. “I haven’t seen him before.”
“He must belong to one of Gran’s friends,” said Ivy rearranging herself
over the garden gate. “But I can tell you this: he’s a very rough little boy.
Did you see the way he shook me?”
“Oh, no! He’s trampling the beans!” cried Blue Lupin, trembling in sympathy
with the crushed shoots. “Gran will be so upset.”
“Something will have to be done before this child causes more trouble,”
said Rosebush who had a fiery temper and knew exactly what she would do
if this child didn’t show some respect.
But the Oak, being wise and patient, believed the plants should all stay as
calm as possible and try to keep out of harms way. “After all, how much
damage can a small boy do?” he added, just as the child pulled off the
head of a big yellow carnation and squashed it between his fingers.
All of the plants heard the Carnation’s cry and felt her pain.
“It’s not fair!" the Daisies chorused. “She was our friend. We must chase
this child from Gran's garden."
“Be patient,” called the Oak but his voice sounded strained.
Even the bees and the butterflies were afraid to sit on a flower for too long. They flew about swiftly, especially when the boy picked up a stick
and began hitting the Hedge and the Azalea Bushes.
“Stop it! Stop it!” Hedge yelled. “You’re hurting me.”
But, of course, the boy did not hear and he did not stop.
By mid afternoon the plants in Gran’s garden looked wilted, but the boy
was full of energy.
He pulled a small branch of the Orange Tree towards him. It snapped under
the strain. Then he picked an orange from the broken branch and left the peelings where they fell on the lawn. He stood for a moment scanning the garden. His gaze fell on the axe lying near the wood pile. He took hold of it
by the handle and, with both hands, dragged it across the grass to the
mighty Oak tree.
“He wouldn’t dare, would he?” whispered the Daisies to Blue Lupin.
Before the lupin could answer, the naughty boy took a feeble swing at the
trunk of the old tree, then another and another. The Daisies were so
shocked they closed their petals, too afraid to watch.
Wisteria, who was a special favourite of the Oak, clung tightly to his bark.
Her lavender curls hung limply on her vine. Even her perfume lost its sweetness.
Outraged, Rosebush called to the swarm of bees passing overhead,
“Sting the little monster, will you? Someone has to stop him.”
“Wait!” demanded the Oak. “That’s the wrong thing to do. My trunk has
only a few scratches and, besides, the child doesn’t understand he is being cruel. Be patient.” He smiled down at Wisteria. “I know this child will learn
his lesson.”
The bees buzzed in anger but kept clear of the boy.
Rosebush stiffened. “He’s coming this way, but do not worry,” she said to
her buds, “I won’t let him hurt you.”
As the little boy stretched up to pull the petals from a velvety red rose, the
bush thrust out a thorny arm and pricked the boy on his finger.
“That should keep you for a while,” Rosebush called after the boy as he
ran wailing to his mother. But she was wrong.
Soon the boy returned wearing a large Band-Aid to hide the single spot of blood that had oozed from his finger.
The plants held their breath and waited. The boy wandered through Gran's garden kicking up gravel on the path. In the far corner of the garden he
spotted a pretty little bush covered in shiny red berries.
Walking with long strides he made his way towards it. He settled himself comfortably on the ground and began to pick the berries. This was his big mistake!
The plants sighed with relief, and the mighty Oak smiled to himself, but the
Sun hid behind a cloud.
The boy placed the berries in a little pile beside him. Then he bit one.
The berry jumped and tumbled inside the boy's mouth. Its hot chili juice
danced over his tongue until his mouth felt like a fire. He spat out the
chewed up berry, but it was too late, the damage was done. He tried to wipe away the juice with his hands but he couldn’t.
“The poor little fellow is crying,” said Blue Lupin. She wanted to cover him
in her soft, cooling blossoms.
“Don’t be so soft, Lupin. He is getting just what he deserves,” snapped Rosebush, who quite enjoyed watching the boy's distress. The boy
rubbed his eyes with his little fists, but the chili juice on his hands made his eyes sting. Calling for his mother he run blindly from the garden.
“Oh! No you don’t!” Ivy spread herself across the garden gate and wrapped her long creepers around the boy. “You won’t get away that easily.” She
spun him around to look at the garden. “See the mess you have made of
Gran’s garden. See how miserable we are.”
Of course the boy did not hear, but through his partly closed and stinging
eyes he saw a very different garden to the lovely one he had so happily
entered that morning. It was no longer bright and sunny. Red berries and orange peel lay scattered over the grass. He saw his own footprints in the new bean patch and yellow petals had blown over the lawn. There were cuts on the trunk of the big tree at the centre of the garden and the axe was lying where he had dropped it. He saw the broken branch of the orange tree and the stick by the damaged hedge.
The ivy released her hold on the boy. He looked sad and ashamed as he ran back to Nan's house.
Within a few minutes, before the plants had time to recover, the boy reappeared carrying something in his hand. He ran towards the mighty Oak and very carefully placed three Band-Aids over the cuts on the tree trunk. They looked very small compared to the one on his own finger.
Gentle drops of rain began to fall. Wisteria took a deep breath and sighed a great sigh. Her wonderful perfume flowed once again, and she allowed her petals to caress the boy.
With his little arms, the boy stretched around the Oak’s big trunk as far as he could reach,
which wasn’t very far at all, and hugged the giant tree with all his might, until the sun
reappeared from behind the cloud.
Copyright © Wendy Laharnar 1981
FUN AT THE ZOO
The first thing that happened one day at the zoo, you might not believe it, not
sure if I do, a pelican wearing a cap flew on by that fitted so poorly it covered
one eye.
"That's my cap," cried Ryan to Joel on the ferry. "Guess Mum will be angry."
And Joel answered, "Very!"
Now can you believe this, when landing on shore a great hairy ape was the
next thing they saw? It wore a tin helmet and played a guitar, it danced around Ryan who said, "You're bizarre."
Then monkeys on skateboards came up to the pair, one pushed past the
keeper and he took the fare.
"Please give us our ticket," Joel said with delight.
That monkey, he ate it and sped out of sight.
"Such strange things do happen," Joel said with a grin, "A seal with a red flag
is waving us in. Let’s go pat that camel the best in this place.”
But that naughty animal spat in his face.
"Aw, you are disgusting and terribly rude."
"You hungry?" asked Ryan. "Let's look for some food."
The cafe for humans had tables and chairs and coloured umbrellas on top of
the stairs. A duck in a waistcoat came up to the guys, "May I take your order?"
"We'll just have two pies?"
"Oh no! Absolutely! That's not good to eat. Just leave it to me, sirs. I'll serve
you a treat. We sell peanuts, dried grass and lots of dead mice, the raw fish
on bread is especially nice.”
“No thank you,” the boys said, not hiding a scowl then leapt in the air at the
HOOT of an owl.
"Joel, let us continue there's much more to see," said Ryan, whose blue eyes
were sparkling with glee. For Ryan had spotted a path over there and, though
it was leading he wasn't sure where, he thought if they followed it 'round the
next bend a lovely surprise might be there at the end.
So onto the path made of candy and chips, the boys hurried after an ant with huge lips. They ran with a cheetah, patted a lion, then cuddled a crocodile just
to please Ryan. They walked with a reindeer, his doe and her calf, until they
saw something that caused them to laugh.
Can you guess what's funny? What did the boys see?
A great, big old hippo was climbing a tree. He swung on a thick branch, and
hung by his toes, then sneezed at a squirrel who tickled his nose.
"Of all these strange creatures, which one do you like?” said Joel to an
elephant riding a bike.
The elephant snorted and lifted its trunk, then sped 'round the corner, alarmed
by a skunk.
"You know the animal I'd like to see, please? The skinny giraffe with big
knuckles for knees.”
At that very moment there came into view a quaint little cottage all painted in
blue. The boys left the path and peered over the hedge. They stretched for
the fruit from the trees at the edge.
"Here's an orchard of plums and lemons and limes and look, Joel , a
chimney, how crooked it climbs."
“Yes, Ryan. Amazing! Let's see what's inside. I'm sure there's no reason
to wait for a guide.”
So Joel hurried forward and unlatched the gate.
Ryan hung back, saying, “I think we should wait. We'll be embarrassed if the owners appear?"
"Oh, honestly Ryan, there's nothing to fear. We're supposed to explore this wonderful zoo. Not just the animals; the cottages too. Are you coming with me?"
“No. I’m staying here,” and Ryan’s expression was perfectly clear. He took a
step backwards and gazed at the sky then something on top of the roof caught
his eye. The lovely giraffe Ryan wanted to see was stretching her neck through the crooked chimney.
Excitedly Ryan pushed open the door.
Can you just imagine the sight that he saw?
The spotted giraffe sat upon a tall chair, and Joel on a ladder was combing her hair.
At last on the ferry at the end of the day the two happy children had plenty to
say.
"Hey, Ryan, look up there."
"I see it all right. That pelican wearing my cap is a sight."
"You think I look silly?" the pelican said. "Well how about this, then? You
wear it instead."
Oh boy, how they giggled. Their mum won't be peeved, but both of them wondered if they'd be believed.
"Do you think the magic that happened is true to Ryan and Joel on their day at the zoo?"
...................................................
Fun At The Zoo
© Wendy Laharnar 2000
The first thing that happened one day at the zoo, you might not believe it, not
sure if I do, a pelican wearing a cap flew on by that fitted so poorly it covered
one eye.
"That's my cap," cried Ryan to Joel on the ferry. "Guess Mum will be angry."
And Joel answered, "Very!"
Now can you believe this, when landing on shore a great hairy ape was the
next thing they saw? It wore a tin helmet and played a guitar, it danced around Ryan who said, "You're bizarre."
Then monkeys on skateboards came up to the pair, one pushed past the
keeper and he took the fare.
"Please give us our ticket," Joel said with delight.
That monkey, he ate it and sped out of sight.
"Such strange things do happen," Joel said with a grin, "A seal with a red flag
is waving us in. Let’s go pat that camel the best in this place.”
But that naughty animal spat in his face.
"Aw, you are disgusting and terribly rude."
"You hungry?" asked Ryan. "Let's look for some food."
The cafe for humans had tables and chairs and coloured umbrellas on top of
the stairs. A duck in a waistcoat came up to the guys, "May I take your order?"
"We'll just have two pies?"
"Oh no! Absolutely! That's not good to eat. Just leave it to me, sirs. I'll serve
you a treat. We sell peanuts, dried grass and lots of dead mice, the raw fish
on bread is especially nice.”
“No thank you,” the boys said, not hiding a scowl then leapt in the air at the
HOOT of an owl.
"Joel, let us continue there's much more to see," said Ryan, whose blue eyes
were sparkling with glee. For Ryan had spotted a path over there and, though
it was leading he wasn't sure where, he thought if they followed it 'round the
next bend a lovely surprise might be there at the end.
So onto the path made of candy and chips, the boys hurried after an ant with huge lips. They ran with a cheetah, patted a lion, then cuddled a crocodile just
to please Ryan. They walked with a reindeer, his doe and her calf, until they
saw something that caused them to laugh.
Can you guess what's funny? What did the boys see?
A great, big old hippo was climbing a tree. He swung on a thick branch, and
hung by his toes, then sneezed at a squirrel who tickled his nose.
"Of all these strange creatures, which one do you like?” said Joel to an
elephant riding a bike.
The elephant snorted and lifted its trunk, then sped 'round the corner, alarmed
by a skunk.
"You know the animal I'd like to see, please? The skinny giraffe with big
knuckles for knees.”
At that very moment there came into view a quaint little cottage all painted in
blue. The boys left the path and peered over the hedge. They stretched for
the fruit from the trees at the edge.
"Here's an orchard of plums and lemons and limes and look, Joel , a
chimney, how crooked it climbs."
“Yes, Ryan. Amazing! Let's see what's inside. I'm sure there's no reason
to wait for a guide.”
So Joel hurried forward and unlatched the gate.
Ryan hung back, saying, “I think we should wait. We'll be embarrassed if the owners appear?"
"Oh, honestly Ryan, there's nothing to fear. We're supposed to explore this wonderful zoo. Not just the animals; the cottages too. Are you coming with me?"
“No. I’m staying here,” and Ryan’s expression was perfectly clear. He took a
step backwards and gazed at the sky then something on top of the roof caught
his eye. The lovely giraffe Ryan wanted to see was stretching her neck through the crooked chimney.
Excitedly Ryan pushed open the door.
Can you just imagine the sight that he saw?
The spotted giraffe sat upon a tall chair, and Joel on a ladder was combing her hair.
At last on the ferry at the end of the day the two happy children had plenty to
say.
"Hey, Ryan, look up there."
"I see it all right. That pelican wearing my cap is a sight."
"You think I look silly?" the pelican said. "Well how about this, then? You
wear it instead."
Oh boy, how they giggled. Their mum won't be peeved, but both of them wondered if they'd be believed.
"Do you think the magic that happened is true to Ryan and Joel on their day at the zoo?"
...................................................
Fun At The Zoo
© Wendy Laharnar 2000