The ginger-haired boy has a favorite story of late.For some reason I took a wander through DiaryLand today over a quart of coffee. And my travels took me through some of the more sad/low-ebb/struggle/trying-to-survive diaries on the site (timing maybe?) It is afterall the Happiest Time Of The Year--say that with a forced smile three times and spin. Yikes.
So, without further adoo-doo, I decided to hand-type-for-your-pleasure (everything feels better with that personal touch... grin) a story for all ages by one of my favorite poets. It is also one of my son's greatest pleasures. I hope it will brighten someone's struggle to keep the baby-steps moving forward.
I'm glad to be a fast typist--because I'm about to do some transcribing...
Here goes:
Adventures Of Isabel
by Ogden Nash
Isabel met an enormous bear,
Isabel, Isabel didn't care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,
How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up,
Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.
Once in a night as black as pitch
Isabel met a wicked old witch.
The witch's face was cross and wrinkled.
The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled.
Ho ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,
I'll turn you into an ugly toad!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She showed no rage and she showed no rancor,
She turned that witch into milk and drank her.
Isabel met a hideous giant.
Isabel continued self reliant
The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid,
He had one eye in the middle of his forehead.
Good Morning, Isabel, the giant said,
I'll grind your bones to make my bread.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She nibbled the zwieback that she always fed off,
And when it was gone, she cut the giants head off.
Isabel met a troublesome doctor,
He punched and poked till he really shocked her.
The doctor�s talk was of coughs and chills
And the doctor�s satchel bulged with pills.
The doctor said unto Isabel,
Swallow this it will make you well.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She took those pills from the pill concocter,
And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.
[that ends the original from 1936. he added some for his newest child later, and that ended up in the illustrated book, so new finale coming up]
Isabel once was asleep in bed
When a horrible dream crawled into her head.
It was worse than an dinosaur, worse than a shark,
Worse than an octopus oozing in the dark.
Boo! said the dream, with a dreadful grin,
I'm going to scare you out of your skin!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
Isabel had a cleverer scheme;
She just woke up and fooled that dream.
Whenever you meet a bugaboo
Remember what Isabel used to do.
Don't scream when the bugaboo says Boo!
Just look it in the eye and say Boo to you!
That's how to banish a bugaboo;
Isabel did it and you can too!
Boooooo To You!
Ogden Nash