A Roasted Tale

new twist on a old tale

           A Roasted Tale

If you cross the creek past the bend by the Red Cedar Tree, then walk along the creek bed till the woods clear. You will see three little houses built all in a row each with a yellow rose bush and a welcome sign by the front door. The prettiest flower garden you ever seen outline a corn patch that reaches up to heaven.

Every-other Thursday, you can hear the three brothers whistling a tune as they carry supplies home from town. It's a good walk to town and takes most of the day. The brothers enjoy this trip. Except as they pass through the heart of the forest. The trees are full and thick they force out the sun. No one sings or speaks as they pass this portion of the path. For this is where the big bad wolf lives. The brothers know many a sad tale about this wolf. Why once upon a time three little pigs lived right here in this very spot but sorrow and woe caused the forest to take back this ground and no animal but the wolf will stay here.

Now if you keep watching you will be able to see them in the clearing in just a second. Aw! Here they come now. The first brother out in the clearing is Iza. He is the oldest and speaks for them often. The second brother is Urie. He loves to Laugh and sing. Now the last brother is Ima. He had a big bad scare when he was young and mostly he only nods.

Their days are full and happy; life is good except at harvest time. The wolf lurks near the corn patch hoping to catch just one. Every year it is a race to put up the corn before the wolf gets there. Every year it seems harder to beat him. This year Iza had a plan. He sat his brothers down and told them of it. Urie laughed and sang out that it was a good plan and Ima nodded.

Each brother had a task. Ima needed two very big pumpkins and a bench. Urie needed many sticks and strong twine. Iza needed a weaving board and heavy cord. A full week went by with each of the brothers working on his task, without one spare moment. Not even time to water the roses.

On the next Monday each brother stepped out of his own front door. Ima had made a little pig made from his two pumpkins and affixed it to a bench. It had on a cap and Ima's work cloths. Iza stepped out with a great big strapping net. Urie's door flung open he was singing a tune and very proud of his cage.

The brothers picked a single basket of corn. Took Ima's fake pumpkin brother and set the two under the big Oak Tree. They covered the cage and set the net.

Every year the brothers would have a moonlit picnic and roast a single basket of corn under the stars by a bon fire.

Iza told Urie to climb the tree so he could set the net and Urie nodded.

The other two brothers and the fake pumpkin brother acted like always. The sun lowered and the only light was from the fire. Far away a howl lit through the night air and all three of the little pigs shivered and squealed. The crickets stopped chirping and the night owl grew silent and a cloud blew over the moon. The wind became still. The entire forest was hoping for victory and listening for the big bad wolf.

Just then the big bad wolf jumped into the oak tree. Ima fell to the ground like lead. Urie hide in the basket of corn and their leader Iza froze in place. Ima faced his greatest fear alone. The net Iza made was never used and the cage that Urie made never held a thing but that very night by the fireside. Ima told his tale and he laughed and sang. His brothers only nodded while they had roast n ears and roast beast.

Reviews

[Zeek4]

What a delightful tale. This is a story that should be read out loud to kids in front of fireplace.

[Ron]

Love the descriptions in this work. "Three cottages with yellow roses" English Victorian gardens to be sure. Then the switch into American prose in a Childrens Story. Roast wolf! My Grandson would love that!

[Ed Hart]

roast beast, my favorite...but, if all the stories are going to end like this one, how are we going to teach the little ones, and scare them right nicely