Stacy--Part Forty-Seven

Splog # 176

Forty-Seven

 "When the birds were all settled in, the old man set about forming a stable place for the pot to rest among the items packed on the mule. But when he had everything ready and he reached for the pot, the girl was reluctant to pass it to him. She told him she'd like to carry it while they walked. He said that was alright but to be gentle and not shake them up too much and be sure not to drop them out. She gave him a look that said, 'I'm eight years old. I can take care of two birds in a pot.' He chuckled a little and they resumed their walk.

 "The silence was not so absolute now. The birds never seemed to tire of their ti-ti melody and every once in a while the girl would chime in with them. Soon the old man was making up a song to accompany them.

   Oh we walk along the ground. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   And we make a merry sound. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

It didn't take long for the girl to figure out where to come in and she joined her voice to his.

   We've got some little birds. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   Who sing in nonsense words. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

To the little girl, it almost seemed that the birds were coming in in the right place for the chorus.

   We're walking with a mule. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I doubt he's been to school. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

As the girl raised her voice, she began to hear slight echoes coming back to them from the steep walls.

   Soon we will stop to eat. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   The food will taste quite sweet. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

Then the old man told the girl to give them a verse. She walked for a few moments and then burst out.

   My birds are in a pot. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I like them a whole lot. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

The old man clapped and laughed and the girl tried again.

   They're all wrapped up in socks. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I don't see any rocks. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

Then the old man sang.

   Would you like to stop for lunch? Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I'm hungry a whole bunch. Ti-ti-. Ti-ti-ti.

And the girl answered:

   Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I'm hungry too I guess. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

And so, both of them bubbling with laughter, they stopped and ate."

 Stacy and Lane hadn't been long in joining Johnny on the ti-ti refrains. And they found themselves laughing by the end of the song, just as the man and his granddaughter were.

   "How come you know so many small details about this story?" Stacy asked. "Even the words of a little song they sang."

 "When Splog used to tell us the story," Lane replied, "he'd always add new details."    "And when we pointed out that is was different whenever he told it," Johnny added, "he told us that it wasn't different, it was richer."

 "Like a picture," Lane said. "Splog talked about stories and pictures and said you could always find more details, the closer you paid attention. It all depends on how much time you want to use..."

 "And how much time you want to waste," Johnny joined with her to complete the sentence. "And it was one of our favorite songs. We'd sing it all the time and make up hundreds of verses."

 "Do you want to walk while we finish the story?" Lane asked.

 "Sure," Stacy replied.

 "OK. We'll be right back."

 Lane and Johnny grabbed up the plates and cups and utensils and disappeared around a corner at one end of the room. While she was waiting, Stacy started to hum.

   We're gonna take a walk. Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   I don't see any clock. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

   Aren't Lane and Johnny nice? Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   For breakfast we had rice. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

   Is there a rhyme for Stacy? Ti-ti. Ti-ti.

   If I wore something lacy. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti.

 Lane came hurrying over with a damp cloth and wiped the table down.

 "Did you have enough to eat?" she asked belatedly. When Stacy nodded, she moved off quickly saying, "Be back in a minute."

 Stacy sat humming and looked around the room. There were two people sitting some distance away and Stacy hoped one of them would look over so she could wave but they seemed lost in another world, eating slowly without talking or even looking at each other.

 Lane and Johnny were soon back. "Just a quick clean-up," Lane explained.

 "You should have let me help," Stacy offered.

 "Next time you'll help," said Johnny. "Now. Splog wanted us to give you a tour so I guess we'll head topside and you can see the land of the Doolins."

 "And don't forget your story is supposed to explain why it's called that."

 "We'll get there," smiled Johnny. "This way." And they left the hall by a different corridor than the one by which they'd entered.

 They soon arrived at a wide tunnel that inclined slightly upwards.

 Stacy asked, "How do you find your way around down here?"
 Johnny pointed to the walls. "Those lines are all different and you come to recognize them. Especially at intersections. You know which ones lead where and soon you don't really look at them. A glance is sufficient to know where you are."

 As they walked along, Stacy saw smaller corridors leading off the main tunnel. It curved this way and that, climbing gently upward as they went and soon Stacy could see daylight ahead. They came out onto a broad grassy plain and in the distance was one large lone tree. Stacy looked around but could discover no other landmark anywhere in sight.

 "Is that the only tree around?" she asked incredulously.

 "Not really," said Johnny. "Well, the only one nearby."