THE TALE OF A PINK FLAMINGO

By Ruth Plumly Thompson
Author of The Lost King of Oz, Ozoplaning with the Wizard in Oz, and The Wish Express, etc.

Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, June 22, 1919.

Here is a story that’s true as true
Of a pink flamingo who felt dark blue!
For this pink flamingo bird had got
His long, long neck in a hard, hard knot.

The bad little fishes splashed in a row

And watched the pink flamingo GO—

“We’re safe as long as that knot stays tied,

You cannot eat us now—old dear,” they cried.

Not only blue he felt—but hollow,
With a knot tied in his neck—how could he swallow?
So he picked up his long, long legs—and ran
To his uncle Peter Pelican!

The flamingo heard and muttered as he ran,

“If any one can help me Peter Pelican CAN!”

Peter Pelican tried—but he couldn’t—worse luck,

So he sent him off to a Doctor Duck.

Doctor Duck looked close—“Sir, I diagnose
Your case as a sailor’s knot—I suppose
A sailor must untie it!” Off the pink bird ran
Till at last he came up with a sailor man—

He made a bow and he said a lot
In flamingo-ese—about the knot.
Tho’ the sailor didn’t quite understand the lingo,
He untied the knot for the pink flamingo!
                  (And that’s about all.)

THE FORGETFUL POET

 

By Ruth Plumly Thompson 

Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, August 29, 1920.

 
Puzzles Out of the Jungle Box

The warmer the weather becomes the more nonsense the Forgetful Poet seems to think up. He said no wonder, with a pen that was out of its mind, and when I asked him what he meant he said: “It was, from constant doses of ink, quite dippy.”

Then he wanted to know why there was always a jam on the pantry shelf, and when I threatened him with the letter opener he retired chuckling. And when he had gone I found these riddles on my desk:

Why are lead pencils like little girls?

Who are the youngest people in the shoe closet?

Can you finish these verses:

There once was a queer Crustacean,
Who lived in the blue -----?
He swam to and fro and for all that I -----
He made verses in ancient Chaldean!

Last week’s answers were: Cotton wood tree, red wood, ash, beach, peach and locusts.

[Answers next time.]

Copyright © 2016 Eric Shanower and David Maxine. All rights reserved.

NOW, ONCE I OWNED A FUNNY MAN

By L. Frank Baum

Author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Boy Fortune Hunters in the Yucatan, Daughters of Destiny, etc.

Illustrated by W. W. Denslow

Originally published in Father Goose: His Book, 1899.

 

THE FORGETFUL POET

 
By Ruth Plumly Thompson 
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, August 22, 1920.

Poems and Puzzles 

Last week’s answers and verses were:

There once was coot in a waterproof suit,

And the silly old water fowl thought he looked cute!

An arithmetic book is well furnished because it is full of tables.

The bodies of water concealed in the last two verses were the River Don, Lake Superior and Seine River.

Forgetfully speaking, what would you say to these:

“How can a sea place see?

A wise little fish asked me.

“Don’t know,” said I. “Will you please explain?”

“Yes,” laughed the fish, “Sea planes see plain!”

There are six trees concealed in these verses. Can you find them?

“I’d like a dress,” said Mary Jane,

“A cotton or a crash;

A red would do—or, maybe, blue!”

Dad flicked his cigar ash.

“Perhaps you can have two,” he said,

“To wear down at the beach.

Upon the whole, you shall have three,

You’re such a little peach.

“But how I wish my little girl

Would not grow up,” he said;

“And do you hear the locusts

Telling folks it’s time for bed?” 

They may not be spelled like trees—but they sound like ’em.

[Answers next time.] 

Copyright © 2016 Eric Shanower and David Maxine. All rights reserved.