THE ANIMAL FAIR

                   THE ANIMAL FAIR 

The owl and the elephant went to the fair

And who did they meet while they were there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, ‘twas the dragonfly and the pussycat.

Both were ready to have a chat.

The owl and the elephant much obliged.

They hooted and trumpeted loud and wide

But the dragonfly and the pussycat

Found it hard to keep up with that.

Dragonfly droned and Pussycat meowed.

Out of pity Owl and Elephant bowed.

They left those two while at the fair.

Who else did they meet while they were there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, ‘twas the bumblebee and the old bullfrog.

Some friends were with them, a mouse and a dog.

All were ready to have something to eat.

They found a tent with one short seat.

They all plopped down, then moved over a bit

So their big, fat elephant friend could fit.

The owl ate the mouse and the elephant felt bad.

‘Twas the only friend the dog ever had.

The owl and the elephant stayed at the fair.

Where else did they go while they were there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, ‘twas to a cotton candy booth

Since elephant had a very sweet tooth.

While the poor bumblebee and the old bullfrog

Stayed in the tent consoling the dog,

That poor, poor dog, he cried and cried.

The other two friends stayed by his side.

The elephant ate tons of cotton candy.

He almost burst but he felt just dandy.

The owl and the elephant had fun at the fair.

What else did they do while they were there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, next they found an elephant bathroom.

The candy was becoming Elephant’s doom.

Owl was worried when Elephant was sick.

Would a trough full of water do the trick?

The elephant sat down on an enormous bench.

He thought it was his thirst he needed to quench

But the more his trunk he twisted and turned,

The more his big bowel really burned.

The owl and the elephant worried at the fair.

What else happened while they were there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, the elephant ambulance soon came.

Was the poor, sad dog the one to blame?

He’d heard the noisy elephant on the throne.

He’d decided the ambulance he must phone.

The owl thanked the kind dog for his friend.

The ambulance sped around the bend.

The speed made the elephant feel much better

But the medical aides were soon much wetter.

The owl and the elephant parted at the fair.

What happened to the owl when he left there?

Now things were in a terrible mess

But I’ll give you a moment to guess.

No, no, he met the bumblebee and the old bullfrog.

They’d been eating some honey and drinking some grog.

Then came the dragonfly and the pussycat.

Once again they were eager to stop and chat.

So the owl explained how his friend was dying.

Before very long all animals were crying.

Dragonfly and Pussycat decided to leave

When the owl flew off to his nest to grieve.

Now you know why at the animal fair

When the owl and the elephant both went there

Things were in such a terrible mess

So I won’t give you a moment to guess.

Yes, yes, the owl and the elephant misbehaved

And for that the two of them really paid.

They should have been kinder to their friends,

Apologized promptly and made amends

Instead of taking up most of the seat,

Being greedy and eating all they could eat.

The owl should have gone to the hospital

But instead he chose to be sorrowful.

GAIL RUNSCHKE