Presenting Part 2 of my children's rhyming story serial...here's Part 1 if you'd like to read it. Hope you enjoy it!
Lizzie Hayes' Magical Christmas Travels
Chapter 2
Where was I? Oh yes! Lizzie Hayes-
A girl quite difficult to faze-
Spun her new globe like Santa said
And felt a PAIN inside her head
That made her feel sick and dizzy-
Truly baffled was our Lizzie!
Poor Chumps was feeling the same thing,
He kept on howling and barking!
Liz closed her eyes, prayed it would stop,
Then fell to her bum with a PLOP!
Feeling sore, she opened her eyes,
Looked around; much to her surprise
Her and Chumps had taken a ride
To a strange, snowy mountainside!
She rubbed her eyes hard to make sure,
But saw the same scene as before.
A turquoise blue sky overhead,
‘Where on earth are we?’ Lizzie said,
‘How did we get here- also, why?’
Chumps just barked loudly in reply.
Hearing a noise, Liz turned her head-
A yak came from behind, who said
‘Namaste Lizzie and doggy friend,
This is tricky to comprehend,
But you’ve taken a hefty fall
And now you’re standing in NEPAL!’
‘NEPAL?’ said shivering Liz, ‘HOW?’
‘Something I can’t explain for now,
Just hope on me, and be prepared-
I run quite fast, but don’t be scared!’
The maddest dream Liz ever had,
Or was she simple going mad?
But her and Chumps still climbed aboard,
One second later, the yak SOARED
Along the snow, towards his herd-
It really was rather absurd,
Liz, dressed only in a nightie,
With Chumps, on a yak so flighty
She struggled to stay on the back
Or see lovely views on their track.
Then they finally reached the herd,
Slid off the yak, who said ‘My word,
I have not told you my name yet!
I’m Surya- you can’t forget,
Just look up, tell me what you see,
‘Sun’ in Indonesian is me!
This is my wife, her name is Arti.
Arti, these two are Steve’s party.’
‘You mean Grandad Steve?’ Lizzie said,
Surya said ‘Let’s see Ahmed,
He will explain all this to you.’
‘And why you can speak English, too?’
The yak laughed at Lizzie’s query,
‘Oh yes, he’ll tell you that theory.
Come up on my back, if you please
Or Lizzie, your poor toes will freeze!’
(Liz had no slippers on her feet-
In the snow, they were losing heat.)
Liz was too dazzled by the views
To care about her lack of shoes,
Aside from grunts, there was no sound-
Just snowy mountains all around.
Liz had not seen mountains so high
That the tops seemed to touch the sky!
Soon Surya came to a stop
At a small hut with snow on top.
Surya said ‘Here Ahmed stays,
Now seek his wisdom, Lizzie Hayes.’
And with those words, the yak had gone
Back to his herd, so Liz walked on
Into the house to find Ahmed-
‘So much like your granddad,’ he said,
‘He told me you’d be here one day-
Steve often used to come and stay.
You must be cold, please take a seat
By the fire to get some heat!’
Ahmed, a Nepali, was short,
His hair was grey but skin was taut,
His tunic and trousers were green-
The brightest green Lizzie had seen-
Lined with gold, and on his head
Perched a strange hat of patterned red.
Seeing Liz stare at what he wore,
Ahmed smiled. 'Seen this before?
Dhaka topi- a national hat.
Care to join me for dhal bhat?
It’s lentil curry,’ said Ahmed,
‘That you soak up with roti bread.’
Liz tentatively took a seat,
As Ahmed gave Chumps bones to eat.
‘How did I get here?’ asked Lizzie,
I remember feeling dizzy…
Oh wow!’ she said, trying the food,
‘That really does taste rather good!’
'Dhal bhat’s popular in Nepal.
Now, I guess you remember a fall
When you stopped the globe with your touch,
And then you landed here, as such,
And met Surya.’ Ahmed said,
‘Yes!’ said Liz, ‘It’s hurting my head
To think I’ve met a talking YAK!’
‘Yes, he has always had the knack
To speak the tongue of those he meets
Really an incredible feat!
No-one in Nepal believes me
Except you and Steve.
Please have some tea!’
Sipping, Lizzie said ‘You’ve explained much,
But why am I here through my touch?’
‘That’s not hard to explain at all-
Your finger landed on NEPAL!
When you reach the end of your cup,
All will be a dream; you’ll wake up
So before you go, please come with me.
Please bring Chumps and your cup of tea.’
‘But…’ said Liz, ‘how did Grandad Steve…’
‘I know dear, it’s hard to believe
But since he saw your newborn face
He knew you had to take his place.
Now hold onto Chumps- when I sip
My tea, we’re going on a trip…’
And with one sip, they began to fall-
Were she and Chumps leaving Nepal?
But no, they fell down with a PLOP
On a rough, snowy mountaintop.
‘Where are we?’ said Lizzie with fear,
Ahmed said ‘Mount Everest, dear!
You can’t get closer to the sky-
No other mountain is as high.’
Now, Lizzie was afraid of heights,
But this was quite a special sight
To see those mountains down below
AND she felt warm despite the snow.
Ahmed said ‘Liz, look left and right,
Isn’t it a beautiful sight?
This magic tea makes you feel warm
Even in the coldest snow-storm!
Because we rushed up here so quick,
This height should make you feel sick
But the magic tea helped that too-
When you go home is up to you.’
Liz looked down, and was shocked to see
She still held a HOT cup of tea!
‘I guess I’d best be on my way
As after all, it’s Christmas Day!’
‘Right’, said Ahmed, ‘before you leave
I need you to raise up your sleeve.’
Young Lizzie did as she was told
As Ahmed weaved thread green and gold
Around her wrist, and said ‘My dear,
Remember all that happened here.
Now drink your tea in one- don’t stop,
Drink every bit to the last drop!’
Next thing she knew, she’d woken up-
Besides her was an empty cup.
Lizzie didn’t know how to feel-
Had it all been a dream, or real?
Poor Lizzie did not understand…
Then saw the bracelet by her hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment