Right, a few disclaimers might be needed for this next chapter, as I went for a subject a liiiiiiiittle bit out of my depth. Best way to learn, right? But I'll save those disclaimers until the end- don't want to ruin the surprise, after all...
Twice Liz had travelled with the
globe-
It now was time to prod and probe
Her Granddad Steve, to find out
more
Why did this globe let her explore?
She knew how weird and wild it
seemed-
But this was NOT something she’d
dreamed.
Along with Chumps, she went downstairs
To face her mother’s baffled glare.
‘You’re so bruised Liz, are you
alright?
You look like you’ve been in a
fight!’
‘I’m fine thanks Mum- just need to
talk
To Granddad- can we take a walk?’
But Granddad looked a little
scared,
‘Not now, dear Lizzie- I’ve
prepared
A HUGE breakfast for Boxing Day-
Pancakes and bacon on the way!’
Her favourite food- but Liz was
cross
Was Granddad Steve trying to gloss
Over the subject- what’s to hide?
So after breakfast, Lizzie tried
To ask her Granddad once again,
Who said ‘Not now.’ Liz said, ‘But
when?’
‘I’ll tell you when the time is
right,’
Said Granddad Steve, ‘later
tonight.’
So Lizzie sat through Boxing Day
Just wishing the whole day away-
And only at the midnight chime
Did Granddad Steve say ‘It is time.
Come to my study, with the globe.’
Then flounced off in his flowing
robe.
Keen Lizzie obeyed Steve’s
command,
Went to the study, globe in hand,
‘Come in!’ said Granddad, ‘it’s
unlocked!’
And that’s before Lizzie had
knocked!
Carefully, Liz turned the handle
Into darkness, save one candle
Only lighting her Granddad’s face-
‘Come here, my dear, and take your
place!
Let me explain all that you’ve
seen
And tell me everywhere you’ve
been-
But I think before we begin
That we should take a little SPIN…
Hold my hand, nothing to be
feared!’
Said Granddad Steve, stroking his
beard.
So Lizzie took Steve’s bony hand
And spun her way to some strange land…
She fell down with her usual
screech,
Opened her eyes onto a BEACH!
As Steve brushed off his sandy
robe,
Liz said ‘Where ARE we on the
globe?’
‘South America, I believe!
Now come this way,’ said Granddad
Steve.
Liz said ‘Have you been here
before?’
This question Steve chose to
ignore.
He scoured all the rocks and sand
Young Lizzie did not understand!
Liz looked at the sea, sparkling
blue,
Unsure of what else she should do.
‘Liz! Come here!’ Steve suddenly
cried,
So Lizzie sprinted to his side
And stared at what looked like a
rock
Until she got a mighty SHOCK
As that same rock began to move
Steve certainly seemed to approve,
Out popped some legs, and then a
HEAD!
‘We’ve woken Carlos from his bed!’
Said Granddad Steve, ‘This
tortoise here
I’ve visited for many years-
He’s almost the same age as me!
¡Hola Carlos, estoy aquí!’
Slowly, the tortoise turned his
head,
‘Steve mi amigo, ¿está usted?
‘Sí Carlos, con mi nieta-
¡Es la mejor del planeta!
Steve said to Liz as Carlos smiled
‘I know that this seems pretty
wild
But Spanish is what Carlos speaks-
I learned the tongue for MANY
weeks
Before I could talk and comprehend
The words of my old tortoise
friend.’
Lizzie looked at Carlos a while,
Who said to her, with a sleepy
smile:
‘iHermasos ojos azules!’
‘Carlos, Lizzie habla ingles.’
Then Carlos said ‘I had no clue!
My name’s Carlos, how do you do?
From my words, I’m sure you can
tell
I cannot speak your English well!’
‘Lizzie, I will translate, no
fear,’
Said Granddad Steve. ‘Old Carlos
here
Said you have beautiful blue eyes!’
Well, this took Lizzie by
surprise!
‘Lizzie, pleased excuse me a sec,’
Said Steve, ‘There’s something I
must check.’
Carlos and Steve spoke Spanish
fast,
Liz wondered how long it would
last
Until Steve cried ‘Why, it’s a
shame!
You only have yourself to blame!
We’re looking for your wife TODAY!
There’s no way she’s gone TOO
astray!’
You see Liz, Carlos lost his wife
After he caused her too much
strife!
No time to waste, now we must
leave.
That’s OK, Carlos?’ ‘Vale, Steve.’
Steve took the tortoise on his
back
(Carlos was old, his pace was
slack)
The three of them walked from the
beach
As Granddad Steve began to teach
Young Lizzie, with a happy smile:
‘San Cristobal is a small isle
Part of the Galapagos group
Off Ecuador, home to a troop
Of giant tortoises on shore
Who lay their eggs- and wait!
There’s more-
Don’t make a sound, don’t say a
word-
Hear the elusive mockingbird!’
As neither Steve nor Lizzie talked
Lizzie saw just how far they’d
walked-
A rainforest with stifling heat
Plus spiky plants just by their
feet
And silence- then the rarest
sound,
Which meant a MOCKINGBIRD was
found!
Then Granddad did something
absurd-
He sang just like the mockingbird!
Young Lizzie caught a flash of
white-
A bird swooped down to Lizzie’s
height.
‘¡Hola, Conzuela!’- in reply
The mockingbird trilled to the
sky.
‘Mi amigo ha perdido
Su esposa- ha salido.
¿Dónde está? No sabemos.
Liz, I’ve just explained that
Carlos
Lost his wife, when she departed-
This young bird here is
kind-hearted
And might have seen his wife
around.’
The mockingbird then trilled a
sound-
‘Oh, ¡GRACIAS!’ cried Granddad Steve-
Who ran like you wouldn’t believe
For Steve was old, but he was
QUICK!
So quick Liz thought she might be
sick!
Poor Carlos, bobbing up and down
On Steve’s Back wore a queasy
frown
Until they reached another BEACH-
The last thing Liz thought they
would reach!
But Steve kept running thud-thud-thud
Towards a rock-pool, brown with
mud,
Then he stopped dead, waited a
while,
Slowly began to smile and smile-
‘My dear grand-daughter, see those
bubbles?
That’s the end of all our troubles
For I think that the wife is found!’
Releasing Carlos from the ground,
Into the mudpool, Carlos fell-
He stared hard at one surfaced
shell…
Then that shell grew a tortoise
head!
‘Oh Ana, Ana, ¿es usted?
‘Carlos, ¿dónde has estado?
iMi amor, te he echado!
‘Now Carlos found his wife,’ said
Steve,
‘I think it’s time for us to
leave.’
‘Adiós Carlos y Ana,
See you soon! ¡Hasta mañana!
Then Granddad Steve took Lizzie’s
hand
And ran full speed through
speckled sand
Back through the trees, they heard
the laugh
Of mockingbirds- Steve chose the
path
That seemed to last for many miles-
Lizzie was almost out of smiles,
Much more running, she could not
take-
Then suddenly, they’d reached a
LAKE
With nothing but grass all around,
Lizzie’s breathing the only sound.
‘Lizzie, this lake is El Junco-
To get back home, in we must go!’
Lizzie was stunned- ‘You mean we
JUMP?’
But Steve just laughed ‘Don’t get
the hump!
Now jump after I count to 3-‘
‘Please don’t! I’m scared!’ said
Liz, ‘You see
I nearly drowned when once I fell
Into the sea- I can’t swim well!’
Steve grinned and said ‘Don’t
worry, dear,
I promise there’s no need to fear,
Don’t hold your breath, just after
‘3’
Jump feet first in the lake with
me.’
Don’t hold her breath? But why? but
why?
Wouldn’t she drown? Wouldn’t she
die?
However, she knew that she must
Put into Steve all of her trust
And so she jumped- but just felt
AIR
Rushing around her everywhere
Then silence. Liz opened her eyes
And found (which came to no
surprise)
That she was back in Granddad’s
study,
Somehow clean, not wet or muddy,
And Granddad Steve sat opposite
Grinning at her, not fazed one
bit.
‘Oh Granddad, can you tell me now?
Where did we go? What, why and
how?
But Granddad gave the BIGGEST
yawn-
‘My dear, it’s coming up to dawn.
Tomorrow night, come meet me here,
Same time, same place, and then my
dear
You’ll find out all there is to
know.
Now Lizzie, off to bed you go!’
Will you join Liz tomorrow eve
To find out everything from Steve?
I know she’d love you to be there-
But for now, dear, goodnight, take
care.
DISCLAIMERS: I am not an expert of Spanish/ the Galapagos Islands. I apologize if I offend anybody with mistakes, and will gladly correct them...as long as they're within the rhyme scheme...(joking, will actually correct if wrong!). I wish the picture was mine, but it isn't...it belongs here.
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