Here's Part 8 of Lizzie Hayes...finally!! Sorry for the delay once again...it's been a very busy, very exciting week (more on that later :-D). But for now, I hope you enjoy the latest of Lizzie's Christmas adventures...
Lizzie Hayes' Magical Christmas Travels
Chapter 8
Our heroine, young Lizzie Hayes
Had been at Granddad’s for six days-
Tomorrow would be New Year’s Eve,
The day after, they would leave Steve.
But our Lizzie was getting near,
As everything would become clear
When she read Granddad’s diary through-
Lizzie now knew what she must do.
So after breakfast, off she ran
To the library for her plan
Was the diary still in the spot
Where she’d left it? No, it was not-
Someone had moved while she dozed-
So that path to truth was now closed
(If Liz was honest, she would say,
She’d feel bad reading anyway.)
So Liz decided just to play
With her dollies another day,
Outside, the poor sky was crying
But Liz had a rain-defying
Present that let her explore
Even when skies outside would pour!
But as usual, she had to wait
‘Til day had gone and it was late
Making sure her mum was asleep
Before she could silently creep
Toward Granddad Steve’s study door
Where, with much relief, Liz saw
The door was open, letting light
Spill into the hallway that night.
‘Lizzie! I’d hoped that you’d appear-
Come closer now, and sit down here.
I think you noticed something gone
From the library, once upon
That desk- that’s why you’re here tonight.’
Young Lizzie sighed and said ‘You’re right!
I’m sorry I had a look through-
That’s something that I shouldn’t do.’
‘You’re right, Lizzie, you shouldn’t peek-
But I know there’s something you seek,
You must be desperate to know
About my beaver friends, and so
Before revealing their magic,
I must tell you what is tragic.
Before that photo was taken
Something left Mum and I shaken-
My father sadly passed away
When he was chopping wood one day,
He was a carpenter, you see-
And his job always inspired me.’
‘How did he die?’ young Liz inquired,
‘Chopping one day, he was so tired
My poor father chopped off his hand-
And from that moment, I was banned
From following in my dad’s shoes.
To become a carpenter too.
Mum thought we both needed a break-
My dad’s family lived near a lake
In central Canada, so we
Went there to visit them, you see.
That’s when that photo was taken
As well as events that have shaken
How I, and now you, live our lives
For as long as that globe survives.’
Lizzie was dumbstruck by this tale
Granddad said ‘Why are you so pale?
I think we need a trip, don’t you?
Of course, we should bring our Chumps too.’
Before Steve could say any more,
Young Lizzie had run out the door
To fetch the globe and doggy friend,
And brought it back, ready to send
The three of them to somewhere new-
To where? Well, I don’t have a clue!
Let’s find out right now, as they land-
All around Liz could just see sand,
Like Africa- but Liz, somehow,
Knew they were not in Africa now.
‘Well, this is not what I had planned,’
Said Granddad Steve, ‘We’re in a land
That I have not been to for YEARS-
Oh well! Let us walk on, my dears!’
So off they walked, Chumps, Liz and Steve
In a heat Liz could not believe-
What country had they landed in?
Suddenly, Lizzie saw a grin
Rise up on Granddad’s wrinkled face-
The three of them slowed up their pace.
Granddad Steve said, ‘Well, what a shock!
Is this a mirage sent to mock
Or is this my old friend, King Kong?
Let’s move close to see if I’m wrong.’
What was Granddad talking about?
Liz didn’t know, then gave a SHOUT
As she saw, rippled in the heat,
A humped creature with four hoofed feet
Walking towards them- Lizzie knew
Just what this creature was- do you?
Young Liz had studied it at school
And thought that it was rather cool,
A CAMEL now was by their side
Poor Chumps whimpered and went to hide
Behind Steve’s legs. ‘Don’t be scared, Chumps,
Of King Kong here with his two humps.’
Then the camel bent to the floor-
Steve said ‘What are you waiting for?
Let’s all jump on King Kong’s back!
As our friend King Kong has the knack
Of carrying a heavy load-
No more chit-chat, let’s hit the road!’
Granddad sat in front of the humps,
Liz in between, holding poor Chumps,
As King Kong stood, Lizzie felt scared
Somehow, our girl had not prepared
For such a HIGH and bumpy trip-
All young Lizzie could do was grip
As tight as possible, and pray-
Then Granddad had something to say:
‘We are in INDIA, my sweet-
I hope you’re OK in this heat,
Rajastan state is hot and dry…’
Liz said ‘I feel like I might fry!
This definitely is something new-
Granddad, where are we headed to?’
‘A desert village over there‘-
Granddad Steve pointed it out- ‘where
There is a marvelous lagoon
Don’t worry dear, we’ll reach there soon!’
Not long after, the camel stopped
By a huge tree- off Lizzie hopped
To the lagoon she’s heard about-
When she peered in, she gave a shout-
What reflections did Lizzie see?
Of CHILDREN- at LEAST thirty three!
She looked up at them, as they stared:
Granddad Steve said ‘Lizzie, don’t be scared!
They’ve never see a girl like you-
I bet that you’re curious too!’
Liz had to admit that she was:
‘Lizzie, we have to go, because
There’s someone we must see today-
When we come back, you all can play.’
The staring children started to smile-
Liz said ‘I’ll be back in a while!’
It was clear Chumps wanted to stay,
To run with the children and play,
‘He’ll be OK...’ said Granddad Steve,
‘But Lizzie, you and I must leave.’
Next to the lagoon, Liz saw
Something she had not seen before:
Ladies wearing bright blue, purple and red
Carried water pots on their head,
To do that while so beautifully dressed:
Young Lizzie was really impressed!
‘We must follow that lady in blue,’
Said Steve, ‘For she’ll take us to who
We need to see.’ So they pursued
The path of the lady in blue
Right to her house, where she turned round,
Put down her pot, then with no sound
She swept her arm towards the door,
With the prettiest smile Liz ever saw.
Steve nodded and said ‘Dhanevat’
Took his shoes off on the doormat
And walked inside; Liz had bare feet
So followed Steve, ready to meet
Whoever Granddad had brought her for,
Relieved to have a wooden floor
After the roasting desert sand-
Suddenly she saw a hand.
‘Lizzie, this is a very good friend,
Pranish, and he was kind to send
King Kong to bring all of us here,
You see, he KNOWS when we appear.’
‘Really?’ said Liz, ‘So he can track
Our trips around the world and back?’
‘Yes,’ said Steve, ‘for you see
He knows the magic of the tree
In the lagoon- just he alone,
Even to his wife it’s unknown.’
Poor Lizzie felt a little dense
As none of this made any sense
So studied her new friend instead
While all this whirled round in her head.
Pranish had flowing, thick black hair
With sprinkles of grey here and there,
Lizzie had never seen before
The diaper-type thing Pranish wore.
Granddad, catching Lizzie staring,
Said ‘That’s a dhoti he’s wearing.
That loose shirt he wears just above
The dhoti is a kurta, love.
I will have to explain for Pranish
As he’s does not know much English.
But first, let us all take a seat
As Shee’s prepared something to eat.’
Then, the lovely lady in blue
Came in with tea, and dishes too
All filled with food Liz had not seen
Of many shades of brown and green.
‘Liz, this tea is masala chai-
It’s sweet, it’s spicy, and I won’t lie
It’s my favourite type of tea!
Now, this green dish is a curry
Palak paneer- spinach and cheese,
It’s certainly a dish to please!
These flat breads are called rotis, dear.’
Liz said ‘What is this brown one here?’
‘That’s chicken curry- very nice,
But watch out it has lots of SPICE!’
Said Granddad Steve, ‘But where was I?
First, let me have a sip of chai…
Now let me start. This magic tree
Allows Pranish alone to see
The worldwide trips you and I make,
And even the NEXT trip we’ll take!’
‘Where does he see all this?’ said Liz,
‘And how do you know all of this?’
‘When the globe brought me to this place,
Pranish met me, smile on his face,
And he gestured for me to ride
King Kong, as he walked alongside.
It seemed like a long trip, but soon
We came to that famous lagoon-
Pranish took me to the waterside
Asked me to look in, then he cried-
‘I SEE you in there! I SEE you!’
Well, I didn’t know what to do-
This strange man was telling me
It’s MY reflection he could see?
It sounded crazy and untrue,
I was disbelieving like you,
What was it that made me believe?
I’ll tell you, Liz…’ said Granddad Steve,
‘Pranish and I cannot converse,
His English- bad, my Hindi- worse,
But he had DRAWN pictures of me
Based on everything he could see,
Pictures of things he COULDN’T know-
Like me in Nepal in the snow,
Like me in Canada with Bert
And of the time that I got hurt
When a bear and I had a fight-
So Liz, you get the picture, right?
For many years I’ve had a think,
My conclusion is there’s a link
Between our globe and this strange tree-
That allows our Pranish to see
Our every move in the lagoon.’
Was Granddad actually a loon?
Could two countries so far apart
Both beat with the same magic heart?
It was crazy, but then she knew
A magic GLOBE was crazy too!
‘Liz, I know that’s an overload
Of info, so let’s hit the road.
But I think we can have one chai
Before we have to say goodbye.’
One tea was given to Lizzie,
She drank it down, then felt dizzy
As into the study she fell,
And of course, Granddad Steve as well.
‘We forgot Chumps!’ cried young Lizzie,
‘Don’t worry, he will be busy
Playing, running and having fun
Under the hot Indian sun.
I’ll go back and get him very soon
From the desert’s magic lagoon.
So Lizzie, off to bed with you!’
Reader, off to bed with you too!
So you and Liz can dream of trees
And more of the globe’s mysteries,
Just two more days ‘til Lizzie's home-
So where's the NEXT place she will roam?...
