The Pumpkin is an Old Russian folktale with an important message for young and old. Still the story itself is simple and short.
In Russian the story is a real tongue twister with a real nice rhythm to it. In English, where there are no genders or cases, this is a lot harder to achieve but the story below still does have some great rhymes.
Its simple pattern and rhythm is exactly why the little ones love it so much.
The Pumpkin
Retold by Brigitte Franssen; illustrated by Jef Franssen
Once upon a time there was and there will be a young man in his prime whose name is Lee.
He found a seed which smelt ever so sweet. So he did a good deed and planted the seed.
While the sky was blue the seed grew and grew blessed by the morning dew till there was this ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.
Lee tried to pull the pumpkin up....
and he pulled and he pulled !!! ... and he pulled and he pulled !!!
But Lee could not pull up the ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.
So Lee called his wife Cherie, and together they pulled in harmony
Lee and Cherie
... and they pulled and they pulled !!! ... and they pulled and they pulled !!!
But they could not pull up the ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.
So Cherie called her dog Ali and together they pulled in harmony.
Lee, Cherie and her dog Ali
and they pulled and they pulled !!! and they pulled and they pulled !!!
But they could not pull up the ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.
So the dog Ali called the cat named Cicely and together they pulled in harmony
Lee, Cherie, the dog Ali, and cat Cicely
and they pulled and they pulled !!! and they pulled and they pulled !!!
But they could not pull up the ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.
Then cat Cicely called the tiny little mouse Timothy and together they pulled in harmony
Lee, Cherie, the dog Ali, cat Cicely and the tiny little mouse Timothy,
and
up
came the ravishingly plump pumpkin of unknown origin.