The Pumpkin

A short, old Bedtime Story from Russia

Introduction

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.


~ The End ~


The Hidden Message >>
The Moral of the Pumpkin Tale



Now, my dear friend
we have come to the end
just like that.

But before you go
and leave the show
don't forget the old hat.




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© Brigitte Franssen 2006
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