Chasing Gavin
Of books, lampposts and pixiedust
(A story adapted from The Toll-Bridge Troll by Patricia Rae Wolff)
This is a story of a ten-year-old boy,
Who was very strange indeed.
He was tall yet skinny with hair that was brown;
And fine-looking eyes of green.
This boy loved to draw and to write and to read,
He had but a world of his own.
Now this little boy, odd as he may seem,
Has a story that's waiting to be told.
So read along now, and read along slow,
Find out what happens in between.
Surprises wait, you'll never learn,
Lest you read what this story would soon bestow.
T'was early in the morning when the little boy woke,
When the sky was bright and clear.
He stood up and wobbled towards the door,
Beaming broadly from ear to ear.
He washed and showered and brushed his teeth,
He tied up his shoes in a bow.
T'was the morning of a special day,
That one must truly know.
Why, do you ask? Why is it so?
Now hear what he has to say.
The boy grinned proudly as his cheeks turned red,
"My schooling starts today!"
The boy turned around and peered through the door,
Gaping beyond the bushes and trees.
He jumped at the sight of a small yellow bus,
"Hooray! The school bus is here!"
He grabbed his books, picked up his snack,
Then he scampered across the floor.
He said his hellos, goodbyes and adieus,
As he busted out through the door.
He ran and bellowed, "Wait for me!"
But the school bus has already fled.
He stopped and shrugged as he smiled to himself,
"That's okay, I can walk instead."
So the little boy walked, and he hopped and he skipped,
Among the bushes and trees did he pass.
He went across puddles and brooks and streams,
Along with the joy that so seemed to last.
Not long after that, he saw from afar,
Beside the enormous clump of trees.
Upon the small bridge stood a little man,
But hmm, just who could that be?
T'was small for a man, yet short for a child,
And rather odd for one to dress.
He wore a blue mink coat with a funny collar,
Along with tight leggings of yellow and red.
Upon his feet were tiny pointed shoes,
Just look and see how they bend!
He wore a hat on his head, all yellow and blue,
That jingles and jangles on the ends!
The little boy strolled closer and closer,
With questions running through his head.
Who could that be? Just who could that be?
To the path of the bridge he led.
He walked through the bridge; it was rickety and wobbly,
As the elf watched him straight in the eye.
Through the eyes of the elf he could clearly see,
Suspicions running by and by.
"HALT!" cried the elf, "Just stop right there!
We have business here, you see."
The boy stood there, raising his brows,
"Business? Is it about me?"
The elf looked left, and right, and then up,
Thinking 'bout something he must know.
"Aha! This is MY bridge, and to go across,
Yeh'll have to pay the TOLL!"
The boy stood there, and thought for a while,
A toll? A toll, did he say?
He rummaged through his pockets to look for a penny,
But I can't pay for the toll each day!
So the little boy thought, and thought real hard,
About something he must do,
Hmm, I know now...just what I need...
So he thought of a riddle he knew.
"Listen now, please listen here,
I haven't a penny, you see.
But I'll give you this riddle, and if I answer it right,
I get to cross your bridge for free!"
The little elf nodded and gave out a grin,
"That riddle must be a good one to share."
The boy gave a smile, "And remember here now,
If I get it, then there'd be no fare!"
"Why does a giraffe have such a long neck?"
The little boy started to ask.
The elf thought hard, and thought real true,
To answer was no easy task!
"Ok, I give up, now why is it so?
Hurry up now and tell me."
"Alright," said the boy with a twinkle in his eye,
"Because its head is so far from its body!"
The little boy ran and ran to school,
As the elf just grumbled from behind.
It was hard, you know, if it happened to you,
A little boy just played with his mind!
T'was early in the morning when the little boy woke,
When the sky was bright and clear.
T'was the next day when the boy went to school,
Grinning broadly from ear to ear.
He walked among bushes, shrubs and trees,
Through puddles and brooks did he pass.
He came upon the bridge with the little elfin man,
Looking more terrible than the last.
"HALT!" cried the elf, "Just stop right there!
We have business here, you see."
The boy stood there, raising his brows,
"What is it this time? Do you need more pennies?"
The little elf winced and threw him a look,
As he crossed his arms at the boy.
"My mother got mad at me last night,
She said you had to pay the toll."
"This time I'll do it, I know I can;
Now you won't be crossing for free."
The little boy shrugged and gave him a grin,
"So now I have to pay the fee?"
The elf just nodded and gave him a stare,
Frowning at him even more.
"Alright, I'll do it. I have money with me.
But ought to know what they're for."
"I have six cents with me," the little boy said,
"But you have to guess what they are.
One of the coins isn't a penny,
Two coins make the whole lot."
The boy placed his hands into his pockets,
And gave out a sheepish grin.
"And now if you guessed my riddle right,
I'll give you all the coins with me."
"A riddle again?" returned the elf.
"But it's quite fair now with me."
The elf stood there and dug through his thoughts,
"Just what could the answer be?"
Not long after that the elf gave a sigh,
And looked intently at the boy.
"I can't find the answer," uttered the elf.
"Nothing came up at all."
The boy shook his head and looked at the elf,
"The answer's here, you see."
He turned out his pocket and showed him the coins:
One was a nickel, and the other, a penny.
"Hey this is not right," uttered the elf,
"You told me one wasn't a penny."
"I said that all right," said the boy.
"And the nickel isn't a penny, is it?"
The little boy ran and ran to school,
As the elf just grumbled from behind.
It was hard, you know, if it happened to you,
A little boy just played with his mind!
T'was early in the morning when the little boy woke,
When the sky was bright and clear.
T'was the third day when the boy went to school,
Grinning broadly from ear to ear.
He walked among bushes, shrubs and trees,
Through puddles and brooks did he pass.
He came upon the bridge with the little elfin man,
Looking more terrible than the last.
"HALT!" cried the elf, "Just stop right there!"
We have business here, you see."
The boy stood there, raising his brows,
"Now what do you need? I haven't got a penny."
The little elf winced and threw him a look,
As he crossed his arms at the boy.
"My mother got mad at me last night,
She said you had to pay the toll."
The boy just shrugged and looked at the elf,
Then he threw his gaze on the floor.
The elf persisted to babble,
"Know what? My mom said more."
The boy stared up at the little elf,
And listened to what the elf had to say.
"My mother said I didn't know a lot,
So she'd send me to school everyday."
Go to school with this ugly elf?
Odd questions ran through his head.
But then maybe, it shouldn't be bad at all,
Because I won't have to pay him again.
This is a story of a ten-year-old boy,
Who was very strange indeed.
He was tall yet skinny with hair that was brown;
And fine-looking eyes of green.
This boy loved to draw and to write and to read,
He had but a world of his own.
Now this little boy, odd as he may seem,
Has a story that's waiting to be told.
'Tis an odd little story, if one may ask,
But it is how the short tale ends.
For days and years they walked through that bridge,
The bridge where the two became friends.
