| STORIES FACT AND FICTION FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES BY Patience Keever contact [email protected] |
| Little John An Adventurous Chipmunk On CD $5.00 plus $3.50 postage AVAILABLE NOW |
| LITTLE JOHN MEETS A STRANGER |
| Little John, Little John, where have you been? This way and that, to find a new friend. Little John, Little John what friend did you make Oooooo, just the friendliest Snake |
| One morning I stepped onto my lawn and saw the paths of dried grass criss-crossing across my lawn. What in the world was going on under my lawn. I had seen chipmunks running into holes, bees, and even a snake. This spawned a series of stories about a little chipmunk I call Little John. The stories begin with 3 little chipmunks, Little John and his two sisters, Amy and Emily, in their little nest underground. As they grew Little John became curious and then adventurous. Little John meets a snake, tohee, junko, baby rabbit, pocket gopher, Billy Bee (who was really a wasp), the queen bee (wasp) and her guard, a drone. During his search for his home, which was lost, he made 2 very good friends, Andy and Piney, chipmunks who helped him find his home. Other stories follow about Little John and another fright. Little John and a birdfeeder, his problem with an English Walnut, collecting acorns. Little John is rescued by his two friends again with a crayfish. Finally he is enthralled with the beautiful colors of fall, the piles of leaves to play in, then the beautiful snow. Becoming sleeply he takes a long winter's nap. |
| Additional chapters |
| Little John, Little John go help your sister But Mom, he's worse than a blister! Little John Little John no more exploring But Mom, that would be borning. |
| Little John, Little John, where can he be? Oh, he's just gone to see what he can see Mom, Mom, I followed a mole Now, I can't find the tunnel hole. |
| Hello, you're a pretty bird Your song's the nicest I've heard Oh, a little bunny Isn't he just a honey? |
| Tum, tee, tum, what's down here? Oh, look, the end is coming near! Hi Billy Bee You're just the guy I'm glad to see. |
| What! Who's tickling my nose? I'm awake. Just a little dose. I'm Piney, and he is Andy For a brother he is a dandy. |
| Looking for seeds is a lot o fun Scurring through the grass in the warm summer sun. It's not so much fun when you get stuck. Having friends to help you is haveing good luck |
| 'Elp, 'elp, is all he could say His frineds found him and looked in dismay. What is the problem? Can you tell? The nut has a nut stuck in his jaw. |
| We'll help you, Little John and more. Of course we will, else what are friends for. They cracked the nut with a big crunch Then divided it up for a nice little lunch. |
| THE REUNION A story about a little Indian boy whose mother had just died. |
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| The Acorns are gone Dry leaves in a heap Snow is coming and Little John's fast asleep |
| Other stories by Patience Keever |
| The Birthday Gift A story about a couple who won the lottery. |
| An exerpt from Little John's Delema "Did you loose something," asked the little fellow? "no, yes, oooh!" "Well didyou or didn't you?" "I lost my way home." "You're lost, then." "No, I'm not lost, the way home is lost. I just can't get home from here. I came through a hole just here." He scurried around a circle where the hole had been, "but the holeis gone, mashed flat!" "Oooh, that's a problem. What's your name?" "Little John. What's yours?" "Peter." "Peter" That's all?" "Peter Rabbit, ofcourse." I was named for my gggggrandfather, Peter. My father's name is Peter, his father's name is Peter, his father's names is Peter. |
| This story originated through a writers group in Nashville, Indiana. Each person around the table suggested a word or phrase and we wrote stories using those words. Mine follows the list of phrases to we used: Red Radio Flyer with rain on it. Very tall trees Mossy bank of a creek running through a forest Gray mist Daffodils bending to a spring wind Pattern of white pine needles as seen lying on your back Call of a loon A reunion on a hilly lawn under weeping willows A frozen lake thawing in the spring Flag bearers entering the ring in the east at a powwow His long dark curls curling around my index finger and the smell of Patchouli (I changed this to Emrod because I needed a stronger scent.) A woman sitting in an overstuffed chair next to a table with a burning candle on it. The Reunion She was sitting on the overstuffed chair as always; cold and foreboding my grandmother was. The table was beside the chair as it usually was and on it the fragrant candle was burning making the whole room and everything in it smell heavily of Emrod. I stood there before her, my heart thudding in my chest. Something was bad wrong. I knew it. I could tell. So could Just Dog. I knew because he was pressing hard against my knee, panting in the over heated room. "I called you in here, Samuel," "My name is Sammy, " I interrupted without thinking. "I believe I am correct in stating that your proper name is Samuel Walker, is it not? As I said, I have called you in here, Samuel, because I have something to tell you." She stared disapprovingly straight into my eyes. The room was silent except for Just Dog's panting. "Your mother is dead," she said coldly. "She was buried this morning. It is done, no need of crying about it and no need to go looking for you father. He'll bot come back. I told Louise that when he left. She shouldn't have married him. You're in my care now. That is all. You may leave. Go, and take that dog with you." "He's not That Dog. His name is Just Dog," I retorted before I thought. "No back talk, youngman. Go play or whatever it is you do." I turned and ran out of the door. Just Dog almost knocked me down trying to get out of the door at the same time. We ran and ran and ran. I tried not to be a baby but I could hear little whimpering sounds as I ran through the tall trees. They were coming from me. It seemed to get darker as the forest closed overhead. We ran to the mossy bank of the creek and there I fell down an sobbed. What was happening? I didn't know. I didn't understand. Tired out I rolled over on my back and Just Dog licked the tears from my face. I threw my arms around him and hugged him close. We laid there thinking nothing, just watching the pine trees sway making different patterns and shapes. Clouds passed over them almost touching. Just Dog fell over against me and heaved a big sigh. His long dark hair curled around my finger and I smelled the Emrod still clinging to his coat from grandmother's room. I began thinking about my Mom. We had had so much fun. We had picknicked up on the mountain. She told me about Dad. It was too bad he couldn't have been with us. He would have liked that. we talkied and talked and I told her what Dad said, that he would be back in about 3 weeks and sooner if he could. It was something about the explorers, Lewis and Clark, we read about in school. The government is going to let people follow the same trail but they forgot to ask permission of the tribes to cross their lands. He needed to talk to the tribes to get them to work together and make an agreement. Then they would need to talk to the government about their plans. Dad said the tribes on that rez. had always been enemies so it was going to be a hard job to get them to an agreement. When he told me this he was packing his regalia. Dad said when the Pow Wow was settled they would have a dance and then he would come home. Wish he was here now. I surely do. Mom got really sick kind of all of a sudden. She started acting funny after the picnic. I wanted to get a drink from the lake where she did but she said no. And we had to go home right away for some reason. When Dad was home we went up there when the lake was frozen. It was all black, way down. The ice was blue with snow blowing across it. The snow would blow over the black places and quickly melt. It wasn't so cold now. I helped Mom pack up some then walked around the lake while she finished. That's when I saw the old dead deer half in the water. I think Mom saw it too, that's why she wanted to leave so quickly. Dad said we wern't supposed to drink out of a water hole or lake if there was something dead in it. Just Dog licked Sammy Walker's ear and nuzzled him with his nose. "Quit it Just Dog!" and amazingly he giggled. He rose up and turned to look at the stream. A gray mist was rising into the clear cool air. He felt the chill of evening coming on and started for home, dreading it. Later in his bed Sammy went to sleep with the sound of rain on his window. Very early in the morning he woke and looking at the window watched the stars in the sky. Then he saw the moon. He got up and looking out of the he window he thought, "I'll bet the moon can see my Daddy and he is about to come home." He went over to his closet and pulled on some jeans and a warm tee shirt. He took the pillow case off of his pillow and stuffed his leather bag of favorite things in it along with socks and other clothes he might need until he found his Daddy. Pulling on his jacket he slipped out of his window that faced away from his Grandmother's room. He climbed over the sill and slipped to the ground. Just Dog was there before he hit the ground. He went to the barn and put some dog food in a coffee can, got a canteen of water from a saddle bag and looked around for his Radio Flyer wagon to put all of his things into. He hunted in the barn then the barnyard. There he found his red Radio Flyer wagon with rain in it. He had forgotten to put it up. The bottom was full of water. As he looked down at the water in his wagon there was the moon again. He raised the wagon up on end and dumped the water out onto the ground. He followed the moon and grinned because he could see it was going over the path right in front of him. The morning was still cold, wet and dark, excepting for the moon. Almost cold enough to snow again. He passed by the flowers his mom had planted. His dad gave her the bulbs and told her she sure would be surprised come spring. She was too. The daffodils were nodding this way and that, bending to the spring wind as he passed by. When he and Just Dog came to the mossy bank where he had lain just yesterday he stopped and sat down to rest. Walking through the woods pulling a wagon wasn't as easy as walking and running free. He and Just dog sat by the bank of the creek. Just then he heard the call of a loon. Off somewhere he heard another one. Just dog got up and wondered over to the wagon. Sammy watched the dog sniff around in the bundle then he remembered the dog food. "I wish I coul eat that," he said to Just Dog. I forgot to get anything for me." He looked around and saw a walnut tree. Under the branches were some nuts that the squirrels missed. He got a stone from the creek bed and cracked a few. "I guess this is breakfast, Just Dog." They trudged on and the sun cut through the trees over the creek and warmed the path. It finally warmed his back then his feet as they trudged along. After a while Just Dog made a muffled whuff and his ears stood up. He pointed his nose ahead and a little to the side away from the creek. "What it it, Just Dog? I don't hear anything." Carefully they walked on and Just Dog whuffed again. They stood still and listened. His jaw dropped and he bent forward, then he grinned and almost laughed. "Drums," he yelled, "Those are drums, Just Dog. It's OK. Dad will be coming home. Hurry, let's go." They pushed through the bushes and trees making a straight line like a bee for the sound of the drums. It wasn't a steady beat just a loud thump every so often. They are blessing the arena, he thought, and hurried on. As they dropped over the top of a rise he saw a clearing way ahead. They ran, Just Dog barking and Sammy laughing as they went. He could make out the figures of many people, men and women milling about. Most were lineing up at the east gate. He saw the American Flag, with the older man carrying it. And behind it the state flag. Then the Prayer flag lined with eagle feathers, and many other flags. Everyone was in full regalia. Then the drums began the heart beat rhythm and the singers began the song. The men with flags entered the gate and turned right. Behind the flags were the head dacer and ring master. Behind them were the traditional dancers, the grass dancers, fancy dancers, and behind them in leather dresses were the traditional women, sober, heads held high, swaying with gentle steps on mother earth. Then there were the young girls scarf dancers and bell dancers. "Daddy takes me into the arena sometimes but this is pretty important and anyway I don't have my things with me," he told Just Dog. He got up from the ground where they sat on the hillside and went down and mingled with the people looking for anyone he might know. "Hey there, little Sammy Walker, I didn't know you were here. Is your mother with you?" "Oh, hi, Nanny. No, I am by myself." "Well," she said grinning, and noticing his sober eyes, "I'll bet you could eat something, now couldn't you? Hungry?" He thought about it. He hadn't been very hungry. There was too much to think about and it took away the hunger but now he felt his stomach with his hand. Nanny saw the movement and fixed him a frybread taco. "This will make you feel better. You look pretty tired for a little boy." "I guess I am, Nanny. Thank you." He reached for the frybread and went off to the hill again where he had left Just Dog with the wagon. There he and Just dog could share a lunch. He watched his dad while he and Just Dog ate the frybread. Then, he saw Nanny talking to Dad after the dance ended. She pointed his way and his Daddy saw him at once. He gave his taco to Just Dog and ran down the hill. Just Dog licked the meat off of the frybread then watched the little boy jump into his Daddy's arms. Just Dog pulled off chunks of frybread and chewed contentedly. It was a long walk home. Daddy put his regalia in my wagon and we pulled the wagon together. Sometimes he carried me and pulled the wagon. When we got close to home I showed him the daffodils and felt him catch his breath. When we got to the house I waited ouside where he told me to and he went in. He didn't stay long but came right out and we all went up the hill where the weeping willow was that was Mom's favoriet place. There was a stone there with her namo on it. Daddy rubbed his hand back and forth over the stone several times not saying anything then he sat down and held me in his lap. He smiled and said, "I guess we are having a reunion on this hill under the weeping willow, son. You, Mommy and me. She will always be here and when we want to be with her we can come here under the tree and know she is here. Sammy leaned back against his Daddy's chest and felt his Daddy's cheek against his hair and together they wept. |
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