The Goat in the Boat
How one kid reacted to a school assignment
“Argh!” The Goat in the boat waved his hooves in a huff, thinking that life was very tough. The story would NOT obey his command, so he wrote it on water instead of the land. Even with that, the words fell flat.
“Don’t quit too soon!” cried June the loon. “And don’t rock the boat, it’s still afloat! You’ll get upset if you get all wet. Besides,” she tried to pacify, “it’s just been a day, you’ll find your way.”
“Yes, but others are done and I bet they had fun. I saw Pig do a jig while wearing her wig!”
June flapped her wing and decided to sing, to lend some cheer to the atmosphere. She cleared her throat and opened her beak but Goat stopped her song at the utmost peak.
“I’m sorry my friend, but when will this end? My mind won’t clear when all I can hear is you singing a song that’s so very long.”
June nodded okay and put her vocals away.
“Why must it rhyme all the time?” Goat asked, turning back to the dreaded task.
“Why do I fly up in the sky?” She hopped into the air with practiced flair.
Was June mocking his woe? He started to row.
“It’s the School rule! Don’t sigh, just try!” Her voice faded out as she waved goodbye and flew up into the summer sky.
Goat puckered in a pout and thought of those Trout. “They’re quite cruel and I feel like a fool,” he grumbled out loud. “This just isn’t cool.”
The Fox in his box lay happy and free, out of the sun and under his tree. He’d finished his tale about a blue Whale but suddenly thought he might want to sail.
“Oh Goat in the boat!” Fox called out loud. “Would you pick me up? Is two a crowd?”
“I’ll be right over!” Goat answered him. “But you may not enjoy it, I’m feeling grim.”
He told his friend about his mess, and how it put him under stress. To his surprise, after catching a fish, Fox granted his unspoken wish.
“I’d like to help you, Goat,” he said. “Then you can put your story to bed!”
Together they wrote into the night, and finished the tale by the bright moonlight.
A short tale from Week 10 of Swap52Club
