Description
Synopsis
This tiny story for the very young needs a publisher and illustrator.
‘Come on Sweet Cheeks, stop checking your beauty in the puddles and let’s head for the barn, maybe Tilly Tail has returned already,’
‘Oh do wait a moment Quack – a – Boo I have a feather out of place, just one, but its right on the top of my head, just where everyone will see it,’
‘Who cares, Sweet Cheeks everyone thinks you’re the prettiest thing in the farmyard anyway, so do hurry,’
Sweet Cheeks really was the prettiest thing in the farmyard, she was a white Silky Bantam, and her feathers were soft and fluffy and almost covered her eyes and completely covered her ears. Sweet Cheeks liked to stay well groomed at all times and spent a huge amount of time on her appearance. She wanted her feathers to always remain very white, even though her beak and eyes were black. Sweet Cheeks was all about being pretty.
‘Its all very well for you Quack – a –Boo, you’re all black and sleek those shiny shimmering green feathers, and that cute little curl on the end of your tail – you just stay handsome, you hardly ever preen,’
‘I’m a boy, us boys don’t preen much, we know we look handsome Sweet cheeks,’ Quack- a – Boo boasted in his deep throaty voice that constantly sounded like he was about to break in a loud quack at any moment.
Together they entered the barn, Quack – a – Boo waddled over toward Wobble Bum and greeted her with his best and loudest, quack. Wobble Bum had been dozing in the corner on a large clean bale of hay. The loud quack was so close to her ear; it frightened the little pink Pygmy hippo,
‘Quack – a – Boo don’t quack so loudly in my ear. I can hear you,’
‘Wobble Bum you have very small ears,’
‘Quack – a – Boo its not about size. I assure you I hear very well,’ Wobble Bum replied in her high girly voice as she wiggled her Wobbly rear end at Quack – a – Boo before turning away to snooze some more on the hay bale.
‘Now you’ve upset her Quack – a – Boo, you really are too loud and noisy for us refined girls,’
‘Lets just find Tilly Tail shall we I know her parents Billy & Nilly Tail, are crazy with worry,’
‘Well Tilly Tail is a young teenager, he’s already growing a handsome tail and his wing feathers are getting longer. Maybe he doesn’t want to be found,’
‘Just search Sweet Cheeks, we promised Billy & Nilly we would,’ Quack – a – Boo responded, standing in the center of the Barn and turning around and around.
‘Oh look Sweet cheeks, look over there, under Droopy – Poopy’s large front paw. The two friends moved together toward the huge, brown sleeping blood- hound with the droopy ears and rolls of skin around his face.
‘Oh dear Quack – a – Boo it looks like one of Tilly Tails feathers, I think it’s the right colour. Can’t you wake Doopy – Poopy and get the feather from under his paw so we can see if it really does belongs to Tilly Tail,’ Sweet Cheeks asked as they both looked at the sleeping dog with his head on his paws. His lips and paws twitched this way and that as his snoring filled the air,
‘He looks like he’s sleeping soundly Sweet Cheeks, we’d have to wake him,’ Quack – a – Boo replied looking with a frown at the large sleeping dog,
‘Quack – a – Boo, sometimes you’re really not a very clever duck at all,’
‘I am a Cayuga Duck, Sweet Cheeks and we are all clever,’ the black Duck replied indignantly,
‘Yes, well if you’re so clever why don’t you wake Droopy – Poopy,’
‘I don’t think I should wake a sleeping dog, he might bite or something,’
‘Really, why are you scared when it comes to Droppy – Poopy,’
‘I am not scared. I’m the bravest duck I know. Anyway how can I wake him?’ Quack – a – Boo asked moving closer and pecking him several times on his floppy skin around the snoring dogs face, with his long bill. Nothing happened so he stepped away again,
‘Why don’t you quack loudly that will wake him, you quack at almost everyone else,’ Sweet Cheeks said. Just then a tiny voice came from the corner of the barn,
‘Yes, you do quack much too loudly and yes you wake everyone up, including me,’ They both turned to see the small black and white head of Tiddly Wink the baby skunk open her sleepy black eyes and look in there direction.
‘Oh Quack – a – Boo see what you’ve done now with your loud voice, you’ve waken Tiddly Wink and she’s not suppose to wake for another four hours,’
‘He’s sorry Tiddly Wink but we have to wake Droopy Poopy he has a feather under his paw and it looks like it belongs to Tilly Tail,’
‘It does belong to Tilly Tail, he woke me with his loud gruff voice when he was telling Tilly Tail that he would never fly and that he’ll stay a baby forever. Tilly Tail was most upset and he flew at Droopy Poopy and Droopy Poopy laughed at the baby peacock and then he stood on his tail so he couldn’t get away, it was just horrid. Droopy Poopy is so mean. If everyone can be quiet I would like to get back to my beauty sleep. Good night,’ the little skunk said yawning widely and curling in to a tiny black ball before disappearing from view deep into the hay.
‘Well I agree with Tiddly Wink, it is rather hard to get any beauty sleep around here with all the noise. Did you find Tilly Tail?’ Wobble Bum asked looking from Sweet Cheeks to Quack – a – Boo and back again. They both shook their heads.
‘Oh dear, Billy Tail and Nilly Tail will be most upset. Nilly was crying as she called for her baby,’ The three friends looked sadly at each other as Wobble Bum slowly wobbled over to the water trough beside Droopy Poopy and checked her reflection in the water. Sweet Cheeks was never one to miss an opportunity to check out her beautiful reflection either; so she quickly hopped onto the side of the water trough and after staring deeply in to the water for a few seconds, she preened each feather carefully into place.
‘Alright here goes, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK,’ Quack – a –Boo said,
‘What in the world and you quacking about? Can’t a dog enjoy a afternoon nap without you, that fat pink hippo thing and the fluffy chicken waking me,’ Droppy Poopy said lazily rising his head until his eyes were at eye level with Quack – a – Boo.
‘Who are you calling a fluffy chicken?’ Sweet Cheeks squawked angrily,
‘Well you of course, why you look like a fluffy white feather duster with a black beak sticking out from somewhere,’ Droopy Poopy was about to yawn and stretch when Sweet Cheeks dived down at him from her perch on the side of the water trough,
‘I’m not a chicken,’ she squawked loudly pecking Droopy Poopy on the nose several times. Droopy Poopy whined loudly, jumped up in the air, and as he did so he unbalanced Wobble Bum, who moved backward onto Quack – a – Boo, who started flapping his wings loudly. Feathers and fur seemed to fly through the air as streaks of pink, white, brown and black flashed across the barn. It was all over in several minutes and Sweet Cheeks found herself sailing through the air on the back of Quack – a – Boo whose wings were flapping wildly. He had flown before but not very far and only when he was frightened. He was frightened now.
‘That’s the only way you fluffy chicken will ever fly,’ Droopy Poopy laughed as he watched a very angry Sweet Cheeks, Squawk,
‘I’m not chicken you lazy dog. I’m not chicken, in fact you’re the only chicken in the whole barn,’ her last words disappeared as Quack – a – Boo managed to fly several feet off the ground; and with Sweet Cheeks perched on his back he flew right out of the barn and landed outside in the farmyard.
‘Quack, quack, quack, who said I couldn’t fly,’ Quack – a – Boo said triumphantly as Sweet Cheeks quickly jumped off his back, shook her feathers back into place and stood looking at him with admiration.
‘Well, yes you sure can fly. I bet that’s more than Droopy Poopy has ever done,’
‘Quack,’ replied Quack – a – Boo,
‘He called me a chicken, a chicken indeed,’ Sweet cheeks said annoyed,
‘I know he’s got you angry but before you go back into the barn and attack him again, just stop and listen. It’s Wobble Bum she’s standing up to Droopy Poopy,’ the two friend stood very still and listened,
‘Get off my ears, you silly looking pink hippo,’
‘Are you calling me a silly pink hippo?’ Wobble Bum was saying,
‘Yes, I am. Why look at you you’re so small you are no bigger than Tilly Tail,’
‘You’re a horrid dog, with your droopy ears and floppy skin and your belly that drags in the dirt when you walk,’
‘Why you…’ but before Droopy Poopy could finish speaking they heard a soft girly roar from inside the barn. Wobble Bum was roaring at Droopy Poopy. Then they heard Droopy Poopy’s deep slow laughter, he was laughing so hard he had to get up and slowly waddling his strange walk outside toward Sweet Cheeks and Quack – a – Boo. Sweet Cheeks was still very angry with him and she was thinking of flying at him and pecking his nose again, but then she remembered just how it had messed up her pretty feathers last time and decided to wait a while and maybe plan her attack.
‘Listen, Sweet Cheeks, can you hear that?’ Quack – a – Boo asked and together they stood very still again and listened, but this time it wasn’t Wobble Bum they heard but another voice. It was a small voice and it sounded very far away,
‘Heeeeelp, heeeelp,’
‘Where is that voice coming from? And who is it?’ Sweet Cheeks asked as they looked around and saw nothing except Droopy Poopy waddled slowly toward where they stood.
‘Heeeelp me, Heeelp. I’m up here. I can’t get down.’ They looked up, up, up and there on the highest part of the barnyard roof, looking very scared was Tilly Tail,
‘Oh no, its Tilly Tail, how did he get up there?’ Quack – a – Boo asked staring upward,
‘How can we get him down?’ Sweet Cheeks replied shielding her eyes from the sun as she too put her head way back and looked upward.
‘Heeeelp, Heeeelp, Droopy Poopy made me do it; now I cant get down,’
‘Qucak – a- Boo you must fly up and rescue Tilly Tail, he’s only a young peacock and he must be very scared way up there,’
‘But I can’t fly that high,’ Quack – a – Boo replied not really wanting to admit it, but knowing he had to tell her as he couldn’t possibly fly that high,
‘But you just flew out of the barn with me on your back. I know you can do it Quack – a – Boo,’
‘No he can’t, he just a duck,’ Droopy Poopy drawled lying down close by with his belly flat on the ground and his feet out behind him,
‘Well I can sure fly more than you,’ Quack – a – Boo replied sarcastically turning his back on the dog,
‘Oh you must do it Quack – a – Boo, I know you can,’ said Wobble Bum as she moved toward then from the barn door and looked upward to where Tilly Tail sat perched high on the very top of the barn roof.
‘I can’t fly that high, I know I can’t,’ Quack – a – Boo sadly admitted looking at the he ground,
‘How do you know if you’ve never tried?’ added Wobble Bum,
‘Because he’s only a dumb duck that’s way,’ Droopy Poopy added,
‘ I am a Cayuga Duck and I am not dumb. Anyway you made Tilly Tail get up there so you should get him down,’ Quack – a – Boo said and they all chorused ‘Yes’ together.
All the commotion managed to get the attention of the only two birds missing from the farmyard. They were Billy Tail and Nilly Tail, Tilly Tail’s concerned parents; they looked very sad as they arrived back at the farmyard. They had looked everywhere for their son,
‘He’s up there,’ Sweet Cheeks said pointing high up on the roof with her stubby fluffy white wing tip.
‘Oh our boy, there he is, we’ve searched and searched for him, simply everywhere, but we never thought he could have flown so high,’ Nilly Tail said with pride in her voice,
‘Heeeeelp, Mommy, Heeelp Daddy. Get me down I’m scared, everyone looks so small from up here,’ Tilly Tail called to his parents,
‘Its alright dear hold on, your Father will be right there,’ Nilly Tail called back to her son,
‘It does look an awfully long way up my dear, do you think I can?’ Billy Tail asked his wife; she hugged him tightly and replied,
‘I know you can dearest, anyway our son is depending on you and you’ve never let him down yet,’
‘We all know you can Billy Tail,’ they said together. All that is, except Droopy Poopy,
‘What fly with that long, heavy tail,’ Droopy Poopy said laughing his deep gruff laugh,
‘Yes, I can do it, stand back and give me room,’ Billy Tail said as he added,
‘Hold on son I’m coming to get you down.’ After several attempts Billy Tail was fully airborne, he flew around the barn several times going higher on each occasion. Watching from below everyone accept Droopy Poopy clapped and cheered loudly.
Finally, Billy Tail landed safely on the roof beside his son; Even from the rooftop Billy Tail could hear the loud cheers from the farmyard below. Billy Tail coaxed his scared young son onto his back.
As they watched, Billy Tail gilded toward the ground with his son holding tightly to his back feathers. Once he was a few feet from the ground Tilly Tail released his hold and slipped from his fathers back. He landed heavily on top of Droopy Poopy,
‘So you said I couldn’t fly,’ the young peacock scolded the very surprised bloodhound,
‘I know I will fly better than anyone when I’m ready to, but in the meantime I’ll never listened to you again, Droopy Poopy. I leaned a big lesson and that is to only listen to ones who care about you, and you certainly don’t care about me,’ Tilly Tail said still pinning the dog to the ground as he stood firmly on his long floppy ears. Droopy Poopy could not move his head all he could do was look, with big sad brown eyes to where they stood around.
Once Tilly Tail landed, they moved forward to hug their friend,
‘Just get off me little bird,’ Droopy Poopy urged gruffly.
‘Only if you never say a mean thing to anyone again,’ Tilly Tail said remaining on the dog’s ears,
‘Maybe, I guess I can try and be nice,’ replied Droopy Poopy in his deep slow drool,
That was all Tilly Tail wanted to hear so he jumped from the Droopy Poopy ears to his back then onto the ground. Quickly his farmyard friends gathered around and hugged him tightly as they told him how glad they were he was safely on the ground, again.
Several hours later Tilly Tail was rattling his short tail feathers as only a teenager could. They weren’t nearly as long or colorful as his Dads tail feathers but Tilly was proud of them anyway. He was also proud that he had stood up to Droopy Poopy and been rescued from the roof, so he puffed out his chest knowing he had earned his strut around the farmyard.
‘He thinks he looks like just like his Billy Tail,’ Wobble Bum giggled to Sweet Cheeks as they watched the young peacock,
‘His tail is still rather short but it has grown at lot lately, almost as much as his chest,’ Sweet Cheeks replied giggling while she moved toward the nearest puddle to again check her beauty. Sweet Cheeks could never be sure if a feather may have blown out of place in the gentle breeze that cooled the farmyard after the rain.
It was a good day in the farmyard, everything soon returned to normal. A hungry Tilly Tail had stopped strutting and his adoring parents were now spoiling their son by feeding him treats.
‘Lets check our beauty in the puddles little Wobble Bum,’ Sweet Cheeks said to the little pink hippo as she approached the nearest puddle, Wobble Bum wasn’t nearly as vain as Sweet Cheeks so Sweet Cheeks often had to remind her just how to look beautiful at all times. However, Wobble Bum wasn’t thinking of her beauty, she hated being called small, little or tiny, so she replied,
‘I’m a Pygmy hippo you know Sweet Cheeks we are suppose to be tiny, in fact the smaller we are the more beautiful we are,’ Wobble Bum said wobbling her bum slightly more than usual as she checked her look in the big puddle beside the barn,
‘You are very beautiful Wobble Bum and such a pretty pink,’ Sweet Cheeks added,
‘Well I know I am but you’re still the prettiest of us all in the whole farmyard Sweet Cheeks,’ Wobble Bum replied blushing an even deeper pink. Sweet Cheeks looked into the puddle and began to preen her feathers all over again, one at a time until they were all neatly in place.
‘Quack, Quack, Quack,’ added Quack – a Boo, ‘you girls….’
And with Tilly Tail safely on the ground and Sweet Cheeks looking pretty they lived together in the farmyard, happily ever after.
