The Gruffalo

The Graffalo

Once a mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. “Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come and have lunch in my underground house.” “It’s terribly kind of you Fox, but no, I’m going to have lunch with a gruffalo.” “A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo?” “A gruffalo, why didn’t you know, he has terrible tusks and terrible claws and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.” “Where are you meeting him?” Here by these rocks, and his favorite food is roasted fox.” “Roasted fox! I’m off.” Fox said goodbye to little mouse and away he sped. Silly old Fox doesn’t he knows there’s no such thing as a gruffalo. 

On went the mouse through the deep dark wood. An owl saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. “Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come and have tea in my treetop house.” “It’s rightfully nice of you owl, but no, I’m going to have tea with a gruffalo.” “A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo?” “A gruffalo, why didn’t you know, he has knobbly knees and turned-out toes and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.” “Where are you meeting him?” “Here by this stream and his favorite food is owl ice cream.” “Ow, I scream to it too! Goodbye little mouse.” And away owl flew. Silly old owl doesn’t he knows there’s no such thing as a gruffalo.

On went the mouse through the deep dark wood. A snake saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. “Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come for a feast in my log pile house. “It’s wonderfully good of you snake, but no, I’m having a feast with a gruffalo.” “A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo?” “A gruffalo, why didn’t you know, his eyes are orange, his tongue is black, he has purple prickles all over his back.” “Where are you meeting him?” “Here by this lake, and his favorite food is scrambled snake.” “Scrambled snake? It’s time I hid goodbye little mouse.” And away snake slid. Silly old snake doesn’t he knows there’s no such thing as a gruffalo.

But who is this creature with terrible claws and terrible teeth in his terrible jaw, who has knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black, he has purple prickles all over his back. 

“Oh, help! Oh, no! It’s a gruffalo!” “My favorite food?” the gruffalo said, “You all taste good on a slice of bread.” “Good?” said the mouse, “Don’t call me good. I’m the scariest creature in this wood. Just walk behind me and soon you’ll see. Everyone is afraid of me!” All right,” said the gruffalo, bursting with laughter. “You go ahead and I’ll follow after.” 

They walked and walked till the gruffalo said, “I hear a hiss in the leaves ahead,” “It’s Snake,” said mouse. “Why snake, hello.” Snake took one look at the gruffalo. “Oh crumbs,” he said, “goodbye, little mouse,” and off he slid to his log pile house. “You see,” said the mouse. “I told you so.” “Amazing!” said the gruffalo. 

They walked some more till the gruffalo said, “I hear a hoot in the trees ahead. “It’s owl,” said mouse. “Why owl, hello.” Owl took one look at the gruffalo. “Oh dear.” he said, “Goodbye, little mouse.” And off he flew to his treetop house. “You see,” said the mouse, “I told you so.” “Astounding!” said the gruffalo 

They walked some more till the gruffalo said, “I can hear feet on the path ahead. “It’s Fox,” said the mouse. Why Fox, hello.” Fox took one look at the gruffalo. “No, help.” he said. “Goodbye, little mouse.” And off he ran to his underground house. “Well gruffalo,” said the mouse, “You see everyone is afraid of me, but now my tummy is beginning to rumble. My favorite food is gruffalo crumble.” “Gruffalo crumble?” The gruffalo said, and quick as the wind he turned and fled. All was quiet in the deep dark wood. The mouse found a nut and the nut was good. The end.