The Tiny Soldier
In the grassy field, next to the great woods, on the edge of the village, stood a little wooden soldier. So proud in his painted uniform, this tiny soldier held his rifle at his side. He was accidentally abandoned by his child leader while out playing in the afternoon sun. Tea time was called, the child picked up his toys and ran, forgetting our dignified little man. This sentry stood 3 inches tall, knowing that it is his job to keep his post until his child general returned. He would defend his area from all hostile troops. Darkness threatened the blue skies, our petite warrior knew his job was important. He was left to preserve the tranquility of the area for his troops. Without fear he would wait until another relieves him of his duty no matter how long that would be.
Tumbling along were two crickets. We shall name them Otto and Otis, chirping and jumping the crickets who argued over who sang the loudest. "Who goes there!" shouted our fearless defender. Otto and Otis stopped with a shock, what in the world was standing in their way? "Tis Otto and Otis, crickets that we be, and we are on our way through the brush to find something good to eat." answered the chirping twosome. "Crickets," thought the fine soldier, "are they friend or hostile enemy?" "Do you bring trouble to these peaceful grounds, I ask you?" demanded our brave fellow. "Hostile enemy? What is a hostile enemy?" whispered Otto to Otis, looking quite puzzled by the question. "Hungry!" yelled Otis, bothered that this silly creature was blocking their way. "You seek food and not war?" asked the wooden soldier,"I will let you pass as long as it is only food that you seek.". Our merry crickets walked past the wooden man and shook their tiny heads at the silly sight in the middle of the pass. They laughed to themselves knowing that the grumpy shrew would gobble him up if in a foul mood. "Beware of Klaus the shrew, he is most foul and will eat you if he sees you.", said Otto. Otto has a kind heart and doesn't wish the presence of Klaus on anyone including a comical wooden fellow standing in the way. Onward they traveled leaving our sentry standing watch in the moonlight over the grassy path.
A few hours had passed by and our sentry still stood tall. His pride bursting out of his chest at the honour of being selected to keep watch over the knoll. He would make his general proud. Visions of honours and decorations filled his mind unaware of new visitors coming through. The sound of a twig breaking snapped him from his thoughts. "Who goes there?" shouted our petite soldier. Puzzled by the noise, a toad croaked. "Who goes there? Goes there? Thadeus the Toad I am, I am Thadeus the Toad. What is this that asks this?" pondered the toad out loud to the guard. "Are you friend or hostile enemy?", demanded the little man. "Friend or foe? It asks questions I haven't an answer to. Must I talk to it? Must I deal with it? I must find earthworms to fill my stomach. Have you seen any earthworms?" riddled Thadeus the toad. "This strange creature must be hungry like the other two civilians that traveled through." thought the tiny wooden guard. "If it is food that you seek, then passage I will allow." shouted the soldier. Thadeus gave a puzzled look and hopped by mumbling something about it scaring the earthworms.
The hours flew by and our proud sentry knew that dawn should be near. His mind went back to the honours he would receive for this important mission. In the darkness a silvery rodent caught sight of the figure standing in the path. Silently he crept up to it, wondering if it was delicious. "Oh Klaus, you may have landed a good one. Maybe he is juicy? Maybe he is crunchy? Will I taste first then question it?" thoughts raced through Klaus's mind. He was hungry and that was all that mattered to him. Our soldier saw movement in the grass and shouted, "Are you friend or foe?". Klaus didn't answer, Klaus was disappointed on being discovered. He moved closer to the wooden soldier. "Are you friend or foe!" shouted (a bit louder) our fearless warrior. Klaus didn't like loud noise and decided to pounce. With a quick move Klaus jumped up and attempted to tackle the painted little fellow. While in mid air, he landed smack on the blade of the soldier's gun. Klaus fell over holding his belly and cried,"You hurt me!". The sentry stood firm, he knew that if this was friend he would not have attacked him. "I will defend this ground of hostile enemies.", the soldier said. Klaus's belly hurt enough that he decided not to bother this weird thing. He cried out loud again and ran all the way home. Otto and Otis viewed the whole spectacle from their log. The odd character chased Klaus the Shrew away. They bounced for joy all the way to the soldier and congratulated him on his success. The little soldier was bursting with pride knowing that his child general would be so proud of him. He succeeded in keeping the area free of hostile enemies.
By morning the crickets bid adieu the sentry so they could hide from the sunlight. In the distance a child dressed in shorts and a baseball cap ran up to the soldier. Thrilled with having his precious soldier back, he carried him home tenderly. The tiny wooden soldier felt tremendous honour of such reward. He knew that he kept the area safe. He did his child general proud.
Tumbling along were two crickets. We shall name them Otto and Otis, chirping and jumping the crickets who argued over who sang the loudest. "Who goes there!" shouted our fearless defender. Otto and Otis stopped with a shock, what in the world was standing in their way? "Tis Otto and Otis, crickets that we be, and we are on our way through the brush to find something good to eat." answered the chirping twosome. "Crickets," thought the fine soldier, "are they friend or hostile enemy?" "Do you bring trouble to these peaceful grounds, I ask you?" demanded our brave fellow. "Hostile enemy? What is a hostile enemy?" whispered Otto to Otis, looking quite puzzled by the question. "Hungry!" yelled Otis, bothered that this silly creature was blocking their way. "You seek food and not war?" asked the wooden soldier,"I will let you pass as long as it is only food that you seek.". Our merry crickets walked past the wooden man and shook their tiny heads at the silly sight in the middle of the pass. They laughed to themselves knowing that the grumpy shrew would gobble him up if in a foul mood. "Beware of Klaus the shrew, he is most foul and will eat you if he sees you.", said Otto. Otto has a kind heart and doesn't wish the presence of Klaus on anyone including a comical wooden fellow standing in the way. Onward they traveled leaving our sentry standing watch in the moonlight over the grassy path.
A few hours had passed by and our sentry still stood tall. His pride bursting out of his chest at the honour of being selected to keep watch over the knoll. He would make his general proud. Visions of honours and decorations filled his mind unaware of new visitors coming through. The sound of a twig breaking snapped him from his thoughts. "Who goes there?" shouted our petite soldier. Puzzled by the noise, a toad croaked. "Who goes there? Goes there? Thadeus the Toad I am, I am Thadeus the Toad. What is this that asks this?" pondered the toad out loud to the guard. "Are you friend or hostile enemy?", demanded the little man. "Friend or foe? It asks questions I haven't an answer to. Must I talk to it? Must I deal with it? I must find earthworms to fill my stomach. Have you seen any earthworms?" riddled Thadeus the toad. "This strange creature must be hungry like the other two civilians that traveled through." thought the tiny wooden guard. "If it is food that you seek, then passage I will allow." shouted the soldier. Thadeus gave a puzzled look and hopped by mumbling something about it scaring the earthworms.
The hours flew by and our proud sentry knew that dawn should be near. His mind went back to the honours he would receive for this important mission. In the darkness a silvery rodent caught sight of the figure standing in the path. Silently he crept up to it, wondering if it was delicious. "Oh Klaus, you may have landed a good one. Maybe he is juicy? Maybe he is crunchy? Will I taste first then question it?" thoughts raced through Klaus's mind. He was hungry and that was all that mattered to him. Our soldier saw movement in the grass and shouted, "Are you friend or foe?". Klaus didn't answer, Klaus was disappointed on being discovered. He moved closer to the wooden soldier. "Are you friend or foe!" shouted (a bit louder) our fearless warrior. Klaus didn't like loud noise and decided to pounce. With a quick move Klaus jumped up and attempted to tackle the painted little fellow. While in mid air, he landed smack on the blade of the soldier's gun. Klaus fell over holding his belly and cried,"You hurt me!". The sentry stood firm, he knew that if this was friend he would not have attacked him. "I will defend this ground of hostile enemies.", the soldier said. Klaus's belly hurt enough that he decided not to bother this weird thing. He cried out loud again and ran all the way home. Otto and Otis viewed the whole spectacle from their log. The odd character chased Klaus the Shrew away. They bounced for joy all the way to the soldier and congratulated him on his success. The little soldier was bursting with pride knowing that his child general would be so proud of him. He succeeded in keeping the area free of hostile enemies.
By morning the crickets bid adieu the sentry so they could hide from the sunlight. In the distance a child dressed in shorts and a baseball cap ran up to the soldier. Thrilled with having his precious soldier back, he carried him home tenderly. The tiny wooden soldier felt tremendous honour of such reward. He knew that he kept the area safe. He did his child general proud.