Dr. Seuss is like a part of our cultural heritage, or something.
In the far-away village of Mexin-ma-ton,
Lived a young bird called Xn the swan.
A nice little village. It was fine. It was calm.
In the centre there stood a nice shady palm.
Xn the Swan loved to sit, ‘neath this tree.
When he did he was happy, as happy can be.
All of the villagers had all they might need,
And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.
But then one day, to Mexin-ma-ton,
A visitor came, who was quite anon.
A beaver was he, and also quite gruff,
He called himself Tully. Tully McTough.
He came to the palm, and looked it up and down.
He looked at it sideways, then looked at it ‘round.
Finally, said he, “yes, this will do nicely,”
And started to gnaw at it very precisely.
All of the villagers raised quite a fuss.
“You can’t do that,” they cried, “what about us?”
But none were as incensed, as Xn the swan.
His reaction to this was far from withdrawn.
He hissed and he hissed, at Tully McTough,
He ruffled his feathers, so as to look buff.
But the horrid beaver simply continued to gnaw
The villagers began to look on in awe.
“Right,” said Xn, “This has to be stopped,
I won’t stand by just to see my tree chopped.
But since no one here, will try to respond,
I’ll go find my friend, the duck from the pond.”
And so, to the pond, Xn did waddle,
Once in the water, he looked more a model.
He swam and he swum, making sure not to dally.
Until, at last, he had found Ali Medali.
“Come quick, do hurry,” cried Xn the swan.
“I’m beat, and the villagers all look so wan.
An evil beaver, is stealing my tree.
Oh Ali Medali, please come and help me.”
“Right,” nodded Ali, “here’s what we will do.”
And they whispered together their plans for a coup.
Then together they swam, back to the centre.
Marching together came these two dissenters.
“Tully McTough,” cried Ali Medali,
“Halt, for there’s something that doesn’t quite tally.
In deciding that you would cut down this tree,
You forgot to get proper authority.”
“That’s right,” said Xn, “but it’s not too late.
Over the hill lies the forest of red tape.
If you can count, all the sticks on the ground.
That gives you the right, to cut our tree down.”
And so Tully McTough, ever the bureaucrat.
Set off to the forest, to do precisely that.
And to this day, he still works in a fever,
Tully McTough is as busy as a beaver.
And all the villagers, to try and say thank you,
Elected to erect a glorious statue.
To Ali Medali, and Xn the Swan,
Forever the heroes of Mexin-ma-ton!
With apologies to: a) Dr. Seuss, for a somewhat lacklustre tribute, and b) Alison, for giving you a pseudo cameo in said somewhat lacklustre tribute. It's just, your name is so wonderful to rhyme!
I think I shall go and have some lunch. Toast with ham, with a side order of cherries! Yes yes!
Lived a young bird called Xn the swan.
A nice little village. It was fine. It was calm.
In the centre there stood a nice shady palm.
Xn the Swan loved to sit, ‘neath this tree.
When he did he was happy, as happy can be.
All of the villagers had all they might need,
And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.
But then one day, to Mexin-ma-ton,
A visitor came, who was quite anon.
A beaver was he, and also quite gruff,
He called himself Tully. Tully McTough.
He came to the palm, and looked it up and down.
He looked at it sideways, then looked at it ‘round.
Finally, said he, “yes, this will do nicely,”
And started to gnaw at it very precisely.
All of the villagers raised quite a fuss.
“You can’t do that,” they cried, “what about us?”
But none were as incensed, as Xn the swan.
His reaction to this was far from withdrawn.
He hissed and he hissed, at Tully McTough,
He ruffled his feathers, so as to look buff.
But the horrid beaver simply continued to gnaw
The villagers began to look on in awe.
“Right,” said Xn, “This has to be stopped,
I won’t stand by just to see my tree chopped.
But since no one here, will try to respond,
I’ll go find my friend, the duck from the pond.”
And so, to the pond, Xn did waddle,
Once in the water, he looked more a model.
He swam and he swum, making sure not to dally.
Until, at last, he had found Ali Medali.
“Come quick, do hurry,” cried Xn the swan.
“I’m beat, and the villagers all look so wan.
An evil beaver, is stealing my tree.
Oh Ali Medali, please come and help me.”
“Right,” nodded Ali, “here’s what we will do.”
And they whispered together their plans for a coup.
Then together they swam, back to the centre.
Marching together came these two dissenters.
“Tully McTough,” cried Ali Medali,
“Halt, for there’s something that doesn’t quite tally.
In deciding that you would cut down this tree,
You forgot to get proper authority.”
“That’s right,” said Xn, “but it’s not too late.
Over the hill lies the forest of red tape.
If you can count, all the sticks on the ground.
That gives you the right, to cut our tree down.”
And so Tully McTough, ever the bureaucrat.
Set off to the forest, to do precisely that.
And to this day, he still works in a fever,
Tully McTough is as busy as a beaver.
And all the villagers, to try and say thank you,
Elected to erect a glorious statue.
To Ali Medali, and Xn the Swan,
Forever the heroes of Mexin-ma-ton!
With apologies to: a) Dr. Seuss, for a somewhat lacklustre tribute, and b) Alison, for giving you a pseudo cameo in said somewhat lacklustre tribute. It's just, your name is so wonderful to rhyme!
I think I shall go and have some lunch. Toast with ham, with a side order of cherries! Yes yes!