The Great Grumpy Gaboon Story by Corrina Campbell
Look high, look low, Look all around. There in the shadows Screature is found. With beady black eyes And long pointy snout A lonely sad creature Lurking about. Yet cunning and devious, Screature knows what to do. Yes, taking the key Will cause hullabaloo! With a wink of an eye And mischievous grin There’s no time to wait So let the story begin…..
Come North to the mountains, where no one dares go. Where the land smells of green and blue rivers flow, Where strange sticky plants with feathers can grow. Come with me now, tip toe tip toe… Watch out for the zippers buzzing about! Take care not to tread on a brocket or sprout, But who are these creatures lying here on the ground? Let’s not disturb them, shhhhh…don’t make a sound!
Fluey-Loo welcomes the morning with song Figwidges and fleeboppers all singing along. Then Long-legged Lin With a stretch and a yawn Joins in the great chorus The choir of the dawn. But snuggled and cosy Ignoring the cries The Wello still sleepy Rolls over and sighs. A wriggle and squirm A jump and a shake Up pops a head And the Boppit awakes.
But wait just a minute It’s not very clear. Who is this creature? Sat just over here? Its wings are feathered but its arms are furred. It has claws like a sloth, yet wings like a bird. And look at its tummy, protruding and round, See how it’s snoring, right there on the ground! Stand back, watch out, give it plenty of room For I am convinced this is a Gaboon!
Muttering and moaning, Gaboon opens both eyes The friends all then stop, for this is a surprise! Just hear all those grumbles, those groans and those grumps. Yes, poor old Gaboon is down in the dumps And what is that awful and terrible tune!? This is without doubt the Grumpy Gaboon! The creatures all ponder Oh, what could they do? To stop poor Gaboon From feeling so blue?
So together they tried all afternoon They toasted Guzoombas and dipped in la-lune They sang and danced (not always in tune) But NOTHING cheered up the Grumpy Gaboon. “I’ve got it” cried Fluey, out of the blue “The All-Knowing Umpet, he’ll know what to do!” The journey would take them more than a day So they packed up their things and left right away.
They squelched through the mud. Battled rain and then snow. They crept through the forest where scary things grow. Then taking a boat, crossed Loufoofah Lagoon Bringing with them their friend, the Grumpy Gaboon. But in all the commotion they hadn’t spotted a creature Hidden in darkness, the mischievous Screature! Who knew the reason that Gaboon felt so bad Having stolen the key and made Gaboon sad.
But Screature stayed silent, hidden from view Watching and waiting, not sure what to do. Finally they found the Umpet’s great lair Where the All-Knowing Umpet sat high on a chair. With a wave of a hand, Umpet welcomed them in Offered them moon-buttons and a mug of hot min. Then ushering them close and drawing them near Said the All-Knowing Umpet, “I know why you’re here”
And as Umpet spoke, as if to prove it were true Gaboon gave a loud grumble, exactly on cue. With sympathetic nod and an air of mystique Umpet, undeterred, continued to speak… “Forgiveness is important, kindness is key. Feelings are real, I am sure you’ll agree. To stop being grumpy, you’ll need help from your friends But this will not be where this story ends.
7Look high, look low, look all around Explore every inch And try every sound. Don’t be afraid You’ll know what to do Then maybe, just maybe You’ll find happiness too.” So they searched and they searched, they looked all around They looked high, they looked low but nothing was found. Gaboon felt helpless and slumped on the ground. The friends all fell silent, But then…… a small sound.
Quick as a flash the creature started to run. “After it!” cried Boppit, “Come on everyone!” They ran and they ran and they grabbed that small creature. Then all became clear, it was the mischievous Screature! They hadn’t been wrong. They were not mistaken. For there was the key that Screature had taken Finally Gaboon let out a great cheer No longer grumpy, the key was now here.
Not a grump or a grumble A mumble or moan. While the creatures all cheered Screature sat all alone. Screature felt sorry and sad and upset. Filled with remorse and deep dark regret. But we all need good friends when we’re feeling blue This is one thing Gaboon knew to be true. Showing forgiveness to others in need This is important, the friends all agreed.
“Screature!” cried Gaboon, “You’re welcome to stay” And a new friendship was born on that very day. And high on the mountain, silhouetted by sun The Umpet was smiling, indeed kindness had won. Friends altogether by the light of the moon They toasted Guzoombas and dipped in la-lune They sang and they danced in wonderous tune! To celebrate their friend The Great Grumpy Gaboon.