Chapter 6
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Curly and Floppy Twisty Tale by Howard R. Garris. Story 6. Flop and the Bag of Meal. Now let me see, I promised to put in this story something about the elephant, didn't I? That's because I left it out of the story on the page before this where Curly had such a dreadful time with the bad egg dog. Well now, if I leave the
elephant out of this story, I promise that I'll give each one of you an ice cream cone with a raisin in it. All you'll have to do, in case I forget to tell about the elephant and how he help flop. All you have to do, I say, is to come up to my house and say magoozalum at me, just like that, and turn two somersaults on the parlor rug, and the ice cream cone is yours for the asking. But now let's get right at the story. You see, it happened this way. Once upon a time when Curly and
his brother Flop were out in the yard of the piggy house, playing ring around the apple tree, their mother called to them oh boys come in here she said and when they got to the kitchen where she was working she asked them do you know what i'm making pies said curly pudding suggested flop as he tried to make his slimpsy ears stand up straight but he couldn't neither one said their mother but if one of you will go to the store for me i'll make a johnny cake for supper a johnny cake
asked Curly. Is it called that because a boy has to be named Johnny to eat it? No, answered his mother with a laugh, but lots of boys named Johnny do eat it. However, just at the last minute, I find that I have no cornmeal. Now who wants to go to the store for a bag full so I can make the Johnny cake? I went for the eggs last time, said Curly, sort of slow and thoughtful like. Then I suppose it's Flop's turn to go for the bag of meal,
said his mother, but I do hope the bad dog doesn't chase him. Oh, I'm not afraid, Mama, said the little piggy boy. If he comes after me, I'll throw cornmeal dust in his nose and make him sneeze, and then he can't see to catch me. Very well, said Mrs. Twisty Tail, so she gave Flop the money for the bag of meal. Off he started to the store while his brother, Curly, went back in the yard to play hop, skip, and jump all by himself. Flop went along the street, whirling his tail in a
little circle like a pinwheel or a merry-go-round, and he was thinking how good the Johnny Cake would taste when all of a sudden he heard a noise. It was a noise, something like thunder, yet not quite so loud and Flop was wondering what it was when all at once as he turned around the corner he saw a big elephant sitting on a stump and crying as hard as he could cry and this elephant had made the noise. Aha that's the time I caught you. I've got the elephant in this story after all
so you can't have the ice cream cones this time but never mind maybe some other day you may. anyhow there was the elephant crying and he shed as many tears as you could cry in a year even if you've been vaccinated and flop instead of being afraid went right up to the big creature and said most politely what is the matter can i help you eh what's that exclaimed the elephant bless my trunk strap it's a little pig oh dear what's the matter asked flop oh i ran a big sliver
in my left hind foot said the elephant and i can't get it out i've tried to pull it with my tail but my tail isn't long enough and i can't even reach it with my trunk and i was to go to the codfish ball tonight, and now I can't, for I never could dance with a sliver in my foot. Perhaps I can pull it out, said Flop, and when the elephant held up his foot, which was nearly as large as a wash tub, the little piggy boy could see the splinter as plainly as anything. I'll get it out, he exclaimed,
and then he wound his kinky curly tail around the splinter and pulled it right out of the elephant's foot as quick as a wink. Oh, how kind of you, cried the big creature. If ever I can do you a favor, I will. Now I can go to the party tonight and dance, but I'll just sit here a while and rest before I go. So Flop went on to the store to get the cornmeal, and he told the man about how Mrs. Twisty Tail was going to make a Johnny Cake, and how he had pulled the splinter out of the
elephant's foot and the store man said you are a brave little piggy boy and here is a lollipop for you well flop was on his way home carrying the bag of meal and he was taking little nips and nibbles off the lollipop when all at once what should happen but that out from behind a tree sprang the bad skillery-skillery alligator. Aha! he cried.
Now I have you. Now for some roast pork and applesauce. And he made a grab for Flop, but he didn't quite catch him, I'm glad to say, and how that little piggy boy did run.
Faster and faster he ran, carrying the bag of meal for the Johnny Cake, but still the gator came after him and almost had him. oh will no one save me cried flop for he could hardly run anymore and then all of a sudden he
came to the place where the elephant was still sitting on a stump resting himself help me help me cried flop indeed i will shouted the elephant and with that in his strong trunk he lifted flop up on his broad back. Still the skillery-scalery alligator came on, and he cried in his rasping voice, I want that pig. Oh, you do, huh? asked the elephant, sarcastic-like. Well, you can't have him. Take that. And then the elephant just reached around back with his trunk and took some corn
meal out of the bag that Flop held, and the elephant blew the meal in the alligator's eyes and nose and mouth, and then, achoo, achoo, boo-hoo, hoo-hoo, splizzy-doo, foo-foo, sneezed the alligator, turning forty-leven somersaults. Oh, dear me, what a cold I have, and he sneezed so hard that all his back teeth dropped out, and he couldn't bite anyone for nearly a week. And then he crawled off, leaving Flop to go home in peace and quietness and watch his mama make a Johnny cake. And when
the cake was baked, they gave the kind elephant some to take to the codfish ball with him. And that's the end of the story, if you please. But on the next page, if I have left any of those ice cream cones with raisins inside to give to the trolley car conductor when he punches my transfer. I'll tell you about the piggy boys at school. End of story six. Recording by A.K. Morton in Greensburg, Indiana, August 2015.
