The Tale of Lank and Squat

By

J.D. Hunnicutt

Far across the vast ocean / Past the Great Mountain LeBlank In a small, quiet village / Lived a lone, tall man named Lank. Every morning at sunrise / When Lank jumped on to his floor He was always excited / For what the day had in store. He looked out his small window / Which he always loved to do Over fields he had planted / And picked the Grundfruit he grew. All his chores he did always / Each day behind his tall house He was kind to each creature / From every bird to each mouse. Then every night Lank returned /From gathering all that hed grown He cooked his Grundfruit and eggs /Then poor Lank ate it alone. For in the village he lived /Despite folk living round bend There was no one who ever /The tall man Lank could call friend. He was happy but lonely /As those found friendless tend be For because he was so tall /The shorter ran when came he. One night Lank prayed up above /As out his window he stared If he could just have one friend /To share the sadness he bared. With this one simple request He tucked his blanket up tight Before Lank knew it he woke /Lank laid down in his long bed /And laid to rest his large head. /As the bright sun in did pour

When Lank looked out his window /Someone new had moved next door! Lank ran over to his sink /Grabbed his comb to fix his hair Then came a knock to Lanks door /He ran to see who was there.

Lank opened up his tall door /To see where the knock had come But outside he saw no one. /Seemingly tricked, Lank felt dumb. As Lank turned, from below him /A voice came up from far down A short round man grinned upward /And said, Im new to this town. Im Squat and now I live here. / Ive just moved from Wee-Kahn-Land And I wanted to say hi / And extend upward my hand. I moved here to your village /Because I wanted to end My old life in Wee-Kahn-Land / And I could sure use a friend. At this offer Lanks heart leapt / The smiling mans hand Lank shook Joyful Lank had a new friend / Whose grin transformed Lanks outlook. With a glee, swinging gesture /Tall Lank invited Squat in. Short Squat strode past Lanks motion / Made himself home with a grin. He leaned back in Lanks sofa / Propped his feet up on the end Lank just smiled and stood there /At least he had his first friend. Lank looked down and he muttered /Are you not scared cause Im tall? Squat just sat there and grinned up / He said Are you cause Im small? Well, the reason I asked you / Lank had to ask his new friend No ones ever dare like me/ And all Ive tried to befriend. Well Lank, I am your friend now!/ And a great friend I am. Say Being friendly like we are / May I please ask you today- I must confess I wondered / Squat said, feet up on the end Can I ask you one favor? /Sure! Lank replied to his friend. Will you trade me a tall leg? / For the same one of my small? That way we both could see what / Ive never seen like the tall. Lank decided to help Squat Out one of his two tall legs / Sure he most surely could lend / Then Lank could help out his friend!

In a blur Squat then switched out /Each their left leg for the others Finishing his deed, Squat said /We are just like twin brothers!

Lank looked down at his new leg / Then scratched his head with his hand With two legs now like we have / Well both fall down if we stand. Lank, I have a solution! / Your pal Squat knows what well do! So we both can stand upright / I need your other one, too. Lank, just until tomorrow / Find it in your heart to lend Ol pal Squat both your tall legs./ Can you help out your new friend? Lank agreed to the request. / It might be fun to be small Ill see the world quite different / When I am short and youre tall.

So Squat again switched their legs / This time the rights for the rights. They both stood on their new legs / And gazed around at new sights. There is only one problem- / See, Lank, when I need to snooze With my long legs and short arms / How can I take off my shoes? So Lank thought for a minute / But all he could think to do Is let Squat borrow his arms. / Friend, Ive a solution for you. To solve this issue of arms, /Well trade both left and both right Then well both be proportioned / For when we lay down at night. Then the grin Squat bore widened / He leapt up to his new feet That will sure do quite nicely / Your offer cannot be beat! Squat took hold of Lanks tall arms / He went as quick as a blink Squat switched out his old short arms / Then turned to Lank with a wink. In my far, distant travels / Lank, I have never before Made such a fine, giving friend / When I knocked on a strange door. Tomorrow, Lank, well change back / But it is late now so Ill run. Looking out of your window / I see the last rays of sun.

So then Squat on his new legs / Exited out through Lanks door The door shut fast behind Squat / And Lank was lonely once more. I cant wait for tomorrow/ After all my work is through Then my new friend Squat and I / Will find more fun things to do. Lank then found his new short legs / Werent very good in his home With the added small short arms /In vain he reached to his comb.

So Lank blew out his candle /Then prepared for a good night But Lank struggled to pull round / His now-long blanket up tight. His precious window was now / For Lank too high to see out For the first time since they met /About friend Squat, Lank had doubt. I hope Squat comes by early /To switch our arms and our legs I can make us both breakfast! /Hell love my Grundfruit and eggs! With all four of my tall limbs / Ill quickly race through my day Ill work so fast tomorrow /Then Ill with Squat again play! Then Lank fell asleep happy /And dreamt of fun times hed spend After all his limbs switched back / With Squat, his newly found friend. As the sun finally rose up / To herald in the new day Lank threw open his tall door / But to his growing dismay, He saw Squat had moved out of / The place he moved to next door The small lot was now empty / Lank was alone there once more. Lank just sighed as he muttered / Ill have to gather the eggs And pick up all the Grundfruit / Now with short arms and short legs. All his work was now harder / But still Lank managed a smile. It was nice to have a friend- / Even for a short while.

THE END