Nickels

Age 4 (Prologue)

Age 4 (Prologue)

Trip traptrip trap went the bridge Who’s that roared the troll who lived under the bridge his eyes as big as saucers and nose as long as a poker It’s me said baby billy goat gruff Well I’m going to gobble you up as a midmorning snack Oh no wait for the next billy goat gruff he’s much bigger

trip trap trip trap went the bridge Who’s that roared the troll l*****g his lips It’s me said the second billy goat gruff who hadn’t such a small voice I’m going to gobble you up for lunch roared the troll Oh no the second billy goat gruff said wait for the biggest billy goat gruff of us all!

trip trap trip trap went the bridge Who’s that roared the troll It is I the biggest billy goat gruff Well then I am going to gobble you up the troll said Well come along I’ve got two spears and I’ll poke your eyeballs out at your ears I’ve got besides two curling stones and I’ll crush you to bits body and bones and so he did and so he did

snip snap snout this tale’s told out

If you sit still and be quiet when your dad gets home I’ll read you one more story mom says I say nothing stare at mom’s hand a shiny ring on the green three billy goat gruff book Okay she says I nod nod nod Okay she says I nod nod nod touch the book it is shiny

Once upon a time there were five Chinese brothers and they all looked exactly alike the first Chinese brother could swallow the sea the second Chinese brother had an iron neck the third Chinese brother could stretch and stretch his legs the fourth Chinese brother could not be burned the fifth Chinese brother could hold his breath indefinitely

Swallow the sea! my eyes big as saucers swallow the sea!

See how slanty their eyes are mom points at the drawing slanty sneaky little eyes

The first Chinese brother fished everyday and whatever the weather he would come back to the village with a rare fish one day a little boy stopped him and asked to go fishing he begged and begged until the first Chinese brother consented but only if the boy obeyed him promptly Yes yes the little boy promised the next morning they went fishing the first Chinese brother swallowed the sea

He swallowed the sea! I think inside my head but say nothing mom’s shiny ring

All the fish were left high and dry at the bottom of the sea the little boy was delighted he ran here and there stuffing his pockets with strange pebbles Strange pebbles! I think extraordinary shells Shells! I think and fantastic algae Algae! I think but don’t know what it is The first Chinese brother gathered some fish while he kept holding the sea in his mouth presently he grew tired it is very hard to hold the sea he told the little boy to come back but he paid no attention the first Chinese brother felt the sea swelling inside him the first Chinese brother held the sea until he thought he was going to burst all of a sudden the sea forced its way out of his mouth went back to its bed and the little boy disappeared

The little boy disappeared! I think the little boy disappeared! Why! I say He drowned mom says

Clomp clomp tromp tromp Oh! Your father is home mom says closes the book the tips of her fingers still inside be quiet be still clomp clomp tromp tromp He killed that boy he is a bad man I say a bad man! Shh mom says her hand on my mouth clomp clomp tromp tromp dad walks up the stairs

Age Five (1973)