 |
| As elegant a Marbuck
came As ever sought to cool Itself ’neath the shade of a Quockomo tree And drink from a Quockomo pool. |
| It thought it might well
rest itself, And where's a better place? So, it sat by the edge of the Quockomo pool And studied its handsome face. |
| Such beautiful eyes.
What a regal nose. Such nobleness of chin! But, as if to deliberately spoil its repose, An Oddwok blundered in! |
| It splashed with its
paws and squealed out loud And made ripples that spoiled the mood, Of the Marbuck, that cried, “Oh, this is outrageous! How thoughtless! How selfish! How rude!” |
| “Eh? What's that
you say? I don't hear too well. Were you addressing me?” Asked the nearsighted, odd little Oddwok As it blinked and tried to see. |
| “By what right do you
come sully my pool?” The haughty Marbuck replied. “Oh, there you are!” the Oddwok grinned And it swam to the Marbuck's side! |
| “No! No!
Go back! You'll muddy it up!” Cried the Marbuck in despair. “Now see what you've done, you nasty beast. It simply isn't fair!” |
| “Brrr! Just let
me shake myself. Everyone seems so busy, these days. It's seldom one gets a chance to chat,” Said the Oddwok, with vacuous gaze, |
| Directed, by chance,
at the left forefoot Of its reluctant host. “Is that awful smell you?” gasped the Marbuck. “I'm better informed than most,” |
| Continued the odd little
Oddwok. “Now, what shall the discourse be . . . The beauty of a summer's day? Or, perhaps, philosophy? |
| To me, one's as good
as another. Tell me, have we met before?” “Most decidedly not!” snapped the Marbuck, Indignant to its core. |
| “Oh, my goodness!
You're way up there! You must think I'm out of my mind," Sniggered the near-sighted Oddwok, (It was very nearly blind.) |
| “I'm afraid my eyesight
is rather poor. Would you bend down closer to me? I didn't realize you were quite so large, But if you bend close, I can see,” |
| Continued the odd, little
Oddwok, But the Marbuck just could not bear To bring its nose any closer To the Oddwok, squatting there. |
| “What makes you think,”
the Marbuck cried, “That I'd want to talk to you? You're loathsome, small, ugly and smelly And noisy . . .and boring, too! |
| You're the most despicable
creature I've ever set eyes upon And my day will surely stay ruined Even long after you're gone! |
| You've come and muddied
up the pool And now, the whole place smells like you! Look! Even the Quockomo's wilted! Oh, this will never do! |
| You're such a detestable
creature That the longer that you remain, The worse you befoul this once pleasant place!” Raged the Marbuck, so graceful and vain. |
| But the Oddwok replied,
just as haughty and snide, “Oh my! Aren't you "lah-dee-dar?" Begging your pardon, but might I inquire, Just who do you think you are? |
| I'll stay here and bathe
just as long as I please. This whole region is public domain. If you don't like the mud, or the noise, or the smell, I suggest that you not remain!” |
| “I certainly shan't!”
the Marbuck fumed And rose to be on its way, But the Oddwok turned sly. With a glint in its eye, It said, “Hold on! Perhaps you should stay. |
| You were here first and
fair is fair. Let's face it. You go with the place. I've never before met a creature like you — So refined — so full of grace.” |
| “Well, you see what you've
done,” the Marbuck whined. “It's a shame!” the Oddwok agreed. “You might have stayed on the other side,” Said the Marbuck. Said the Oddwok, “Indeed! |
| Just look at me, and then,
look at all this. No, it holds no attraction for me. You can keep your stinky, muddy old pool And your wilted Quockomo tree!” |
| And sniggering again,
the Oddwok dove in And swam back to the other side, Which act, spiteful and small and not nice at all, Makes it awfully hard to decide |
| Just which creature was
right. If the Oddwok, That's the end of the Quockomo tree, And the lovely, crystal clear Quockomo pool And whatever serenity |
| That little world offered.
The Marbuck, To be sure, would have kept it pristine, Exclusive and private — all to itself — But well maintained, quiet and clean. |
| But what if you or I,
one day, Wished to rest ’neath the Quockomo tree, Or drink from the beautiful Quockomo pool? Chances are, it would bar you and me! |
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