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July 12, 2004

Three Truths

(for Mum, 5 August 2004)

A hyena wandering in the bush
Did catch a young goat by its toe.
“Salaam Aleykum, Goat,” laughed he,
“Give me three truths and I'll let you go.”

“Aleykum athalaam,” said Goat
“I think I've got the firth thing:
If you were truly ravenouth
We wouldn't be converthing.”

“Extremely good,” Hyena laughed,
“I like your ready caprine wit,
But if you do not add two truths
You'll watch the sunset from a spit.”

“When you get home tonight,” said Goat
“And tell your kin the thtory,
They won't believe you met me here
Unleth the endingth gory.”

Hyena clapped his horny hands,
“Al Hamdilillalay,” he cried.
“Now just one truth to go, my friend,
You might still save your smelly hide.”

“Give me a thecond,” said the goat.
I know I'm going to get it -
Ah, yeth! - if you releath me now,
You'll thertainly regret it.”

“I won't deny,” Hyena laughed,
“I want to roast you to a crisp.
But you have spoken truth – go forth,
And madden others with your lisp.”

Lippety-clippety, off Goat ran,
But at dusk the smell still lingered,
Hyena moaned, “How could I let
Hors d'oevre slip through my fingers?”

And so, enraged by hunger pangs,
Hyena went in hot pursuit.
But Goat, he knew the desert well,
And chose a labyrinthine route.

“At Tinnakof Hyena fell,
He'd had a three-day run,
And to thith day his boneth are there,
A-laughing in the thun.”

Posted by sahelsteve at July 12, 2004 03:55 PM