TWIGMAN MEETS A STRANGE CREATURE

ON A BRIGHT SUNNY AFTERNOON TWIGMAN WAS FEELING VERY JOLLY WHILE HE WORKED. HE STOPPED TO REST AND TO WIPE THE SWEAT FROM HIS FACE. TWIGMAN LOOKED DOWN AND SAW A STRANGE CREATURE WATCHING HIM. IT DID NOT LOOK TO BE DANGEROUS. TWIGMAN SAID, "ARE YOU A TASMANIAN DEVIL?" THE CREATURE SAID, "NO, I AM NOT A TASMANIAN DEVIL." TWIGMAN SAID, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT WITH ME FOR A WHILE AND TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?" THE CREATURE REPLIED, "YES, I WOULD LIKE THAT."

TWIGMAN REACHED DOWN, PICKED UP THE NEW CREATURE AND SAT HIM ON THE LOG BY HIS SIDE. THE CREATURE DID NOT SPEAK. TWIGMAN ASKED HIS NEW FRIEND ABOUT HIS NAME. HE SAID PEOPLE CALLED HIM A WHATCHAMACALLIT. TWIGMAN THOUGHT WHATCHAMACALLIT WAS A MOST UNUSUAL NAME AND ASKED THE GENTLE BEAST WHERE HE CAME FROM. THE WHATCHAMACALLIT SAID A LITTLE BOY NAMED BRANDON HAD DRAWN HIM ON A PIECE OF RED PAPER AND CUT HIM OUT. HE HAD COME TO LIFE WHEN WHEN A WARM SUN, A FRESH RAIN DROP AND A GENTLE BREEZE ALL HAD FALLEN UPON HIM AT THE SAME TIME.

TWIGMAN INVITED THE WHATCHAMACALLIT TO GO HOME WITH HIM TO MEET HIS FAMILY AND HAVE DINNER. THE WHATCHAMACALLIT SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO MEET THE TWIGMAN CHILDREN BUT HE DID NOT EAT. TWIGMAN WAS AMAZED. "DON'T YOU EVER EAT ANYTHING?" THE ANSWER WAS NO. BUT THE LITTLE BEAST WANTED SEE TWIGMAN'S CHILDREN AND HE ASKED THEIR NAMES. HE WAS TOLD THE NAMES WERE THORNY, KNOBBY AND FUZZY. FUZZY WAS A LITTLE GIRL JUST ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE WHATCHAMACALLIT. THEY STARTED TO THE TWIGMAN HOME.

TWIGMAN INTRODUCED THE WHATCHAMACALLIT TO LEAFY TWIG, HIS TWO SONS, THORNY AND KNOBBY AND TO LITTLE FUZZY. FUZZY WAS SO HAPPY TO HAVE SOMETHING HER OWN SIZE TO PLAY WITH SHE GAVE THE WHATCHAMACALLIT A BIG HUG AND SAID SHE WAS GOING TO KEEP HIM FOR HER VERY OWN.

KNOBBY TWIG YELLED, "HEY, YOU CAN'T KEEP HIM ALL TO YOURSELF. WE ARE HERE TOO!" AND HE REACHED DOWN PULLING THE WHATCHAMALLIT FROM THE ARMS OF FUZZY. THORNY SAID, "WHAT ABOUT ME? I STILL LIKE TO PLAY GAMES AND HAVE FUN!"

LEAFY TWIG SAID IN HER STERNEST "MOTHER VOICE", "KNOBBY, PUT THAT WHATCHAMACALLIT DOWN. HE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT HIS PLAY MATES." FUZZY SAID, "BUT MOM, HE IS SO LITTLE AND I AM THE LITTLEST. CAN I KEEP HIM?" I KNOW HE WON'T EAT VERY MUCH." TWIGMAN SAID, "HE DOESN'T EAT ANYTHING AT ALL." FUZZY SAID, "THAT IS EVEN BETTER."

LEAFY SAID, "IN THIS FAMILY WE DO WHAT IS BEST FOR EACH ONE. NOT ALL OF US ARE THE SAME. EACH OF HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES BUT WE DO NOT OWN THE WHATCHAMACALLIT. HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF WHAT HE WANTS TO DO." THE WHATCHAMACALLIT THOUGHT AND THOUGHT. FINALLY HE SAID, "I WILL PLAY WITH THORNY AND KNOBBY WHEN THEY ARE SICK OR WHEN THEY ARE LONELY. BUT MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THEY ARE PLAYING ROUGH BOY GAMES I WILL PLAY WITH FUZZY BECAUSE SHE IS SMALL AND GENTLE. THAT WAY I CAN GET TO ENJOY EVERYONE. IS IT A DEAL?" THE KIDS ALL YELLED YEAH, YEAH! WE HAVE A NEW FRIEND!