A Tale of Two Rats

Gather around the fireplace

Sit and have some warmth

It is a cold night, is it?

But we must tell this tale

So listen to what I have to tell!

***

Once upon a Time and Place

In the great wilderness that lay away from the highway

And away from much civility, lived a very old woman

She was lonely, weak and frail but could fight anything

That strayed into her unkempt, dark and strange home

Listen, our tale is not about this woman but the rat

That defied all odds to live in her house

Now in the meeting of rats there was the house rats

And the bush rats, each respecting the others way of life,

Sometimes wishing that they could be in the shoes of the others

To see what life may be to them, since they only met during the meetings

Each time, the rats will brag about their homes and food

So the house rat living with the old lady had noticed the excitement

A new bush rat come from the deep forest had and took interest

He wanted to know why the bush rat was so excited living out in the cold

“Ey brother, ey what may be the reason behind your happiness?” He asked

“Oh, I see you haven’t noticed that the palm tree fruits are ripe

And soon the squirrel family will throw a daily feast to celebrate

And how lucky am I to be their closest neighbor on the floor!”

“Hmm, ey, will that be all to your excitement or is there another…?”

“Another reason being that the banana and tomatoes are ready for harvest

The birds will do a good job, but mostly we who live on the ground

May eat the best of their happy feast, ha!” He heartily laughed

“Well, what fun do you have burrowing in the mud?

Come to my place and I will make your excitement greater with better food!”

So the two rats reached a deal and after that meeting of rats

They sneaked away to the old woman’s lonely house

Up, down, up, down they galloped all day to the quiet house

At the entrance the house rat hushed the bush rat and bid

Him follow closely, so they tiptoed out of the hallway

Walking across the room, at the sound of the snoring woman

The bush rat startled, wondering what kind of beast greeted

The house rat quietly pulled him back and down the rat hole they went

“Geez, ey! What were you thinking?!” The house rat grunted

“Nothing serious. I always think and I was wondering if someone said hi”

So they waited till night fall and when the moon was up

So that her beautiful white lights shun through the curtains

The house rat woke the bush rat and off they went down the hall

Through the corner were brooms lay and the way towards the kitchen

At the doorway the bush rat perceived smell of good food

That he never had tasted or dreamt of, food oh majestic food!

He forgot himself and took some cheese in a fast bite

And it tasted so good that he ate again and again and again

Then came some pieces of chicken, some fruit salad cream

And chocolates and peanut butter and beef and toasted bread

“This must be Heaven,” he said with mouth full of bread

Meanwhile the house rat was busy filling himself too

And the noise they made woke the old lady who stole to the kitchen

With a swift swing she got the lights on and attacked the rats

Swearing, she struck the pots and plates and cups and everything on her way

At first, the house rat knew his whereabouts and soon disappeared

While the bush rat continued running around without a clue of an escape route

When the bush rat finally found a way out, he dove for it

The old lady could have been lucky

If the rats didn’t flee for dear lifes’ on time!

In the morning, before the chicken and the sun could wake

The bush rat thanked his friend and bid him well stay

In his home of fanciful plenty with no pint of peace