The Animal Band

“Tell me a story, Grandma!”

“Which one?”

“The usual one, about the animal band,”

“Very well. When I was a little girl, still living in Paris, I was going out the door of the children’s home to fill a bucket of water, and my little dog, so little he was only up to your ankles, slipped out the door. I ran after him, and he led me into the woods to the crossroad. And there I saw the most peculiar and amazing sight.”

“The animal band, the animal band!”

“Yes, child, the animal band. All sorts of animals, different colors, sizes, and species. And there my little dog was, dancing to the music like a human, on his back legs, jumping and squirming and twirling. And do you know what was the strangest thing about this group?”

“Of course, Grandmother. They were all playing instruments!”

“Yes! There were dogs playing dhaas, kangaroos with maracas, snails slapping drums, even dojos with harmonicas! And the grand peacock was leading them all, waving her conductor’s stick.”

“But I thought dojos were extinct, Grandmother.”

“So did I, until I saw them that night at the crossroad.”

“Were there any fish in the band?”

“Well, of course! Lions blew whistles along to the tune while pushing great big tanks on wheels. And there weren’t just fish, oh no! There were bees on itty bitty little violins, turtles on castanets, and electric eels snap-snap-snapping to the song! Oh, it was certainly a sight to behold.

“And then a great big moose with a cowbell saw me gawking at the band from the side of the road. He smiled and gestured for me to come closer. And then I danced with the animals all the way down the road, beating my bucket to the music. The oh-so-intoxicating music. I traveled with them around the whole village, riding on a kind horse with a banjo, until we came back ’round to the children’s home.

As the horse gently slid me off her back, I begged them not to go, but the peacock reminded me that there were so many other places to spread their music, they couldn’t stay in my village: it would be too selfish. I was sad, but I knew that I would see them again.”

“Have they been in D.C. yet, Grandmother?”

“Not as far as I know, child. But how about we go outside and wait for them?”