THE NEWT, HIS FLUTE, AND THE RED COWBOY BOOT - A Rhyming Story for Children

The Newt, His Flute, and the Red Cowboy Boot

Written and Illustrated

By

Dianna Lynne Wood

© For Squirrel, Designs – (Wood) Kane 2004

Note to the Parent or Educator:  This story book is much more than just a delightful rhyming story   It is an interactive educational book that is designed to increase your child’s vocabulary, improve communication, gain a better understanding of rhyming words and sounds, and promote and develop your child’s natural creative talents.  It is recommended that you first read the story to your child.  Pause at any words that may not be familiar to them and provide a definition only after asking them if they know what a word might mean.  After reading the story through once, go back to the beginning of the story and review the sets of rhyming words out loud with your child.  

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ON MONDAY

I was en route to Beirut with a Newt in a sailor suit who wore only one cowboy boot, when we spotted a parachute.  “Don’t shoot!  Don't shoot!  It’s a malamute in a bathing suit eating a grapefruit and boy, is she cute!”

The Newt had hired a recruit in a zootsuit who played the flute.  So, he helped us salute the malamute.   “Toot! Toot!  Let’s all salute!  Here comes the malamute!”

“You’re an absolute beaut, but we’ve got to scoot.  We’re on our way to Beirut to find the Newt his missing cowboy boot.  Here’s a bumbershoot and some juicy fruit.”

The recruit gave the Newt his flute and decided to stay with the malamute.

Toot!  Toot!  Went the Newt on his flute.  “Perhaps we’ll see you in Beirut.”

ON TUESDAY

While driving through Philistine, we saw a bovine fall down a gold mine while looking up at the moon shine.  

So with a vine and some twine, we made a lifeline.  We dropped it down the gold mine and rescued the bovine who’s name was Caroline.  We cleaned her up with turpentine and brine and she was just fine.  But, the story made the headline.

Caroline said, “What you did was mighty fine.  I will take you to dine with Adeline the swine and Clementine the porcupine near the coastline on an airline in Palestine.  Please meet me at the shrine at nine.”

So we met the bovine, the porcupine and the swine near the shrine at nine and went to the coastline to dine.  The bottom line?  We were glad we didn’t decline.  It was super fine!  There was star shine, the smell of pine, apple wine and the skyline was divine.  Caroline then gave us all a valentine!

Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “We must be on our way to Beirut to find my missing cowboy boot.”

ON WEDNESDAY

We met a robot on a yacht, named Lancelot who wore an ascot in a square knot and taught the fox-trot at a night spot called “Camelot.”   He was a real hot shot!

“I’ll take you to Camelot.  You can learn the fox-trot and get a snap shot with the mascot.  They brew apricot in a teapot and serve it over a kumquat.”

“Hey, why not.”  So we got on the yacht.  We were within earshot when the mascot told Lancelot that it was a long shot.

“Oh, I forgot!” said Lancelot.  “The yacht has dry rot and a crack pot started a boycott down at Camelot.  If you pay me a five-spot, we’ll forget the night spot and I’ll just teach you the fox-trot on my yacht.”

Why not!  A five-spot is diddly-squat.  So, we learned the fox-trot, the mascot gave us a forget-me-knot in a flower pot and Lancelot said he would use the five-spot to fix the dry rot.

 Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “Will we ever get to Beirut to find my missing cowboy boot?”

ON THURSDAY

We met a chickadee from Tennessee named Penelope who was screaming like a banshee.

“Help me!  Help me!  Kennedy, the chimpanzee, while playing with a Frisbee got stuck in a burgundy Christmas tree by his dungaree.  Can you help me?”

“I have a Ph.D. in zoology.  I think I can free Kennedy.  Please go get Dundee, the monkey, who has a goatee and the pedigree manatee who lives at the bakery.   Ask them to bring the settee and meet us at the Christmas tree at three.” said Rosalie.

“Kennedy!  Kennedy!  We have come to see if we can get you free.”

So, we climbed the tree and carefully cut the dungaree, while the manatee moved the settee.

“Kennedy, I have cut you free, but I have hurt my knee so we’ll have to jump on the count of three.  Hold on to me!  One, two three...weeeeeeee!”

“I’m free!  I’m free!” said Kennedy.  “But, what happened to the manatee?”

“Well, as you can see,” said the manatee…affectionately.  “I tried to move the settee on three, but instead you landed right on me!”

“We are so very sorry!  Please accept our apology!”

“I’m just glad that you are free!  Let us have a jubilee!  In fact…I’ll make my famous fricassee.  I have a recipe that calls for chicory and sesame.  It only has one calorie.”

So we all sat down on the settee with Dundee the monkey, Rosalie, and the chickadee from Tennessee named Penelope while the manatee got his recipe and made fricassee with chicory and sesame; cooked it on some hickory and served it in the Frisbee.

“Sure tastes good to me!”

“I agree,” said Kennedy.  “Thank you for rescuing me.  Please come next year to our jamboree…for friends we will always be.”

Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “Will we ever get to Beirut to find my missing cowboy boot?”

ON FRIDAY

On our way past the Nile, we met Lyle the crocodile.

“Might you help me move this pile of tile?” said Lyle with a smile.

“I must drive a mile to the mercantile to reconcile a file for a juvenile who is on trial.  It may take awhile.  Just put the tile in the aisle.”

Meanwhile…

I will dialogue with the polliwog; order eggnog and a wooden clog from a catalog, and then, jog in the fog to the synagogue to meet the hedgehog, the bull frog and the prairie dog.  When you’re done just sit on that log and I’ll bring you back a hot dog!”

So, Lyle (who was quite versatile and had a lot of style) headed for the mercantile.  It took us awhile.  But, we knew moving the pile of tile to the aisle would make Lyle smile.

….and plus we really wanted a hot dog!

Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “We must be on our way to Beirut to find my missing cowboy boot.”

ON SATURDAY

 On our way through Bombay, we stopped in Norway and found a place to stay,  just off Broadway were we met a Blue Jay named O’Shay with his friend a sting ray from Monterey.  O’Shay drove a Chevrolet, wore a black toupee and carried a grey attaché.  He was writing an essay to his fiancée for tomorrow was his wedding day.

O’Shay the blue jay and Mr. Stingray were on their way to a gourmet café.

“Will you join us at the gourmet café?  We can take my Chevrolet on the freeway.”

“Okay!  But we will pay!  We want to help celebrate your wedding day.”

So we all got in the Chevrolet, drove on the freeway (where O’Shay almost lost his toupee) and found our way to the gourmet café.

“Did you know Mr. Stingray was a Green Beret and now he is my protégé?  I’m teaching him to crochet, arrange a bouquet and play croquet.  He’s really gonna go places someday!”

“Wow!  What a gourmet café!  Forget the entree.  We’ll have flambé, orange soufflé, mint parfait, some pineapple sorbet and a Milky Way.  Actually, we’ll have the whole buffet.”

We all enjoyed the gourmet buffet where we spent the entire rest of the day.

“We must be on our way…for tomorrow is my big day,” said O’Shay.

They got in the Chevrolet and drove away.  The newt and I decided to stay and have a little more buffet.  “I can’t wait to see how much I weigh after eating at this café!”

Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “Can’t we go now to Beirut?”

ON SUNDAY

We pressed our Sunday best, got dressed (I even wore my little vest), invited a guest, and went to church where we all were blessed.

God gave us Sunday as a day of rest.  Everything else is second-best.  Now we are ready for our final quest!

Yes…Sundays are the very best! 

Toot!  Toot! Went the newt on his flute.  “Will we ever make it to Beirut to find my missing cowboy boot?”

A SPECIAL DAY!

We finally arrived at the Institute in Beirut.

Look!  There is O’Shay ,the Blue Jay from Norway, in the Chevrolet with Mr. Stingray from Monterey.

“Yes, this is a very special day,” said O’Shay.  “I even brought me wife, Shaniquway, from Bombay.”

Standing in a line was Caroline the bovine, Adeline the swine and Clementine the porcupine.

They all flew in from Palestine.

Is that a yacht?  Yes!  It’s Lancelot the robot and his mascot.  He finally fixed his dry rot.

“Miss this day we would not!” yelled Lancelot the robot."

“I know that smile.  It’s Lyle the crocodile.  I hope he will stay awhile.”

There is Kennedy the chimpanzee, the manatee, the chickadee from Tennessee named Penelope and Rosalie.  

“Can it be?  Have they all come to be with me?

I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

 

 All gathered together, they said to the Newt:

“While making your journey in search of your boot

As you traveled along, on your way to Beirut.

You met all of us in our moment of need

And were willing to help us, “You did a good deed.”

 So we all made this trip and we all want to say,

“You have touched us all in a WONDERFUL way!

In our hearts we all think that you’re one special Newt;

And we are truly sorry you never found that red boot.”

The newt was so moved that he just had to say,

“Seeing you here is all that matters today.

I’m glad that I met you and can now say it’s true,

You all mean much more than a silly red shoe.”

The Newt than continued to express from his heart,

"Thank you for coming and loving me so.

You’ve taught me a lot that I needed to know.

I rather have you, than a red cowboy boot.

I’ll never forget this day in Beirut.”

 Hey, look, there's a parachute! 

Could it be the Malamute?  Yes, yes, it is the Malamute and she has found your red cowboy boot!

On that wonderful day; on the dock in Beirut--He got so much more than a Red Cowboy Boot!

As they were all cheering, he put on his boot-----and with a really big smile;

Toot!  Toot! Went the Newt on his flute.  “It is ALL OF YOU that I salute.”

 THE END