The Fluff Gang and the New Neighbour Read online

The Fluff Gang and the New Neighbour

  By

  Rosemary J Peel

  Copyright 2013 Rosemary J. Peel

  Acknowledgement

  Many thanks to my dear cousin, Barbara, for editorial assistance given.

  The Fluff Gang and the New Neighbour

  The Fluff Gang

  Nelliphant’s an elephant,

  But then perhaps you guessed;

  Peebee is a polar bear,

  She mothers all the rest.

  Squiggle is a squirrel

  Whose coat is red not grey,

  And Kerry the Koala

  Has come from far away.

  Rhinos in the wild are large

  But Nosirus is small;

  She’s blue and very fluffy,

  While Fang is green and tall;

  His fine white teeth are gleaming,

  He has a fearful smile,

  Though he isn’t really fierce at all,

  Just a friendly crocodile.

  Puscus Cat he loves to sing,

  Though it may sound like a wail;

  Tuppy Puppy’s very young

  And loves to chase his tail.

  Pengi is a penguin;

  He’s very far from home

  But wants to stay at Nelliphant’s

  And never more to roam.

  Herbert Hippopotamus

  Adores his garden hollow;

  That’s always kept filled up with mud

  So perfect for a wallow.

  New Neighbours

  Squiggle is very excited,

  She has some news to share;

  It seems they’re getting new neighbours,

  Tuppy runs to the window to stare.

  A van is parked in the driveway

  Of the house that stands next to theirs;

  Two men are bringing in boxes;

  A huge bed, a table and chairs.

  The Gang all crowd round the window,

  “That place had been empty for years.

  “Suppose we get someone horrid,”

  It’s Peebee who voices their fears,

  “That bed is simply enormous;

  It’s made for a giant to sleep.”

  Pengi and Kerry look frightened;

  Poor Squiggle’s about to weep.

  “We mustn’t get all hot and bothered,”

  Says Nelliphant with a big grin,

  “We should all stop being silly

  And wait ‘til we see who moves in.”

  A Shock for Puscus

  The neighbour was quite forgotten

  When Puscus set off that night.

  He liked to have a nice wander

  When the moon was big and bright.

  He sauntered around for some minutes

  ’Til he reached the tall garden wall,

  Then he jumped up swiftly and sat there

  And sang out his splendid cat call.

  He was so pleased with his singing,

  That he thought he’d do it again,

  When a heavy object hit him

  And he fell to the ground in some pain.

  A voice boomed out of the darkness;

  It was growly and angry and deep,

  “Stop that noise you noisy cat;

  There’s people here trying to sleep!”

  Poor Puscus ran home in a hurry,

  Feeling so dreadfully down,

  ’Til his friends there all assured him

  He was still the best singer in town.

  Nosirus Makes a Discovery

  The sun was shining brightly;

  The garden looked a treat.

  Nosirus gazed with pleasure

  At the view from her favourite seat.

  Just a short way from Herbert’s hollow,

  Not far from Squiggle’s tree,

  She spied an unusual object

  And wondered just what it could be.

  While she sat there still in a ponder,

  Young Tuppy ran into sight,

  He grabbed up the object and shook it,

  Began digging with all of his might.

  “Stop Tuppy, don’t dig up my seedlings;

  I’ve told you about that before!

  If you let me see what you’ve got there,

  Then I won’t be cross anymore.”

  The puppy he thought for a moment,

  Then started off at a run,

  Nosirus chased after.

  Thought Tuppy, “Wow, this is fun!”

  The game could have gone on forever,

  Had the rhino not run out of puff

  Then Herbert stepped out of his hollow,

  “Hold fast there, young feller, enough!”

  As the puppy was grabbed by the hippo

  The object fell to the ground

  The three friends stood in amazement

  Staring at it, making no sound.

  Then Nosirus spoke in a whisper,

  “That’s never a slipper,” she said,

  “If it is, it belongs to a giant,

  And do you remember that bed?”

  Nelliphant Gets Her Way

  Peebee called a conference

  As the slipper caused a stir

  When Puscus he informed them

  That was his walloper!

  Herbert got very angry

  And so indeed did Fang

  They wanted to go round at once

  With a message from all of the gang.

  “That really isn’t the answer,”

  Nelliphant meant to be heard,

  “We need to make friends with our neighbour

  To fall out this way is absurd.”

  Kerry agreed and suggested

  She bake him a cake after tea

  Then they could take it round together

  And see what they could see.

  “If you’re baking a cake, make a big one,

  Said Pengi, “And best make it sweet

  For we really do need to please him,

  If his mouth is as big as his feet!”

  Tuppy Has a Fright

  “Tuppy, stay out of the kitchen,”

  Peebee warned, “Kerry is busy today

  She’ll not want you running about there,

  Or pestering her to play.”

  Tuppy sniffed the air for a moment

  A lovely smell met his nose

  Which made him feel ever so hungry

  From the tip of his head to his toes

  He stretched and walked out to the garden

  He’d think of a way to get in

  For Kerry often let him

  Have a lick from the used baking tin

  But what to do in the meanwhile

  Perhaps he’d dig up a bone

  He’d a store of them that he buried

  In the patch next door overgrown

  He trotted away, tail a-wagging

  Squeezed under the gate in a trice

  He’d just begun to start digging

  When a voice yelled “Stop! That’s not nice!”

  A huge bear towered above him,

  Reducing poor Tuppy to tears

  “How dare you dig up my garden,

  I’ve a mind to box both of your ears,”

  He grabbed Tuppy tight by his collar,

  “You should be taught better than that

  I’m off to complain to your people

  About you and that night yowling cat.”

  Herbert Stands His Ground

  “Wake up, Herbert!” cried Squiggle.

  He sleepily yawned, “Hey, what’s up?”

  “A terrible thing has just happened

  A giant bear’s got Tuppy Pup!

  I saw him from
up in my tree top,

  And, Herbert, he’s coming this way!”

  The hippo climbed out of his hollow

  “Go tell the others, I’ll stay.”

  As Squiggle tore off in a hurry,

  From the gate came the sound of a thud

  Herbert’s heart beat fast but he stood there,

  Though shaking and dripping with mud

  When he heard Tuppy cry, “Herbert save me!”

  His mouth opened wide for to bite

  No matter how big was the giant

  He was ready and willing to fight.

  The large bear came closer and closer

  With Tuppy held fast all the while

  As Herbert was joined by the others

  Including a cross crocodile.

  The bear stopped still, gazing at them

  Young Tuppy pulled free of his grip

  And Peebee stepped forward to hug him

  Her voice cracked out loud like a whip,

  “You’re just a big, cruel bully

  To pick on someone so small

  He’s only a tiny puppy

  While you’re a mile or so tall!”

  The bear looked from one to another

  His face in a mighty frown

  “He shouldn’t have been in my garden

  I’ve only just moved into town.”

  Nelliphant stepped forward,

  “But that’s just the trouble you see;

  Your place has been empty for ever.

  Can’t we try live in close harmony?

  Now that you’ve moved in we promise

  That Tuppy won’t trespass again.”

  “Perhaps,” growled the bear, “that might happen,

  If you don’t let that cat be a pain!.”

  The Decision

  The friends all sat in the kitchen

  Deciding just what they should do

  None of them liked their new neighbour

  Thought him grumpy and old, that was true.

  But should they still send him a present

  To welcome him into their street.

  The koala had worked all the morning

  And her baking now looked a treat.

  “He’s nasty and mean, so why should he

  Be treated to Kerry’s fine cake?”

  Puscus felt quite unforgiving,

  “To waste it on him’s a mistake.”

  “That’s just because of your singing.”

  Pengi said, as the cat stalked away.

  And Nelliphant turned to the others,

  To hear what each had to say.

  “Fang dear, you haven’t said much,

  Won’t you tell us just what’s on your mind?”

  The crocodile smiled as he answered,

  “I think that we’re being unkind;

  Kerry baked the cake for our neighbour,

  To show kindness, that’s for sure,

  Let me take it around, on my own like

  ‘Cause I think that I’ve seen him before!”

  Sqiggle and the Three Bears

  Whilst waiting for news of Fang’s visit

  Squiggle wandered back out to her tree,

  And from up in the branches she spied them;

  A group of young bears, numbered three.

  They were playing in next door’s garden,

  And looked like they hadn’t a care.

  She really felt she must warn them

  Of the big angry bear who lived there.

  When she opened the gate she felt frightened,

  But the youngsters all beckoned her in.

  When she warned of the huge bear they giggled,

  And their faces broke into a grin.

  “He’s our grandpa,” they said, still laughing,

  “And in fact he’s ever so kind,

  But he sometimes comes over grumpy

  Don’t worry, we really don’t mind.”

  Squiggle’s face glowed bright from her blushes,

  Although she is always quite red

  From her big bushy tail, to her four paws

  And the ear-tufts on top of her head.

  The bears were all different colours;

  One yellow, one white and one green

  And Squiggle she liked them immensely

  And to make friends she really was keen.

  “My name’s Hamish McHaggis,”

  We’ve only just come to stay,

  These two are Bandit and Irish,

  We’d love it if with us you’d play.”

  Squiggle smiled, “I’d be very glad to,

  But won’t your Grandpa be mad?

  If he finds one of us in his garden

  I’m sure it would make him so sad.

  Perhaps we should go round to our place,

  We all like to play Hide and Seek?,

  And I’ll fetch Tuppy to join us,”

  Said Squiggle with excited squeak.

  The Mystery

  Fang returned from next door saying nothing;

  The others, they felt mystified,

  Especially when they saw him

  Going back there again, from the side.

  He’d taken his golf bag with him

  His clubs peeping out all agleam

  Whatever could he be up to?

  “I’ll find out” Puscus said with esteem

  He stalked off, his long tail a twitching,

  Head held high; a frown on his face

  “I know where I can see in there,

  From my special, well hidden place”

  But try as he would, Puscus failed them

  Though day after day he did try

  “We’ll just have to wait ‘til he tells us,”

  Said Nelliphant with a big sigh.

  Concern for Fang

  Fang was an avid golf player

  Though he wasn’t terribly good

  When a tournament he entered

  His friends weren’t at all sure he should.

  He laughed at their frowns as he left them

  Competitors must go ahead.

  “If you all come along and support me

  I may well surprise you,” he said.

  The Tournament

  The friends stood anxiously watching

  As Fang approached the first tee

  He looked calm as he took out his driver,

  Played the stroke with precise certainty.

  The ball it flew straight down the fairway

  From the best swing they ever had seen

  Up, up it flew, then it landed

  Not far from the hole on the green.

  “If he putts it from there, it’s an Eagle!”

  Cried Herbert, “that’ll put him ahead.”

  “Would that make him two under” asked Pengi

  Grumbled Herbert, “Isn’t that what I said?”

  Tuppy and Squggle were restless

  They wanted to go off and play

  But Peebee thought it too busy

  And insisted that by her they stay

  “I’ve just seen that bear,” mewled Puscus,

  “Over there, with three small ones in tow.”

  “They’re our friends; we said that we’d meet them,”

  Cried Tuppy, “So now can we go?”

  Peebee sighed and Nelliphant nudged her,

  “Let them go, we can watch them from here.”

  “And I’ll keep a look out,” said Herbert,

  Whilst drinking his large ginger beer.

  The small bears pulled off from their grandpa,

  “Don’t go far,” he warned as they fled.

  “We’re meeting our friends by the bushes.”

  “Don’t get into mischief,” he said.

  Squiggle and Tuppy were waiting

  By the side of the fourteenth green

  “Come friends, I’ve something to show you.

  Then I’ll buy us some lovely ice cream.”

  “Oh Tuppy, how can you buy ices?

>   You know you’ve no money to pay.”

  Off he ran through the hedge, where he scrabbled

  “Come friends, I’ll show you the way.”

  The Fluff Gang were highly delighted

  At the way Fang played his game,

  He was up there now with the leaders,

  To come out on top was his aim.

  “Come on Fang!” called a deep voice behind them.

  The friends all stared in surprise,

  There stood their new next door neighbour,

  With a grin in his big smiling eyes

  “He’s remembering all that I’ve taught him,

  In the lessons I gave at my place,

  I used to be a top golfer,”

  He explained with a grin on his face.

  The watchers gathered excited

  As the golfers teed off the last hole

  When a great commotion erupted

  To the side of the final flagpole

  People were shouting and yelling

  Their golf balls had all disappeared

  When they’d landed out in the rough ground

  Cried Peebee, “Tis just what I feared,

  Young Tuppy has got into mischief,

  He and Squiggle are running this way,

  And so indeed are the golfers,

  What have they been up to today?”

  Nelliphant grabbed little Squiggle

  As Peebee caught Tuppy pup

  The big bear held on to his grandsons

  As Fang called, “Whatever is up?”

  “It’s alright, Fang, don’t you bother;

  Don’t let it throw you off stroke.”

  “We thought that we’d found lots of lost balls,”

  Squiggle, sobbed and almost did choke.

  The big bear smiled, “Don’t you worry,

  They know Titch McHaggis, you see

  I used to be a pro-golfer,

  Just leave The Committee to me.”

  Applause broke out as Fang putted

  From the edge of the eighteenth green

  The Albatross that he potted

  Was simply the best ever seen.

  Titch McHaggis presented the big cup

  Even Puscus managed a smile,

  The crowd went mad as they cheered on

  The tall, grinning, green crocodile.

  The tournament was over

  They’d come to the end of the match,

  “Thanks to you Titch,” Fang said with a big grin

  My handicape’s now down to scratch!”

  A Problem Solved

  On Sunday the Gang threw a party

  To celebrate Fang’s big win

  The neighbours they invited

  And were happy to welcome them in.

  Kerry had spent all the morning

  Preparing some wonderful food

  Nosirus had brought in some flowers

  Only Puscus appeared so subdued

  He hadn’t forgiven the cross bear

  For grumbling over his voice

  He wouldn’t have sent him an invite

  If they had given him any choice.

  Nelliphant, she was bothered

  She didn’t know what they could do

  To help ease the situation

  And bring peace between the two.