One dark and misty morning in late winter, Gnome was out early walking along a hilly path near the open meadow. He was still sleepy and a little grumpy…
It was hard to see and still cold outside, but gnome carried a candlestick and the candlelight shown out in the misty morning air. Suddenly the misty air changed and started to turn a golden rose. Gnome looked up and saw the sun was beginning to rise. It was so beautiful he stopped to watch. His grumpy face started to smile and his eyes twinkled. He put his candlestick down on the ground so he could dance a wee jig.
“I will go and wake up my dear wife so she can see this beautiful sight!” Gnome said to the morning, and off he went with a quick little hobble and bobble to get his wife.
On the other side of the hill, a young boy named Jack had just finished breakfast and was going outside to play. The mist was just beginning to rise, and the sunrise made everything glow. Off went Jack to find adventure. On the way he met his friend frog by the pond.
“Good morning Jack,” croaked frog, “what are you doing this fine morning?”
“I am looking for adventure,” said Jack’, “do you want to come with me?”
“Oh yes,” said frog, so off they went together.
They found a path that led to an open meadow, and there they ran along as fast as they could go. When they got to the meadow, Jack saw something bright on the ground. The two friends went closer and saw it was a blue candlestick.
”I wonder how this got here,” said Jack to frog. And he started to jump over it, back and forth, and of course frog joined in with delight…
Frog hopped higher over the fire, and the two friends laughed and laughed!
Before they went on with their journey, they both made a wish and blew out the candle…Then running along, they went to see what else they would find on their morning adventure.
The last of the rosy colors still streaked across the sky, when Gnome and his wife came to the meadow to see the beautiful sight. They stood together for a long time and watched as the sun rose higher in the sky.
“Thank you dear Gnome for bringing me to the meadow this fine morning, let’s go home and have pancakes,” said wife to her husband.
As they turned to go home, Gnome saw his candlestick. “Oh my, I must have left this here earlier.”
He picked it up and together they walked home
”Let’s have blueberry syrup on those pancakes,” said Gnome.
“Oh yes, I can hardly wait,” said his dear wife.
The End
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This story makes a fine puppet show for young children, as I wrote it with visual pictures and lots of movement and gesture possibilities. It is also a sweet tale to just tell on its own. Bring warmth into your voice as you speak a story to children, and they will listen more attentively. The little verses can be repeated again and again…all the more fun for the children when they join in with you!
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Puppet resource for this story: Old Gnome Finger Puppet Making Tutorial.
simple simple sewn felt frog pattern
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