The Fly That Got Splatted - Tragic Tale For Small Children - Short Story re death and life cycles
Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010
by LeahG Artist
Cartoon & Illustration Services
The leaves rustled lightly as Herbetta peered out from her dusty lair, quite near the foot path and very near the dog-spot.
The dog-spot was Herbatta's favourite place. For here was where she feasted on freshly dumped mounds of dog poo. Smelly, icky dog poo, a maggots delight.
Herbetta wiggled the short distance to her favourite dog-spot and ate her fill. After eating she fell into a deep sleep quite near, but not very near the dog-spot.
Later that day as the heavenly smell of freshly dumped dog poo filled the air, Herbetta woke with a fright.
She was no longer a maggot but a blue-black fly.
She didn't crawl in the dusty dirt anymore
But flew high into the sky!
Herbetta was delighted to find that even as a fly she could still enjoy her favourite feast. She was able to leave the dog-spot and sample the freshly laid dog poo of the neighbouring village. A place where a more exotic hound resided.
Herbetta ate, and ate and ate until she became fat. Herbetta was so fat that when she landed on a sticky icky cake she sank right inside it.
Herbetta found herself inside the cake. What was she to do?
Herbetta did the only thing she could do. She ate, and ate and ate, until she'd eaten her way right out of that cake.
Herbetta was free, but she was bigger and fatter than ever. She was so fat that her little wings could barely lift her from the table. She only managed to fly a short distance before her wings gave up and she went spiralling to the ground.
She lay on the ground with her legs kicking in the air. As she lay there, a dark shadow crept over her and
SPLAT!
Herbetta was no more.
Meanwhile back at the dog-spot, something wonderful was happening.
Before Herbetta had left her favourite dog-spot, she had laid some eggs on a mound of dog poo. Now the eggs had all hatched, the dog poo was filled with the laughter of lots and lots of creepy crawly maggots, all mini versions of Herbetta.
The end
----------------
I invented this story for my young children on the spot one night when I needed a quick tale to get them off to sleep. They loved the 'poo' element and they decided Herbetta's fate! I added the 'happy ending'. I think this is a fun gentle way of introducing death and life cycles to young children.
I illustrated this story recently with a view to popping it in a book. I hope you and your children enjoy it, please leave feedback as this is my first venture of this kind.
Illustrations by Leah
The dog-spot was Herbatta's favourite place. For here was where she feasted on freshly dumped mounds of dog poo. Smelly, icky dog poo, a maggots delight.
Later that day as the heavenly smell of freshly dumped dog poo filled the air, Herbetta woke with a fright.
She was no longer a maggot but a blue-black fly.
She didn't crawl in the dusty dirt anymore
But flew high into the sky!
Herbetta was delighted to find that even as a fly she could still enjoy her favourite feast. She was able to leave the dog-spot and sample the freshly laid dog poo of the neighbouring village. A place where a more exotic hound resided.
Herbetta ate, and ate and ate until she became fat. Herbetta was so fat that when she landed on a sticky icky cake she sank right inside it.
Herbetta found herself inside the cake. What was she to do?
Herbetta did the only thing she could do. She ate, and ate and ate, until she'd eaten her way right out of that cake.
Herbetta was free, but she was bigger and fatter than ever. She was so fat that her little wings could barely lift her from the table. She only managed to fly a short distance before her wings gave up and she went spiralling to the ground.
She lay on the ground with her legs kicking in the air. As she lay there, a dark shadow crept over her and
SPLAT!
Herbetta was no more.
Meanwhile back at the dog-spot, something wonderful was happening.
Before Herbetta had left her favourite dog-spot, she had laid some eggs on a mound of dog poo. Now the eggs had all hatched, the dog poo was filled with the laughter of lots and lots of creepy crawly maggots, all mini versions of Herbetta.
The cycle goes on.
The end
----------------
I invented this story for my young children on the spot one night when I needed a quick tale to get them off to sleep. They loved the 'poo' element and they decided Herbetta's fate! I added the 'happy ending'. I think this is a fun gentle way of introducing death and life cycles to young children.
I illustrated this story recently with a view to popping it in a book. I hope you and your children enjoy it, please leave feedback as this is my first venture of this kind.
Illustrations by Leah
LeahG Artist and Designer
Leah left the retail and health management world a few years ago to become a freelance writer and artist. She now enjoys creating funky vibrant cartoons and illsutrations for websites, promotional materials and as gifts. Leah would love to illustrate her own children's books in the future. Presently she is creating cartoon and cartoon mascots for business clients.
Visit LeahG's Cartoon and Illustration Services website here for updates and latest art work.
Leah left the retail and health management world a few years ago to become a freelance writer and artist. She now enjoys creating funky vibrant cartoons and illsutrations for websites, promotional materials and as gifts. Leah would love to illustrate her own children's books in the future. Presently she is creating cartoon and cartoon mascots for business clients.
Visit LeahG's Cartoon and Illustration Services website here for updates and latest art work.
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More commentsahahha thanks! fun read!Thank you Origo, I'm glad you liked it :)
You might have been burned at the stake if this book had come out when I was a kid!I can see how today's kids might appreciate it, though.
I have to admit I thought it was a poo-vs-cake story!
Great illustrations!I still might be! :) Thank you Ken.
Fantastic! Needed a good laugh before bed. Nice in it's direct...non "PC"...approach.That's great Bill, maybe kids are the wrong market for this book, maybe I should do a series of daft tales for adults :)
Looks great--nice work.Thanks Steve :)
Hi Leah. Interesting story. I will be sure to show it to my boys...I like how you posted the pics, that will make for some interesting creativity for my own stories in the future. Thanks for telling me about this site. Craig bHi Craig, please let me know what your boys think. I only have my children's opinion so far and they are of course biased. I am glad you joined the site too, I believe good writing deserves a big audience and I wish you well with your time here!
Hi Leah I kinda grew close to Herbetta while reading this story, and I agree about the poo thing and kids. I am round a lot of kids during the day as there is 46 in the close where I live which only has 18 houses. These kids are more times with me than their own mom or dad. If they fall they come to me, if theres a fight I have to stop it. I have noticed when I make up songs and throw in the word poo or another friendly but rude word they giggle like there was no tomorrow. Yes the poo thing surely works. And the ending to Herbetta I thought was gong to be the matter of the cobweb and its residentKeep wellKacyHi Kacy, how lovely to learn that you are the neighbourhood 'mom' :)Thank you for the lovely comment.
Hi Leah,Great story! Somewhere in there I think I spotted a warning about obesity. Keep up the good work.JDhaha yes :) the poor fly ate a td too much, see lots of useful messages in this micro story ;)
Leah,I LOVE IT!I'm still laughing!DannyBubbas PoolsHi thanks Daniel :)
Sorry it has taken me so long to read this. I chuckled to myself the whole way through! Do you think it might inspire some over-curious kid to check out mounds of dog poo for maggots? I can think of some kids who just might do it!
If the kids are like my 6yr old, they've been there and done that! He's into everything. Thank you for you lovely comment.
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