STAY WELL & SPARKLE – The Dare

What did you do over your summer vacation?

Hopefully, reading a book factored in that equation. Mothers who read to their babies while still in the womb, birth children who do better at school. Reading fosters a level of discipline and sparks the imagination necessary for composition. That’s what the Nature Island Literary Festival and Book Fair is all about!

This children’s story by Edith Francois is part of our summer series. She put together ‘The Adventures of Kenzi the Little Mountain Goat’ with her children Loic, Naima and Gael. Click below for the reading done live at the scenic Purple Turtle Beach this past weekend.

THE DARE

Screeeech!!!!

That was the sound of the car skidding on the road as our friends in the animal world, crossed for school. The animals taught not to walk across the street unless the coast was clear or accompanied by an adult. They were always to use pedestrian crossing. Everyday, mommies and daddies would caution their kids about crossing the road, reminding them of the road safety rules.

Well one day, a daring little kid decided that he was going to attempt the impossible by crossing the road while vehicles were moving back and forth.

Do you know who this little kid was? It was none other than Kenzi, the little brown and white mountain goat. Yup! You guessed it! You see, Chalo, the calf had dared Kenzi to do so and Kenzi was certainly not one to back down from a dare.

Kenzi clearly remembered his parents’ warning, but he quickly pushed away the thoughts. For you see, Kenzi was a little goat who never learnt his lesson unless he faced a serious situation. As Kenzi put his right hoof on the road his friend Tixie the agouti called on him:

“Kenzi! No!”

Vroom!!  A car passed near him almost knocking him down. Kenzi removed his hoof as quickly as possible.

“Kenzi remember what our parents told us.” Daisy,the mountain chicken, reminded

But when Kenzi had an idea, no one could make him change his mind. And right now, all he wanted to do is cross the road without using the pedestrian crossing.

“I can do it, he thought to himself. I`ll show them.” He then put back his right hoof on the street; he could actually hear his heart racing with excitement mixed with fear.  He put his left hoof. Screech!!! Another car passed near him so fast that the wind almost blew him over. He quickly withdrew his hooves.

“Kenzi! Stop! You don`t have to do it!” Shouted Lola the parrot.

“Come on Kenzi, let us wait for the pedestrian crossing a little lower down.” Pleaded Tixie.

“No way” thought Kenzi to himself. From the corner of his eyes he could see Chalo the calf and his buddies studying him and smiling.

“Kenzi,” said Tixie, “You don`t have to prove them anything. Obeying our parents is the best thing to do.”

“I can do it!” Kenzi told them. “I think…” he thought to himself

“Yea right!” teased Chalo the calf.

Kenzi put his right hoof once more. Then he put the left hoof. He was just about to put the right back hoof when he heard one of Chalo’s friend said:

“He wouldn`t dare, he is a wimp.”

“Hahaha” laughed the others.

“Yep, a wimp, that`s what he is.” Said Chalo.

Well that did it! No way Kenzi, the brave white and brown mountain kid, was going to let this bunch of hooligans call him a wimp.

“I’ll show them who the wimp is!” thought Kenzi.

With that, he put the last hoof on the road and took one step. Tap!

Then a next step. Tap!

So far so good! You could hear a pin drop as all the little animals were holding their breath looking at Kenzi.

Another step. Tap!

Then it all happened. Vroom!!! POW!!!  Kenzi was flying through the air. Everything seems to stand still. Even the air itself seemed to have frozen.  At the same time all his friends screamed:

“ Kenziiiiii!!!” That was all he could remember. Then the darkness fell on him.

When Kenzi finally woke up, he faintly saw his mother’s anxious face and teary eyes leaning over him. He tried calling her, but his throat was dry and no sound could get out. He blinked his blurry eyes and mummy seemed to come into focus a little.

“Nurse! Nurse! He is awake! My baby is awake!… Oh Kenzi ! I am so glad you are awake!”

Then the nurse rushed over and checked on Kenzi. Then he heard the doctor talking and telling his mother, Mrs Cabwit. He said that Kenzi should be all right – apart from his broken front paw and leg.

“Broken front paw and leg?!” gasped Kenzi. “Oh no! This can`t be! I have to play cricket next week for my school! Everyone is counting on me to hit big sixes in that game”

A week later Kenzi was sitting at home wondering how the game was going on. Then he heard the local radio announcing the result. His school had lost the game. Kenzi burst out in tears. If only he were there, he knew they would have won.

Mrs. Cabwit walked in at this moment and noticed Kenzi`s sad face. She knew how he felt about cricket. She gently put her arms around him.

“You see Kenzi, when little kids disobey their parents, they get into trouble big time. It could have been a lot worse but God showed you mercy. He is asking all little children to obey their parents in the Lord.

Kenzi sniffled and said, “Sorry mummy. I will never disobey you again.”

For now, the silly little white and brown mountain goat was ok.

Just for now.

Click here for reading by Edith Francois. 

Ms. Francois is a writer who studied in Marie Galante, Guadeloupe and Paris. She teaches French at DGS and serves as President of the Dominica Association of Foreign Language Teachers. She tutors at Alliance Française de la Dominique as well as privately. Ms Francois can be reached at 316-9941 or at http://urgentcareda.weebly.com/