MONSTER GOGO
(Leon’s Story)
There was a woman
who had a son called Atu.
Their cottage was among fields
where no one else lived.
The woman kept four big dogs
to protect them, because at night
the hairy monster, Gogo,
wandered the countryside.
Gogo was always hungry.
He ate everything in sight –
animals or people –
they were all food to him.
Every day the woman cooked
a roast-beef dinner for the dogs.
And every evening she said,
“Keep watch through the night
in case Monster Gogo comes.”
The dogs would wag their tales
and say, “Sleep without fear.”
had to go to town.
“I will be back tomorrow,”
she told Atu.
“Roast the meat in the oven
and give the dogs their dinner.
Don’t forget!”
Atu put the meat in the oven.
Then the dogs began to bark.
Atu looked outside and saw
his friends were coming over.
“What’s that smell?
What’s cooking?” his friends asked.
“Can we a have a taste?”
“It’s for the dogs,” said Atu.
“Woof, woof,” said his friends,
pretending to be dogs.
They joked and laughed with Atu
and they ate all the meat.
Then they left to get home
before the sun went down
and Gogo came out.
The dogs came into the kitchen
looking for their dinner.
Atu put out the bowl
with a few scraps and a bone.
“Is that our dinner?” the dogs asked.
“Take it or leave it,” said Atu.
“I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
“It seems we must get our dinner
somewhere else,” the dogs said.
They ran far across the fields
all the way to the next farm.
Atu went to sleep.
But what was that sound outside?
PLOP. PLOP. Heavy feet
pounded the garden path.
Monster Gogo!
Atu locked the door
and went to bed.
CRASH! The door banged open.
CLING, CLANG! The dishes fell.
Atu opened the attic door
and climbed up into it.
Soon Gogo poked his head
through the opening.
climbed down to the ground,
hid in a big clay pot,
and pulled the lid on tight.
SNIFF, SNIFF, Gogo came around
smelling the pot.…
