Duckies in school

Five little duckies set off to school
One missed the bus, playing the fool!

Four little duckies get off and walk
One saw a friend and stopped to talk

Three little duckies near the school gate
One picked a fight with a classmate!

Two little duckies run into the school
One felt hot and ran to the pool

Only one little ducky reached the classroom
“Where are the others?” the teacher boomed.

“Here!” quacked a loud voice from the door
And in came duckies, naughty four!

Big Pig and Sick Fish

Big Pig said to the Sick Fish
"Leave the river
Or you'll be sick forever!
Come, live with me
Near the Big Fig Tree
You'll fit in a bin
Or a tin
Or even in a dish, if you fold your fin!"

Thaathi's dinner

Rice and sambhar, rasam, kootu
Poriyal, appalum and spicy moru
She smacked her lips and licked her hand
She burped and watched her belly expand

But Thaathi’s dinner was not done.

She called for her betel-nut box.

She plucked some betel leaves and washed them well
Folded them and drew out the stalk
Opened them out and dabbed some lime
Spread the lime and cracked a betel nut
Added the betel and a crush of tobacco
Dotted it with cubes of candy
Topped it all with melon seeds

Folded it up from all sides
And tucked it away into her ruby red mouth.

Now Thaathi’s dinner was done.

Thaathi goes shopping

She put some money in a roll of paper
Put the roll in her tiny string bag
Put the bag into her purse
Put the purse into her sari fold
And tied it up in a big tight knot.

Then Thaathi went shopping.

She bought a string of jasmines for Rs.10.
She untied the knot and took out her purse
Unzipped the purse and took out the bag
Undid the bag and took out the paper
Unrolled the paper and took out the money
And gave it to the jasmine seller.

Next she bought some betel leaves for Rs. 5.
She untied the knot and took out her purse
Unzipped the purse and took out the bag
Undid the bag and took out the paper
Unrolled the paper and took out the money
And gave it to the betel seller.

Then she bought two bananas for Rs. 4.
She untied the knot and took out her purse
Unzipped the purse and took out the bag
Undid the bag and took out the paper
Unrolled the paper and took out the money
And gave it to the banana seller.

Now there was no money left with Thaathi.
So she folded her paper into a roll
Put the roll in her tiny string bag
Put the bag into her purse
Put the purse into her sari fold
And tied it up in a big tight knot.

And Thaathi went home.

Thaathi's sambhar

The sambhar came to a boil with a plop
And the drumstick rose up to Thaathi’s nose
“It is ready,” she said.
She licked a hot drop and made a face:
It was too sour.

It was too sour, so she added some salt
And she stirred and stirred till it was all in a whirr
And when the sambhar came to a boil with a plop
And the drumstick rose to touch her nose,
She tasted it again.

Now it was too salty, so she added some jaggery
Then she stirred and stirred till it was all in a whirr
And when the sambhar came to a boil with a plop
And the drumstick rose to touch her nose,
She again tasted it.

Now it was too sweet, so she added some chilli powder
Then she stirred and stirred till it was all in a whirr
And when the sambhar came to a boil with a plop
And the drumstick rose to touch her nose,
She again tasted it.

Now it was too spicy, so she added some tamarind
And she stirred and stirred till it was all in a whirr
And when the sambhar came to a boil with a plop
And the drumstick rose to touch her nose,
She again tasted it.

It was too sour.