DECEMBER DRABBLES [A Short-Story Contest)

❝Story Time❞ by KatElwood

STORY TIME

KatElwood

"Mary had a little lamb," I looked out at my audience of small faces, all eager for story time, "whose fleece was white as snow."

"Like Snow White!" one girl chimed.

I scratched my head. "Uh, no. Snow White didn't have a little lamb."

"Why not?"

"Because Snow White IS the lamb," a boy offered.

"I don't think—"

Another girl cut me off. "Yeah! It makes perfect sense! They're both so white, they look like snow!"

"That's not—"

"And the dwarves are, like, sheep herders!"

"Actually they were miners," I said, but none of the kids were listening to me.

Another boy raised his arm and asked, "Then who's Mary?"

The first girl, with much authority, answered, "Mary is Snow White's mother. Because it says 'Mary had a little lamb,' see?"

The boy nodded, then narrowed his eyes. "I thought Snow White's mom was the evil queen?"

"Whose name was Mary, duh."

Their little heads all bobbed in agreement.

Another question floated up from my audience of young minds. "Do lambs eat apples?"

I was surprised when all eyes turned to me. "Well, lambs are baby sheep. So they drink milk from their mothers."

"So how does the evil Queen Mary get Snow White the Lamb to eat the poisonous apple?"

"Uhh..." This is the last time I volunteer to host Story Time at the daycare during a creative writing convention.