Mungle

A dreadful thing occurred one night

that’s still hard to conceive,

and once I’ve told you all the facts,

I’m sure you won’t believe.

My family all was tucked in tight

and dreaming, I’ve no doubt,

but then, at once, we all awoke —

there’d been an awful shout!

It was my sister, Maggie Sue,

who’d screamed out in the night,

and we all ran to check her out

and soon turned pale with fright.

For there sat Maggie in her bed,

a hand mirror in her grasp;

it was the sweet girl’s little face

that made us stare and gasp.

Yes, that poor child was sure a sight,

the worst I’d ever seen,

for there upon her face were spots —

some pink, some blue, some green!

So Dr. Roberts soon was called

and soon we heard his knock,

and when he saw our Maggie Sue,

his look was one of shock.

He said, “My word! How could this be?

She has a case of mungle,

a rare disease that’s only seen

deep in the darkest jungle.”

He said, “Those spot must be removed

or she’ll grow deathly sick.

The trouble is the only cure

is in a lion’s lick.”

And so we all drove to the zoo

for therein lived the cure,

and soon we stood at Leo’s cage

and listened to him purr.

The nasty details that come next

of screaming and great fear,

nice folks, like you, I do expect

would rather never hear.

An hour later, Maggie’s face

was spotless – smooth as cream!

And thankfully, the child’s convinced

t’was all a frightful dream.