Lilliputian's Travels

this one's for, and about, Nikolai...


when Nikolai was much younger
he was very small
so small in fact
that you can hardly see him at all

one day he went out of the house
and ventured into the street
but he almost got trampled
under all the pedestrians' feet

so he stayed by the curb
and tried to hail a taxi
but no driver stopped for him
because he was so tiny

as he waited and waited
a dog came his way
Nikolai asked if he could hitch a ride
and the dog said "you may"

Nikolai hopped on its back
and rode it like a pony
all the way to his grandparents'
who lived in Pasig city

now his grandparents lived in a building
right up there on the 3rd floor
and Nikolai's problem was that
there was no elevator

he crawled up the stairs
one hand and then the other
he figured if he just kept going
he'll get there sooner or later

much much later
he reached his grandparents' door
he knocked as loud as he could
one, two, three, four

his Wowo opened it an inch
and took a look outside
but he didn't see Nikolai there---
out of breath, hungry and tired

Nikolai knocked once more
and Wowo opened the door wide
this time he saw tiny Nikolai
standing on the welcome mat outside

"ho," Wowo exclaimed
"Wawa, look who's here!"
Wawa took one look at Nik
and all became very clear

"my darling little boy
come and rest your aching feet
you must be tired from all that walking
come, i'll fix you something to eat"

afterwards Nikolai told them the story
of the great adventure that was
traveling from one city to the next
without ever getting on a bus!