THE GROCERY MAN AND THE BEAR

He was weary of all of his usual joys;

His books and his blocks made him tired,

And so did his games and mechanical toys,

And the songs he had always admired;

So I told him a story, a story so new

It had never been heard anywhere;

A tale disconnected, unlikely, untrue,

Called The Grocery Man and the Bear.

I did n't think much of the story despite

The fact‘ twas a child of my brain.

And I never dreamt, when I told it that night,

That I'd have to tell it again;

I never imagined‘ twould make such a hit

With the audience of one that was there

That for hours at a time he would quietly sit

Through The Grocery Man and the Bear.

To all other stories, this one is preferred;

It's the season's best seller by far,

And out at our house it's as frequently heard

As cuss-words in Mexico are.

When choo-choos and horses and picture books fail,

He'll remain, quite content, in his chair,

While I tell o'er and o'er the incredible tale

Of The Grocery Man and the Bear.