The Nick Klaus's Fables Read Free Page B

of the throat. The baby tooth clung with all its might
not to fall into the stomach. Then came a cough. And without even
saying its goodbye, while seeing the light of day for the first
time, off it went on its fairy’s journey.
     

When We Grow Up (#10)
    Sheltered from the strong currents by a heavy ocean
rock, a group of baby lobsters were gathered in a circle around Ms.
lobster teacher. Except for Feisty who stood half way hiding below
the rock, unwilling to participate. Ms. lobster teacher noticed
Feisty and cracked a smile.
    “Today, we’re going to talk about what we would like
to do when we grow up. Who would like to start?”
    “I’d like to be a shipwreck cleaner,” said the first
baby lobster in the front row, fishing for praise with swift
glances towards the other baby lobsters.
    “A shipwreck cleaner,” repeated Ms. lobster teacher,
clapping her claws. That is wonderful.”
    “I’d like to be a bottle collector,” squeaked the
voice of a baby lobster in the back row.
    “Does anyone know why one of your classmates wants
to be a bottle collector?” said Ms. lobster teacher. No one
replied. “Because there are many bottles lying at the bottom of the
ocean, and someone has to take care of them.”
    Feisty snickered from the back of the class. Ms.
Lobster teacher grinned at him.
    “Tell us Feisty, and what would you like to be when
you grow up?”
    Feisty didn’t even think for a second. “I’d like to
be a window breaker!”
    “A window breaker,” said Ms. Lobster teacher,
holding her heart. “How original and creative. But in life, you can
either be a window cleaner or an ice breaker, not a window
breaker.”
    “Then I’ll be a window smasher and swim away. Let me
show you.”
    “No, no, no, no,” said Ms. lobster teacher as she
rushed to tie Feisty’s claws with rubber bands. At that moment, the
light went out in the classroom. The baby lobsters turned round and
gazed through the window in confusion at the patrons entering the
restaurant.

The Martians in Times
Square (#11)
     
    Once a flying saucer in difficulty
landed near Times Square. The crew was in need of repair, and the
captain sent one of its members for help. A little green man
climbed down the stairs and ventured down the street. He was a
weird looking creature, green his from head to his knees. His toes
were covered with short yellow feathers. He had a flattened head,
with two enormous bug eyes, below two fluffy rabbit’s ear-like
antennas. He walked towards people, raised his hand, and said with
a smile I’d like to offer you a cup of
tea . But people shrugged their shoulders
and were far too busy rushing around to even listen.
    So he stood in the middle of the
pavement with a wide sign on his belly, saying My flying saucer’s crew is broken, I need help. But people who didn’t have time for a cup of tea
had even less time to read about a flying saucer’s crew.
    Finally, desperate, he tried to grab a woman in a
grey suit racing by in sneakers. She got so upset that she called
the police. Distraught, he would not let go of her, and he trailed
after her to find out in what kind of flying saucer she lived and
hid. Frantic, she typed an access code and slid through the metal
door of a very tall flying saucer, made out of glass. The green
creature did not have the access code to get through the door.
Powerless, he watched the other crewmembers of her team, wearing
the same grey uniform, rushing into the tall glass flying
saucer.
    Failing to grab anyone’s attention, the Martian went
back into his flying saucer. His feet in pain. The yellow feathers
on his toes flattened and dirty.
    “So?” asked the captain eagerly. “Did you find
someone? To rescue us?”
    The green man’s fluffy ears collapsed. “We are
doomed. This planet isn’t inhabited. All I came across were grey
creatures passing through,” he said. The captain grabbed his ears
in a dignified style while the crew looked down resigned. “Since we
failed to find a