New story (and it's a tongue-twister)
"When He Was Just a Little Guy, Russ Got Bit By a ST-ST Fly"
Sharing stories, and a love of reading. Because reading with kids can change the world for the better.
Hiya.
If you ever wonder where stories come from, one place is: mistakes.
Like the time I made a mistake shaving and missed a large swath of beard. Which was rather embarrassing, since I’ve had decades of practice.
Ahem.
Anyway, I peered into the mirror, saw the bad job I’d made of it, and muttered, “Missed whiskers.”
Then I realized I rather liked the alliteration of those words.
I started noodling.
Pretty soon I was writing down all the words I could think of with an “ist” sound.
There were a lot.
The story below is the result. It’s about a boy named Rusty who, with the help of his friend Dusty, overcomes his fear of saying words with “st” sounds.
All stories are better read aloud. This one especially so.
I hope you like it.
— Jeff
Dedication
This story’s written for St. Ist,
the saint of words where “ST” exists.
Like STop and worST and mySTery
and STar and beST and hiSTory.
Come sit down and have a listen
for the “ST” sounds you’ve been missin’.
It won’t take long. You’ll get the gist.
“ST” sounds are all around — like mist.
Introduction: Rusty and Dusty
This is Rusty. This is Dusty.
Rusty’s grumpy. Plus he’s crusty.
He says to Dusty, “I confess
There is a sound that makes me stress.
A sound that when I hear it said,
it hurts the brain inside my head.”
Poor Rusty! Dusty takes his hand
and says to him, “I understand.
We all have sounds that make us flinch,
that crawl into our ears and pinch.
Could you, would you, like to tell me?”
“It’s S,” he mutters, “S with T.
When I was just a little guy
I got bit by a ST-ST-fly.
I know it’s dumb, but ever since,
when someone says that sound I wince.”
“It’s not dumb at all,” says Dusty.
“Let’s try something. Can you trust me?
Let’s both us play a little game …
Do one thing for me. Say your name.”
“Ruh-” says Rusty. “I can’t do it.
“I can’t say it. I can’t spew it.”
“Okay,” says Nancy, “just sit back.
Why don’t we try another tack?
I’ll say a word. You say it, too.”
“I, I don’t feel that I can do –”
His bravery began to shrink.
“Just follow me, Russ. Speak, don’t think!
‘Miss’” says Nancy, “say it with me.”
“But why?” says Rusty, “There’s no T.”
“Come on, Rusty, trust me with this.”
He pauses for a moment. ... “Miss.”
I’ll tell ‘ST’ stories. How ‘bout ten?
You’re gonna love ‘ST’ by the end.”
“I miss the bus. The bus I missed.”
“I miss the bus, the bus I missed.”
”You did it Rusty, that’s the sound!
‘Missed’ has a ‘ST.’ Another round!”
I muss my hair. My hair I mussed.”
“I muss my hair. It must be mussed.”
“The mast has moss. The mast was mossed.”
“Mossed mast!” said Rusty. “All’s not lost!”
“Great!” says Nancy. “Let’s go faster:
Mister Mist’s a monster’s master.”
“Muster’s monster’s mister’s misted,”
Rusty moans, “My tongue’s all twisted.”
“I’m sorry, Rusty, my mistake!
Let’s give your tongue and brain a break.
I’ll tell ‘ST’ stories. How ‘bout ten?
You’re gonna love ‘ST’ by the end.”
Story No. 1: Miss T
Okay, Rusty, we’ll start slowly.
Meet Miss T, who’s feeling lowly.
This is Miss T. She lost her T-shirt outside, so now it’s …
Miss T’s missed tee.
The fog rolled in and now …
Miss Tee’s missed tee’s misty.
Her father went looking for it, but …
Mister T missed her tee.
Miss T would have helped him, but she had to go to her eye exam, where …
Miss T missed E.
The eye doctor found this puzzling, and described it as the …
Miss-T-missed-her-E mystery.
Since her father wasn’t there …
Mister T missed her
AND
Mister T missed her missed-E mystery
AND
Miss T missed Mister T.
To make things worse her mother had some people over for teatime, so while …
Miss T missed E, Miss T missed tea.
It was all too much for Miss T and her eyes filled with tears.
The missed tee, missed E, missed tea, mist, mystery, and Mister T (missed) made Miss T misty.
Story No. 2: The List of Ists
You doing okay Rusty? Whew!
Here are some ‘ST’ jobs you could do.
Artists give people new ways to think and to see.
Balloonists can show you what it’s like to float free.
Calligraphists scribble with a to-the-right tilt.
Demolitionists blow up whatever we’ve built.
Ecologists study all the ways life connects.
Florists arrange flowers into special effects.
Geologists know how a stone can hold wonder.
Hypnotists swing watches to put people under.
Illusionists show us things that aren’t really there.
Journalists ask for the who what why when and where
Keyboardists make music that makes us want to dance.
Linguists know if a word comes from England or France.
Mycologists can show you which mushrooms to eat.
Novelists write, revise, write-write-write, and repeat.
Organists fill cathedrals with resonant tones.
Paleontologists dig for dinosaur bones.
Quarterfinalists make it to the round of eight.
Rheumatologists know why your knees don’t feel great.
Surrealists redecorate reality’s walls.
Tympanists send sounds bounding around concert halls.
Unicyclists turn balancing into an art.
Volcanologists peer into Earth’s fiery heart.
Watercolorists paint while holding their palettes.
Xylophonists hammer out music with mallets.
Yoyoists make magic with discs dancing on strings.
Zoologists tell us about all living things.
Story No. 3: Mister Misses and Misses Mister
Now catch your breath, Russ, keep it loose.
There are more folks to introduce.
This is Misses Esther Mister. This is Mister Chester Misses.
Mister Chester Misses wishes to give Misses Esther Mister kisses.
Misses Esther Mister dismisses Mister Chester Misses.
Chester Misses feels remiss. Esther Mister feels amiss.
Misses Esther Mister misses Mister Chester Misses.
Mister Chester Misses misses Misses Esther Mister.
Misses Esther Mister blesses Mister Chester Misses’ wishes.
Mister Chester Misses’s bliss is kissing Misses Esther Mister.
Misses Esther Mister’s bliss is kissing Mister Chester Misses.
This is Mr. and Mrs. Misses-Mister, Chester and Esther, blessed.
Story No. 4: Hourglassed
These letters like to move and play.
They dance together, then away.
SoutheasternmosT
SemitransparenT
SupercontinenT
SeparationisT
SeismologisT
SpaceflighT
SquirmiesT
StoplighT
SaggiesT
SnippeT
SunseT
SweeT
SpoT
SiT
ST
SeT
ShoT
SleeT
SubseT
SingleT
SassiesT
SpotlighT
SquishiesT
StreetlighT
SpeleologisT
SuperloyalisT
SuperconfidenT
SemitranslucenT
SouthwesternmosT
Story No. 5: Scenes from Mr. and Mrs. Misses-Mister’s Marriage
I feel we’ve barely started yet.
Here’s more about those folks you met.
I. Mrs. Misses-Mister’s Sister Hester’s Blister
This is Mrs. Esther Misses-Mister’s sister Hester.
This is Esther’s sister Hester’s blister.
Esther’s sister Hester’s blister’s on her wrist.
When Hester’s blister tests her, Hester gets her sister.
When Esther assists her, Hester’s blister gets better.
Hester’s blessed to have Mrs. Esther Misses-Mister as a sister.
II. Mr. Chester Misses-Mister’s Mother’s Making Mustard Custard
Mr. Chester Misses-Mister’s nonplussed mother
blustered
and cussed
and flustered
and fussed
and she bossed
and she sussed
and she joshed
and discussed
and she almost went bust in disgust.
But at last she mastered mustard custard.
III. Mr. and Mrs. Misses-Mister’s Beast Eats
Beast.
Beast eats.
Beast tastes meats first.
Beast eats meats.
Beast tastes beets next.
Beast eats beets.
Beast tastes sweets last.
Beast eats sweets fast.
Beast feasts. Beast rests.
Beast’s best fast feast’s meats, sweets, and beets.
IV. Chester Misses-Mister, Mast Maestro
Mist makes masts moist.
Moist masts make moss.
Moss masses mask masts.
Moss-masked masts list.
Thick mist maxes moss.
Mast masters fix lists.
Mast masters must muster.
Quick list fix nixed.
Mustered masters mostly mutter.
Mist thickens, masts slicken.
Mast maestro Chester musters.
Chester makes mast mixture.
Chester’s mixture nixes moss.
Chester’s mixture fixes masts.
Masters affix Chester’s mixture.
Mast mess fixed quick.
Mist matters. Moss matters.
Masts matter. Masters matter.
Mustered mast fixers matter.
Maestro Chester’s mixture matters.
Story No. 6: Saints
Whatever you can be or do,
I bet some saint is watching you.
St. Amp’s for mail you need to send.
St. Ing when you’ve got bees to tend.
St. Op’s for when you need a rest.
St. Udy when you have a test.
St. All’s for when you hesitate.
St. Ill for when you meditate.
St. Ale’s for chewing bread that’s old.
St. Ew’s to feed you in the cold.
St. Art blesses running races.
St. Ern’s for unsmiling faces.
St. Y is for your messy room.
St. Ar for lighting up the gloom.
St. Yle is for when you dress,
St. Atue when you’re motionless.
St. Ack’s for when you play with blocks.
St. Aff supports you on long walks.
St. Anza helps you make a rhyme
St. Air’s for when you need to climb.
St. Eam’s for when you iron clothes.
St. Ink for when you hold your nose.
St. Eel’s for building something tall.
St. Ucco to protect a wall.
St. Eer’s for keeping things on course.
St. Able is to hold your horse.
St. Udio’s for making art.
St. Age for when you play a part.
St. Ereo’s to feel the beat.
St. Aple helps keep papers neat.
St. Ork is for kids being born.
St. Itch for any clothes you’ve torn.
St. Air’s for going up or down.
St. Ilt when you’re a circus clown.
St. Ick is helpful when you glue.
St. Ore when you buy something new.
St. Ove’s for when you cook with pots.
St. Ipple when you paint with dots.
St. Uff’s for blessing all your things.
St. Adium’s for gatherings.
St. Ain’s for when you paint a fence.
St. Ory helps the world make sense.
Story No. 7: A Pastiche
You’re ready, Rusty? We’ll start slow.
I’ll say a “ST” word, then you go.
Dusty: “Fiesta.”
Rusty: “Siesta.”
“Bucharest.”
“Budapest.”
“Trust the dust.”
“Bust the crust.”
“Sliced and diced.”
“Priced and spliced.”
“Crossed and flossed.”
“Lost and tossed!”
“Ceased and creased.”
“Fleeced Mideast wildebeest feast least on greased yeast.”
“Paste-basted pastry’s distasteful!”
“Boisterous oysters in cloisters rejoiced!”
“The best-dressed guest, a jester, guessed best!!”
“Pastors plaster faster when the forecast’s overcast!!”
“THE ASSISTANT’S RESISTANCE TO DISTANCE PERSISTS!!!”
“THE HOST ON THE COAST DOSED THE GHOST WITH ROAST TOAST!!!”
“I’m Dusty.”
“I’m Rusty.”
“I’m impressed.”
“You’re the best.”
“Are you ready for a rest?”
“After I take one more test.”
Story No. 8: Streets
You must walk fast, Russ. Don’t walk slow.
You must say street names as you go.
Left on Miss St.
Right on Mist
Left on Muss St.
Right on Must.
Left on Mass St.
Right on Mast.
Left on Fir St.
Right on First.
Left on Whir St.
Right on Wurst.
Left on Fur St.
Right on Worst.
When you get to the roundabout
you’re halfway there so give a shout.
Now do what you just did, reversed
Go back the way you came — down Worst.
Right on Worst.
Left on Fur St.
Right on Wurst.
Left on Whir St.
Right on First
Left on Fir St.
Right on Mast.
Left on Mass St.
Right on Must.
Left on Muss St.
Right on Mist.
Left on Miss St.
If you get stuck, just start again.
You’ve done so much today my friend.
You’ll be back before too long.
And when you’re back we’ll sing a song.
Story No. 9: Nancy and Rusty Do a Duet
You know, Rusty, when things scare you,
time with friends can help repair you.
You can run fast but you can’t run fassed.
The world is vast but it’s not vassed.
No one listening to a broadcassed
hears forecasseds call for overcassed
However: We get sassed not sast.
Things get amassed, but not amast.
No traffic ever got bypast.
That page above’s not hourglast.So with the “ST” sound, you can see,
we use and spell it differently.
Sometimes it ends in S and T
Sometimes it ends in S-E-D.
Our language grows haphazardly.
It’s just the way it seems to be.
It’s not my fault! I finally see!
It’s not so bad, this S with T!You can’t plast but you can plaster.
To disast would be disaster.
Alabasts don’t alabaster.
Quartermasts don’t quartermaster.
The one behind is last not lassed.
Hills can be grassed but never grast.
Cars get gassed they don’t get gast. ...And friends will never be surpast.
Story No. 10: Do “ST” Yourself
Its YOUR turn! Use the words below
to make a story, row by row.
From every line pick one word — one.
You’ll have a story when you’re done.
1.
Stacy | Stanley | Stasia | Stavros | Steffi | Stella | Stephanie | Stephon | Steve | Stu
2.
stains | staples | steams | sterilizes | sticks | stitches | stomps | strafes | stuffs | styles
3.
stale | statuesque | steel | still | stout | stray | stringy | stuccoed | stuck | styrofoam
4.
stadiums | stagecoaches | stamps | statues | steamrollers | stereos | stethoscopes | stogies | strawberries | stuff
5.
and | and | and | and | and | and | and | and | and | and
6.
stacks | stampedes |startles | stashes | steals | steers | stirs | stows | strums | studies
7.
staggering | stealthy | stinky | stoked | straggling | strange | striped | studly | stupendous | stylish
8.
stallions | starfish | starlings | steenboks | stegosaurses | stepbrothers stingrays | stinkbugs | storks | stepsisters |
9.
in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in
10.
Stamford | Staten Island | Steamboat Springs | Stillwater | Stockholm | Stockton | Strasbourg | Stratford-on-Avon | Sturgis | Stuttgart
One Last Thought
And now, although our story’s through,
we have a final wish for you —
to listen close and all around.
Go find your music. How’s that sound?
— The end.
We’ve published 20+ stories so far and you can read them all for free on our bookshelf page. If you like physical books, a dozen of our titles are available for sale on Amazon.
Illustration credits: Balloonist, Nicolas Crespo; Tea, Annie Spratt; Streetlight, Bekeen; Stamps,Mariana Cuesta; Pastry, Wahyu Setyanto; Starfish, Erone Stuff.
Mister Author, it’s the best story yet! Well, not exactly the BEST, but I had to get a ST in somehow ;)
Thanks so much!
I love the tongue twister story! I can't wait to read it to my grandchildren! Thank you! :-)