Baa-Choo!

By Sarah Weeks Pictures by Jane Manning

I’ve got a cold,” said Sam the lamb.

“I’m going to sneeze, indeed I am.”

His little nose twitched, and wiggled, and itched. “Baa…ahhh…”

No choo

“I’ve got the ahhh” but not the choo. No, no, this sneeze will never do.

“Can someone help me, help me please, to find the ending of my sneeze?”

“I’ll tickle your nose with a feather, and then I’m sure you’ll sneeze,” Said Gwen the hen.

She tickled his nose. Sam said, “Here goes!” Baa…ahhh…”

No choo.

“Gee,” said Sam. “That didn’t feel right. I felt…almost, but then …not quite.”

“Can someone help me, help me please,” to find the ending of my sneeze?”

Sig the pig said, “I have a plan.” We’ll sprinkle some pepper in front of this fan.

“Sam, stand over there, and stick out your nose, and sniff wherever the pepper blows.”

So Sam sniffed, and snorted, and snuffed. Huffed and puffed with his nose all stuffed.

The pepper went flying. Sam kept trying. “Baa…ahhh…”

No choo.

“Gee,” said Sam. “That isn’t much fun. Why can’t this sneeze be over and done?”

“Can someone help me, help me please,” to find the ending of my sneeze?”

Fanny Nannygoat came by and said that she would like to try.

“I’ll kick up dust!” And so she did, with a bit of help from her little kid.

The dust was thick. Sam started to wheeze, and then at last he started to sneeze.

This time it was bigger. And louder and louder. Instead of stopping, it just got stronger.

“Quick! Everyone do whatever you can!” Gwen grabbed her feather. Sig turned on his fan.

Together they tickled and sprinkled and kicked to make the big sneeze grow. Then someone cried,

“Look out! Look out! I think he’s going to blow!”

Then Sam the lamb let out a sneeze that raised the roof and shook the trees.

Believe me when I say it’s true, no lamb has sneezed a louder choo.

“Thank you, friends” said Sam the lamb, “for coming to the rescue.”

Sam heard them say, from far away, “You’re welcome, Sam, and-”

“Bless you!”