A night in the city

T'was when the story began,

After a young girl sought 

To buy her mother a fan.

 

The night was shining,

Though with limited light,

And could still clearly see

A red dress running with might.

 

But she never did make it,

For along her way,

She came across a strange man

With a long snout and toupee.

 

He looked solemn alone,

And bore a permanent pout,

So she stopped in her tracks

And asked what it was about.

 

He replied to her 

In the only way he knew how,

Which was to howl to the moon,

Communicating his misery now.

 

"I haven't any food,

Nor family nor friends,

And my only wish, little red,

Is to be happy again."

 

Red pondered a moment

Before stalking away,

Saying she'd be back in a jiffy,

Commanding him not to stray.

 

And so she went into the bakery,

Only a little ways down,

And used the money for the fan

To buy loaves of sweet brown.

 

The girl returned to the man

Bearing baskets galore

That she handed to the stranger

Who obviously needed it more.

 

He looked at her now

With tears in his eyes,

And in his great gratitude

Reached for his prize.

 

The man said his many thanks

To the little girl in the red dress

Before downing the bread

Like a wolf no longer in distress.

 

She sat with him now,

So they might talk about their day,

And she promised she'd be back,

For there was more they'd like to say.

 

And so Red, feeling satisfied,

More so than if she had purchased the fan,

Went on her way back to home

Feeling more grateful for all she had.

 

And she knew that her mother

Who might have liked such a machine

Would much rather prefer

Her daughter to have done a good deed.