Questions

Luke is a late bloomer when it comes to question asking. Ages two and three passed him right on by with barely a "Why, Momma?" Now suddenly at four, the questions haven't stopped. The questions range from annoying to silly to profound to just plain difficult to answer. Tonight is one example for you. After books, we always sing one bedtime song. Tonight, Puff the Magic Dragon went something like this:

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.

"What's sealing wax Mommy?" (It's sticky stuff, like goop)
"What does Puff do with that?" (He puts it on the ceiling)
"Oh. Why?" (I'm not sure. Let's sing okay? It's getting late)

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail

"Does Puff fly Mommy?" (Yes)
"Why is he on a boat then?" (Good question. Probably because Jackie can't fly.)
"But Puff could carry him on his back, right?" (Yep. I think they probably just love boat rides. Boat rides are fun, right?) "Right."

Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came
Pirate ships would lower their flag when Puff roared out his name

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys

"He doesn't die?" (Nope.)
"But I'm gonna die?" (Not anytime soon buddy.)
"I don't wanna die!" (Oh honey, don't worry about that!)

Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more

"Because he died?" (No honey, he just grew up.)
"And he doesn't like Puff anymore?" (He still loves Puff, but he's a grown up man and he's probably really busy).
"Why?" (Hey baby, let's sing the next part, okay?)
"Okay."

And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.

"Why, Mommy?" (Because he really misses Jackie Paper.)
"It's Jackie Papers mommy, Jackie Papers, not Paper." (Oh, sorry.)

Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.

"And then he died?" (No honey, dragons live forever remember?)
"Oh Yeah." (Goodnight baby.)
"Did Puff like the pirates?" (What pirates?)
"The ones with the flags?" (Of course. OK, goodnight buddy.)
"Is Puff's cave like the one in Indiana Jones with a treasure in it?" (Let's talk about that tomorrow, okay?)
"Okay. Goodnight."