The Subterranean Gnome

Just a cute little story Annie wrote for her homework assignment tonight. The assignment was to use each of her spelling words to write a story. (And no, these aren't your typical 3rd grade spelling words. She gets her own individual list.)

The words: isolated, guarantee, chartreuse, cautious, gnome, smorgasbord, subterranean, succinct, pesticide, persnickety, raspberry, nemesis, querulous, rancid, considerable, announcement


The Subterranean Gnome
*by Annie (March 2006, age 8)

Once there was a community of subterranean gnomes. They all were inquisitive, but one in particular was always getting into trouble. I guarantee you, he went on an adventure at least once a week. A considerable amount of these adventures had been dangerous. The most renowned of these journeys was on an isolated island...

It was the Gnometown Annual Meeting. All the gnomes were feasting on a smorgasbord of gnome food while listening to a succinct announcement made by the Gnometown mayor. He was very persnickety about how the new library was to be built. The gnome's siblings were getting awfully querulous during the speech, and Piksnick, the gnome himself, was getting antsy. He edged away from his plate of rancid chartreuse raspberries and darted away. His parents were so engrossed in the speech they didn't even notice.

Dodging the small areas sprayed with pesticide, he zoomed down a small hill, abruptly stopping as he reached a hot spring. A gnome-sized sailboat was right there in front of him. Piksnik hopped into it and paddled away. He sighted a large predatory fish. This was to be his nemesis. Cautiously dodging the fish's jaws, he crash-landed on a small rock, his boat shattering into pieces. Watching with despair as the boat sank, he realized he was stuck on the rock.

Suddenly, a voice shouted out, "Grab the rope." The faint image of a rope appeared in the distance. As it got closer, Piksnik snatched it, and was pulled across the water. As he looked at his rescuer, he realized it was his dad!

Do you think Piksnik was in trouble after he returned? Yes, but that's another story...