Our Storyteller

Elijah is an avid storyteller. An excited, yet serious, wide-eyed look comes across this toddler’s face when he begins to tell his tale. It takes nothing but a simple question to ignite his imagination; one thing leads to another, and before you know it, five minutes have passed as Elijah spins his fantastic and very random yarn.


This Wednesday night, after our church’s weekly Prayer Meeting, Elijah came, pit, patting down the stairs into the family room to ask Dad a serious question.

“Daddy, wha’s in de earf?”
“In the earth?”
“Yes,” Elijah stands patiently, awaiting his father’s answer.
Dad looks deep into Elijah’s eyes, “Molten Rock,” he answers.
“Ooh!” Elijah’s eyes grow wide, his face serious. “I donna do see de earf,” he tells dad, “and I donna see de molten rot.”
A chuckle escapes from dad, as he exclaims, “Oh!”
Elijah’s eyes grow wider still, the familiar look coming over his face as he continues, “An yo’ donna tum wif me, and I donna be in mommy’s tummy, and I’m donna drow up and be a big boy!”
“Ok, sounds like a plan!”
“An’ den, I’m donna be in the water, an dare’s donna be in a hole, an’ I’ll fall IN de hole, an’ I’ll cry, ‘Help! Help!’, and yo’ donna save me! An’ den I’m donna shoot the Lone Ranger-"
Dad interjects, “What? You’re gonna shoot the Lone Ranger?”
“Yes,” Elijah answers in a matter-of-fact tone. “An’ he’s donna kill me, and I’m donna die,”
“Where is all of this?”
Elijah glances around – searching, it seems, for some inspiration. “Um, I’m donna die on de floor,”
Dad presses for more, “And then what?”
Once more, Elijah’s eyes dance about the room, “Um, den I’m donna go to... mommy, an she’s donna save me!”
“Oh!”
“An’ den, I’ll go in her tummy, and I’m donna drow up! An’ I’m donna drow up to de FAN!” Little arms reach up to point towards our white ceiling fan.
“You’re gonna grow up to the fan!” exclaims Dad, in seemingly sincere amazement.
“Yes! An’ mommy’s donna drow up, and you’re donna drow up wif your dlasses!” Again, Elijah points; this time to the eyeglasses that Dad is wearing.
“Is that so!”
“An’ I’m donna drow DOWN,” Elijah emphasises this last word, reaching, now, to the floor. “An’ I’m donna dive you money!”
“I see!”
Elijah suddenly shifts subjects, “I…I two!” Two little fingers go up, “I’m older dan you!”
“You’re older than me?”
“Yes!” Elijah’s eyes cannot possibly get any wider as he nods his head emphatically.

Elijah’s story ran only a little farther than that, before it ended and he went up to bed.


We do so enjoy our toddlers!