A Fable by Daniil Kharms

One short man said: “I would give anything if only I were even a tiny bit taller.”

He barely said it when he saw a lady medegician standing in front of him.

“What do you want?” says the medegician.

But the short man just stands there so frightened he can’t even speak.

“Well?” says the medegician.

The short man just stands there and says nothing. The medegician vanishes.

And the shortman started crying and biting his nails. First he chewed off all the nails on his fingers, and then on his toes.

—–

Reader! Think this fable over and it will make you somewhat uncomfortable.

 

by Даниил Иванович Хармс (Daniil Ivanovich Kharms)

a.k.a. Даниил Иванович Ювачёв (Daniil Ivanovich Yuvachov)

(1935)

translated by Matvei Yankelevich and Eugene Ostashevsky

Toe-nails by Michael Rosen

More and more people in Britain today

are using

TOE-NAILS

 

Smart and smooth

They grow

on all five toes of each foot.

 

We spoke to Jack Davis of Hackney:

‘Yes, I like toe-nails.

I’ve got ten of them.

Big ones for the big toes

and little ones for the little toes.

They’re great.’

 

Be like Jack.

Be smart.

Grow toe-nails.

 

by Michael Rosen