THE TUMMY BEAST

One afternoon I said to mummy，

"Who is this person in my tummy？

"He must be small and very thin

"Or how could he have gotten in？"

My mother said from where she sat，

"It isn't nice to talk like that."

"It's true！" I cried. "I swear it， mummy！

"There is a person in my tummy！

"He talks to me at night in bed，

"He's always asking to be fed，

"Throughout the day， he screams at me，

"Demanding sugar buns for tea.

"He tells me it is not a sin

"To go and raid the biscuit tin.

"I know quite well it's awfully¹ wrong

"To guzzle² food the whole day long，

"But really I can't help it， mummy，

"Not with this person in my tummy."

"You horrid³ child！" my mother cried.

"Admit it right away， you've lied！

"You're simply trying to produce

"A silly asinine⁴ excuse！

"You are the greedy guzzling⁵ brat⁶！

"And that is why you're always fat！"

I tried once more， "Believe me， mummy，

"There is a person in my tummy."

"I've had enough！" my mother said，

"You'd better go at once to bed！"

Just then， a nicely timed event

Delivered me from punishment.

Deep in my tummy something stirred，

And then an awful noise was heard，

A snorting grumbling⁷ grunting⁸ sound

That made my tummy jump around.

My darling mother nearly died，

"My goodness， what was that？" she cried.

At once， the tummy voice came through，

It shouted， "Hey there！ Listen you！

"I'm getting hungry！ I want eats！

"I want lots of chocs and sweets！

"Get me half a pound of nuts！

"Look snappy or I'll twist your guts⁹！"

"That's him！" I cried. "He's in my tummy！

"So now do you believe me mummy？"

But mummy answered nothing more，

For she had fainted on the floor.

Roald Dahl