Patufet

EN PATUFET

Once upon a time, a mother and a father had a very tiny son. He was so small, that they call him Patufet. Although he was quite a mischievous boy, he enjoyed helping his mother with the housework.

One day, his mother forgot to buy saffron, and Patufet insisted to go himself to the store to buy it.

-

Patufet, you must watch out, you are so small that someone could step on you.

-

Don’t worry mommy, I will sing very loudly. If they cannot see me, sure they will be able to hear me.

His mother gave him the money and Patufet went to buy the saffron. The coin was bigger than the boy, and he had to put the coin on top of his head. The people in the street they just could see a walking coin.

To avoid people step in on him, he sang loudly: -

Patim, patam, patum, patim patam patum....

Singing out happily, Patufet reached the store.

-

ehem, ehem, who’s there?

-

I can’t see you

-

I came to buy some saffron. Can you give me some, please?

The shopkeeper could hear the boy but couldn’t see him. He just could see the coin. So he took the coin, and there he put a small paper bag of saffron in there. Patufet held the bag and set the way back home, singing out loud again.

-

Patim, patam, patum, patim patam patum

Back home, his mum was proud of him.

Feeling strong enough, Patufet asked his mother if he could take the lunch to his father that worked in the fields. His mother said the basket was too heavy and the road was full of stones and also mud from the rain of the previous days. But Patufet insisted so much that in the end his mother accepted.

He carried the basket in his back and all the way he was singing again

-

Patim, patam, patum, patim patam patum

When he was nearly there, it started to rain, and Patufet decided to sit down under a cabbage in the fields, to wait for the rain to stop and continue his way.

An ox, who happened to be eating grass near there, saw the cabbage and ate it in just one bite together with Patufet.

His father and mother, when realized he never reached his destination, went all through the fields shouting his name.

-Patufet, where are you?

- Patufet, where are you?

And Patufet, who was inside the ox stomach, shouted back -I’m inside the ox’s belly,

His parents heard a distant boy and came close to the ox to make sure he was there inside.

- I’m inside the ox’s belly, when the ox will fart, Patufet will come out!

So his parent fed the animal with loads of grass until the animal farted, and out came Patufet.

They three returned home safely and they lived happily ever after.