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Oh the land of Lum, as you will see, was a very confusing place to be
Story & Illustrations by
Norm Nanstiel
I was told this tale by someone who knew,
but I’m not too sure if I think it’s true.
There was a time, so long, long ago in the land of Lum where the rivers flow. When the sky was green and the grass was blue. When the birds would swim and the fishes flew.
W as it day or night? No one ever knew;
for the sun was gray and the moon was too.
Whenever it rained in the land of Lum it was hot and dry and the bees would come. And they’d drink the rain and make their honey and it looked like tar and smelled real funny.
W hen the children were as bad as could be;
they said “thank you ma’am” and “pardon me”.
Back then the rivers flowed from the sea then up the mountain as plain as could be. Oh the land of Lum, as you can see, was a very confusing place to be
For the people of Lum thought it was neat
to walk on their heads and talk with their feet. That’s how it was so long, long ago in the land of Lum where the rivers flow. And everyone thought that’s how it should be from the buzzing broke to the bubbling bee.
…Till one day… Till one day a stranger came from far, far away with a peculiar name.
“I am Frumoken from the land of Frum”. He proudly proclaimed to everyone. He called a meeting for the elders of Lum He told them how things were done in Frum.
“You see everything here is upside down.
the Lumish smile when they mean to frown. But back in Frum, a smile turns up. Your nose stays dry when you drink from a cup. Yes, back in Frum the sky is blue. The trees are green and the grass is too.
“A nd the rain is sweet and cool and wet.
The sun’s bright and warm and it makes you sweat. But the moon is cool and kind of yellow and it makes the night look soft and mellow. And the birds sing sweetly from the trees then fly in the sky as nice as you please.
“B ut most of all, you all must know... is just how all the Frumish rivers flow.
They start in the mountains and roll to the ocean in a very deliberate downhill motion.” Well — The Lumish elders just shook their feet in wonderment, doubt, and disbelief.
Then they asked Frumoken. “If all this is true, —
what on earth are all we Lums to do?
How can we make our good land of Lum as right-side-up as your land of Frum? How can we change the whole world ‘round to put the sky up above the ground?”
?
?
Frumoken smiled and softly said
“My Lumken friends — get off your heads. Stand on your feet like I have done, and all the people in the land of Frum. You may get dizzy, just a bit at first but in a little time, you will see its worth”.
Then each Lum tried it — one Lum by one. They stood right up in the land of Lum.
A little doozy-woozy, as they stood then one Lum said “Hey — this feels very good! And look…The birds are up in the sky. They no longer swim; they can really fly!”
S oon all the Lumish began to grin.
Their mouths turned up like they should have been. They danced on the grass and laughed with glee; to see the world as it should be. They ran to the river and watched with joy, every Lumish girl and boy.
To see it flow from the mountaintop — down to the sea… It did not stop.
The bright sun warmed each Lumkin’s face and their hearts felt joy all over the place. Now Frumoken smiled and said, “Do you see — this is how Lum is really meant to be.”
“The morning sun comes up not down;
your head in the air your feet on the ground.” All the people in the land of Lum said “Thank you! Thank you, Frumoken.” The stranger waved and went on his way with the setting sun at the end of day.
A nd forevermore the tale was told
around the fire in each household;
of how the stranger from the land of Frum brought right-side-up to the land of Lum. Now they see the world from a different view, and the whole wide world looks brand new.
Yes, all this happened so long, long ago,
in the land of Lum where the rivers flow. Told to me by a stranger passing through with a peculiar name and a backpack too. He said he was someone who should know.
…But I’m still not too sure if I think it’s so.
Story & Illustrations by Norm Nanstiel