The Wereworm

Have you ever looked out the window at night 

And seen the full moon shining ever so bright.

The moon is quiet as it sits in the darkness,

But it holds secrets that scare even the heartless.

For the moon holds a curse for those who are untrue, 

the liars, the thieves, and the violent too! 

The moon sees everything, you can’t hide 

For its gaze reaches through even when you’re inside.

The moon may curse you with the call of the wolf, a visit from a witch, or an immortal bunny 

But the moon keeps a curse for naughty boys and girls that the moon finds rather funny…

And that particular curse is what this story is about,

A precautionary tale that we whisper but never shout. 

This story may make you shiver and squirm,

 as you learn about Alex the little Wereworm! 

Alex was naughty and did misbehave,

He treated his mum like she was his slave.

He demanded toys on every outing,

And if she refused it would end in shouting.

He refused to eat dinner and always wanted dessert,

He would shout “it’s disgusting” and his mums feelings would be hurt. 

He would pull out his toys and make a huge mess,

He would sit back and laugh at his mum as she tidied and stressed.

The moon watched this boy who was most definitely rotten and decided to curse him when he demanded his mum wipe his bottom.

Oogily boogily 

Rasum and Tasum 

Wiggly Jiggly

Full body spasm!

I am the moon and this is my curse   

Be good if you want it to reverse!”

Alex did gasp when the curse took hold 

He twisted and turned in the mud that was cold.

He looked up at the moon who loomed in the sky

“Please turn me back il be good, il try!” 

The moon was now silent but glowed ever white 

Alex was left alone to the night …

Or so he had thought because out of the bramble,

Trotted a hedgehog on her nightly ramble.

To us she is cute with her little nose and face

but to worms they are dangerous and make their hearts race.

For hedgehogs eat worms, slugs and snails 

Alex needed to stay silent but let out a wail

The hedgehog did startle then darted straight for him,

Alex slammed in the mud that was cold and was grim.

He wriggled his body, thank god it had rained,

He slipped into the mud with barely a strain.

He was not safe yet for he could hear digging,

He needed to get deeper so he began wriggling.

Down and down and down he went,

Until his little worm body was completely spent. 

He cried in the dark, damp mud for hours,

His only company was the roots from the flowers.

He coiled around as he felt a rumble 

“Now what?!” he cried as he feared more trouble 

In burst a mole snuffling and snorting,

“ I can smell you little worm” he said chortling 

“Don’t eat me!” begged Alex the Worm

I’m disgusting and slimy, I probably carry germs.

“Not to me” snarled the mole the gap getting thinner

“You’ll make the most delicious dinner.”

Alex wriggled away from the snapping jaws,

Under his belly, avoiding his claws.

He squirmed and wormed into the hole and pushed into the mud to get away from the mole.

He pushed and he pushed upwards and out,

And once to the surface thrashed all about.

“What’s all this, be quiet be still!” 

Alex looked up and felt violently ill.

For it was a slug glistening in slime 

He was chomping on something in the mud and the grime.

“You’re making a mess of my favourite snack.

Tidy it up or I’ll give you a whack!”

Alex looked around at the black and white goop 

He had been thrashing around in mounds of bird poop!

He shuddered and shivered as he put it all back.

He dare not risk a slimy smack.

He looked at his home and began to cry,

and looked to the moon still hung in the sky.

“I know what I’ve done and what I must do

Turn me back to a boy so I can prove it to you!”

Onto the moon crept his devious smile,

But he remained silent for more than a while. 

As he began to fade from the sky,

Alex felt a tingle in his body and eyes.

“You are a Wereworm” sneered the moon

You’ll turn back again in two weeks. Yes, that soon! 

You must behave and be a good little boy,

To avoid this change and bringing me joy.

But make one slip up and be bad for your mum like being lazy and not wiping your bum,

Il be hear waiting the judge and the jury

You’ll turn back into a worm and meet my fury.   

For I am the moon, you can’t hide 

My gaze reaches through even when you’re inside.”