Who do these eyes belong to?
One summer night when the air burned hot
The Master of the Marshes woke from his plot
He could hear a chorus of gurgling sounds
So he upped from his sleep and went on his rounds
He followed the noise to the pond by the lake
That ran to the sea like a slithering snake
He followed the noise to two white rings
Blinking away as the sound still sings
Who do these eyes belong to?
The answer came in a grumbly croak
He couldn’t see who, the darkness a cloak
The voice said ‘I am a creature of night
Ask me some questions ‘til you get it right’
The master spluttered and sneezed with surprise
What a cheek had the owner of these flickering eyes
But he longed to return to his slumbersome snores
So he bowed to the creature, ‘I’ll ask once more…’
Who do these eyes belong to?
‘No no’ came the reply ‘You must make a guess’
If you get it right, I will confess
In his weary state, the master gave in;
‘If I do as you say will you stop this din?’
The creature spoke and agreed to shush
‘If you guess who I am, I’ll leave you in hush’
So the master thought and pondered the sight
Of the two white pupils that blinked in the night
Who do these eyes belong to?
‘Are you a bat? They come out in the dark
And they sleep in the church roof or the trees in the park
Are you blind, do you see with your ears?
And do you eat moths? That’s what I hear.’
I’m not a bat! I cannot fly
I sleep near the water, I don’t like to be dry
I can see perfectly, look at my peepers
I don’t eat moths, just crawlies and creepers
Who do these eyes belong to?
‘Are you a badger? With black and white bristles
Do you live underground, beneath grass and thistles?
Do you only feel safe to come out and play
When the darkness of night swallows lightness of day?’
‘I’m not a badger! My colour is green
I live in the rushes and I’m glad to be seen
When the sunshine is up and the sky is still bright
I’ll hopscotch on lily pads and dance in the light’
Who do these eyes belong to?
‘Are you a mole, do you like to dig?
Have paws that are flat and sharp and big?
Do you snuffle and sniffle to see what’s smelly
Using your nose to catch worms for your belly?’
‘I’m not a mole! I cannot dig holes
For there is a web between my toes
And if I want to catch something for my tea
I use my tongue to bring it to me!’
Who do these eyes belong to?
The master grew tired, he’d asked such a lot
And still did not know what creature he’d got
It lived near pond and loved to be wet
It ate all the creepy crawlies it met
It had webs on its feet, caught food with its tongue
He wanted to guess but he couldn’t be wrong
It was green in colour and loved to play
Jumping on lilypads all through the day
Who do these eyes belong to?
(Ask the audience) Do you know?!
(They answer) A frog!!!
Well let’s see…
The master decided to take his chance
To stop the creature’s song and dance
It was all he longed for, to sleep like a log
So he shouted his guess, ‘Are you a frog?’
‘Yes’ said the creature! And to great surprise
There suddenly opened a thousand more eyes
There were eyes upon eyes, all startling white
Blinking and brightening up the dark night
Who do these eyes belong to?
To the froglets ofcourse! The spring is here
The frogsporn hatches at this time of year
And the noise got much louder, deafening now
As a thousand small frogs joined in with the row
But the Master of Marshes, he no longer cared
As he danced and he pranced and he leaped in the air
For the noise made him happy, and he hummed in tune
With the song of the frogs by the light of the moon
· There is potential here to teach a frog song and dance
· Also for the group to join in with ‘Who do these eyes belong to?’