Allison's Alligator

A Tongue Twister Tale by S. E. Schlosser

Alex alligator arrived at Allison Arthur's apple farm in April, when the apple trees were covered with blossoms.

"Whatever am I to do with an alligator?" Allison asked.

Inside the box, Alex yawned. Alex stuck his legs through the holes at the bottom of the box and ambled into the house in search of dinner.

"Oh no you don't!" cried Allison. "You cannot live in the house. You are to stay in the stream behind the apple orchard."

Allison put Alex in the small stream. Then Allison put a strong fence around the stream so Alex did not try to eat Mrs. Chory's chickens.

Alex liked the stream and his pen. He especially liked the steaks Allison gave him every morning and evening.

One day in August a red apple fell off a tree and rolled under the fence and into Alex's pen. Alex sniffed it a bit and then took a bite.

It was the most delicious thing Alex had ever eaten. Alex slipped under the fence and ambled into the apple orchard. Alex found a line of baskets sitting under a tree. Alex ate all the apples in the baskets. Then he wandered under another tree and ate all the apples in the baskets he found there. He was very happy. And very full. He went back into his cage.

Allison came by later with his steak. Alex sniffed at it, but he was not very hungry.

"Do you know what someone did Alex?" asked Allison. Alex yawned. "Someone stole all my apples. They knocked over the baskets and stole the apples. If it happens again, I'm calling the police."

That night, Alex had a very pleasant dream about apples. After his steak the next morning, Alex slipped under the fence and out into the orchard. There were a bunch of people climbing up and down ladders with baskets. Alex watched for a few moments. Then he realized that when the people came down the ladders, their baskets were full of apples.

Alex wandered over to the closest ladder. A small girl descended with a basket full of apples. Alex grinned at her. The