(Book) -- The Lost Lullaby...

(Sneak preview...seeking publisher...excerpt...send links to friends...by Daniel J Hay.)

Once upon a time...(You know all the best stories start out this way. Just say, “Once upon a time,” and your story is off to a good start.)...

So...once upon a time there was a lullaby sitting in a meadow of wild flowers. She was watching a Lady Bug. First the Lady Bug crawled up a flower stem. Then she crawled across a leaf and onto a pretty yellow flower. She stopped there, to eat her lunch, and noticed Lullaby sitting across from her.

“Well, well, a lullaby,” she said after politely swallowing her salad. “What are you doing here? I have already had my nap. It is not time for my children to go 'nite nite' yet.”

Lullaby said, in a thin and quavering voice, “I don't know where I am. Nobody has called for me in a very long time.” She paused, took a very deep breath, and added, “I think I have been lost.”

“Dear, dear,” Lady Bug declared. “All mothers know a lullaby. Somewhere a mother knows your song. Maybe you just need to visit the mothers so they don't forget.”

“But I don't know where I am. I don't know where to go,” moaned Lullaby.

“My, my, little Lullaby, you are in the wild flower meadow. I think you should follow the path to the house. Check with the mother. All mothers have children. Surely they need a lullaby.

Lullaby looked happy with that idea. Smiling, she thanked Lady Bug and started down the path. After a few steps she turned and waved, saying, “Bye!”

“Bye, bye” Lady Bug sang back. And then Lady Bug crawled under a leaf and disappeared from sight.

The path seemed longer and longer with every step she took. Lullaby could not see a house but eventually she came to a large pond. There were cattails sticking up and dogwoods leaning down at the water's edge. Feeling tired Lullaby sat down on a rock that tilted towards the water. Not far away she could hear birds singing in the trees.

“Maybe I should go ask the birds for directions,” she said in a tired voice.

“Are you speaking to me?” A great big green nose poked up out of the water. “Ribbit,” croaked the frog behind the nose.

Lullaby tumbled backwards in fright at the sudden appearance of Frog. “Oh my, you sacred me,” she gasped.

“Ribbibbit...so sorry. Nobody seems to see me until I speak. I was right here when you sat down. I thought you were talking to me. Please sit down and share my rock.”

Grateful for a place to rest, Lullaby sat down and Frog hopped up next to her. He blinked a great big eyelid at her and asked, “Where are you going?”

“Oh, I'm looking for a house with a mother. I am a lullaby, but I think I have been lost.”

“Well you aren't lost now, ribbitt, but even daddy frog's know lullabies. I'm sorry, but I don't think this is where you need to be. You could ask the birds, I guess, but they are tucking their babies in their nests for naps. You can hear them singing lullabies right now.”

Sure enough, Lullaby could hear mother birds singing lullabies to baby birds. “Frog, do you know where the house is?”  ..... (the rest is hidden in the book...)