Gregor and the Marks of Secret-4 by Suzanne Collins Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Collins
musicians, but a lot of the kids knew the words, too. Boots, who must have learned the routine in the nursery, was right in the thick of things, dancing with Hazard and singing:
"Bat, Bat,
Come under my hat,i will give you a slice of bacon,
And when Ibake,Iwill give you a cake,
If Iam not mistaken."
One person flew around like a bat and their partner had to coax them to their side by pretending to offer them food. There were specific steps and hand gestures that went with the words, as Gregor had suspected.
"It's weird. I think I know the words to that song," he told his mom.
"It's in Boots's nursery rhyme book at home," she said. "I used to read it to you when you were little, too. It's from hundreds of years ago."
"Oh, right," said Gregor. He'd read the book to Boots, too, but hadn't made the connection. It was strange to think that he and Luxa might have been hearing the same nursery rhymes when they were Boots's age.
The musicians did a few more songs, one about spinners making a web, another about being in a boat, and then there was a short break.
Flushed and breathless, Luxa, Howard, Hazard, and Boots came over to join Gregor and his mom.
"Why aren't you dancing, Gregor?" asked Hazard.
"I don't know any dances, Hazard," said Gregor.
"Sure you do," said his mom. "You know the Hokey Pokey."
"The Hokey Pokey? What is that? Will you show us?" begged Hazard.
Gregor held up the camera. "Sorry, I'm taking the pict—" he began.
"Of course he will!" said his mom, grabbing the camera.
And then to Gregor's horror, he was being dragged out to the middle of the field to teach about two hundred people the Hokey Pokey. Not only did he have to do the motions he also had to sing the words until the musicians had picked up the tune and the general idea of the lyrics.
Fortunately, Boots was beside him, enthusiastically shaking it all about, because Gregor just felt like sinking into the moss and disappearing. It didn't help that he could see Luxa and Howard off to one side, laughing hysterically at his obvious discomfort. The Hokey Pokey was doing nothing for his warrior image.
The song was a big hit with the Underland kids, though, and they learned it so quickly that by the time they'd repeated the number, Gregor was able to slink back to his chair.
"Thanks a lot, Mom," he said.
"My pleasure," she said.
When the next number was announced, the kids began to shout, "Who will be the queen?"
"Luxa, of course!" said Hazard, and ran to get her. She protested as he pulled her into the middle of a large ring of children, but she didn't really seem to mind. Why should she? Luxa looked as natural dancing as a bird did flying. As the children clasped hands and circled in one direction, Luxa spun in the other.
"Dancing in the firelight,
See the queen who conquers night.
Gold flows from her, hot and bright.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go, Ido not know
If we will see another. "
Next about a dozen kids joined her in the middle of the ring and mimed being nibblers, which was what the Underlanders called mice.
"Catch the nibblers in a trap. Watch the nibblers spin and snap.
Quiet while they take a nap.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. Ido not know
If we will see another. "
For the final verse, as near as Gregor could figure, everyone went around pretending to serve cake and pour tea for one another.
"now the guests are at our door
Greet them as we have before.
Some will slice and some will pour.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. Ido not know
If we will see another. "
The words did not entirely make sense to Gregor, but all the dancers seemed to know just what they were doing. He guessed a lot of kids' songs in the Overland were kind of confusing, too. Especially those old ones. "Hey Diddle Diddle" ... "Ring Around the Rosie" ... "Sing a Song of Sixpence." What did any of those mean?
A little while later, Gregor was at the buffet
"Bat, Bat,
Come under my hat,i will give you a slice of bacon,
And when Ibake,Iwill give you a cake,
If Iam not mistaken."
One person flew around like a bat and their partner had to coax them to their side by pretending to offer them food. There were specific steps and hand gestures that went with the words, as Gregor had suspected.
"It's weird. I think I know the words to that song," he told his mom.
"It's in Boots's nursery rhyme book at home," she said. "I used to read it to you when you were little, too. It's from hundreds of years ago."
"Oh, right," said Gregor. He'd read the book to Boots, too, but hadn't made the connection. It was strange to think that he and Luxa might have been hearing the same nursery rhymes when they were Boots's age.
The musicians did a few more songs, one about spinners making a web, another about being in a boat, and then there was a short break.
Flushed and breathless, Luxa, Howard, Hazard, and Boots came over to join Gregor and his mom.
"Why aren't you dancing, Gregor?" asked Hazard.
"I don't know any dances, Hazard," said Gregor.
"Sure you do," said his mom. "You know the Hokey Pokey."
"The Hokey Pokey? What is that? Will you show us?" begged Hazard.
Gregor held up the camera. "Sorry, I'm taking the pict—" he began.
"Of course he will!" said his mom, grabbing the camera.
And then to Gregor's horror, he was being dragged out to the middle of the field to teach about two hundred people the Hokey Pokey. Not only did he have to do the motions he also had to sing the words until the musicians had picked up the tune and the general idea of the lyrics.
Fortunately, Boots was beside him, enthusiastically shaking it all about, because Gregor just felt like sinking into the moss and disappearing. It didn't help that he could see Luxa and Howard off to one side, laughing hysterically at his obvious discomfort. The Hokey Pokey was doing nothing for his warrior image.
The song was a big hit with the Underland kids, though, and they learned it so quickly that by the time they'd repeated the number, Gregor was able to slink back to his chair.
"Thanks a lot, Mom," he said.
"My pleasure," she said.
When the next number was announced, the kids began to shout, "Who will be the queen?"
"Luxa, of course!" said Hazard, and ran to get her. She protested as he pulled her into the middle of a large ring of children, but she didn't really seem to mind. Why should she? Luxa looked as natural dancing as a bird did flying. As the children clasped hands and circled in one direction, Luxa spun in the other.
"Dancing in the firelight,
See the queen who conquers night.
Gold flows from her, hot and bright.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go, Ido not know
If we will see another. "
Next about a dozen kids joined her in the middle of the ring and mimed being nibblers, which was what the Underlanders called mice.
"Catch the nibblers in a trap. Watch the nibblers spin and snap.
Quiet while they take a nap.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. Ido not know
If we will see another. "
For the final verse, as near as Gregor could figure, everyone went around pretending to serve cake and pour tea for one another.
"now the guests are at our door
Greet them as we have before.
Some will slice and some will pour.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. Ido not know
If we will see another. "
The words did not entirely make sense to Gregor, but all the dancers seemed to know just what they were doing. He guessed a lot of kids' songs in the Overland were kind of confusing, too. Especially those old ones. "Hey Diddle Diddle" ... "Ring Around the Rosie" ... "Sing a Song of Sixpence." What did any of those mean?
A little while later, Gregor was at the buffet
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