Once Upon a Time
In a land where the moon
glimmered all the day long,
in a place where the fish
sang the exact same song,
in a sea where the stars
all dwelled beneath the waves,
that is where this story takes place.
The tale of three brothers
who sailed the ocean blue
with their nets and their hooks
in a big giant shoe.
These brothers were as close
as brothers can be.
In fact they were closer
than a dog and his flea.
They got along quite well.
They almost never fought.
They told each other secrets.
And shared all they got.
One day their old father
took quite a spill.
curing their father's pain
would take more than a pill.
The doctor inspected,
He examined and looked
He measured and listened.
And he searched every book.
But nothing could be done.
Not one cure could be found.
And just when hope was lost,
an idea came around.
When they were much younger,
around three, five, and six,
their grandmother told them
about an incredible fish
This fish it was magic,
but what made this fish great,
exceeded it's power,
exceeded even fate.
It could give you riches.
It could even freeze time.
But any old genie
could do that with a rhyme.
This copper sea creature
could turn back any clock,
making an eighty year-old
a sixteen year-old jock.
This was what was needed.
This fish with it's gift.
Not even a finger
would this fish have to lift.
Right there they decided
what they all had to do.
So, they took what they could,
and packed into the shoe.
They set sail in the shoe ,
their nets shining bright gold,
in hopes that they might just
find how not to grow old.
Like Dr. Heidigger,
the gentlemen set off.
Off on an adventure
At which the city scoffed.
The city-folk too grew up
hearing these rhymes,
and all of them knew it
was futile to try and change time
Each one of the stories,
they each started the same.
A person was in great need
Of their old age to be tamed
Or maybe they wanted
a child, or riches and fame,
or maybe they wanted true love
to take away some great pain.
No matter the cause,
the next thing to follow
would always be the wish
turning hollow.
Everyone even those
With good intentions to start
would suddenly have a
a drastic change of heart
They would become selfish.
They would think of themselves.
Even if loved ones were
forced to be shelved.
This was the fish's strength.
Showing true human nature.
And proving that humans,
Weren't good only danger.
"The risk is far to great!"
The city -folk would say
"Nothing, no nothing we
would rather turn gray.
The brothers wouldn't give in,
their father had to be saved.
So they continued their
journey in deep blue waves.
The journey would be long.
It would take many weeks.
But the three brothers
knew what they had to seek.
So they sailed through the day,
and they sailed through the night.
Searching and hunting for
that copper marine sprite.
Just when they were about
to throw in the towel,
that sparkling sea creature
came out with a scowl.
The brothers all pleaded.
They begged and they howled.
But the evil creature
Just looked at them and growled
"Maybe, just maybe
I'll give what seek.
But you must complete
3 tasks with in a week."
The brother's decided
they had nothing to lose.
And decided to do
whatever the fish might choose.
First the fish demanded
a star from the deep sea.
One that the brothers found
With great ease
Growing up fishing
In these enchanted waters
They knew how catch a star
without even a falter.
The fish was frustrated
with the speed of their charge.
And decided to come up
With something more large
They were to find a ship
in the depths of the sea.
To prove that they were there
bring back the captain's key.
The brothers were baffled.
They weren't sure what to do.
For even the best swimmer
Couldn't stay that long in the blue
But somehow they managed.
They found the ship quick.
It had been on a reef.
The fish had tried a trick.
Seeing their ease, the fish
Grew very wary.
So for the last task
was to find an enchanted fairy.
This fairy was tricky.
It knew how to hide.
And wasn't afraid
to tell a white lie.
This task was the hardest
one the brothers had faced.
But their father needed
his wish to be placed.
And so they looked and searched
Til' the came across it.
But try as they might
All it would do was spit.
They tried to convince it.
They even tried bribing.
But nothing, no nothing
Would get it out of hiding.
So they sat in despair.
They wept and they cried.
Until some sympathy
Started to rise.
The fish saw their pain,
and their kindness, and smarts.
His metal soul saw
they truly had heart.
They didn't have greed.
Their father was sick.
And so he used his charm
to heal him up quick.
As soon as the spell was cast,
The fish began to shake.
He began to wiggle and
soon he wasn't in the lake.
Instead of the copper and scales
There happened to be a man.
Just as normal as you or as me.
He looked at the brothers
with tears in his eyes.
And thanked them for
getting rid of the disguise.
When he was younger,
he had been quite mean.
He didn't care about others.
And was rather obscene.
So a witch had cursed him
Until he could find
A person who did not
have only themselves in mind.
And so for a hundred years,
he lived, searching in vain.
Until he gave up. Not even
his heart had remained.
But the brothers had saved him.
And their father was well.
All was right in the world.
And now there is this story to tell.
glimmered all the day long,
in a place where the fish
sang the exact same song,
in a sea where the stars
all dwelled beneath the waves,
that is where this story takes place.
The tale of three brothers
who sailed the ocean blue
with their nets and their hooks
in a big giant shoe.
These brothers were as close
as brothers can be.
In fact they were closer
than a dog and his flea.
They got along quite well.
They almost never fought.
They told each other secrets.
And shared all they got.
One day their old father
took quite a spill.
curing their father's pain
would take more than a pill.
The doctor inspected,
He examined and looked
He measured and listened.
And he searched every book.
But nothing could be done.
Not one cure could be found.
And just when hope was lost,
an idea came around.
When they were much younger,
around three, five, and six,
their grandmother told them
about an incredible fish
This fish it was magic,
but what made this fish great,
exceeded it's power,
exceeded even fate.
It could give you riches.
It could even freeze time.
But any old genie
could do that with a rhyme.
This copper sea creature
could turn back any clock,
making an eighty year-old
a sixteen year-old jock.
This was what was needed.
This fish with it's gift.
Not even a finger
would this fish have to lift.
Right there they decided
what they all had to do.
So, they took what they could,
and packed into the shoe.
They set sail in the shoe ,
their nets shining bright gold,
in hopes that they might just
find how not to grow old.
Like Dr. Heidigger,
the gentlemen set off.
Off on an adventure
At which the city scoffed.
The city-folk too grew up
hearing these rhymes,
and all of them knew it
was futile to try and change time
Each one of the stories,
they each started the same.
A person was in great need
Of their old age to be tamed
Or maybe they wanted
a child, or riches and fame,
or maybe they wanted true love
to take away some great pain.
No matter the cause,
the next thing to follow
would always be the wish
turning hollow.
Everyone even those
With good intentions to start
would suddenly have a
a drastic change of heart
They would become selfish.
They would think of themselves.
Even if loved ones were
forced to be shelved.
This was the fish's strength.
Showing true human nature.
And proving that humans,
Weren't good only danger.
"The risk is far to great!"
The city -folk would say
"Nothing, no nothing we
would rather turn gray.
The brothers wouldn't give in,
their father had to be saved.
So they continued their
journey in deep blue waves.
The journey would be long.
It would take many weeks.
But the three brothers
knew what they had to seek.
So they sailed through the day,
and they sailed through the night.
Searching and hunting for
that copper marine sprite.
Just when they were about
to throw in the towel,
that sparkling sea creature
came out with a scowl.
The brothers all pleaded.
They begged and they howled.
But the evil creature
Just looked at them and growled
"Maybe, just maybe
I'll give what seek.
But you must complete
3 tasks with in a week."
The brother's decided
they had nothing to lose.
And decided to do
whatever the fish might choose.
First the fish demanded
a star from the deep sea.
One that the brothers found
With great ease
Growing up fishing
In these enchanted waters
They knew how catch a star
without even a falter.
The fish was frustrated
with the speed of their charge.
And decided to come up
With something more large
They were to find a ship
in the depths of the sea.
To prove that they were there
bring back the captain's key.
The brothers were baffled.
They weren't sure what to do.
For even the best swimmer
Couldn't stay that long in the blue
But somehow they managed.
They found the ship quick.
It had been on a reef.
The fish had tried a trick.
Seeing their ease, the fish
Grew very wary.
So for the last task
was to find an enchanted fairy.
This fairy was tricky.
It knew how to hide.
And wasn't afraid
to tell a white lie.
This task was the hardest
one the brothers had faced.
But their father needed
his wish to be placed.
And so they looked and searched
Til' the came across it.
But try as they might
All it would do was spit.
They tried to convince it.
They even tried bribing.
But nothing, no nothing
Would get it out of hiding.
So they sat in despair.
They wept and they cried.
Until some sympathy
Started to rise.
The fish saw their pain,
and their kindness, and smarts.
His metal soul saw
they truly had heart.
They didn't have greed.
Their father was sick.
And so he used his charm
to heal him up quick.
As soon as the spell was cast,
The fish began to shake.
He began to wiggle and
soon he wasn't in the lake.
Instead of the copper and scales
There happened to be a man.
Just as normal as you or as me.
He looked at the brothers
with tears in his eyes.
And thanked them for
getting rid of the disguise.
When he was younger,
he had been quite mean.
He didn't care about others.
And was rather obscene.
So a witch had cursed him
Until he could find
A person who did not
have only themselves in mind.
And so for a hundred years,
he lived, searching in vain.
Until he gave up. Not even
his heart had remained.
But the brothers had saved him.
And their father was well.
All was right in the world.
And now there is this story to tell.