Petaluma and the Troll Bridge – by Lone Stranger - Echoes from the Caverns

[Jack T. Lamplighter 15]

Petaluma the Chicken travelled to-and-fro.
This current adventure led him through the cold snow.
He trekked to Ardoris to see a famous painter,
But Petaluma was clueless and unaware of any danger.
He pecked at a speck– maybe it was food?
It was only a pebble he had to conclude.

At the top of a pass, he crossed a long bridge,
But a troll loped in view on the opposite ridge!
He spun to flee, but another appeared,
Blocking his return while scratching his rear.
Two trolls on the span? A cockerel’s nightmare!
(It’s possible in his fear an egg was laid there.)

He was spotted right then when one troll turned his shoulder,
And nearly was flattened by a giant flying boulder.
“CHICKEN!” yelled the troll, stomping closer from one side,
“CHICKEN!” repeated the other, mouth drooling, wide-eyed.
Petaluma had no place to go for escape.
He feared he would become a feathered pancake.

He closed his eyes tight, preparing for the worst,
Peeking out from one lid when he heard the trolls curse.
They were arguing about who had spotted the bird.
His first two steps were slow, but he ran by the third.
They yelled at each other to see who would eat,
Not realizing that with no fowl was no meat.

They wrestled behind as he plodded away.
It’s possible that they still wrestle this day.
But Petaluma doesn’t know. He hightailed it out.
Toward Ardoris he went and continued his route.
Though no one else knew of his bridge troll evading,
His courage was recorded on a nice oil painting.

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