Little Hopper Learns a Lesson

A little lemon hopper went
out foraging alone,
but disobeyed his mother by
meandering from home.

When Mummy Locust noticed him,
it was a great relief
to find him resting in the grass
and nibbling on a leaf.

A hungry gecko scurried by
intent on grabbing lunch,
“Watch out!” his mummy called aloud,
then heard a splitting crunch.

Her son was in the lizard’s mouth
legs wriggling all about;
the gecko didn’t swallow him
but gave a croaky shout.

It spat him out and scampered off
- a snake had slithered near
that hissed at little hopper who
began to shake with fear.

“Come quick” his mother shouted, as
they jumped into a tree,
where mummy saw the lizard must
have munched poor hopper’s knee -

The snake’s arrival saved him from
the hungry lizard’s tummy,
but Hopper’s learned his lesson well
and listens to his mummy.