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He nodded happily Then he stopped sh," he said "My eon

"Because I used an indelible marker on my nose," Malcoleon looked around the roouess Goodness, we've done a lot of fables!"

"When do we do the parade?" Beanie asked

"Tomorrow It's the last day of school before vacation Have you all saved your costuht here in my desk drawer"

The children all nodded

"Can I do us a rap for the parade?" Tyrone asked "Most parades got a band We need some kind of music"

"Yes!" the children called "A rap!"

"Of course," said Mrs Pidgeon "But we'll all need to learn it, Tyrone, and we don't have much time"

"Ain't no problem, nuthin' to learn, just follow me and take your turn " Tyrone chanted

"All right, I guess we can do that," said Mrs Pidgeon "We'll have a little practice time before we start the parade" She looked toward the corner of the classroom "Gooney Bird?

Nicholas? Are you ready?"

Gooney Bird and Nicholas had been whispering to each other in the corner by the gerbil cage, planning the presentation of their fable Now they nodded and ca It was already hard to re, and how he had sulked and refused to discuss his fable just a few days before

They stood side by side and put on their costumes, dark beards that attached by plastic pieces that hooked around their ears

"They're being Abe Lincoln!" Ben called "That's not fair!"

"Anyway," Barry pointed out, "Abe Lincoln is A and L! They're supposed to be G and N!"

Gooney Bird held up a quiet-please finger Eventually the class cal at the sight of Gooney Bird and Nicholas wearing the dark brown beards, which did not ht red hair, or Nicholas's blond curls, at all

"We are not Abe Lincoln," Gooney Bird told the class Her beard wobbled a little as she talked "We are two anie herd on the plains of Africa Nicholas, will you write our name on the board?"

The list on the board was very long by now Nicholas had to lean down to add the final animal at the end of it Carefully, with the chalk, heto let Nicholas cheat!" Malcolm called "He can't be a G animal!"

"Wait, Nicholas," Gooney Bird said "Do not write any more until I deal with this" She put her hands on her hips and looked sternly at Malcolm

"Malcolm," she said, "it is very important to have all the information before you come to a conclusion

"For exaer ht pink his nose is'"

"I don't have a cold," Malcoler wouldn't have all the inforer wouldn't know that your very pink nose was a leftover mandrill"

"My mom scrubbed it," Malcolm said

"Nonetheless," Gooney Bird replied, "do you see what I uess so," Malcolm said He rubbed his nose

"Nicholas," Gooney Bird said, "please continue"

Nicholas, holding his beard out of the ith one hand, printed the re letters: NU

"The title of our fable is 'Two Gnus,'" Gooney Bird announced

"The G is silent," she added

"If ere doing a story about ht, because the K is silent!"

Malcolet to be silent?" he asked

"I don't believe an M is ever silent," Gooney Bird said

"Malcolm is never silent," Barry added

"G's are special," Nicholas said proudly, "and they make my N special"

"Tho thecial," Felicia Ann said with a happy seon announced, "maybe after vacation, maybe in January, ill do a whole unit about silent letters, and let's see, homonyms, and synonyms, and--oh yes-- palindroht now, it is time for a fable"

Gooney Bird and Nicholas, side by side, wearing their beards, unfolded their papers and read their fable together

Two Gnus

Once there were two gnus, a fenu They were friends Both had beards All gnus, female and e herd and they rasses

Several lions atching the plans for an attack