Rex Can't Whisper

10 pages · 5 min · ages 4+

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“Shhh!” said Topsy. In a nest of soft leaves lay Tiny Tops, Topsy's baby brother. He was fast asleep. “Everybody whisper,” said Topsy. Rex loved babies. Rex wanted to say hello. He leaned over the nest. “HELLO, TINY TOPS!” Tiny Tops wriggled in his sleep.

“Whisper, Rex,” said Topsy. Rex tried. He made his voice very small. He made it very soft. “hello,” said Rex. It came out like this: “HELLO!” The leaves shook. A bird fell off a branch. Stego stopped chewing. “Loud,” said Stego. “Rex can't whisper!” said Rex.

Rex had an idea. He would cover his mouth. Then the roar could not get out. He lifted his tiny arms up to his mouth. Up, up, up. His tiny arms did not reach. They waved about in front of his tummy. “Rex can't reach,” said Stego.

Rex picked a big soft leaf. He would talk through the leaf. A leaf is soft. A leaf is quiet. Rex held it up with his teeth and said, “Sleep well, Tiny Tops.” The leaf went HONK! like a trumpet. Tiny Tops kicked his little feet. “Rex can't whisper!” said Rex.

Rex found a hollow log. He would put his head in the log. Then the log would keep the roar inside. Rex put his head in the log. “Shhh,” said Rex. “Shhh-shhh-shhh,” said the log, very loudly, all the way to the other end. Birds flew up out of every tree.

Tiny Tops opened his eyes. His mouth went wide. “Waaaah!” Topsy picked him up and rocked him, but he cried and cried. Rex pulled his head out of the log. Rex felt very sad. “Rex can't whisper,” he said, very quietly for Rex, which was still quite loud.

Rex sat down. His big foot went down on the ground. Boom. Tiny Tops stopped crying. He listened. Rex put his other foot down, very gently. Boom. Tiny Tops' eyes went round. Rex liked that. His feet could not whisper. But they could be soft.

Boom… boom… boom… Rex tapped his big feet, soft and slow, like a heartbeat. Boom… boom… Topsy began to sway. Boom… boom… Stego began to yawn. Boom… boom… Tiny Tops' eyes closed, and he snuggled back down into his leaves.

Tiny Tops was asleep. Topsy was asleep. Even Stego was asleep, with a leaf still in his mouth. Rex looked at them all. He leaned over the nest. “Night night, Tiny Tops,” said Rex. And it came out soft. It came out small. It came out as a whisper. “Rex can whisper,” whispered Rex.

Then Tiny Tops opened his mouth. He took a big breath. And out came the loudest ROAR the jungle had ever heard. Topsy jumped. Birds flew. Rex fell over. Stego opened one sleepy eye and looked at the baby. “Tiny Tops can't whisper,” said Stego.