Pug and Bug: Red Riding Pug

Pug and Bug

Red Riding Pug

By Isaiah C. Basye

    Pug wagged his curly, swirly tail when his owner, the Librarian, dropped a book at his feet.

    “Another kid didn’t take care of his book,” she said. “It’s all yours buddy. It’s in pretty rough shape, but it’s a good story.”

    She scratched Pug’s head and left.

    Pug dragged the book to the backyard.

    “Bug!” Pug yelled. “BUG!”

    Pug loved books.

    And Bug loved to read them.

    Bug hopped and landed on the cover. He stretched his long spiny legs and adjusted his glasses.

    “Little Red Riding Hood,” Bug read the cover. “Well done, Pug. This is a classic.”

    He opened the book and frowned.

    “This book is destroyed. There are pages torn, peanut butter stains, and someone thought it was a coloring book,” Bug said. “We can’t read this.”

    Pug frowned, whined, and tried his cute begging face.

    “I’m sure it’s still amazing!” Pug said. “I know the story. I can help.”

    “Very well,” Bug cleared his throat and began reading.

  Once upon a time there was a girl…

    “Can the girl be a pug?” Pug interrupted. “Pugs are all the rage right now.”

    Once upon a time there was a PUG who wore a red hood. Everyone called him Red Riding Pug. One day Pug’s mom needed him to deliver a basket of hoodies… (Illustration: an H drawn over the g in crayon.)

    “It’s a basket of goodies, Pug,” Bug said.

    “I’m sure Granny did their laundry,” Pug said.

    Bug asked. “You sure?”

    “Yep!” Pug replied.

    a basket of hoodies to his dear old Granny who was sick.

    “Don’t talk to strangers!” his mother said.

    Red Riding Pug was walking through the dark forest when a Big Bad Walrus… (Illustration: where the wolf’s picture should be a child-like drawing of a Walrus is drawn over it.)

    “That’s not right,” Bug said. “I thought it was a wolf.”

    “It’s a Big Bad Walrus,” Pug said. “Just look at the picture.”

    “It looks like child drew that walrus,” Bug said.

    “I’m 40% sure it’s a walrus in the story,” Pug said.

    a Big Bad Walrus blocked Red Riding Pug’s path.

    The Walrus said, “Where are you going with that basket of hoodies?”

    “It’s for my dear old Granny,” Red Riding Pug replied. “She is sick in bed with a mold… (Illustration: written in crayon is the letter M over the c on cold.)

    “Granny has mold?” Bug asked.

    “Just like bread. Get old. Get mold,” Pug said.

    “Too bad,” the Walrus replied licking his lips.

    While Red Riding Pug took the long way to Granny’s house the Big Bad Walrus took the short cut and beat Red Riding Pug there. When Granny answered her door the Big Bad Walrus skate her up. (Illustration: the letters SK written in crayon before the word ate)

    “I think it’s supposed to say ate her up.” Bug said.

    “Everyone knows the Walrus made her skate,” Pug said.

    Bug didn’t argue, even though he wondered if Pug really knew the story.

    the Big Bad Walrus skate her up. Then he put on Granny’s clothes and rested in her bed.

    When Red Riding Pug knocked the Walrus replied, “Come in, dearie.”

    Red Riding Pug thought his Granny looked odd and asked…

    Bug shook his head. He noticed someone wrote with marker all over the page.

    “This page is very wrong,” Bug said.

    But Bug decided to keep reading.

    Red Riding Pug said, “Granny, what big flippers you have!”

    “All the better to hug you with my dear,” the Walrus said.

    Red Riding Pug said, “Granny, what big eyes you have!”

    “All the better to see you with my dear,” the Walrus replied.

    Red Riding Pug said, “Granny, what big tusks you have!”

    “All the better treat you with my dear!” the Walrus replied.

    And he skate her up too. (Illustration: in crayon TR is written before treat. Sk before ate. Flippers and tusks are also written in.)

    Pug shook with fear, but he really loved this part of the story. Bug cleaned his glassed, still not sure if they were telling it right, but he continued reading.

    All of the sudden a brave mailman burst into Granny’s house and rescued them. (Illustration: Mail is written over the word woods in woodsman)

    “Pug, that is silly. How could a mailman rescue them?” Bug asked.

    “He shipped the Walrus to China,” Pug replied.

    Bug, noticing Pug’s goofy smile, went along with his version of the story. He decided to end it the best way he knew how.

    Red Riding Pug, Granny, and the mailman enjoyed the basket of hoodies. Red Riding Pug learned a valuable lesson that day.

    “The end,” Bug said.

    “That was exactly how I remembered it,” Pug said.

    With the book over, Bug lifted his head to notice Pug’s curly, swirly tail wagging once more.

    “I’m waiting for the moral. What did she learn?” Pug asked.

    Bug sighed. He didn’t want to read the moral out loud, but Pug was so excited. 

    The moral of the story is: Never talk to strawberries. (Illustration: written in crayon after the stra in stangers is wberries.)

    “So true,” Pug said. “Words to live by.”

    Bug closed the book and smiled at Pug.

    “Yes, indeed,” Bug agreed.