One day, when the Amazing Miss Shinies were starving,
Ajmal insisted on watching
A TV show on vegetable carving.
(Though the cucumber swans were ugly.)
“Change the channel,” they cried.
“This is so boring!
We want something fried!”
(But Ajmal was fixed on a carrot train.)
“Something hot and sizzly!”
Said one Shiny, biting her foot.
“Something cold and fizzy!”
(The other chewed hers, too.)
“Something crisp and crunchy,”
Said the fi rst, longingly.
“Something soft and melty.”
(But Ajmal was still unmoved.)
Then all at once, they saw
A fat, crested bird zoom
Right into the room.
(It was the Myna from China.)
“Tchi-Tchi,” announced the bird,
Extending a black wing.
The Shinies thought this absurd.
(“How dare she disapprove?!”)
So they continued chewing.
The myna thought this was lame
But began to do the same.
(Thinking, “What a strange way to say hello!”)
She cleared her throat,
While they pretended not to notice,
Patted her smart, black coat.
(And very slowly combed her eyelashes.)
“I t-t-tthink she might be,
The Myna from China!”
Ajmal shivered excitedly.
(He had seen her on TV!)
IT WAS CHEF TCHI-TCHI!
He gave her a never-ending bow.
“I never miss your show!”
(Tchi-Tchi agreed this was possible.)
She turned to the Shinies,
“Now as for you two
Sure, feet are tasty, but try these, too!”
(From nowhere there appeared two
golden boxes.)
“What is it?” the Shinies gave a cry.
They’d fi nally stopped chewing.
“Tell us Tchi-Tchi, before we die!”
(Fortunately, they didn’t have to – Ajmal
had them open.)
“It is hot and sizzly!”
The fi rst clapped her hands.
“And crisp and crunchy!”
(But her sister stuck out her lower lip.)
“You forgot soft and melty,”
she said, looking at Tchi-Tchi.
“You forgot cold and fi zzy.”
(But the Myna from China shook her head.)
“You’re asking for a dream!
There’s nothing on earth that’s hot and cold…
Except… fried ice cream!”
(She held out a huge spoonful.)
And that’s how…
the Amazing Miss Shinies first ate Chinese.
