note--"The Brave Little Kaadu" story is by Jedi Rah and is used with that author's permission. If you like it, please send feedback to jedi rah@aol.com and we'll see if we can get him to write more often!
The bath went relatively well. Obi-Wan got soaked on only one side, and he managed to keep the baby from running naked out into the hallway, though he had to use the Force to catch her in time. After that, he locked the door, just to be on the safe side.
Meira was fascinated with the bag that contained her clothing, snacks and treasures. She went to it time and time again, pulling things out. She seemed to be searching for something specific, but Obi-Wan was able to focus her attention on the gift she had received earlier.
"K'duuuu," the girl said, drawing out the word to emphasize her wonder.
"Let's read the story that goes with it," Obi-Wan suggested. He popped the crystal into the datapad.
As the animations played out the story, words floated along with each scene. Obi-Wan read them and Meira tried reaching into the holo with her toy to participate in the presentation.
A long time ago on the world of Naboo,
lived a close knit clan of free roaming kaadu.
Now kaadu it is said, in fact everyone knows,
eat sweet Maiaflower in the swamp where it grows.
They roam the swamp as they eat and they eat,
taking afternoon naps in the midsummer heat.
In this great roving clan, the child every one knew,
was a lighthearted calf called Shadoo the Kaadu.
Shadoo was the terror of the great swampy plane,
and all the wild creatures would shudder at her name.
Whether splashing after fish or chasing birds in flight,
she would cause such a commotion as to give them a fright.
"Don't be so foolish," her mother would scold.
"We share our swamp home with dangers untold."
But Shadoo would not listen and continued to play.
She saw no dangers to scare her mother that way.
All things must end, and warm summers do too.
Nesting time was over for the free roaming Kaadu
All across the swamp, each to his clan,
the Kaadu came together in a great roving band.
Like a wave from the sea, across the swamp they moved,
And Shadoo left behind the only world that she knew.
As step after step her family would take,
Shadoo would look back and feel her little heart break.
She would try to have fun chasing bugs as they walked,
Enjoying the way the her elders would gawk.
"Save your strength for tommorrow," her mother would sigh.
"We have far to go before bad weather comes nigh."
"May we sing a song?" she begged of her mother.
"Now keep that child quiet," said one of the others.
It didn't take long til Shadoo had enough,
No dancing, no playing-she'd end all this guff.
When they stopped for the night and all was still,
she slipped out the circle to play for a spell.
She crept to a field of sweet smelling flowers,
and danced in the moonlight, singing for hours.
Just about the time she was ready to go back
she heard a strange sound like rocks in sack.
Eyes like stars and howls like a crier,
came upon the field like a wind driven fire.
Her heart in her throat, she ran from the scene,
not knowing the way as she splashed through a stream.
Until the morning light came up in the east,
She ran and she ran--no Tusk-cat's feast.
By the time she could see she knew she was lost.
As she looked at the sun her heart covered in frost.
She thought of her mother all alone and she cried.
If only she could go back and be by her side.
She knew she must go, though not sure of the way.
She walked toward the hills for all the next day.
As she curled up to sleep alone in the night,
she sang to herself to help ease her fright.
When morning time came, the weather turned bad,
with winds that were blowing and clouds that looked sad.
By late afternoon the weather got worse.
The rain began falling and the thunder would curse
It was about this time Shadoo heard a sound.
She lifted up her head and looked all around.
Way up in the trees she saw a strange sight.
A small Gungan child was climbing in fright.
"What are you doing?" Shadoo asked the girl.
The branches were swaying and the leaves all a whirl.
"Da great storm's a coming, wesa must get away."
And Shadoo understood after the weather that day.
"Da big waves will come and wash over da land,
by sunrise tommorrow dere a lake where we stand."
"With da leaves and da mud dere no water to breathe.
Da wind and da the waves means there's no way to leave."
"Are you here alone?" Shadoo asked her in fright,
trying to think of a way out of their plight.
"Mesa got lost when wesa came ashore
to get da dried fish wesa hid for a store."
"Now mesa so scared," the little girl said,
with her wide eyes poking from the top of her head.
"We must get away or we surely will die,"
Shadoo told the girl, trying hard not to cry.
"Yousa run to da east and be safe and sound.
Kaadu get to the hills when da waves come around"
"Oh thank you so much," and she lept from the ground.
"Will you come with me and show me around?"
"Mesa a Gungan, wesa not runnin' so good.
Da sea waves would catch us, you know that they would."
"Yousa should get on," she sniffed, way up in her tree.
But Shadoo wouldn't hear it and said, "You're coming with me."
"You ride on my back," Shadoo told the girl,
as the wind blew harder and the dust all a swirl.
She whacked the tree hard with the side of her tail,
and the Gungan fell down from her branch with a wail.
She landed on the Kaadu with a thud and a groan.
They took off together across the grass and the stones.
She ran and she ran with the waves at her heels,
for all the next day through the great swampy fields.
Just when Shadoo thought surely she could take it no more,
the Gungan girl cried, "Da hills up ahead, wesa make it for sure!"
They got to the top of a high rocky bluff,
And Shadoo lay down-she'd had enough of this stuff.
In the grass she lay dozing, with her friend by her side,
when she thought she heard singing, like the softest of sighs.
Up from the valley of the great swampy plain,
came the free roaming kaadu, singing her name.
When Shadoo heard this sound, she jumped up and ran,
across the wide hills to her kin and her clan.
They all lept with joy when they saw the missing kaadu.
They had all thought they'd lost their little Shadoo.
Her mother ran up and kissed on her calf.
She called out her name, as through tears she laughed.
Then up from the swamp more noise was heard.
Gungan horns sounded, like the call of a bird.
Up from the swamp through the mist and the moss,
marched fine Gungan soldiers and the great Gungan Boss.
"Oh Poppa, yousa found me," the little girl cried,
as she ran to his arms and clung to his side.
"Whoosa dis this with yousa?" the boss man did say.
"Shesa my friend and she brought me this way."
"De Gungans are grateful to you, little Shadoo.
Wesa be frends forever with da free roaming Kaadu."
So friends they became, and friends they would stay.
Shadoo's always remembered since she made them that way.
"Yay!" Meira clapped her tiny hands in approval.
"Yes, that was a fine story," Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "Ready to sleep now?"
"Want Big Jeddi!"
"Jedi. You want Qui-Gon?"
She nodded as she tilted her head and batted her blue-green eyes at him. "Jeddi Qui-Ga."
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, but smiled. "Alright, where did he get to? Come out, Master," he called. The toy was nowhere in sight.
He started a search for the Jedi ragdoll. Even with the new toy, he thought it best to have the child's old familiar favorite around. It took a few minutes, but he found it in a corner of the bathroom, far enough from the tub that it was still safe and dry. He emerged from the bathroom, holding it high in victory, but almost dropped it when he saw what had happened.
Meira had found what she had been searching for in the bag of supplies. Her face, hands, and pajamas were covered in chocolate. Grinning, she held a square of the gooey treat out to Obi-Wan.
"Now that's a sight for your mother," Obi-Wan sighed.
The bath went relatively well. Obi-Wan got soaked on only one side, and he managed to keep the baby from running naked out into the hallway, though he had to use the Force to catch her in time. After that, he locked the door, just to be on the safe side.
Meira was fascinated with the bag that contained her clothing, snacks and treasures. She went to it time and time again, pulling things out. She seemed to be searching for something specific, but Obi-Wan was able to focus her attention on the gift she had received earlier.
"K'duuuu," the girl said, drawing out the word to emphasize her wonder.
"Let's read the story that goes with it," Obi-Wan suggested. He popped the crystal into the datapad.
As the animations played out the story, words floated along with each scene. Obi-Wan read them and Meira tried reaching into the holo with her toy to participate in the presentation.
A long time ago on the world of Naboo,
lived a close knit clan of free roaming kaadu.
Now kaadu it is said, in fact everyone knows,
eat sweet Maiaflower in the swamp where it grows.
They roam the swamp as they eat and they eat,
taking afternoon naps in the midsummer heat.
In this great roving clan, the child every one knew,
was a lighthearted calf called Shadoo the Kaadu.
Shadoo was the terror of the great swampy plane,
and all the wild creatures would shudder at her name.
Whether splashing after fish or chasing birds in flight,
she would cause such a commotion as to give them a fright.
"Don't be so foolish," her mother would scold.
"We share our swamp home with dangers untold."
But Shadoo would not listen and continued to play.
She saw no dangers to scare her mother that way.
All things must end, and warm summers do too.
Nesting time was over for the free roaming Kaadu
All across the swamp, each to his clan,
the Kaadu came together in a great roving band.
Like a wave from the sea, across the swamp they moved,
And Shadoo left behind the only world that she knew.
As step after step her family would take,
Shadoo would look back and feel her little heart break.
She would try to have fun chasing bugs as they walked,
Enjoying the way the her elders would gawk.
"Save your strength for tommorrow," her mother would sigh.
"We have far to go before bad weather comes nigh."
"May we sing a song?" she begged of her mother.
"Now keep that child quiet," said one of the others.
It didn't take long til Shadoo had enough,
No dancing, no playing-she'd end all this guff.
When they stopped for the night and all was still,
she slipped out the circle to play for a spell.
She crept to a field of sweet smelling flowers,
and danced in the moonlight, singing for hours.
Just about the time she was ready to go back
she heard a strange sound like rocks in sack.
Eyes like stars and howls like a crier,
came upon the field like a wind driven fire.
Her heart in her throat, she ran from the scene,
not knowing the way as she splashed through a stream.
Until the morning light came up in the east,
She ran and she ran--no Tusk-cat's feast.
By the time she could see she knew she was lost.
As she looked at the sun her heart covered in frost.
She thought of her mother all alone and she cried.
If only she could go back and be by her side.
She knew she must go, though not sure of the way.
She walked toward the hills for all the next day.
As she curled up to sleep alone in the night,
she sang to herself to help ease her fright.
When morning time came, the weather turned bad,
with winds that were blowing and clouds that looked sad.
By late afternoon the weather got worse.
The rain began falling and the thunder would curse
It was about this time Shadoo heard a sound.
She lifted up her head and looked all around.
Way up in the trees she saw a strange sight.
A small Gungan child was climbing in fright.
"What are you doing?" Shadoo asked the girl.
The branches were swaying and the leaves all a whirl.
"Da great storm's a coming, wesa must get away."
And Shadoo understood after the weather that day.
"Da big waves will come and wash over da land,
by sunrise tommorrow dere a lake where we stand."
"With da leaves and da mud dere no water to breathe.
Da wind and da the waves means there's no way to leave."
"Are you here alone?" Shadoo asked her in fright,
trying to think of a way out of their plight.
"Mesa got lost when wesa came ashore
to get da dried fish wesa hid for a store."
"Now mesa so scared," the little girl said,
with her wide eyes poking from the top of her head.
"We must get away or we surely will die,"
Shadoo told the girl, trying hard not to cry.
"Yousa run to da east and be safe and sound.
Kaadu get to the hills when da waves come around"
"Oh thank you so much," and she lept from the ground.
"Will you come with me and show me around?"
"Mesa a Gungan, wesa not runnin' so good.
Da sea waves would catch us, you know that they would."
"Yousa should get on," she sniffed, way up in her tree.
But Shadoo wouldn't hear it and said, "You're coming with me."
"You ride on my back," Shadoo told the girl,
as the wind blew harder and the dust all a swirl.
She whacked the tree hard with the side of her tail,
and the Gungan fell down from her branch with a wail.
She landed on the Kaadu with a thud and a groan.
They took off together across the grass and the stones.
She ran and she ran with the waves at her heels,
for all the next day through the great swampy fields.
Just when Shadoo thought surely she could take it no more,
the Gungan girl cried, "Da hills up ahead, wesa make it for sure!"
They got to the top of a high rocky bluff,
And Shadoo lay down-she'd had enough of this stuff.
In the grass she lay dozing, with her friend by her side,
when she thought she heard singing, like the softest of sighs.
Up from the valley of the great swampy plain,
came the free roaming kaadu, singing her name.
When Shadoo heard this sound, she jumped up and ran,
across the wide hills to her kin and her clan.
They all lept with joy when they saw the missing kaadu.
They had all thought they'd lost their little Shadoo.
Her mother ran up and kissed on her calf.
She called out her name, as through tears she laughed.
Then up from the swamp more noise was heard.
Gungan horns sounded, like the call of a bird.
Up from the swamp through the mist and the moss,
marched fine Gungan soldiers and the great Gungan Boss.
"Oh Poppa, yousa found me," the little girl cried,
as she ran to his arms and clung to his side.
"Whoosa dis this with yousa?" the boss man did say.
"Shesa my friend and she brought me this way."
"De Gungans are grateful to you, little Shadoo.
Wesa be frends forever with da free roaming Kaadu."
So friends they became, and friends they would stay.
Shadoo's always remembered since she made them that way.
"Yay!" Meira clapped her tiny hands in approval.
"Yes, that was a fine story," Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "Ready to sleep now?"
"Want Big Jeddi!"
"Jedi. You want Qui-Gon?"
She nodded as she tilted her head and batted her blue-green eyes at him. "Jeddi Qui-Ga."
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, but smiled. "Alright, where did he get to? Come out, Master," he called. The toy was nowhere in sight.
He started a search for the Jedi ragdoll. Even with the new toy, he thought it best to have the child's old familiar favorite around. It took a few minutes, but he found it in a corner of the bathroom, far enough from the tub that it was still safe and dry. He emerged from the bathroom, holding it high in victory, but almost dropped it when he saw what had happened.
Meira had found what she had been searching for in the bag of supplies. Her face, hands, and pajamas were covered in chocolate. Grinning, she held a square of the gooey treat out to Obi-Wan.
"Now that's a sight for your mother," Obi-Wan sighed.