This is the story of Tillie McMatmat.
Tillie tattles on other children.
She tattles all the time.
How do you think the children feel about that?
In this story, Tillie learns the difference between tattling
and telling.
You will find out from the pictures that this school has some strange rules.
Look at the picture. Tillie is tattling on someone. Who is going to
get in trouble for breaking a rule?
Tillie McMatmat, a bothersome pest-
Annoying her schoolmates is what she liked best.
At lunch she would cackle some animal noise.
She’d make ugly faces, especially at boys.
But mostly loved tattling, the children were sad.
When Tillie told teachers....
"THEY’RE ACTING SOOOOO BAD!”
“Miranda chews gum, Billy’s homework’s a mess.
Rebecca is wearing a very strange dress.
At rest time, Maria and Bob had a chat,
Amanda did this, Jane and Johnny did that.”
And this is the way silly Tillie had fun—
She watched and she laughed at the trouble she’d spun.
Then Tillie made changes one cold winter’s day.
She learned a good lesson,
it happened this way.
Tillie bothered some of the older children.
The children are talking about the problems they are having
with Tillie.
In early December, the very first week,
Ms Mango, the principal, got up to speak.
“We’ve made up our minds to serve
hot soup with peas.
So when you go out after lunch you won’t freeze.
A big bowl of soup will be served in this school.
You’ll have it with lunch, it is now a strict rule.”
“That’s right!” said a teacher, Ms Beverly Boop.
“It’s really important to finish your soup.
And also, “ she stated, “it’s perfectly true,
A full meal is healthful for youngsters like you.
So each of the foods that we put on your tray,
Will have to be eaten COMPLETELY each day.”
The children liked milk and the bread and jam too.
Yet swallowing pea soup was too much to do.
But a rule is a rule and the rule clearly said,
You eat the whole meal, milk, SOUP, cheese, jam, and bread.
Ms. Mango, the school principal announces
the school rule.
The children were whispering, buzzing like bees...
That soup is just awful, concocted with peas..”
They thought that they’d better invent some good plan.
And soon an idea was suggested by Fran.
“We’ll drink all our milk, eat the cheese, jam and bread.
I know where to hide that green pea soup,” Fran said.
“Use empty milk cartons, we’ll fill them up quick.
With yukky yuk pea soup—a workable trick.”
So they poured in the soup, but they didn’t realize,
That Tillie the Tattler had planned a surprise.
They rushed to the trash bins to throw out the soup.
But the guard of the garbage, Ms Beverly Boop---
She watched as the children were lifting the lid,
And knew what was happening, what the kids did.
‘Cause Tillie McMatmat, the bothersome pest,
Had tattled—of course—which is what she liked best.
CHAPTER 3: TILLIE GETS UPSET
Well, Tillie expected that Beverly Boop,
Would really be mad about cartons with soup.
Oh yes, a bit angry, her face slightly red.
BUT NOT AT THE CHILDREN, AT TILLIE INSTEAD.
“Tattling is worse than not finishing soup—
It’s not at all kind,” said Ms Beverly Boop.
“At times you must tell someone serious things,
But tattling is different, such problems it brings!
You cause children trouble for something they’ve done.
They won’t be your friends and that couldn’t be fun!
They’ll think of you tattling, and playing dumb tricks—
Oh Tillie, my dear, there’s a lot you must fix.”
Ms Beverly Boop talks to Tillie
Miss Tillie just stood there her mouth opened wide.
Her eyes filled with tears, oh good gosh! how she cried.
Then Belle, Joe and Lee and another child, Guy,
Called out,
“you’ll improve, if you’d only just try.
We’re going to help you,” she heard the kids say.
“Tomorrow will be a much happier day.”
“There’re certainly times that you really must tell,
If someone’s in danger or hurting,” said Belle.
“But tattling and telling are different, “ said Lee.
“A tattler’s annoying, it’s not how to be.”
We too learned this lesson the hard way, “ said Joe.
“We used to be tattlers and that’s how we know.”
Their kindness made Tillie feel better, so then,
She made up her mind not to tattle again.
What’s more she no longer shouts cackling noise.
And stopped making faces especially at boys.
She’s ever so nice, she’ s become in the end,
With so many schoolmates, a very good friend.
For Tillie McMatmat, no longer a pest.
Is now sweet and helpful, it’s what she likes best.
And as for Ms Mango, the kids helped her learn,
That forcing the food is most terribly stern.
She changed the food policy at the small school.
‘Eat just what you can, ‘ had become the new rule.
And if you choose foods that are healthful, you’ll see,
How good you will feel, and how strong you will be.