By Elizabeth Ferris

Once there was a little rhombus named Roofus. He liked to play with his friends. All of the rhombi had four equal sides making opposite sides parallel. They did not like to play with any of the other shapes.

One day Roofus and his friends were dancing. And wouldn’t you know it Roofus was shaking so fast he got all straitened out. Roofus was not just a rhombus anymore. All of his friends laughed at him and they told Roofus he could not play with them any longer.

Roofus was very sad because he had nowhere else to go. As he was walking along he ran into a peculiar fellow sitting under a tree. “Excuse me, sir” Roofus said “but I’ve never see anyone that looks like you. What are you?” The gentleman got up from under the tree, stuck out his hand and said “Because I have three equal sides I’m an equilateral triangle. Pleased to meet you!”

Roofus was so happy to meet somebody nice! “I’m glad to meet you! I need to make new friends, my old ones are acting very strange!” The triangle looked shocked “Oh no! I’m only friends with other types triangles and you have to many sides to be a triangle!” Roofus was disappointed. He just wished he could be a Rhombus again.

Roofus was on his way when out of nowhere a strange shape jumped out at him and shouted “You can’t be here!” It continued “This is trapezoid land and even though we have the same number of sides we are very different!” Roofus was no longer surprised “I know, nobody likes the rectangle” he mumbled as he went on.

He started walking with his head down and before he knew it he ran right into someone. “Ouch!” shouted the lady. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t paying attention.” Roofus replied. “Wow you have eight sides! I’ve never seen so many!” he said with wonder. “Well I haven’t known many rectangles that pay attention” she smiled, “I’m Nancy, an octagon. Who are you?” Roofus told her his name and about his problem. She offered to help.

Nancy took Roofus up a big hill. She said he was going to meet the great and wise circle. Certainly he would be able to help Roofus become a rhombus again.

When they got to the top Roofus looked down and saw all of his friends playing. It made him sad and he began to cry. “Don’t be sad little one” a big voice said “I am the great and wise circle and I am going to help you.” “Please Mr. Circle I need to be a rhombus again” Roofus pleaded.

The Great Circle smiled and told Roofus that he shouldn’t want to change himself just to please other people and that he was perfect just the way he was. That was not what he wanted to hear and so he cried harder. The Great Circle went to comfort Roofus and before anybody knew what had happened he tripped and began to roll out of control down the hill.

Without hesitation Roofus sprung into action. He sprinted down the hill trying to get ahead of the Circle. As soon as he was in front Roofus leapt in the way of the tumbling circle and used himself as a wedge to stop the rolling.

Nancy saw the whole thing and she came running. The Great and Wise Circle was very grateful and he offered Roofus one wish. “Now you can be a rhombus again!” Nancy shouted. But Roofus had been thinking about what the circle said “I don’t want to be a rhombus anymore” he began “I just wish all of the shapes could get along.”

And the Great and Wise Circle made it so. The shapes no longer separated themselves. They all played together, and lived very happily ever after. THE END

References ~songbird/music/note50.gif, picture of music notes mama.indstate.edu/ users/eagle/pics/hill.jpg 360 x 360 pixels - 62k, picture of the hill both top and side view