DRAGONWIT?

DOES a tree falling in an empty forest make a noise?   Is a bit of wit uttered only to a three-year-old who doesn’t understand the pun STILL funny?

Caro has an old stuffed green dragon which has been hanging around a succession of several houses now, as we or she moved place to place, entourage in tow.   Dragon has since been co-opted (commandeered/adopted) by Sweetpea, who cuddles him and plays with him, stashing him neatly into her toy-tub as she leaves for home.

She’s even been known to use his services as a quick stove, as in this picture of Dragon cooking during Flat Stanley’s visit.

Her usual response to names of friends or dolls or playthings is one of a vast group of Vowel-laced syllables, like those children’s-imaginary-languages featured in small journals and university publications:  Uba and Una and Oba and Ooda and Saba and Daba---that Child could have populated the entire Clan of the Cave Bear in five minutes, saving dear Jean Auel just SCADS of time---enough to write up several more Ages and volumes, if she’s inclined.

And I must reiterate that my brain cells have been slow as Molasses lately, and other people's witticisms sometimes take me a minute to parse, so the following exchange surprised even me:

Yesterday, as she and Dragon were playing, I asked, “Did you EVER give Dragon a name?   He’s been part of the family for a long time.”

She immediately replied, “His name is Hodo.”

And I responded, “When you want him to follow, do you say, ‘Come, Hodo Dragon’?”

Well, it WAS funny, audience or not.    Just gimme this one---I need it.