The Fork Gremlin

I wrote this story in 2009, I think, because we had so many forks disappear.  No illustrations yet but I hope you enjoy this cute story, inspired by the way folk tales explained the unexplained

We have a fork gremlin.  Do you?

He comes when we're asleep, I think, and takes the forks right out of the sink!

Sometimes they are missing from the kitchen drawer and found in places they weren't before.

Sometimes he takes from the dishwasher rack and never, ever puts those back.

We started with lots and lots of forks of different sizes and different sorts.
But the fork gremlin takes a few every time and now we have less than nine!

Do you know what the fork gremlin does with his loot?

Sometimes he trades the forks for a nice tie-dyed suit.

Sometimes the fork gremlin joins up with the others,
all the fork gremlin cousins, sisters, and brothers.

This family reunion is a jolly old fest;
they even have a food flinging contest!

Forks loaded and ready, they aim and fling
peas, pumpkins, or anything!

With their stolen forks and mashed potatoes with lumps,
they see whose potatoes make the biggest "thump".

The fork gremlin winner is given a prize - a fork so big you wouldn't believe your eyes!

The fork gremlin uses the fork for combing his hair.
He also uses them to hang up his underwear!

When corn-on-the-cob gets stuck in his teeth, you better watch out.
He uses a fork to get the corn out!

Sometimes he uses a fork to scratch an itch he can't reach
or to draw patterns in the sand when he's at the beach.

Where does the fork gremlin keep all the forks?  I imagine he has many rooms.
But I'm wondering...what am I going to do with all these spoons?