Tailypo (Campfire Story)

Way back in the mountains, a long way from anywhere, there lived an old man in a one-room cabin. He had no wife and no neighbors. All he had was a fireplace, a bed, a skillet, and three good HOUNDS. Their names were Uno, Ino, and Cumptico-Calico.

One winter night the old man's cupboard was bare. He hadn't eaten all day, and his stomach was growling louder than the HOUNDS. He was sitting by the fire feeling sorry for himself when something came squeezing in through a crack between the logs of his cabin wall.

It was the strangest critter he'd ever seen. It was about as big as a cat, with fur like a bristle brush, two little pointed ears, and eyes that glowed red in the firelight. And it had a tail. The longest, fattest, furriest tail you ever did see.

The old man didn't stop to think. He grabbed his hatchet and swung. The critter shrieked and shot back out through the crack, quick as smoke. But it left something behind on the floor: its tail.

Well, the old man was hungry. He skinned that tail, fried it up in his skillet, and ate every bite. It wasn't bad, either. Then he banked the fire, called his HOUNDS in to lie by the door, and climbed into bed.

Along about midnight, he woke up. Something was on the roof. Then something was at the door. SCRATCH. SCRATCH. And a voice, low and thin, came creeping in under the door:

start it soft, and point to the audience to bring the chant in

The old man sat straight up. 'Here, Uno! Here, Ino! Here, Cumptico-Calico! Go get it!'

The HOUNDS tore out the door and chased that thing deep into the woods. The old man listened to them baying further and further away until he couldn't hear them anymore. Then he went back to sleep.

Along about two o'clock, he woke up again. SCRATCH. SCRATCH. Right at the foot of the cabin steps.

a little louder

'Uno! Ino! Cumptico-Calico!' he hollered. And two of the HOUNDS came running out of the dark and chased that thing away again. Only two. Uno and Ino never came back.

Along about four o'clock, he woke up one more time. SCRATCH. SCRATCH. And this time it wasn't outside the door. It was inside. Right under his bed.

louder still

'Cumptico-Calico!' the old man whispered. But no HOUNDS came. Not a one.

He pulled the quilt up to his nose. He felt the bed creak. He felt something climb up onto the foot of it, and walk slowly up the quilt, step by step, until it was sitting right on his chest. He could see two red eyes glowing in the dark, an inch from his own.

'Wh-what do you want?' said the old man.

loudest of all, and get the whole crowd chanting it

'I don't have your tailypo!' cried the old man.

drop to a whisper, lean in close to one listener, wait in total silence for a long moment, then grab them and shout

Storyteller tips: teach the chant first and let the crowd practice it slow and spooky. Bring it in a little louder each time, so by the end everyone is chanting together. The last line is yours alone. Drop to a whisper, wait, then make them jump.

For younger Scouts, end gentler: the critter takes back its tail, the hounds come home, and the old man never eats anything he can't name again.