Nellie Green the Jelly Bean
Copyright 2011 by EF Clark
Published at Smashwords by .EF Clark Publishing
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"I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14)
Nellie Green the Jelly Bean, whose heart was pure as gold
was a teenage jellybean you see when this tale first was told.
Designer, who was busy with inventions left and right
had a marvelously bright idea one dark and stormy night.
He owned a thousand hills with cows and pigs and fields and crops,
and a city that was shiny bright with all your favorite shops.
His candy factory had walls as high as redwood tops
where night and day his workers made delightful lemon drops.
The Jelly Bean department was quite impressive too
with bags of jelly beans made in yellow, red, and blue.
His bright idea was this you see, the reason for our tale
he did a thing that some had said would surely, surely fail.
He did something not done before that no one could have guessed.
He made a single Jelly Bean quite different from the rest.
This Jelly Bean was wonderful, Designer made it so
But that is where the trouble started oh so long ago.
The problem seemed so simple to the simple minded bunch,
this Jelly Bean could not fit in, they simply had a hunch.
What was all the fuss about the day she first was seen?
Why Nellie was not red or blue or yellow, she was GREEN!
Nellie Green the Jelly Bean smiled sweetly as she passed
the workers who protested that this would never last.
"We're a candy making company," some said with words to harm
"And she looks like she grew up out on the veggie farm."
But the vegetables took notice and quickly they did say
"She's not really one of us, and she can never stay."
And all the other candies, they snickered and they sneered
as all the other Jelly Beans quickly disappeared.
They ran and hid with fear and shame and shivered as they shook
with dread of being made fun of, they did not dare to look.
Nellie Green was sad to see so many make a scene
after all she was just a simple Jelly Bean.
But others could not see that she was different by design.
They shut their eyes and stuffed their ears and so began to whine.
The vegetables turned up their nose and marched away from her.
The leaders of the squash brigade would soon cause quite a stir.
The other colored candies met, deciding on some rules
that they would keep green Jelly Beans from going to their schools.
The workers also had a plan and soon began to brag
“We’ll make sure to pack the green ones in the bottom of the bag."
By this time Nellie Green was sad and she began to cry.
Perhaps, she thought, that they were right and she believed the lie.
Her head was low, her heart was broke, and her tears began to flow.
She was scared and she was mad, oh how could this be so?
In her soul she wondered why Designer made her green,
but still she knew what matters most is what's inside unseen.
But she thought that it was best if she would go away,
and try to find another place to laugh and sing and play.
But everywhere she wandered, the talk was still the same,
no one likes green jellybeans, so she would have to change.
She imagined what it might be like to sport a bright red face.
Then maybe she would fit in at the cherry candy place.
Or coated with rich chocolate, how happy she would be,
if only she could find a way to mix in, yes indeed.
Nellie dreamed of normal things the way young candies do
and how one day she'd wished she'd be a normal candy, too.
But others did not think that she would ever be too much.
They always turned their back and told their children not to touch.
"That jelly bean's defective, it was made by accident."
That's what they told their children wherever Nellie went.
"Turn away, don't look at her," they said with thoughtless words,
"She does not belong with even geeks or dweebs or nerds."
When Nellie Green the Jelly Bean passed down the street each day
The candies in the candy shop watched and hoped she wouldn't stay.
Then late one Tuesday afternoon as rain turned into fog,
she met a strange green creature who said his name was Frog.
"Hey you're colored green, just like me," Frog remarked with glee
"I've never seen such beauty, you're the greenest thing I’ve seen."
"I thought I was the only one, but now at last I see
that Designer made us green because He wanted us to be."
Designer must have had a plan or he would not have chose
to fashion her the way he did, or so she would suppose.
So she decided then and there to love the way she'd been.
No longer would it be wrong to belong in her green skin.
So Nellie started smiling, and quickly made new friends
with Turnip and a jawbreaker, and they began to set new trends.
They started their own disco band and Nellie played the drums,
Turnip played the keyboards and sang with Bubble Gum.
Frog could blow the saxophone, and Pretzel played the flute-
and Lucy Lemon dropped in on a yellow parachute.
As soon as she touched the ground, she strummed her old banjo
and the others starting clapping when Lucy made the show.
And soon the city sang along as music filled the air.
Laughter, love, and fun, and smiles, they all began to share.
Soon even those who were opposed gave up and went away,
and more and more began to see a bright and sunny day.
Nellie Green the Jelly Bean became the Hometown queen.
And Designer was so proud to see her happy to be green.
Then Nellie Green discovered what Designer always knew
that everyone is special, and created to be "you!"
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