A Friday Feghoot

Microfiction for #FreeFictionFriday

A little introduction...

Ferdinand Feghoot was a fictional spacefaring adventurer created by Reginald Bretnor writing under the anagrammatic pen name of Grendel Briarton - so you already know this guy had a sense of humor! The stories, known collectively as "Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot" ran from the 1950s to early 70s.

Bretnor's typical plot had Feghoot traipsing across the galaxy, getting himself into some kind of trouble, then extricating himself from said dilemma. These tales were usually vignettes - microfictions of only a few paragraphs long. And they always ended with a deliberate, groan-worthy pun.

A feghoot, then, is a pun-story usually based on a well-known catch-phase. In my microfiction below, I carry on the humorous tradition of telling a story ending in a terrible pun. I hope you enjoy today's offering, The Tche’klovian at the Zoo! ;-)

The Tche’klovian at the Zoo - A feghoot by Lyndon Perry

A Tche’klovian was visiting his friend in Ba’laxia. When asked what he wanted to do while on vacation, the Tche’k replied, “I would like to visit the Galaxy-renown Ba’laxian Zoo.”

This was a wonderful suggestion and so the next morning the two set off to tour the famous zoological gardens. As they were strolling through the zoo, they came upon an exhibit which housed a pair of super-sized, genetically altered gorillas from a distant planet called Earth.

They were just reading how dangerous these animals were when, all of a sudden, one of the gorillas busted out of its cage, ran toward the visitors, grabbed the Tche’k and swallowed him whole.

The friend barely escaped to safety and called for help. The zookeeper arrived at once, but both gorillas were back in their cage licking their lips.

The Ba’laxian explained what had happened and the official immediately grabbed an axe and asked the man, “Quick, we don’t have much time before he suffocates. Which gorilla did it? Was it the male or the female?”

The Ba’laxian couldn’t tell the difference.

“Well,” the zookeeper said, “the female is usually more aggressive so we better start there. I hope we’re right or you’re friend’s a goner.”

He quickly split open the female gorilla but found nothing. “I’m sorry,” the zookeeper said, “but it’s too late to save your friend. It seems…”

“No, don’t tell me,” the Ba’laxian pleaded.

“Yes,” the zookeeper explained, “the Tche’k is in the male!”

Groan…The End

The Tche’klovian at the Zoo © 2009 by Lyndon Perry

(Above image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay. Used by permission.)

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Now, wasn’t that punch line worth the wait? (grin). Of course, I don’t always write pun stories. In fact, my current project is a cozy mystery titled “Secrets & Scents” - A Kelli & Jo Candle Shop Mystery. And it’s only available as a special release via Kicstarter. Here’s the link. All sorts of different rewards at different level, plus add-on options! I invite you to take a look. And have a great weekend. - Lyn Perry