Crash and Credit
“Let’s make a carnival! We’ll charge an entry fee, and make loads of cash!”
Your kids will love this dramatized version of the Jolly Solly series, read by Nechama B.
They can follow along with the video, or the printout, and color the picture too!
Click on the images to download the printable versions of the story and color-in picture
Fishel and Faivish Friedman had set their hearts on a walkie-talkie set. The one displayed in the window of Tully’s Toyshop. Every kid in town seemed to own one: It was the very latest fad. There was one small problem, however — they had no money. Not a cent!
There were no birthdays coming up in the near future. Fishel and Faivish had lost their allowance for the next three months. (Due to an encounter between their ball and a window.)
“It’s not fair,” grumbled Fishel. “Where’s a kid meant to get money from? We’re utterly deprived.”
“Yeah.” Faivish agreed with his brother for a change.
The pair silently thought about the bitterness of life. Especially life without basics such as walkie-talkies.
Suddenly, Fishel jumped up.
“I know how we can earn money!”
“How?” asked Faivish curiously.
“Let’s make a carnival! We’ll charge an entry fee, and make loads of cash!”
“But — how can we make a carnival? Don’t you need rides and stuff?”
“We’ll make our own rides,” Fishel declared. He was confident.
Faivish had to admit he liked the idea.
Within a short time, the brothers had produced a set of posters announcing the carnival:
GRAND KARNIVAL FOR KIDS
At the Friedmans’ house
Today at 3 o’ clock prompt
Rip-roring Rides Never Seen Befour!
Cost: $1
The brothers were just about to put a poster on their front gate, when they heard a loud, “Ahem.”
Mr. Friedman had just pulled up in his minivan.
“What’s going on?” he inquired politely.
“Um… nothing much,” mumbled Fishel.
“It’s not important,” echoed Faivish. He hoped his father would enter the house without asking any more questions.
Instead, Mr. Friedman leaned forward to examine the poster. He fixed Fishel and Faivish with a glare.
“Did you boys get permission from your mother or myself to run a carnival?”
“Um….”
“Well….”
“Not quite….”
“We didn’t manage….”
Mr. Friedman cut them short.
“The answer is no,” he said flatly. “I refuse to let my house be overrun by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.”
“But it was going to be in the garden, not the house!“
“Yeah, people would just need to walk through the kitchen for like one second. Just to get to the back.”
“And we need the money!”
“The whole world has a walkie-talkie except us.”
Mr. Friedman was unmoved. Without further ado, he took the pile of posters and marched inside.
Fishel and Faivish slumped miserably against the garden wall.
“Hey!” They heard a voice from across the road. It was Moishy Morris. “You can use my walkie-talkies if you like!”
“Thanks, but we wanna get our own,” said Fishel glumly.
Faivish dully nodded his agreement.
Moishy had an idea.
“Gotta make a call!” he announced. He hurried back inside. Two minutes later he was on the phone to Jolly Solly. He explained that Fishel and Faivish were in dire need of some extra cash. In no time at all, the kind clown swung into action.
Not long after, Moishy saw Jolly Solly pull up outside the Friedmans’ house. He honked and waved from his open-top car. An excited Fishel and Faivish came racing out. They shouted goodbye to their mother. They waved at Moishy.
“We’re going to help Jolly Solly out at the Children’s Home!”
“Yeah, we’re his assistants for today’s show. Paid assistants,” Faivish added.
“Oh, that’s nice!” Moishy replied innocently.
The brothers piled into the car, and were off.
That evening, there was a knock on the Morrises’ door.
“Moishy! It’s for you,” called his big sister Leah.
Moishy hurried downstairs, wondering who it could be.
He grinned when he saw Jolly Solly.
“What a kind, thoughtful boy you are!” the clown said. “Worrying about others and making sure they’re all right. Now, how about you? Do you need a walkie-talkie, too?”
“No thanks, I have one,” replied Moishe.
“Anything else you’ve been wishing for? “
“Not really. I have everything I need, baruch Hashem,” Moishy replied shyly.
“Hmm. So I don’t suppose you’re interested in some Crackle-Poppers, are you?” remarked the clown with a
mock frown. He pulled some of the popular crackling candies from behind Moishy’s ear.
“Well, actually, I would love some Crackle-Poppers,” admitted Moishy.
The clown doled out a generous amount for Moishy
and his sisters, and then he was off.
Head over heels, of course.
R. Atkins’s book, Around the Year with Jolly Solly, featuring 50 fabulous stories, is in bookstores now. For information about a personalized version, contact the Mishpacha office.
(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 822)
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