Can You Tell A Story In…

It’s that time of the week – yes, the one where I give you lots of unconnected words and expect you to come up with an entertaining story. So, here goes:

Can you tell a story in 54 words using the following words in it somewhere:

  • HUSKY
  • ACNE
  • SPACEMAN
  • WHEELBARROW
  • LETTUCE

Last week’s challenge was to write a story in 40 words using the following four words in it somewhere:

  • BONSAI
  • PUDDLE
  • KNAPSACK
  • REJOICE

Here are your excellent stories:

Life Lessons:

Scavenger

Rejoicing, I jumped over the puddle with the purloined bonsai in my knapsack and hurtled down the street, back to the party. Would I be the first one back with the entire contents of the scavenger hunt in my possession?

Nicola Daly:

‘‘Why do you have a bonsai tree sticking out of your haversack?’

‘My Glad Bonsai? It likes to be with me when I play the rejoice game and splash in puddles.’

‘Ok-ay. What did you say your name was?’

‘Pollyanna.’

A Jeanne in the Kitchen:

The hobo found a neglected bonsai plant in a puddle on the road. He picked it up and wrapped it in his knapsack. Through love and care, the bonsai plant came back to life. He was so rejoiced.

L Wie:

When the Name Speaks for Itself

Rejoicing in her journeyman years, a worn-out knapsack as luggage, she happily jumped over the puddle searching for the village hotel of Killer-On-The-Loose-Field. The receptionist smiled at the bonsai gardener apprentice: “One week free, if you stay tonight.” She wondered why.

Stevie Turner:

Rejoice! The delivery driver drops a parcel on my doorstep before running away. However, the knapsack I’d ordered had been left in a puddle. I flicked the parcel into the hallway, where it knocked over two of my Bonsai trees.

Christopher Farley:

That shrinking powder worked. I would rejoice for the money for the copyright. A jar of it in your knapsack and you’d be amazed at the possible adventures. A puddle becomes a lake and a few bonsai a redwood forest.

Graeme Sandford:

The Puddle People loved bedtime stories. 

“There was a tiny tree…”

“Bonsai!” shouted the children.

“Yes, and it had lots of friends.”

“Yay!” they rejoiced.

“One of their friends slept in a bag.”

“A knapsack!” shouted Pedro, the clever one. 

John W. Howell:

All ready to rejoice. The bonsai fit into my knapsack and my planned getaway route was set. A face down fall in the mud puddle made the get away impossible.

Mark Fraidenburg:

The Arrow

His knapsack on her table. Inside: her daughter’s blanket.

The bonsai was pruned. Fresh clippings formed an arrow in a puddle, pointing to the basement.

Rejoice? His first mistake? Or trap?

Should she follow? Await backup? She followed.

Pensitivity101:

The bonsai had fallen off the back of the van, landing in a puddle. A young child with a knapsack almost bigger than she was retrieved it and gently placed it inside. If plants could rejoice, this one was smiling.

The Bag Lady:

Joey loved his bonsai printed knapsack, not the envy of his mates. On the way to school, Joey admired a real bonsai plant, but saw it was too near a puddle, so rescued it. The tree rejoiced in his act.

Murray Clarke:

Masahiko Kimura is considered the world’s leading Bonsai expert. He rejoiced when the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, produced the award from out of his knapsack. So delighted was he, that he slipped over and fell into a puddle.

iMartist:

A Game of War

We played War in the woods behind our house. I had Aunt Ruth’s Bonsai in my knapsack, I imagined it was a bomb. I ran through the puddles, slid in the mud and threw the bonsai at my enemy and rejoiced.

Christine Mallaband-brown:

A bonsai sat in a puddle thinking about it’s world journey. It had fallen out of a travellers knapsack. It was free! It could rejoice in the knowledge that its roots would grow and turn into a mighty oak tree!

Silly Frog’s Blog:

Fortunate Misfortune

Ugh! She’d stepped in a puddle while loading bonsai trees in mother’s van. Kiko raced back inside for dry socks discovering she’d almost forgotten her knapsack. She rejoiced that that misfortune had saved her from leaving her science project behind!

Pictures Imperfect Blog:

If it fits…

Peppi packed his knapsack and set out to the bonsai plant. He rejoiced when he was immediately hired, the plant manager saying that he had the right size but warned him of occupational dangers, like drowning in the brobdingnagian puddle.

Kim Smyth:

I was trimming the bonsai trees at the nursery when I realized I was standing in a puddle of water, made by the gardeners that morning. I would rejoice the discovery of a towel in my knapsack. Bingo! Got one!

Let’s Write:

Moments

Beneath blossoms, a bonsai stands,

A child jumps in a puddle, clapping her hands,

In a knapsack, she carries dreams of gold,

Laughter echoes, magic unfolds,

Twilight falls, hearts dance and rejoice,

In simple moments we find life’s sweetest voice.

Lily’s Corner:

Bonsai Trees are Cute

You’re not a tad bit excited to be taking bonsai lessons? I know it’s not like street racing through puddles, but at least it’s legal. I threw my knapsack over my shoulder and rejoiced at the thought of tiny trees.

Richmond Road:

Following along the track
Your knapsack draped upon your back
Crossing puddle, river, stream
Realising common dream
Of freedom. Truth. A common voice
In nature let us both rejoice
From our shackles hence release
Bonsai! We have found our peace

Therapy Bits:

Carrying a knapsack, I paused by a puddle where a tiny bonsai reflected its fragile shape; travelers gathered to rejoice as sunlight broke through the clouds, revealing a hidden path that promised hope, wonder, and unexpected friendship ahead for all.

Ann Edall-Robson:

The community was finished. Painted wee homes lined the path of tiny pebbles meandering through miniature Bonsai trees to the glass puddle. There would be time to rejoice once the Littles moved from the knapsack to the new fairy garden.

Teleportingweena:

Skipping and singing a little song … Oh Bonsai Tree, O Bonsai Tree, your small size I rejoice in. As I went along I jumped a puddle and dropped my knapsack, but I was still singing… ‘nothing gonna break my stride…’

The Elephant’s Trunk:

Whispered Secrets

A tiny bonsai grew in the wizard’s knapsack, its roots tangled in a spell. Each morning he watered it from an enchanted puddle that never dried. The tree whispered secrets of ancient forests that made the wizard’s weary heart rejoice.

Treehugger:

I could not rejoice that day,

At the garden centre I smuggled a bonsai into my knapsack. As I brazenly passed the checkout, I slipped in a puddle and to my horror the bonsai shot out and revealed my crime.

Utahan15:

small places

such sad faces

bonsai out of a knapsack

she bounced up and back

and tree she did sow

showed rejoicing

at the constant beauty of it all

***

Image credit: Pinterest

65 responses to “Can You Tell A Story In…”

  1. the husky spaceman

    turned a wheel barrow of a cart wheel

    to express how he did feel

    his skin did not sheen

    acne to mien

    and lettuce

    and straw

    instead of a spine

    Liked by 7 people

  2. nikidaly70 Avatar
    nikidaly70

    ‘Why is there a husky pulling a spaceman in a wheelbarrow?’
    ‘It’s a locals’ thing – first one to reach the vegetable patch wins a lettuce.’
    ‘I see.’
    ‘It’s no more daft than flying a rocket to the moon.’
    ‘Ri-ight.’
    ‘Look, it’s that or popping our acne spots. We’re teenagers and there’s no Wi-Fi here!!!’

    Liked by 10 people

      1. nikidaly70 Avatar
        nikidaly70

        Well, you know these teens… 🙂 🙂 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  3. Together in the greenhouse
    His voice so husky
    My stupidity? Humidity?
    The air so musky
    Lettuce in the wheelbarrow
    I see his muscles glistening
    So embarrassed by my acne
    I’m not even listening
    He’s some sort of alien
    And maybe something isn’t right
    But I’ve found myself a spaceman
    And I’ll have him tonight.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. So entertaining. Love it 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  4. that spaceman has acne
    he must have picked up a rash in space
    i think he might have a screw loose
    he wheels his old husky dog around in a wheel barrrow
    lettuce pray for him, the poor old bugger
    hard to believe he was once a violinist
    in the vienna philharmonic orchestra

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Awww, a sad one but really good.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. It’s your fault that my husband almost burst a gut laughing at “wheelbarrow” and “lantern”!

    Liked by 3 people

  6. these are a riot!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. They are such fun. Thank you 🥰

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Kate in Cornwall Avatar
    Kate in Cornwall

    The New Spaceman, Issue 44500, December 2125

    What’s new in space?

    We caught up with Lead Scientist, Ellen Husk, on Mars.

    “We’ve developed a super lettuce capable of eradicating acne.”

    “One giant step…” quipped our reporter.

    “One giant plateful!” Ellen gave a husky laugh. “The Shuttle is bringing us a wheelbarrow, should help enormously.”

    Liked by 9 people

    1. A brilliant story with those words!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much ❤️

      Liked by 2 people

  8. […] This week’s challenge given by Esther Chilton […]

    Liked by 1 person

  9. squirreljan Avatar
    squirreljan

    “Hey, wanna ride?” The husky voiced spaceman asked.

    “Ooh, yes.” I pushed out my boobs and sashayed towards him.

    “Great. Those lettuces won’t pick themselves”. He grabbed me and before I knew it, I was strapped into a wheelbarrow. “Sucker.” The phoney Buzz Lightyear removed his spacesuit, grinning all over his acne covered face.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. nikidaly70 Avatar
      nikidaly70

      🤣

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Very funny, Janice. Thank you 🥰

      Liked by 1 person

  10. […] Can You Tell A Story In… – Esther Chilton […]

    Liked by 2 people

  11. The HUSKY hurried through the
    ACNE covered crowd. It was looking for a SPACEMAN pushing a WHEELBARROW full of LETTUCE.
    It had been a hard week, the ghastly Mars plague was taking over, and the lettuce might hold the cure. Time now to find the rocket. Thats a flying machine not the tasty plant!

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Hilarious sci-fi story!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Not enough words to write the husky’s opinions x

        Liked by 2 people

  12. […] Can you tell a story in … 54 words […]

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Glad you had fun 🥰

      Liked by 2 people

  13. […] afternoon, my contribution for this week’s prompt challenge by Esther Chilton. This was another toughie for me because I’m not a writer, but it’s great […]

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Brilliant stories from last week, Esther!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Miriam. There are some great ones there.

      Liked by 2 people

  15. I do enjoy these inventive little stories 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’m so glad you do 😊

      Liked by 2 people

  16. Wearing my spaceman outfit ,I was on my way to the fancy dress ball when I clumsily tripped over the wheelbarrow. I had chosen the outfit as the helmet hid my acne. The accident made me late so all that was left of the buffet were two stale rolls and a lettuce leaf .

    Liked by 6 people

  17. […] Can You Tell A Story In… […]

    Liked by 1 person

  18. […] ——[||]——Esther Chilton’s Story Challenge11.28.25 54 Word Masterpiece […]

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Thanks for the prompt words! Here is my story:

    https://wp.me/p3RE1e-neB

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Your story is absolutely hilarious 🤣

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks so much, Esther 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  20. The  spaceman, his skin scarred by acne and dehydration, pulled the wheelbarrow from the now empty food locker. Inside lay one withered head of lettuce, Earth’s last, smuggled for the colony that never came.

    He paused, pulled reverently at the outer leaves, and whispered in a husky voice, “The last of the fresh greens.”

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Wow! Excellent story!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Such an entertaining story, Matt.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Aww thanks more to come thanks your interesting words/word counts

        Liked by 2 people

  21. “I swear officer, I haven’t touched a drop.”

    He raised one eyebrow at me and then looked at the demijohn of homemade cider on the kitchen floor.

    “OK,” he sighed. “One more time. You’re telling me a baby-faced spaceman complete with acne landed in your lettuce patch in a wheelbarrow pulled by a husky?”

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I believe it 😂😂

      Liked by 2 people

  22. The trails near the village of Husky Woods were an out of bounds zone. Legends tell of a spaceship hovering over the trees with the arrival of the new moon. It comes looking for the acne faced spaceman, once left behind, and now seen wandering through the trees pushing a wheelbarrow filled with lettuce.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You’ve made this into a great little story.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. […] blog post mentioned the Esther Chilton challenge, so I took a look. Here was the very short story challenge from November […]

    Liked by 1 person

  24. […] for Esther’s “Can You Tell A Story In” –#315, exactly 54 words using these five promptwords: ‘husky’, ‘acne’, ‘spaceman’, […]

    Liked by 1 person

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