How Gimme the Ax Found Out About
by Carl Sandburg · from Rootabaga Stories
Adapted Version
In a happy town lived Gimme the Ax. He loved to wonder about all things! Gimme the Ax woke up. He thought, "What will happen today? Maybe a funny thing. Maybe a new thing. I will look around." He felt happy inside.
Gimme the Ax went to his garden. He saw many bright flowers. One poppy was very special. It was a necktie poppy. He picked it. He put it on. He walked downtown. He went to the post office.
Downtown, Gimme the Ax saw a man. It was The Potato Face Blind Man. He played his squeeze box. The music was happy. He played for all. Gimme the Ax walked to him. He asked a big question. "Why do the train tracks go zigzag? Why are they not straight?"
The Blind Man began his story. "Long ago," he said, "the tracks were straight. Very straight. They went straight, straight, straight. No zigzags then. They were all straight and long."
"Then the zizzies came," he said. "The zizzies are tiny bugs. They love zigzags. They have zigzag legs. They have zigzag teeth. They came in millions. They jumped on the tracks. They twisted the tracks. They made them zigzag. All the tracks went zigzag."
"Next day, men came to work. Diggers came. Track men came. They had big shovels. They had big plans. They worked very hard. They wanted the tracks straight. They made the tracks straight again. All the tracks were straight."
"But the zizzies saw this. They opened their zigzag eyes. They did not eat breakfast. They jumped from their beds. They ran to the tracks. They twisted the tracks. They twisted and twisted. The tracks went zigzag again. All the tracks were zigzag."
"The zizzies finished their work. They felt very happy. They said, 'This is good!' Then they ate. They ate their breakfast. They were happy with the zigzags. They made the tracks zigzag."
Gimme the Ax smiled. He said, "So the zizzies did it! They made the tracks zigzag. This is a good story. I know now. The zizzies love zigzags."
The Blind Man nodded. "Yes, the zizzies," he said. "Two zizzies told me. They slept in my squeeze box. It was a cold night. The music kept them warm. They told me this story. It was a zigzag story."
That is why tracks go zigzag. What a fun secret!
Original Story
How Gimme the Ax Found Out About
the Zigzag Railroad and Who Made
It Zigzag
One day Gimme the Ax said to himself, “Today I go to the postoffice and around, looking around. Maybe I will hear about something happening last night when I was sleeping. Maybe a policeman began laughing and fell in a cistern and came out with a wheelbarrow full of goldfish wearing new jewelry. How do I know? Maybe the man in the moon going down a cellar stairs to get a pitcher of butter-milk for the woman in the moon to drink and stop crying, maybe he fell down the stairs and broke the pitcher and laughed and picked up the broken pieces and said to himself, ‘One, two, three, four, accidents happen in the best regulated families.’ How do I know?”
So with his mind full of simple and refreshing thoughts, Gimme the Ax went out into the backyard garden and looked at the different necktie poppies growing early in the summer. Then he picked one of the necktie poppies to wear for a necktie scarf going downtown to the postoffice and around looking around.
“It is a good speculation to look nice around looking around in a necktie scarf,” said Gimme the Ax. “It is a necktie with a picture like whiteface pony spots on a green frog swimming in the moonshine.”
So he went downtown. For the first time he saw the Potato Face Blind Man playing an accordion on the corner next nearest the postoffice. He asked the Potato Face to tell him why the railroad tracks run zigzag in the Rootabaga Country.
“Long ago,” said the Potato Face Blind Man, “long before the necktie poppies began growing in the backyard, long before there was a necktie scarf like yours with whiteface pony spots on a green frog swimming in the moonshine, back in the old days when they laid the rails for the railroad they laid the rails straight.”
“Then the zizzies came. The zizzy is a bug. He runs zigzag on zigzag legs, eats zigzag with zigzag teeth, and spits zigzag with a zigzag tongue.
“Millions of zizzies came hizzing with little hizzers on their heads and under their legs. They jumped on the rails with their zigzag legs, and spit and twisted with their zigzag teeth and tongues till they twisted the whole railroad and all the rails and tracks into a zigzag railroad with zigzag rails for the trains, the passenger trains and the freight trains, all to run zigzag on.
“Then the zizzies crept away into the fields where they sleep and cover themselves with zigzag blankets on special zigzag beds.
“Next day came shovelmen with their shovels, smooth engineers with smooth blue prints, and water boys with water pails and water dippers for the shovelmen to drink after shoveling the railroad straight. And I nearly forgot to say the steam and hoist operating engineers came and began their steam hoist and operating to make the railroad straight.
“They worked hard. They made the railroad straight again. They looked at the job and said to themselves and to each other, ‘This is it—we done it.’
“Next morning the zizzies opened their zigzag eyes and looked over to the railroad and the rails. When they saw the railroad all straight again, and the rails and the ties and the spikes all straight again, the zizzies didn’t even eat breakfast that morning.
“They jumped out of their zigzag beds, jumped onto the rails with their zigzag legs and spit and twisted till they spit and twisted all the rails and the ties and the spikes back into a zigzag like the letter Z and the letter Z at the end of the alphabet.
“After that the zizzies went to breakfast. And they said to themselves and to each other, the same as the shovelmen, the smooth engineers and the steam hoist and operating engineers, ‘This is it—we done it.’”
“So that is the how of the which—it was the zizzies,” said Gimme the Ax.
“Yes, it was the zizzies,” said the Potato Face Blind Man. “That is the story told to me.”
“Who told it to you?”
“Two little zizzies. They came to me one cold winter night and slept in my accordion where the music keeps it warm in winter. In the morning I said, ‘Good morning, zizzies, did you have a good sleep last night and pleasant dreams?’ And after they had breakfast they told me the story. Both told it zigzag but it was the same kind of zigzag each had together.”
3. Three Stories About the Gold Buckskin Whincher
Story DNA
Plot Summary
Gimme the Ax, a man with a mind full of whimsical thoughts, goes downtown wearing a unique necktie poppy. He encounters the Potato Face Blind Man and asks why the Rootabaga Country railroad tracks run zigzag. The Blind Man explains that zizzies, tiny bugs with zigzag everything, repeatedly twisted the originally straight tracks into zigzags, despite engineers' efforts to straighten them. The story concludes with the Blind Man revealing that two zizzies, who slept in his accordion, personally told him their tale.
Themes
Emotional Arc
curiosity to satisfaction
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories were created as an American answer to European fairy tales, often featuring whimsical, nonsensical elements and Americanized settings and characters.
Plot Beats (10)
- Gimme the Ax wakes up with a curious mind, wondering about the day's potential absurdities.
- He picks a unique necktie poppy to wear and heads downtown to the post office.
- He sees the Potato Face Blind Man playing an accordion and asks him why the railroad tracks are zigzag.
- The Potato Face Blind Man explains that long ago, the tracks were laid straight.
- Millions of zigzag-loving zizzy bugs arrived and twisted all the straight tracks into zigzags.
- Shovelmen and engineers worked diligently to straighten the railroad tracks once more.
- The zizzies, upon seeing the straightened tracks, immediately jumped out of bed and twisted them back into zigzags.
- The zizzies then went to breakfast, satisfied with their work, just as the engineers had been.
- Gimme the Ax acknowledges the zizzies as the cause of the zigzag railroad.
- The Potato Face Blind Man reveals that two zizzies, who slept in his accordion, told him the story.
Characters
Gimme the Ax ★ protagonist
Average height and build, with a generally pleasant and curious demeanor. His features are not explicitly described, allowing for a Everyman interpretation, but he carries himself with a casual, unhurried air.
Attire: Simple, functional clothing typical of a common man in the early 20th century American Midwest. His most distinctive item is a necktie scarf made from a 'necktie poppy' with a pattern like 'whiteface pony spots on a green frog swimming in the moonshine.' This suggests a whimsical, slightly eccentric personal style.
Wants: To understand the world around him, to find out 'about something happening' and to satisfy his curiosity about everyday mysteries.
Flaw: Perhaps a touch naive or overly accepting of fantastical explanations, as he readily believes the story of the zizzies.
He begins the story with a general curiosity about the world and ends it having found a specific, albeit fantastical, answer to a question about the zigzag railroad, satisfying his initial quest for knowledge.
Curious, whimsical, philosophical, observant, imaginative. He enjoys pondering the unusual and finding simple explanations for complex things.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult man of average height and build, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a simple, kind face with a thoughtful expression. He wears plain, practical early 20th-century American Midwest clothing, possibly a simple collared shirt and trousers. Around his neck is a distinctive necktie scarf made from a large, vibrant poppy with a pattern resembling whiteface pony spots on a green frog swimming in moonshine. His posture is relaxed and observant. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Potato Face Blind Man ◆ supporting
An elderly man, likely with a weathered appearance from years spent outdoors. His most distinguishing feature is his 'potato face,' implying a rough, perhaps lumpy or scarred complexion, and his blindness.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing typical of a street musician or beggar from the early 20th century American Midwest. Practical and durable, possibly patched or faded, suitable for someone who spends their days on a street corner.
Wants: To share the stories he knows, to make music, and to exist peacefully on his street corner.
Flaw: His blindness is a physical vulnerability, though it does not hinder his storytelling or wisdom.
He serves as a static character, a fount of wisdom and stories, whose role is to inform and enlighten the protagonist.
Wise, patient, a storyteller, calm, accepting of the fantastical. He is a keeper of local lore and legends.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly blind man, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a weathered, 'potato-like' face with closed or clouded eyes, and a calm, knowing expression. His hair is sparse and gray. He wears simple, worn early 20th-century American Midwest clothing, possibly a dark, patched jacket and trousers. He holds an accordion, its bellows slightly extended, resting on his lap or against his chest. His posture is seated and slightly hunched. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Zizzies ○ minor
Small, bug-like creatures with a distinctive zigzag form. They have 'zigzag legs,' 'zigzag teeth,' and a 'zigzag tongue.' They are described as having 'little hizzers on their heads and under their legs.' They are numerous, appearing in 'millions.'
Attire: None, as they are insects. They cover themselves with 'zigzag blankets' on 'special zigzag beds' when sleeping, implying a whimsical, anthropomorphic touch to their habits.
Wants: To make everything zigzag, particularly the railroad, which they seem to view as their personal project.
Flaw: Their singular focus on zigzagging makes them predictable in their actions.
They are static characters, consistently acting as the force that makes the railroad zigzag, representing a natural, chaotic element in the Rootabaga world.
Mischievous, persistent, determined, playful, and somewhat territorial over their zigzag creation. They are easily annoyed by straightness.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, insect-like creature, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. It has a body composed entirely of sharp, angular zigzag patterns. It possesses multiple zigzag legs, a mouth with prominent zigzag teeth, and a zigzag tongue. Its eyes are also zigzag-shaped. Small, fuzzy 'hizzers' protrude from its head and under its legs. Its overall color is a vibrant, iridescent green, with hints of purple on its hizzers. It stands in a dynamic, ready-to-jump zigzag pose. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Gimme the Ax's Backyard Garden
A garden where 'necktie poppies' grow early in the summer. The poppies are described as having 'whiteface pony spots on a green frog swimming in the moonshine' patterns.
Mood: whimsical, peaceful, domestic
Gimme the Ax prepares for his day, selecting a poppy for a necktie scarf.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vibrant early summer backyard garden, with fantastical 'necktie poppies' in full bloom, their petals displaying whimsical patterns of white pony spots on green. Soft morning sunlight filters through unseen trees, casting dappled light on the rich, dark soil. A narrow, well-trodden dirt path winds through the colorful flowerbeds. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Downtown Street Corner near the Post Office
A bustling street corner, the 'next nearest' to the post office, where the Potato Face Blind Man plays his accordion.
Mood: lively, curious, public
Gimme the Ax encounters the Potato Face Blind Man and learns the story of the Zigzag Railroad.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sunlit, bustling street corner in a whimsical American town from the early 20th century. The ground is paved with worn, irregular cobblestones, and a sturdy, ornate cast-iron street lamp stands at the corner. In the background, the subtle suggestion of a brick post office building can be seen. The air is bright and clear, with soft shadows indicating a morning sun. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Zigzag Railroad Tracks
Railroad tracks that are repeatedly twisted into a zigzag pattern by 'zizzies', described as being like the letter Z. The surrounding area includes fields where the zizzies sleep.
Mood: mysterious, whimsical, industrious (when being straightened)
The central setting for the Potato Face Blind Man's story about the zizzies and their effect on the railroad.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, open landscape under a wide, clear sky, dominated by an impossibly zigzagging railroad track stretching into the distance. The steel rails are sharply bent and twisted, laid on weathered wooden ties with glinting metal spikes. On either side, expansive fields of tall, wild grasses and wildflowers sway gently in an unseen breeze. The light is bright and even, suggesting a clear day. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
