Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog
by Carl Sandburg · from Rootabaga Stories
Adapted Version
Moon looked like a big red ball. It had a green edge. Black seeds were on the red. People called it a Watermelon Moon. Magic could happen then.
Lizzie Lazarus came to The Blind Man. Poker Face the Baboon was with her. Hot Dog the Tiger was with her. They wore sleep clothes. "They are lucky friends," she said. "They bring good luck."
Next morning, The Blind Man sat. He played his music box. Poker Face sat on his right. Hot Dog sat on his left. They were very still. They looked like toys.
Mr. Whimble came in a big car. He was a rich man. He saw Poker Face. Poker Face's eyes looked far away. He saw Hot Dog. Hot Dog's eyes looked hungry.
Mr. Whimble read a sign. The Blind Man made the sign. It said, "You see them. I feel them." Then Mr. Whimble left.
Soon, a man came. He wore blue clothes. He had a big cart. The cart was full of shiny coins.
The Blind Man had two bowls. The man put coins in them. He used a shovel. The bowls got very full.
That night, The Blind Man had much money. He could not carry it all. He asked Pick Ups for help. "Please take the lucky friends," he said.
"Yes," Pick Ups said. He took the friends home. He tied a pink string. He put them in the woodshed. A woodshed is a small house. It holds wood.
Poker Face went to sleep. Hot Dog went to sleep too. They slept on the coal. They looked like toys. They were very still.
In the morning, the woodshed was empty. The friends were gone! Pick Ups found a pink note. The note was on the ground. It smelled very sweet.
The friends wrote the note. It was their own writing. The note said a message. "Lucky friends do not stay long."
The Blind Man was happy with his money. He had money for many years. People in the town looked up. They looked for the special moon. They hoped for more magic.
Original Story
Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog
the Tiger
When the moon has a green rim with red meat inside and black seeds on the red meat, then in the Rootabaga Country they call it a Watermelon Moon and look for anything to happen.
It was a night when a Watermelon Moon was shining. Lizzie Lazarus came to the upstairs room of the Potato Face Blind Man. Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog the Tiger were with her. She was leading them with a pink string.
“You see they are wearing pajamas,” she said. “They sleep with you to-night and to-morrow they go to work with you like mascots.”
“How like mascots?” asked the Potato Face Blind Man.
“They are luck bringers. They keep your good luck if it is good. They change your bad luck if it is bad.”
“I hear you and my ears get your explanations.”
So the next morning when the Potato Face Blind Man sat down to play his accordion on the corner nearest the postoffice in the Village of Liver-and-Onions, next to him on the right hand side sitting on the sidewalk was Poker Face the Baboon and on the left hand side sitting next to him was Hot Dog the Tiger.
They looked like dummies—they were so quiet. They looked as if they were made of wood and paper and then painted. In the eyes of Poker Face was something faraway. In the eyes of Hot Dog was something hungry. Whitson Whimble, the patent clothes wringer manufacturer, came by in his big limousine automobile car without horses to pull it. He was sitting back on the leather upholstered seat cushions.
“Stop here,” he commanded the chauffeur driving the car.
Then Whitson Whimble sat looking. First he looked into the eyes of Poker Face the Baboon and saw something faraway. Then he looked into the eyes of Hot Dog the Tiger and saw something hungry. Then he read the sign painted by the Potato Face Blind Man saying, “You look at ’em and see ’em; I look at ’em and I don’t. You watch what their eyes say; I can only feel their hair.” Then Whitson Whimble commanded the chauffeur driving the car, “Go on.”
Fifteen minutes later a man in overalls came down Main Street with a wheelbarrow. He stopped in front of the Potato Face Blind Man, Poker Face the Baboon, and Hot Dog the Tiger.
“Where is the aluminum dishpan?” he asked.
“On my left side on the sidewalk,” answered the Potato Face Blind Man.
“Where is the galvanized iron washtub?”
“On my right side on the sidewalk.”
Then the man in overalls took a shovel and began shoveling silver dollars out of the wheelbarrow into the aluminum dishpan and the galvanized iron washtub. He shoveled out of the wheelbarrow till the dishpan was full, till the washtub was full. Then he put the shovel into the wheelbarrow and went up Main Street.
Six o’clock that night Pick Ups came along. The Potato Face Blind Man said to him, “I have to carry home a heavy load of money to-night, an aluminum dishpan full of silver dollars and a galvanized iron washtub full of silver dollars. So I ask you, will you take care of Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog the Tiger?”
“Yes,” said Pick Ups, “I will.” And he did. He tied a pink string to their legs and took them home and put them in the woodshed.
Poker Face the Baboon went to sleep on the soft coal at the north end of the woodshed and when he was asleep his face had something faraway in it and he was so quiet he looked like a dummy with brown hair of the jungle painted on his black skin and a black nose painted on his brown face. Hot Dog the Tiger went to sleep on the hard coal at the south end of the woodshed and when he was asleep his eyelashes had something hungry in them and he looked like a painted dummy with black stripes painted over his yellow belly and a black spot painted away at the end of his long yellow tail.
In the morning the woodshed was empty. Pick Ups told the Potato Face Blind Man, “They left a note in their own handwriting on perfumed pink paper. It said, ‘Mascots never stay long.’”
And that is why for many years the Potato Face Blind Man had silver dollars to spend—and that is why many people in the Rootabaga Country keep their eyes open for a Watermelon Moon in the sky with a green rim and red meat inside and black seeds making spots on the red meat.
Story DNA
Plot Summary
On a night of the 'Watermelon Moon,' Lizzie Lazarus brings Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog the Tiger to the Potato Face Blind Man as luck-bringing mascots. The next day, as the Blind Man plays his accordion, the quiet, dummy-like animals sit beside him. A wealthy man observes their mysterious eyes, and shortly after, a man in overalls shovels a massive amount of silver dollars into the Blind Man's collection pans. That evening, the Blind Man asks Pick Ups to care for the animals. The next morning, the animals are gone, leaving a note stating, 'Mascots never stay long.' The Blind Man enjoys his newfound wealth, and people continue to watch for the Watermelon Moon.
Themes
Emotional Arc
curiosity to wonder to surprise
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories were created as an American response to European fairy tales, often featuring whimsical, nonsensical elements and Americanized settings and characters.
Plot Beats (13)
- The story opens with the description of a 'Watermelon Moon' in Rootabaga Country, a sign that anything can happen.
- Lizzie Lazarus brings Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog the Tiger, wearing pajamas, to the Potato Face Blind Man, explaining they are mascots for luck.
- The next morning, the Potato Face Blind Man sits on his corner with Poker Face on his right and Hot Dog on his left, both animals appearing quiet and dummy-like.
- Whitson Whimble, a rich manufacturer, stops his limousine to observe the animals, noticing the 'faraway' look in Poker Face's eyes and the 'hungry' look in Hot Dog's.
- Whimble reads the Blind Man's sign about seeing versus feeling the animals, then drives away.
- Fifteen minutes later, a man in overalls arrives with a wheelbarrow full of silver dollars.
- The man shovels all the silver dollars into the Blind Man's aluminum dishpan and galvanized iron washtub until both are full.
- That evening, the Potato Face Blind Man asks Pick Ups to take care of the mascots because he has too much money to carry.
- Pick Ups takes Poker Face and Hot Dog home, ties them with a pink string, and puts them in the woodshed.
- The animals go to sleep, Poker Face on soft coal and Hot Dog on hard coal, still appearing dummy-like.
- In the morning, the woodshed is empty, and Pick Ups finds a perfumed pink note from the animals.
- The note, in their own handwriting, reads, 'Mascots never stay long.'
- The Potato Face Blind Man has silver dollars for many years, and people in Rootabaga Country continue to look for a Watermelon Moon.
Characters
Poker Face the Baboon ◆ supporting
A medium-sized baboon with a sturdy build, covered in brown jungle-like hair. His skin, particularly on his face, is black. He is described as looking like a dummy, very quiet and still.
Attire: Pink and white striped pajamas, worn for sleeping.
Wants: To fulfill his role as a luck-bringing mascot, but ultimately to maintain his freedom and move on.
Flaw: His transient nature; he cannot be kept for long.
Introduced as a mascot, he fulfills his role by bringing wealth to the Blind Man, then departs, reinforcing the idea that 'mascots never stay long'.
Quiet, observant (implied by the 'faraway' look), mysterious, a bringer of luck (as a mascot), independent.
Image Prompt & Upload
A medium-sized baboon with a sturdy build, covered in brown jungle-like hair. His face is brown with a distinct black nose, and his skin is black. He wears pink and white striped pajamas. He sits very still, facing forward, with a quiet, observant expression and a 'faraway' look in his eyes. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Hot Dog the Tiger ◆ supporting
A large tiger with a yellow belly and black stripes. He is described as looking like a dummy, very quiet and still.
Attire: Pink and white striped pajamas, worn for sleeping.
Wants: To fulfill his role as a luck-bringing mascot, but ultimately to maintain his freedom and move on.
Flaw: His transient nature; he cannot be kept for long.
Introduced as a mascot, he fulfills his role by bringing wealth to the Blind Man, then departs, reinforcing the idea that 'mascots never stay long'.
Quiet, hungry (implied by his eyes), mysterious, a bringer of luck (as a mascot), independent.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large tiger with a yellow belly and black stripes over his body. His long yellow tail has a black spot at the end. He wears pink and white striped pajamas. He sits very still, facing forward, with a quiet, observant expression and a 'hungry' look in his eyes. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Potato Face Blind Man ★ protagonist
A blind man, likely of average height and build, whose face is described as 'potato face', suggesting a somewhat plain or perhaps weathered appearance. His exact ethnicity is not specified but given the American folk tale context, he is likely of European descent.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but as a street musician, he would likely wear practical, modest clothing suitable for his profession and the era (early 20th century American folk tale). Perhaps a simple button-up shirt, trousers, and a cap.
Wants: To earn a living playing his accordion, to understand the world around him, and to experience good luck.
Flaw: His blindness, which makes him reliant on others for visual information and physical assistance.
He begins as a struggling street musician and, through the mascots, experiences a sudden windfall of wealth, changing his financial circumstances significantly.
Accepting, trusting, practical, observant (despite blindness, he 'hears' and 'feels'), appreciative of good fortune.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged blind man of European descent, with a somewhat round, plain 'potato face' and closed or unfocused eyes. He has short, practical brown hair. He wears a simple grey button-up shirt, dark trousers, and a worn brown cap. He sits on a stool, holding an accordion, with a sign next to him. His posture is slightly hunched over the accordion, but his expression is calm and listening. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Lizzie Lazarus ○ minor
Not explicitly described, but as someone who brings exotic animals in pajamas, she likely has a distinctive or eccentric appearance. Given the Rootabaga Country setting, she is likely of European descent.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but she is confident and familiar with the Potato Face Blind Man, suggesting a practical yet perhaps slightly whimsical style. She might wear a simple dress or skirt and blouse, but with a touch of color or pattern.
Wants: To provide the Potato Face Blind Man with good luck through the mascots.
Flaw: Not explored in the story.
She initiates the plot by bringing the mascots, but her role is brief and she does not undergo a personal arc.
Eccentric, confident, knowledgeable about mascots and luck, direct.
Image Prompt & Upload
A confident adult woman of European descent, with a friendly, slightly whimsical expression. She has medium-length brown hair tied back simply. She wears a practical, ankle-length blue linen dress with a small floral pattern, and sturdy brown leather shoes. She holds a pink string in her hand, as if leading something. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Whitson Whimble ○ minor
A wealthy patent clothes wringer manufacturer, implying a well-fed, perhaps slightly portly build. Likely of European descent, fitting the early 20th century American industrialist archetype.
Attire: Implied to be wealthy and successful, so he would wear a formal, expensive suit of the era (early 20th century). Perhaps a dark wool suit, a starched white shirt, and a tie, possibly with a waistcoat.
Wants: To observe the unusual sight of the Potato Face Blind Man with his mascots.
Flaw: Not explored in the story.
He observes the scene but does not undergo any personal change.
Curious, observant, commanding, wealthy, perhaps a bit aloof.
Image Prompt & Upload
A portly adult man of European descent, with a stern, observant expression. He has short, neatly combed dark hair. He wears a dark grey wool three-piece suit, a starched white shirt, and a dark silk tie. He is depicted sitting, leaning back slightly, with an air of quiet authority. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Man in Overalls ○ minor
A working-class man, likely of average build, dressed in practical work attire. Given the context, he is likely of European descent.
Attire: Blue denim overalls, a common work garment for laborers in early 20th century America. He might wear a simple work shirt underneath.
Wants: To deliver the silver dollars as instructed, possibly by the mascots' influence.
Flaw: Not explored in the story.
He appears, delivers the money, and departs, serving as a catalyst for the Potato Face Blind Man's change in fortune.
Direct, efficient, task-oriented, fulfills his mysterious duty without question.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult working-class man of European descent, with a plain, unadorned face and short brown hair. He wears blue denim overalls over a simple white work shirt. He stands, facing forward, holding a shovel in one hand and pushing a wheelbarrow full of silver coins with the other. His expression is focused and purposeful. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Pick Ups ○ minor
Not explicitly described, but as someone who is asked to 'pick up' and care for the mascots, he is likely a reliable and perhaps physically capable individual. Given the setting, he is likely of European descent.
Attire: Not described, but as a helper, he would likely wear practical, everyday clothing suitable for the era and his role. Perhaps a simple shirt and trousers.
Wants: To assist the Potato Face Blind Man by caring for the mascots.
Flaw: Not explored in the story.
He briefly takes care of the mascots, facilitating their departure, but does not undergo a personal arc.
Helpful, agreeable, reliable, uncomplaining.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult man of European descent, with a friendly, helpful expression. He has short, neat brown hair. He wears a simple light blue button-up shirt and dark brown trousers. He stands, facing forward, holding a pink string in his hands. His posture is relaxed and agreeable. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Upstairs Room of the Potato Face Blind Man
An upstairs room, likely simple and functional, where Lizzie Lazarus brings the animals. The specific architectural style is not detailed, but given the 'Rootabaga Country' setting, it would be a whimsical, slightly rustic American folk style.
Mood: Quiet, anticipatory, slightly mysterious due to the unusual visitors and the 'Watermelon Moon'.
The baboon and tiger are introduced to the blind man and designated as mascots for the night.
Image Prompt & Upload
A cozy, slightly cluttered upstairs room in a whimsical, folk-art inspired American house. Moonlight streams through a simple window, casting soft shadows on wooden floorboards. A worn, comfortable armchair sits beside a small, round table. The walls are painted a muted, warm color, and a few simple, hand-carved wooden objects are visible on a shelf. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Corner Nearest the Post Office, Village of Liver-and-Onions
A bustling street corner in the whimsical 'Village of Liver-and-Onions'. The Potato Face Blind Man sits on the sidewalk, playing his accordion, with Poker Face the Baboon and Hot Dog the Tiger beside him, looking like painted dummies. A sign is displayed, and a limousine passes by.
Mood: Lively, curious, slightly surreal due to the presence of the animals and the unusual events unfolding.
The mascots bring immense luck, resulting in a wheelbarrow full of silver dollars being shoveled into containers.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vibrant, slightly exaggerated street corner in a whimsical American village. Cobblestone sidewalks are lined with quaint, colorful brick buildings with large display windows. A red brick post office with a classic American flag flies proudly. Morning sunlight casts long shadows from a few well-maintained street lamps. The air is clear and bright, with a sense of bustling activity. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Woodshed
A simple woodshed, likely rustic and functional, with piles of soft coal at one end and hard coal at the other. It serves as a temporary sleeping place for the baboon and tiger.
Mood: Quiet, dark, functional, with a sense of temporary lodging. Becomes mysterious after the animals disappear.
Poker Face and Hot Dog spend the night here and then mysteriously disappear, leaving a note.
Image Prompt & Upload
A rustic, timber-framed woodshed interior, dimly lit by moonlight filtering through gaps in the wooden planks. Piles of rough-hewn logs and stacks of split firewood are visible. The floor is packed earth, and a faint dust motes dance in the sparse light. At one end, a mound of dark, soft coal, and at the other, a pile of shiny, hard coal. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
