Sits & Giggles
Sits & Giggles
Olga the Operatic Ostrich
Alison Westwood - the queen of rhyme - is back again with a fun poem about an opera singing ostrich in Russia, and what happened to her talents during the Russian Revolution.
Age range: 5-11
This poem shows what can happen if you don't give up when a little difficulty comes your way.
Date: 29 December 2021
Episode: Season 1, episode 12, Olga the Operatic Ostrich
Kiki 00:00:00
Hi and welcome back to Sits & Giggles. First things first - I’m sure you want the answer to the riddle from Sunday. Hope you guessed right! The answer is Sam. Because it’s Sam’s mother who has 3 kids.
Kiki 00:00:19
And here comes today’s riddle:
“What has to be broken before you can use it?”
I’ll reveal the answer to the riddle on Sunday, so make sure you listen to Sunday’s episode.
Kiki 00:00:33
For today’s story, we have another fun story from the queen of poetry, Alison Westwood. It’s called Olga the Operatic Ostrich.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to giggle.
Introduction music
Kiki 00:00:57
Olga the Operatic Ostrich was the darling of a nation -
her every exhalation was an inspiration.
At the Hermitage and Bolshoi, she sang Glinka for the Tsar.
In fact, it's fair to say that she was Russia's greatest star.
When came the revolution, 'twas Olga's dreadful fate:
to be packed off to the Gulag in a filthy wooden crate.
Woe for poor old Olga! Ostriches don't like snow,
and you know, in Siberia, how frosty it can go.
In vain she tried to warm herself with arias and scales,
but all the notes were blown away in freezing winter gales.
"This is no good," thought Olga, "I do not want to die.
Since opera cannot thaw me out, then ballet I shall try!"
So out there on the chilly Steppes, Olga learned to dance.
It warmed the hearts of Bolsheviks to see her twirl and prance.
Eventually old Lenin heard about this ballerina bird,
and though he thought it quite absurd,
he ordered that she be transferred
to Moscow, where the record shows she was received with wild bravos.
So, thanks to keeping on her toes,
Olga thrived and never froze.
Kiki 00:02:26
I hope you enjoyed that piece of nonsense poetry. Alison’s stories always make me laugh. I’ll see you Sunday. Until then, try to figure out the answer to the riddle. Press the subscribe button so you don’t miss Sunday’s episode. Bye.