Elephant Gerald

What A Little Moonlight Will Do, Part III

It was the afternoon of the full moon party and the band was waiting for Billie Goat Holiday to start rehearsal.

“Can’t we just start without Billie?” said Buddy Ostrich feeling anxious about their big night.

“We can wait a few more minutes,” said Elephant Gerald.

“I told you Billie wasn’t coming,” said John Cole Crane.

“Now you boys hush up,” Miss Kitty scolded. “You have plenty of time to practice before tonight. Billie is gonna’ be here just like she said she would.”

“I don’t know about that…” said Django Rhinoceros.

Just then Billie walked through the door.

“Don’t know about what, Django?” Billie asked.

“Oh, I uh…don’t know about nothin’…” said Django, embarrassed.

“Well there you are, sunshine!” Miss Kitty said. “I was just saying to the boys that you would be here any minute.”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” said Billie. “Mama packed me a snack in case it gets close to dinner time when we’re done practicing.”

“So she’s going to let you stay until the show tonight?” Elephant Gerald said.

“Well, I told her about the show, but I said I’d be home right after practice so she wouldn’t worry about me walking home in the dark.”

“Well here we go…” said John rolling his eyes.

Miss Kitty scolded John with just the look in her eyes, and he immediately felt bad. “Billie,” she said, “I’ll listen to your beautiful singing for as long as you can stay. It’s all about hanging out together and having fun, right?”

“Yes ma’am,” said Billie, thankful for Miss Kitty’s kindness.

“Great,” said Gerald. “Let’s play!”

Miss Kitty gave the kids papaya-banana shakes and hay biscuits on their breaks as the afternoon waned into the evening hours. The krewe was having so much fun playing that no one noticed the sun had slipped under its cover of trees for the night and the full moon was already rising. A few animals were coming in and sitting at tables.

“We better end here,” said Gerald. “Some people are coming in mighty early.”

Django looked out the window, surprised to see how dark it was getting. He walked over to Miss Kitty and whispered, “Uh, Miss Kitty? Is it really almost dark out? Should we get Billie home?”

“Why look at that! My how time has flown,” Miss Kitty replied. “Now I don’t think we need to worry about Billie. Here’s her mama coming in right now!”

Walking through the door was Billie’s mama and Gerald’s mama, Miss Ella, wearing their Sunday best dresses.

“Mama, what are you doing here?” asked Billie.

“Well, baby, I wondered why you hadn’t come home yet, so I thought you changed your mind. I came to hear you sing at the full moon party!”

“It isn’t even dark yet, Mama, so why would you think I’d stay?”

“Really? You better look outside, sugar.”

Billie took her first look outside since she arrived and all she could see was blackness.

“Oh no, baaa-aaaaa when did it get d-d-dark?” replied Billie.

“Child, it looks like you’ve been having too much fun to notice,” said her mother. “And from what I just heard, your voice sounds like an angel from above. Now that would be a crying shame for your audience not to hear.”

“Well how we supposed to get home in the dark with all those g-g-ghosts and g-g-ghouls out there?”

“Billie, you’ve got the moon to light your way tonight,” said Gerald.

“Yeah,” said Django. “Step outside the door for a minute and see.”

“You s-s-s-sure there’s nothin’ sitting on that porch? Or comin’ out of the s-s-s-swamp right now?”

“With all these people starting to come in?” asked her mother. “There’s too much commotion ‘round here.”

“C’mon,” said John. “Let’s just see if the moon is up yet!”

Billie grabbed her mother’s hoof tightly as they all walked out onto the porch. Over the river, the big, glowing moon had risen as if it were a giant peach. An owl sailed by just over the river and bats were circling around each other to catch their share of bugs swarming in the trees. The reflection on the slow moving river looked like a liquid moon dancing to the sounds of the singing birds. Billie had never seen anything so peaceful and beautiful.

“Now isn’t that a fabulous sight?” said her mama.

“It’s magic, mama!” Billie replied.

“Let’s walk to the water, Billie,” said Gerald. “You’ll see there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Together Billie walked down to the water with Gerald, Django, Buddy, and John.

“I guess you have to see it to believe it,” said Buddy.

“I don’t see no goblins coming out of the woods,” said Billie.

“No goblins,” said Django.

“And no witch doctors comin’ by boats in the middle of the night?”

“No witch doctors,” said Gerald.

“I don’t care! I’m going home ‘fore a ghost carries me away!” Billie said pouting.

“Ugh!” said John, rolling his eyes and slapping a wing to his forehead.

“Awwww, I’m just foolin’ ya!” said Billie. “Let’s go have us a full moon party!”

Everyone cheered, and she turned red when Gerald gave her a big hug.

By the end of their second set, every table in Miss Kitty’s Playce was full and cheering. The krewe had never played better, and Elephant Gerald was so proud of his band.

“Now for our last song,” Gerald said. “Billie Goat Holiday is going to sing a special tune about the moon. We are sure glad she is here to sing it! Ready Billie?”

“Ready, Gerald!” she said with a wink. “This is called ‘What a Little Moonlight Will Do.’”

And the band started playing…

Ooh, ooh, ooh
What a little moonlight can do
Ooh, ooh, ooh
What a little moonlight can do to you
It’s getting dark
Your hearts flutterin’, the sun’s goin’ down
You’re thinking the ghouls are comin’ to town
But just then the moon comes rising up
And beams at you
Ooh, ooh, ooh
What a little moonlight can do
Wait a while
Till a little moonbeam comes peepin' through
Smilin’ at you
And you’re not afraid
All you'll say
There’s magic in that moon

Ooh, ooh, ooh

Wait a while
Till a little moonbeam comes peepin' through
Smilin’ at you
And you’re not afraid
All you'll say
There’s magic in that moon

Ooh, ooh, ooh

What a little moonlight can do
Ooh, ooh, ooh

The audience cheered, and Billie turned bright red, but so proud of herself.

Gerald whispered in her ear, “Think you will be okay walking home after the show with your mama?”

“With that big bright moon walking with us?” Billie said smiling. “It will scare any ol’ ghoul away. We’ll be just fine, Gerald!”

“Thatta’ girl Billie!” Gerald said and tooted his horn in a long, high note to end the night.

THE END

*Inspired by the Billie Holiday song written by Harry Woods and recorded first in 1935 with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra, Billie Holiday made "What a Little Moonlight Will Do" famous and recorded it many times throughout her life. We took a little liberty in changing the lyrics to fit the story. Hope ya'll can join us for the Elephant Gerald Adventure, coming soon!