Belacour is a clown.
Belacour’s father was a clown.
His grandfather was a clown.
His great grandfather was a clown.
Just like his father, his grandfather, and his great grandfather, he has fluffy orange hair, a big red nose, big floppy yellow shoes, and big baggy purple polka dot pants. Belacour is just like his father, his grandfather, and his great grandfather except for one thing:
Belacour is afraid of children.
Belacour hides behind potted plants. He hides behind trees. He hides under the table. Whenever he sees a child, he hides. What’s a clown to do?
It started when he went to a birthday party for Little Albert. Belacour had just graduated from clown school. It was his first time to be a clown all on his own. He wanted to be the best clown ever.
“I have a big surprise for all of you,” said Mrs. Smith, Little Albert’s mother.
All the children gathered round.
“Ta Da!”
Belacour jumps out from behind a door.
“Hello, boys and girls! Nyuk nyuk nyuk.”
Little Albert screamed. “AHHHHHHHHHHHH.”
Belacour screamed. “AHHHHHHHHHHH.”
Little Albert ran out the front door and down the street. Mother ran lickety split after him.
Belacour ran out the backdoor and down the street the other way. No one ran lickety split after him.
Little Albert ran around the corner with his mother running lickety split behind him. Belacour ran around the other corner, no one ran lickety split after him.
There was a tall hedge on the corner. Little Albert rounded the corner. Belacour rounded the corner from the other direction. They ran smack dab into each other.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH,” they cried.
They turned and ran the other way. Little Albert ran smack into his mother. She took his hand. Little Albert went sadly home.
Belacour went home with his head hanging.
“How can I go to the circus or a birthday party when I’m afraid of clowns?” Little Albert asked his mother.
“You’ll just have to laugh. If you laugh and have fun, you won’t be afraid.” Little Alert’s chin quivered. “Okay. I’ll try.”
Belacour walked into his house with his head hanging. “How can I be a clown when I’m afraid of children?” Belacour asked Cheerio, his parakeet.
Cheerio said, “Hardy har har. Hardy har har.”
“You’re right, Cheerio. I just have to laugh. If I laugh and have fun, the children will laugh and have fun. They won’t be afraid of me and I won’t be afraid of them.”
So, Belacour decided that he would do that.
Soon he has a chance to try his plan.
“Well, Cheerio. I am going to a grand opening today. It is a big shiny new supermarket. I’ll make balloon animals for the children. Today I’ll laugh and have fun. Today I won’t be afraid.”
Belacour fluffs his fluffy red hair. He puts on his big floppy shoes. He gives his nose a honk.
“There.” Belacour turns to his parakeet. “Cheerio, how do I look?”
Cheerio says, “Hardy har har. Hardy har har.”
“Why, thank you Cheerio, you look quite spiffy today as well.” Belacour heads off to the supermarket to give out balloon animals and make the children laugh.
He waits behind the screen for the manager to cut the ribbon.
The manager says, “Welcome to the newest Souper Douper Super Market. We have a surprise for all of the kids. Ta da!”
Belacour jumps out from behind the screen. He holds his hands out and says, “Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!”
It just so happens that Little Albert is in the audience.
Little Albert screams, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.”
Belacour screams, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Little Albert runs through the supermarket doors, past the apples and past the frozen peas. His mother runs lickety split after him.
Belacour runs past the chicken soup and peanut butter. The manager runs lickety split after him.
Little Albert and Belacour meet in the bakery.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Belacour slides down the cake aisle and ends up sitting in a chocolate mousse cake. Little Albert slides down the pie aisle and ends up with a lemon meringue pie on his head. Little Albert’s mother steps into a banana cream pie and skates across the floor into the scones. The manager skids into the flying scones and ends up with blueberry scone on his nose.
They all go sadly home.
Belacour sighs. “Cheerio, I’m a failure. I have disappointed my father, my grandfather, and, my great grandfather. Afraid of children, what’s a clown to do?”
Cheerio says, “Hardy har har. Hardy har har.”
Belacour sighs, “No, Cheerio, it’s not going to be okay.” He mopes and mopes.
Little Albert is the only kid in his class who is afraid of clowns. What’s a kid to do? No circus. No birthday parties. No fairs. Little Albert mopes and mopes.
Belacour is sad. Little Albert is sad.
One day in the park Little Albert sees Belacour sitting on a bench under a sweeping weeping willow tree. Little Albert’s eyes are as big as saucers. Just as he is about to scream and run away, he sees a big tear run down Belacour’s cheek. He lets go of his mother’s hand and goes up to the sad clown.
Little Albert pats Belacour on the shoulder.
“There, there,” he says.
Belacour sniffs. He heaves a great big clown sigh. “Thank you,” he said. He looks up to see Little Albert. Belacour’s eyes are as big as saucers. Just as he opens his mouth to scream, he sees a tear run down Little Albert’s cheek.
Belacour pats Little Albert’s head. “There, there,” he said.
Little Albert sniffs.
Belacour sniffs.
Little Albert smiles.
Belacour smiles.
Little Albert giggles.
Belacour giggles.
And then, they both laugh.
Little Albert isn’t afraid of clowns anymore.
Belacour isn’t afraid of children any more.
Little Albert’s mother laughs.
“Little Albert! Belacour! I am so happy that you are friends. Now you can go to birthday parties. You can go to the circus. You can have lots of fun.”
“Come on,” she says to them, “let’s go to the mall for some ice cream. I have a wonderful surprise for both of you.”
So, Little Albert and Belacour cram into mother’s little car. Belacour’s big floppy shoes are so big they stick out of the window. It is chilly, but they are all so happy that they don’t notice.
Mother parks her car at the mall and they pile out. As they walk into the mall, they see the beautiful lights and decorations. Mother walks ahead. Little Albert and Belacour trail behind.
They are enchanted with the dazzling lights.
“Oooooo,” says Belacour.
“Ahhhhhh,” says Little Albert.
Mother calls over her shoulder, “Come on you two. Just around the corner here.”
Belacour and Little Albert skip around the corner.
They skid to a stop.
“Ho ho ho!” Says Santa.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Santa Claus!” cries Little Albert.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Santa Claus!” cries Belacour.
They hold hands as they run as fast as they can in the other direction. Little Albert’s mother sighs and hangs her head.
Santa sighs and hangs his head.