The tale of the perky li'l ghost

There once lived a perky li'l ghost

In the distant old town of Bumper Post.

Its arms were huge and lanky,

It appeared like a floating hanky!

It could pass through window sills,

It had no clear eyes and nostrils.

Its mischievous ways were known to all,

It even climbed over the dams and walls.

It preferred to call  itself their protector,

Much to the annoyance of the town's governor.

The ghost scared the villagers by pulling old tricks

It  took delight in their yells when he flew some bricks!

The villagers were perplexed

By the ghost's jaunty manner,

They longed to be liberated

But knew none who could the task shoulder.

Once arrived a masked lad

In a beautiful shiny armour,

He promised to free the land

Of the ghost's tiring torture.

He cast a magic defensive spell

Protecting the town from the lurking evil,

He waited patiently for the ghost to come

And play its silly tricks on the people.

The ghost did arrive when the clock struck one

But was taken aback to see no one!

Not a soul crawling on the ground,

Not a breath, not a sound.

The deafening silence being unbearable,

It descended to survey the town.

The lad appeared from nowhere,

And chained it in his charms,

The ghost tried to free its arms

And flee at the given chance.

But then, it heard the villagers guffaw

And jeer, calling the ghost a 'coward',

The sprite however shed a bucket full of tears

Speaking in a voice that echoed in one's ears:

"I am lonely, the reason why I scare,

But you're cruel, by Jove I swear!

Not a hair have I harmed during my stay

But you led by a stranger drive me away.

I was your protector all this while,

Now begone I am, here's my goodbye."

The sprite swallowed by flames vanished in thin air,

"Hurrah!", cried the people, congratulating the stranger.

But he stood unmoved by the jollity of the crowd,

He swiftly pulled off his mask, and called out:

"Bow before your saviour, the townsmen of Bumper Post,

Before I came here, you were all so lost.

But now I pledge to defend you at all cost,

My reign will be glorious indeed, I do not boast."

The humble folk looked here and there and lay crestfallen

For they had been embezzled

Of their freedom and independence.

Now, how they longed for the perky li'l ghost to return

But returned he never, to the people's disappointment.