Skulls Don't Need Combs

Lets eat the ants! says Quiet-tartus. 

And the worm! says the knowlesi.

Okay! says the rana.

The three frogs hop down.

But the ants are already scurrying away with the spitball.

That leaves the worm.

Wait! says the worm. I only came for the poetry reading.

No kidding! says Quiet-tartus. How did you even know there was going to be a poetry reading?

This is Montparnasse, says the worm. 

Did you hear the one just now? asks the knowlesi.

Yes, says the worm. The one about cats.

The one about US, says Quiet-tartus. 'All remains normal until the three frogs'.

I thought I heard 'cats', says the worm.

In the poem? asks the rana.

At the start, says the worm. 

Catacombes, says the rana. 'Au dessus des catacombes'.

That was it, says the worm. Beautiful words. I pictured long-haired cats.

Did you? says the rana. I pictured skulls.

You're weird, says the worm. Skulls don't have hair. So they wouldn't need combs.

You're weird yourself, says the rana. You're a worm. But you don't know the catacombs?

I haven't been here that long, says the worm.

Ha ha! laughs the knowlesi. How long does a worm have to be?

Ha ha! laughs Quiet-tartus. You haven't got long!

The worm begins to realise from these enigmatic jokes that the frogs plan to eat him.

He starts to wriggle off quickly. 

Cut him off! cries Quiet-tartus.

The rana hops over the worm and lands in front of him.

The worm doubles back.

Only to face Quiet-tartus.

The long and the short of it is that soon he is in three equal pieces.