January 1,

The twelve passenger,

A strange stagecoach drew up just as the bells were chiming midnight. Even though it was the New Year, the sentry rushed out to check on the passenggers, twelve in number and all very strange.

The first was well dressed and must have been an important person because everyone else was watching him with an air of hopefulness. He said his name was JANUARY and then he darted off, saying that he had thousands of thing to think of for the whole year. The second passenger said that he knew that his life was short and his days was numbered, just twenty-eight in all, and so he wanted to enjoy himself while he could. His rowdy funmaking annoyed the sentries, but he replied haughtily: 'Don't you know me? i'm FEBRUARY, the prince of the carnival.'

Don MARCH, the third passenger, was thin and moody. The forth passenger pointed out the silver of the moon  to March and told him it was a silver treasure, but this was obviously an APRILFool's joke. To make up for it, Madam MAY sang one of her very blossom-time songs.

JUNE and JULY were both dressed in summer wear their only belongings their swimming costumes. Mother AUGUST had a basket of fruit and must have been very rich. She was overweight and perspiring. Although she claimed that she love to go for the sidewalk in the countryside.

The ninth passenger, Profeesor SEPTEMBER, was an artist renowned for his method of painting leaves. The tenth, CountOCTOBER new all about agriculture, but his words were constantly drowned out by the sneezes of his neighbour, NOVEMBER, a pallid type with a constant cold.

Grandad DECEMBER, the last passenger, carried with him the fir tree which at christmas he planned to decorate light ang tinsel.

The sentry carefully checked all their passports and then sallute them.

'A very good year for the Month family,' he said cordially.

Adapted from:: 366 and more Fairy Tales