Monty Barko, a sausage so long, Barked at everything, all day long. His voice was loud, his growl was deep, Neighbors couldn't talk, or even sleep.

He barked at shadows, he barked at light, He barked at his reflection with all his might. A black and tan mutt with a voice so strong, Even his own image seemed terribly wrong.

The neighbors complained, they couldn't rest, With Monty's barking, they felt so stressed. His family tried training, they tried treats too, But nothing would stop what Monty would do.

One day in the park, while barking at trees, Monty met a wizard with robes in the breeze. "That bark," said the wizard, "is hurting my ears!" He waved his wand, as Monty's family feared.

"From this day forward," the wizard declared, "Your barks will be squeaks!" as everyone stared. A flash of light hit Monty's small throat, His usual bark became a strange note.

Monty tried barking at passing cars, But out came a squeak like squeezing toy stars. He tried to growl at the neighbor's cat, But squeaked like a mouse or something like that.

The squeaking was worse than his bark had been, It pierced through walls, so high and so thin. The neighbors now covered their ears in pain, As Monty's new voice drove them insane.

Poor Monty felt sad, his voice wasn't right, He squeaked at his reflection all through the night. No longer scary, no longer tough, Just high-pitched squeaking that wasn't enough.

Monty went searching all through the town, To find the wizard and turn his spell down. He squeaked and he squeaked at everyone's door, Until his throat hurt and couldn't squeak more.

The wizard appeared with a knowing smile, "Have you learned your lesson after this while?" Monty looked down with his ears drooped low, He nodded his head, as tears began to flow.

"I'll give you a voice that's just right indeed, Not too loud or squeaky, but what you need. A moderate bark for danger alone, Not for reflections or things unknown."

Now Monty barks only when he should, He's learned his lesson and understood. Sometimes less noise makes everyone glad, And Monty's much happier than he'd been, good lad!