Pancake Day in the Wood.

Breeze, the snooziest ogre in the whole universe, woke to the sound of slip-slap, slip-slap. His nose twitched because the air was full of the scent of lemon. This was unusual because the wood always smelt of trees, leaves, flowers and those that lived in it but this afternoon the only thing he could smell was lemon.

…lemon …. and blueberries.

He slid down the tree trunk, raced across the wood and stopped in the clearing. It was dreadful,  instead of seeing neat plates piled with pancakes

All he could see was bits of pancakes flying from pans to the floor, or getting stuck on trees, leaves, grass,  even the pancake flippers had bits stuck to them.

This won’t do at all, he muttered and began to race around the clearing. Ten minutes later he had to stop, he was stuffed, he couldn’t eat another pancake and worse his feet were sore from running.

Lilbeth came over to sit beside him. “That was a very nice thing you did Mr. Breeze.”

He opened one eye and looked at her. She nodded.

“Why do you say that Lilbeth?”

“Because now we don’t have to tidy up. And maybe we will get better at flipping pancakes for tomorrow.”

She left him sitting there with his mouth wide open. He didn’t know if he should cry or laugh. He would have to do it all again tomorrow!

 

 

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The hunt for the Snow Dragon.

Snowflakes twirled and danced about Molly. ” I love snow,” she said.

“Woof” Bob said jumping around her.

Molly whispered, “Quiet Bob. A  Snow Dragon might hear us and run away.”

The dog nudged her with his nose, making her giggle.

They began their search in the garden. No Snow Dragon. They walked through the gate, looking right and left. Molly walked past Gran’s kitchen door. They looked in the garden shed, and behind the coal bags but didn’t find a Snow Dragon. They did meet many birds and Gran’s fat cat.

They walked to the front garden. They met the postman. “Hi Molly. Where are you going?” he asked.

“We are going to catch a Snow Dragon.” She whispered.

“Well – don’t let him catch you.” He said.

“No we won’t.” Molly told him.

Bob looked behind every tree.  Molly looked at the bare branches. No Snow Dragon. “Not even a squirrel, Bob.” She said.

Molly looked behind them. The snow was falling onto the ground covering her footprints. She couldn’t see her house. “Let’s go home,” She said.

Molly made a snow ball. She threw it. “Go get it Bob,” She said.

He sat and watched it land.  Molly sighed. Bob never chased tennis balls.

“Lets make a snowman instead.” She began by making a small ball and then dropped it on the ground. As she rolled it along the ground the snowball changed from being a round ball into a wobbly, wonky shape. It was big and getting bigger. Finally she reached her garden,  they left it there and went indoors .

It was warm inside. Molly felt tired. She forgot about her snowball but told dad about her search for a Snow Dragon.

“I think there are no Snow Dragons,” she said. Molly felt sad.

“Maybe they are shy, creatures. Perhaps you should send an email to one and see what happens.”

“What would I say?” She liked this idea.

“That you believe in them but you would love to know what they look like. Wait then and see what happens. Granddad always said, they were magical creatures.”

Molly wiggled her nose as she thought about this. “Let’s do it, can you help please?”

The email was sent and Molly went to bed.

Next morning she got up and peeped out the window.

Her heart jumped for there in the garden was a large dragon. He was white and very still. Molly raced outside to see him. “Its a Snow Dragon.” She said to her dad who came to look at it. “He is not alive though he is just made of snow, how did he get here?”

“Molly you did say you would love to know what they look like, didn’t you?”

“I did. Now I know they are amazing.” She giggled, “he looks like Bob does when you say no to him.”

They took pictures of the Snow Dragon and a large picture hangs on Molly’s bedroom wall in case she forgets what they look like.

No Monsters Allowed

Daisy-Lyah and Lilian sat opposite Breeze.

“We would like to hear one of your stories please Mr. Breeze.” Lilian looked at him and waited.

Breeze searched the clouds in the sky and found inspiration there.

Here is his story:

Jessie is a tiny girl whose best friend has four paws, a wagging tail and a smiley face.

One afternoon she ran into the kitchen and hid under a chair.

“The monster can’t crush me here,” she whispered.

“‘Yes I can!” The monster roared growing bigger to fill most of the room.

Jessie raced into the kitchen.

“Come on Jessie let’s go to the park.” Granddad said. Bob began to jump and bark around them. He loved the park.

“Wait till I put my coat on, Bob,” Jessie whispered looking around, searching for the monster. She didn’t want to be crushed.  A tear rolled down her face. Bobs sloppy tongue licked it off making Jessie giggle.

Bob walked with Jessie close to Granddad and Granny.

In the park Granddad went to get ice cream. Granny sat in the sun.

Climbing into the playhouse, Jessie felt safe. Bob was sitting beside her so there was no room for a monster.

“Jessie are you ok?” Granny asked.

“Yes. It’s nice here, try it Granny!”

“I’d get stuck in the door. Then you and Granddad would leave me.”

Jessie peeped out. “Oh Granny, I’d never do that!”

Granny smiled, “You might not, but Granddad would! And here he is now.”

Granddad held out an ice- cream saying, “An ice-cream for Granny, and one for me.” He scratched his head, ” Was someone else looking for an ice-cream?”

Jessie giggled. Climbing out of the pipe she said, “Me, Granddad!”

“Who is this me?”

Skipping over to him she said, “Jessie!”

Bob was drooling. Great lumps of blob were hanging from his mouth.

“Thank you Granddad. But Bob is sad,” Jessie said. She stuck her finger in her ice cream and Bob licked her finger.

“It’s ok Bob. I have one for you!” Pulling a tub of ice cream from his pocket Granddad placed it on the ground. Bob looked at Jessie.

“Eat it up Bob!” She said. He did.

Then Jessie heard a whispering voice grow louder until it became a roar. “You are tiny. I could swallow you in one gulp,” the monster shouted. He was huge, blocking out the sun. Jessie began to shake.

Bob was barking. Granddad said, “Stop, Bob!”

Huffing and grunting Bob moved closer to Jessie. She sat with her hands about the dog’s fluffy neck.

At home Granddad handed her a packet of crayons. “I am going to draw fairies and pixies but not leprechauns. They frighten me!”

“But, you are not afraid of anything, even spiders!”

Granddad said, “Do you want to know a secret? I’m afraid of lots of things especially nasty leprechauns.”

“Why?” Jessie asked.

“They want to take me away but I have a secret weapon – it’s a magic circle locking them out.”

“What is it Granddad?”

Granddad said, “Love! Leprechauns don’t understand love because their world is nasty. They don’t have you, Granny and Bob to love them.”

Jessie thought about all the nice things the monster couldn’t understand.

Granddad held up his drawing.

She laughed. “You drew funny coloured shapes Granddad.”

“They are fairies sprinkling butterflies everywhere. What did you draw?”

“You, Granny, Mum, Dad, and lots and lots of Bobs,” she whispered.

“Who will we bring to the park next time?” Granddad asked.

Jessie smiled and said, “Everyone but no monsters allowed!”

 

 

 

Here is a picture of Jessie for you to colour.

The Cloud Who Learnt to Hug. 280 words.

(Inspired by a dream from Breeze)

 

Tiny cloud was small and thin.

At first he didn’t notice how small he was.  He dived and soared. When he tired of this he stopped and looked around him.

High above him large clouds rolled in an elegant and smooth fashion. They flowed through the sky.

He wished he  could dance like they could.

A cloud ducked low over the earth and  sat on a mountain.  He must be tired, Tiny cloud thought.

Then as tiny cloud watched the giant cloud hugged the mountain.

He felt sad.

“I want to learn to hug.” He sang as he whizzed past his bigger friends.

“Slow down, enjoy” they whispered. “It will happen when it happens.”

But he was gone.  “I want to be big and great” he sang.

Birds didn’t notice him or hear him. He was moving too fast.

He dived around the earth, wishing and hoping.

“I want to be big and great,” he shouted in his tiny voice.  No one heard  him.

He moved around the sky looking for clues.

He wanted to be bigger.  He was busy watching everyone else.

One day he realised he no longer soared and dived. He didn’t feel like playing.

“I like rolling,” he grumbled. “But I feel heavy.”

The cloud began to sink, slowly at first towards the earth.  He stopped over a mountain. He saw the stones and earth getting closer.

He wondered if he might swallow the mountain.  He stopped grumbling and rolling.

He smiled. “I’m hugging a mountain.” He cried as the rain spilled from him.

Then he was light once more and flew high into the sky to tell the other clouds.

All the time he was singing, “I like hugging.”