Grow Your Own Gargoyle

Wendy clutched her Slime Sisters comic book. She saved her allowance to buy all kinds of things that were in the back of the comic. She had bought talking fish, dancing dolls, living pet rock, giant super heroes, and all kinds of other stuff. She'd run to get the mail. "My giant super heroes are here." Wendy had opened it up, but they weren't as big as a child like in the ad. In small print were the words "not actual size." All the other things she had sent for didn't work right either. The dolls didn't have batteries and broke after just two days. The living rock was not alive, and all the other toys and games she bought were lying twisted and broken in a heap on her bed. She sat on the floor and frowned. "Can I come in?" her Mom, Mrs. Delane, asked. Wendy nodded. Mrs. Delane moved some of the junk away and sat down. She had a tiny package in her hand. "Maybe you shouldn't send for any more toys?" Mrs. Delane said, "but you have one more package." Wendy took the package. It said "The Living Gargoyle Co." "I forgot all about this," Wendy said. She opened the package and there were two very small gargoyles with pointy ears, and a small piece of paper. Grow Your Own Gargoyle Put each gargoyle in a large bowl of water. (Don't put them in the same bowl; the gargoyles need space to grow.) Wait overnight and they will have grown more than twice their size. Dry them off with a towel. P.S. Gargoyles are very cranky at first, so plan activities they will enjoy like picnics and tag. No, they can't fly. "I might as well try. I think Stacy had a sponge toy like this and hers grew." Wendy smiled and removed the junk from her bed. "Mom, can you get me two bowls of water?" "If you promise to clean your room." Her Mom said, and got her the bowls and tucked Wendy in. Wendy went to sleep and dreamed the gargoyles grew as big as her house and were very mean looking. She felt something wet on her ear and woke up. The gargoyles were on her bed. "Dry me," said gargoyle one. "No, me first," said the other one. Wendy didn't scream because the directions said they'd be real cranky. "Okay, I'll dry you both." Wendy dried them off with towels. Wendy named one Lester and the other one Tina, because one of them was a boy and the other one was a girl. When Wendy was off at school, they'd get into pillow fights and make her room a mess. "You have to clean up your room," Mrs. Delane said. "Your Dad almost fainted when he saw your room." "But Lester and Tina made the mess." "They're your gargoyles and you have to clean up after them." Wendy gave them crayons to draw with, but they ended up drawing all over the walls and it took Wendy hours to clean the walls. As soon as she was done with that she had to clean sticky bubble gum off of Lester's wings. "This place is so much fun," Tina said. "Most of us are sent back to the company." "And the kids get their money back?" Wendy asked. "Nope," Lester said. "You have to pay the company." Tina shook her head. "The other gargoyles are much crankier than us. The reason I'm nicer to you is I like it here. I never want to leave. I like you too." "Well, there are those pillow fights," Wendy replied. "We won't have them any more." Tina smiled. "No, I don't mind if you have pillow fights as along as I'm allowed to join in." They tossed pillows and sang songs. Afterward they cleaned up the mess. Mrs. Delane made Wendy, Lester and Tina cups of hot chocolate and tucked them into bed. Tina started to snore. "Maybe you can order more gargoyles," Lester said. "No, two are all the gargoyles I can handle." Wendy closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Mr. Coyote Meets Mr. Snail

Mr. Coyote was getting very old and had to be more careful for his own safety. He had been walking for hours and hours through a beautiful valley when he came upon a large tree. Mr. Coyote was very tired and wanted to rest but he also needed to be safe. He kindly asked the tree, "Please open up so I can rest safely in your care". The tree opened up so that Mr. Coyote could go inside to rest, then it closed to keep him safe. Mr. Coyote slept for hours. When he woke up he could not remember what he had said to make the tree open. He said, "Let me out Mr. Tree", but nothing happened. He said, "Please let me out now!" and again nothing happened. The tree didn't even creak. Mr. Coyote knocked on the tree, but it would not open up. Mr. Tree was upset with Mr. Coyote for not having said please the first time he spoke to the tree! It let him rest a little longer. Because the birds heard Mr. Coyote banging on the inside of the tree, they came down to peck on the tree to help get him out. But they were too small and the tree was just too big! Finally Mr. Woodpecker came down and pecked a hole in the tree. Although it was a very small hole, it caused Mr. Woodpecker to get a bent beak! This meant he couldn't peck on the tree any more. Mr. Coyote put one hand out the hole but he could not fit through. He then tried his leg but still he could not fit through. He had to come up with a way to escape since Mr. Woodpecker's beak was now bent. Mr. Coyote knew there had to be a way. "Ah, come on you old ugly tree," he cried, "Just let me out!" But still nothing happened, just the silence around him. Mr. Coyote decided to take off his arms one at a time and put them through the small hole. He then put his legs through one at a time by taking them off. He put his body through by taking it off. This was working out fine. I'll show you Mr. Tree, you can't keep me in here, he thought. Next Mr. Coyote tried to put his head through the hole, but it was too big. His ears were in the way. So he took off his ears and put them through the hole. He again tried his head, but his eyes were too big. Mr. Coyote took his eyes off and put them through the hole. Mr. Raven saw the eyes and flew down to take them. Then Mr. Raven flew back up high in the tree with Mr. Coyote's eyes. They were such beautiful eyes, blue like the sky, and would be a treasure to put in his hiding spot! Mr. Coyote finally put his head through the hole. He then put himself back together. One piece at a time he became a whole coyote again. But after he put his head on he could not find his eyes. He was feeling all over. His ears were listening to hear him touch his eyes, but not a sound could be heard from his eyes. His fingers were being careful while feeling around, but still no eyes were found. Mr. Coyote knew he could not let the animals know he was blind. He felt his way to a wild rose bush; he then put two rose petals in for his eyes. This would cover the blindness for a little while, but he would have to keep looking for his eyes. Surely they were close by! Along came Mr. Snail who saw Mr. Coyote with the rose petals in his eyes. He asked Mr. Coyote, "Why do you have those rose petals in your eyes?" Mr. Coyote said, "Because they are very beautiful. They have lovely colors. You can try them if you want and I will hold your eyes." Mr. Snail took off his eyes. He put them into Mr. Coyote's hands and tried the rose petals in his eyes. Then Mr. Coyote put Mr. Snail's eyes into his head and ran off with his long tail wagging. To this day Mr. Snail is crawling with his head down looking for his eyes. And all coyotes have brown eyes instead of blue; this is because Mr. Coyote was naughty when he took Mr. Snail's eyes. And Mr. Raven still has those beautiful blue eyes in his secret hiding place, but he cannot return them because the secret hiding place was so secret not even Mr. Raven can find

Little Miss Mary and the Big Monster Makeover

The traffic, amazingly, wasn't too bad. They arrived in no-time at their posh Mayfair pad; A GORGEOUS, split-level, detached pied-à-terre Where Little Miss Mary lived with-out a care. And that's where we find her - tired from shopping, Exhausted from all of that running and hopping From salon to boutique with Mom as her caddie, Buying up Bond Street and all on her Daddy... daddy Who works all day long, all night long in the City As Chair Of The Board and as Head Of Committees; Earning big bucks so that she can look pretty - NO EXPENSE SPARED on his "Sweet Little Kitty". Little Miss Mary made her Daddy proud By jumping in queues and by pushing through crowds, By spending his money in ALL sorts of places From Moscow to Paris, from Harrods to Macy's. Mary would COME, she would SEE, she would BUY! From Cannes to Hong Kong, from Milan to Dubai. If there was a contest, then she would be crowned: "The world's greatest shopper!" (pound for pound). around-the-world But now she was tired and lay on her bed. Musing if this season's black would be red. Mulling the fate of poor fabric exporters If all the designers cut skirts by three-quarters. She put on her eye-mask and drifted to sleep; Counting sheep, after sheep, after sheep, after sheep, But all the while thinking: "How it would be better To use all their wool for a Burberry sweater." counting-sheep Soon Little Miss Mary was out like a light, But she didn't sleep long and woke up with a fright! She opened her eyes and was very surprised When a huge, hairy Monster... MATERIALIZED! The Monster yelled "BOO!" to give Mary a scare, But Mary just fixed the great Beast with a stare. She looked up and down from his toes to his hair With total disdain while the Monster stood there. "Why!" asked the Monster "You show me no fear!?" "Have you looked in the mirror? You're just SOOO last year! Your tail isn't bad, but is there a reason... For sporting those horns, which are just SOOO last season? boo The Monster was stunned. At a loss what to say. His prey wasn't screaming or running away! He wasn't accustomed to such a response, He was used to HYSTERICS not pert nonchalance. But Mary stayed poised as a lady should be, She displayed no attempt or desire to flee. She turned on the light so that he could see clearer And showed the big Monster his FACE in the mirror. mirror He gawked for a while at his wretched reflection He winced at his wrinkled and withered complexion. "My skin feels like leather, I have crusty eyes!" "What did you expect when you don't moisturize?" "My nails are all broken! My teeth are all yellow! My fur is in clumps!" He let out a BELLOW! "My horns are askew and my coat is molting." He started to sob... "I am... truly... revolting!" "Come on now don't cry." Said Little Miss Mary. "You DO have a choice, you don't HAVE to be scary! Behind that snarl and that piercing stare, You're just a big softy - a HUGE teddy-bear!" curtains But the big hairy Monster was not quite as certain - Embarrassed he wrapped himself up in a curtain And told Little Mary that with-out a doubt, He's a HIDEOUS creature and he'll NEVER come out. Miss Mary agreed: "You are ugly for sure, But it's something you really don't have to endure. So you haven't been blessed with the best of genetics; Who needs Mother Nature, when we have cosmetics!? For each of your problems you'll find there's a cure From a deep cleansing facial to a French pedicure. To NUMEROUS methods for rogue hair removal So what do you say? Do I have your approval? smile Would you like to be pampered and fashioned and styled? MADE-OVER BY MARY?" - The big Monster smiled. "I can tell from that smile that it's been quite a while Since you've seen a toothbrush, or have used a nail-file. And I sense from your stench, or at least I presume, That you're also a stranger to soap and perfume." smelly While Little Miss Mary stood pinching her nose The big Monster blushed from his head to his toes. "Don't worry" said Mary "We'll give you a shower We'll soak you and clean you, we'll scrub and we'll scour. We'll cleanse and we'll tone, we'll wax and we'll pluck, We'll snip and we'll peel, we'll nip and we'll tuck! If you want to look pretty you're on the right path. Lets start with the basics... You're having a bath!" She dragged the big Monster inside her en-suite Full of lotions and potions all fragrant and sweet, Full of loofahs and sponges to rub and to scrub And rose scented candles lit round the tub. Once there the Monster forgot ALL his troubles In bath salts and oils and white, fluffy bubbles. And as he relaxed, Mary started her mission; She began by shampooing and then she conditioned... bath She used tinted toners, tonics and creams, She applied elbow grease (as weird as it seems) Because THAT, for Miss Mary, was EX-tremely rare. After all, she was heir to a millionaire. lotions She rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in her task. She smeared on a Dead Sea, firming face masque. She lathered and foamed, she combed and untangled, Till the Monster emerged spick-n-span and newfangled! "Well there you go, you no longer smell foul." Said Little Miss Mary, handing over a towel. "And now for the fun part, lets start from the top To be brutally honest your hair is a MOP! scissors I have to be frank - I am not even sure Of how to approach this kind of coiffure. Maybe a fringe? Or a crop? Or a bob? Or perhaps a French Plait will do just the job? Whatever we do you will first have to swear; In future you'll take better care of your hair. How on EARTH did you ever expect to make friends With split-ends that have their OWN split-ends?" The Monster's face faded by at least several shades Once he spotted the glint of the sharp scissor blades. Frightened, he opted to keep his eyes shut And chewed on his nails, through his first haircut. haircut Mary danced round his head like a crazed ballerina, Like a MAD matador in a bullfight arena; Dodging his horns while clipping his ears, Which, it has to be said, only worsened his fears. The Monster's anxiety did not diminish Until Little Mary announced: "I AM FINISHED!" He opened his eyes and was over the Moon! It looked like his cut was by Vidal Sassoon! His hair was no longer the nest of a vulture; It was "modern-art" like an avant-garde sculpture. Geometric yet flowing. Organic yet neat... And that's just the mound that lay at his feet! "I'm so HAPPY Miss Mary I could give you a kiss!" "While you have halitosis, I'll give that a miss; There's still so much more that needs to be done. Don't think this is over. The fun's JUST begun!" Mary brushed up his teeth until they were white. She polished his horns so they weren't such a fright. She curled his eyelashes and buffed every nail. She fluffed up his wings and she straightened his tail. brushing-teeth His immense monobrow was trimmed and then tweezed, The spots on his nose were steamed and then squeezed, She plucked his disgusting, unsightly nose hairs, She peeled and exfoliated LOTS of skin layers... With Caviar Granules for Derma-abrasionTM Which Mommy's been saving for special occasions, Who swore that the tiny, dried eggs from a Sturgeon Were better than dating a TOP plastic surgeon. pedicure The results were AMAZING! Not a wrinkle in sight! The Monster could hardly contain his delight. He clapped his big hands and he stomped his huge feet, But Mary's makeover STILL wasn't complete! She waited for calm and then said: "I suppose, It's time that we found some suitable clothes. My Daddy's quite fat, so I'm sure we can find A suit that would fit your ENORMOUS behind." big-bottom They went to the wardrobe and opened the door, It was haute-couture HEAVEN from ceiling to floor. There were shoes, there were suits and dresses galore! GAULTIER, GIVENCHY, CHANNEL, and DIOR! The Monster was slack-jawed, his eyes open wide, He hadn't the SLIGHTEST clue how to decide Between: Prada, Armani or Gucci, or Boss. In this maze of designers he was quite at a loss! But thankfully Little Miss Mary was able To find her way through the labyrinth of labels. She scoured the shelves and rummaged through rails, Convinced that the Monster would look great in tails... fashion-heaven Mary searched for her father's bespoke formal wear, After all it was Daddy, who made her aware "That even a MONKEY dressed up in a tux Had a GOOD chance to look like a million bucks." She furnished the Monster with J.P. Tod's shoes, A Ralph Lauren shirt, then proceeded to choose A STUNNING tuxedo from Louis Vuitton And with bated breath waited - as he put it on. Within a few moments Miss Mary could tell That the dressing-up part wasn't going so well. It became pretty clear his suit wouldn't fit When the Monster bent down and his trousers split! Propriety precludes me from telling you where, But it was, as you guessed, an embarrassing tear. The pants weren't designed for a beast of his size. And the rest of the clothes met a likewise demise... The tailor-made tailcoat was torn into shreds! The shirt was reduced to some buttons on threads! The waistcoat was wasted! The shoes were too small; His toes burst through them, but then, worst of all... The Royal Ascot top hat, which was worn to the races, Got impaled on the Monster's big horn of all places! The final result was the tux was in TATTERS... The Monster had turned haute-couture into schmattas! schmattas "I cannot believe I could be so naïve!" Said Little Miss Mary a little bit peeved: "I ought to have guessed it SOOO much faster That getting you dressed would end in disaster!" But the big hairy Monster was simply ecstatic, He tingled all over (though it may have been static) So what if his clothes were ripped at the seams? They MORE than exceeded his WILDEST dreams! "I want to thank you so much, I don't know where to start? Instead of my gut, there's a place in my heart. For Mary you've changed me both inside and out. I was going to devour you... Now I'm DEVOUT! thank-you I can't wait to get back to the big monsters' lair To show them my clothes, my skin and my hair. I shall teach other Monsters how not to be feared!" He thanked her once more and with that... disappeared. After waving good-bye Mary drew a deep sigh, Lay back and imagined new things she could buy, But hard as she tried her dreams weren't the same, Compared to the Monster they all seemed so... tame. Her entire short life she'd behaved like a brat With a "Can I have this?" and a "Can I have that!" But it looked like she'd finally found her passion; Not JUST for herself, but for big monster fashion. dreaming She never imagined one day she may yearn Not for dresses or shoes, but a Monster's return. When all of a sudden, she heard something creaking. She sat up and listened to scraping and squeaking... The closet doors opened and through them came out A motley of monsters with horns, tails and snouts; Sharp teeth and long tentacles, talons and trunks, Some hairy, some scaly ALL smelly as skunks! It's hard to find words to describe their features; They were, beyond doubt, the UGLIEST creatures! Every single one weird, every single one wild, Every single one there to be fashioned and styled. What do you do, when you're faced with such freaks? Do you faint? Do you run? Do you hide? Do you shriek? Miss Mary's solution was typically chic: "I will open the world's first MONSTER BOUTIQUE!"

The Halloween House

The Halloween House is big and old. I'm told that on Halloween night things happen there. Now Suzie's moved in--she's only 4--along with her brother, her father and mother, and little Picador. He's their dog. Well, maybe half a dog. He's a Chihuahua, as small as they come. Suzie's room is in the attic. It's no fun. With a high ceiling, cold and gloomy, and shadows that run halfway up the walls. Suzie hides under the blanket. Picador too. Come on, he's no guard dog. Suzie's mom bought her a bear. A teddy bear named Teddy. He's big and fluffy and Suzie adores him. "I love you so much" she says. Then she wraps her arms around him, snuggling like a cat ready to purr while Picador buries himself in all that fur. The Halloween House's attic may be scary, but Teddy's not. Around his neck he wears a blue scarf with red polka dots. On his back paws are black tennis shoes tied with lace and plenty of knots. Something is silly about that teddy bear. He's got a goofy smile from ear to ear. It's kind of lopsided and sweet, although not quite complete. He was cheap when Suzie's mom bought him at the Dollar Store. But his smile is always there. When scratching and squeaking come from the walls, Teddy smiles. When clothes on the floor become strange figures in piles, Teddy smiles. When an invisible spider's miles of cobweb fades away in the morning, Teddy smiles. Tonight is Suzie's first Halloween at the Halloween House. She has finished her trick or treating, she did it earlier in the evening. She dressed up as a pumpkin with an orange glow--and now her two bags of candy overflow onto the floor. It's midnight and everyone's asleep. Not a peep, until suddenly there's a tapping at the door. "Tap, tap....tap." It starts out soft and low and then changes into a steady beat, beat, beat as though a giant's heart is nudging the door. Teddy smiles. A thin mist streams from a crack in the corner, turns into a snake sliding across the floor. Teddy smiles. Next, at the window appears a witch 200 years old with a black hat hiding half her face and the wrinkles it holds. She slips right through the glass as though it isn't there at all. Once inside, she stands up, six feet tall. Teddy smiles. A long legged spider with big fangs drops from the ceiling and hangs only five feet over the bed where Suzie and Picador peacefully sleep. The snake, the witch and the spider slither, creep and dangle closer, growing bigger as they go. They're up to no good. This can't be happening. But Teddy is watching. He smiles no more. The upturned side of his lip droops down, while the other part of his lip lifts up. Teddy's smile turns into a snarl. When the three monsters almost reach the bed, Teddy gets up. But more than that, he begins to grow, although much faster and bigger than they. His tennis shoes pop off and his scarf floats away. Sweet, smiling Teddy turns into a Grizzly bear, the biggest, meanest Grizzly of your imagination. Standing on his back paws, stretched to the ceiling Teddy is terrifying. Fortunately, Suzie and Picador are still sleep. The snake, the witch, and the spider stop growing. They stare at him. There's wonder and shock in their eyes. This is an unexpected surprise. Then Teddy roars! It's so loud, it doesn't help to cover your ears. And the ghouls hear it. This Grizzly is beyond their worst fears. With a puff and a poof they disappear. Suzie is instantly awake, her eyes big and round. With a frightened yip Picador bolts from under the covers trembling with dread. But they see nothing, nothing at all, because the monsters have fled. And Teddy is suddenly Teddy again. How could that be? It happened so fast, there was nothing to see, except his shoes are across the room and his scarf is at the bottom of the bed. Gone is the snake. Gone is the witch. Gone is the spider and the beating heart at the door. It's quite obvious they'll never return. Nevermore. At least not to this Halloween House so long as this bear stays around and he will stay. Because he is loved. Have no fear, Teddy's here. ...and he smiles.

Wolstencroft The Bear

Not long ago and not far away there was a beautiful, big teddy bear who sat on a shelf in a drug store waiting for someone to buy him and give him a home. His name was Wolstencroft. And he was no ordinary bear. His fur was a lovely shade of light grey, and he had honey colored ears, nose and feet. His eyes were warm and kind and he had a wonderfully wise look on his face. Wolstencroft looked very smart in a brown plaid waistcoat with a gold satin bow tie at his neck. Attached to the tie was a tag with his name written in bold, black letters: Wolstencroft. He had arrived in the store just before Christmas when there had been a lovely big tree in the window, all decorated with fairy lights. Yards and yards of sparkling tinsel had been draped over everything, and holiday music had been playing all the time. Wolstencroft was especially fond of Jingle Bells. He liked its light, tinkling sounds. It always made him feel merry. At that time there had been lots of other bears to keep him company. In fact, there had been so many teddy bears crowded onto that one narrow shelf that he had scarcely had room to move. But, one by one they had all gone. Gleefully waving goodbye as they were carried off to their new homes. Until finally, he was the only teddy bear left in the entire store. He had hoped that Santa Claus would drop by on Christmas Eve and deliver him to a good home. But he hadn't. Santa had been too busy that year, delivering even more presents than usual. Wolstencroft felt sad and lonely sitting there all by himself on the shelf that was high above the Christmas cards. He longed to have a child take him home and love him and play with him. But, most of all, to hug him. For no hug is ever too big for a teddy bear. He was trying hard not to cry because he knew that tears would make his eyes all puffy and red and then he would have even less chance of finding a home. But why oh why didn't someone choose him? Why, he wondered, was he passed over so many times for other less beautiful bears? They all lived happily ever after. Then one day, shortly before Easter, three bunny rabbits were placed on the shelf beside him. They all had very big ears and feet and long legs. All three were wearing woolen sweaters. Rita Rabbit wore a pink sweater. Roger Rabbit a green one. And Ronnie wore blue. Roger and Ronnie were twins, and Rita was their sister. "My you are a handsome bear," Rita told Wolstencroft after the store had closed for the night. "I'm surprised that no one has bought you and taken you home." "So am I," replied Wolstencroft and, although he tried very hard to stop it, a tear rolled down his furry cheek. Ronnie and Roger had jumped down off the shelf and were playing tag up and down the aisles. "Be careful and don't knock anything over," Rita called to them. Rita looked closely at Wolstencroft from every angle. She peered into his face and circled around him, her nose twitching. He had noticed that bunnies' noses twitch a lot. Then she sat down and remained deep in thought for a very long time. "Well," he asked her, unable to stand the suspense any longer. "What do you think is wrong with me? Why doesn't anyone want to buy me?" "It must be your name," Rita answered. "My name!" exclaimed Wolstencroft. "Why, what's wrong with my name?" "Oh, there's nothing wrong with your name," Rita replied. "Wolstencroft is a wonderful name, but it's too long for some people to say. Not everyone can pronounce it properly." Now Wolstencroft had always been able to say his name correctly. But then, it was his very own name and everyone can say his or her own name. At least he thought that they could. Not when they are very little, of course. He couldn't say his name when he was a tiny baby bear. But after he had started going to school he knew it very well. "Wolstencroft," the teacher would call out. "Will you recite the alphabet for us today?" And he would name all the letters from A to Z. All 26 of them. He was a very smart bear. On Easter Sunday, very early just after the store had opened, a Mommy and Daddy bought Roger and Ronnie for their twin boys. "They look nice," Rita said. She was happy that her brothers had found a good home but felt sad, too, because she was beginning to miss them already. At the front of the store a table had been set up with chocolate Easter eggs. And as it was now Easter Sunday, they had been marked down to half price. After everyone had gone home for the day, Wolstencroft picked the nicest egg he could find and gave it to Rita, to cheer her up. They shared the egg, sucking on the sweet creamy chocolate and making sure it didn't get onto their clothes. Then they started to talk about the name Wolstencroft again. "I wouldn't want to change it," Wolstencroft declared. " I mean it's me. I've had it all my life. "But if it's stopping you from getting a home," Rita insisted. "You may have to." She hopped over to the book department and returned with a book called What to Name Baby. Then she began reading out the names she thought might suit Wolstencroft. "What about Adrian?" she suggested. "It's a lovely name, very dignified." But Wolstencroft shook his head. "Well, what do you think of Bernard? It actually means brave as a bear." But Wolstencroft was not impressed. So Rita left the B's and began flipping through the pages of the book, reading out a name for each letter of the alphabet starting with C. "Clive, David, Edwin, Francis, Graham, Howard, Ivan, Jeremy, Keith, Leonard, Miles, Nathan, Oliver, Percy, Quentin, Rodney, Selwyn, Timothy, Ulysses, Vincent, Winston." And here she stopped because the names beginning with X, Y and Z: Xavier, Yves and Zachary, were too difficult to pronounce. There was no sense in taking a name that was even harder to say than the one he already had. But Wolstencroft didn't like any of the names she suggested. At least not for himself. "They're all fine names," he said, popping a piece of chocolate into his mouth then dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "But, they're just not me." Rita stayed lost in thought for a very long time, tapping her cheek with her finger. And it wasn't until the big clock behind the pharmacy counter struck ten that she finally spoke. "I think I have the answer," she said. "You could have a name that's easy to say and keep your name at the same time." Wolstencroft looked puzzled. "That doesn't make sense," he replied. "Oh, but it does," Rita insisted. "You only have to shorten the name you have." Wolstencroft began to look interested. "You mean I would still be Wolstencroft, but I'd have a shorter, easier to pronounce name for those who preferred it." "That's right," she cried excitedly. "And you have such a long name that there are several choices." And she began ticking them off on her fingers. "Woolly, Wolsten, Sten or Croft. Which one do you like best?" Wolstencroft thought very carefully, mulling over each name in his mind. "I like Croft," he decided at last. It's very dignified. Rita looked disappointed. "I like Woolly best," she said. "It's so cuddly and friendly. And you are woolly, you have a lovely thick coat." Wolstencroft looked uncertain. "You would still be Wolstencroft," Rita reminded him. "And that's a very dignified name indeed. Woolly would be a nice contrast." They talked it over for well into the night as this was a very important decision. There are very few things as important as one's name. But finally, just before the dawn rose in the eastern sky, Rita had convinced him that Woolly was the best choice. "You're right," Wolstencroft said as he closed his eyes and prepared to sleep. "It's nice to be dignified, but not to be stuffy." And so it was that Wolstencroft became known as Woolly for short. "I bet someone will come along and buy you tomorrow," Rita predicted as she fetched a black felt pen from the stationery department and underneath Wolstencroft, wrote Woolly for short. But Rita was wrong. It was she, and not Wolstencroft, who went to a new home the next day. Nobody bought Wolstencroft that day. Or the next day. Or the day after that. In fact, all through that entire year, which felt very long indeed to Wolstencroft, nobody took him home to love and to hug him. And by this time he longed to be hugged so badly that sometimes he thought he just couldn't stand it any longer. Because, of course, no hug is too big for a teddy bear. Soon it was almost Christmas time again. And the tinsel and the holly were decorating the drug store. And the shoppers were all very merry and wearing gaily colored scarves and mittens. But still no one bought Wolstencroft, who was feeling extra sad and lonely sitting there all by himself high above the Christmas cards and wrapping paper. It's my name he decided sadly, as a tear rolled down his furry cheek. I hate it. And so does everyone else. I wish I were called anything but Wolstencroft. Even though it's now Woolly for short. Then one frosty evening when the stars were sparkling in the night sky and snowflakes were dancing past the windows, a little boy and his daddy came into the store. "Hey look at this," said the daddy when he noticed Wolstencroft's name tag. "This teddy bear has the same name as you! Only you're called Sten for short and he's called Woolly." "What?" The boy called out in surprise. "I didn't think anyone else in the whole great big world was called Wolstencroft." And just like Wolstencroft the bear, he was beginning to hate his name. "Why don't you two get to know each other?" the daddy suggested as he lifted Wolstencroft down from the shelf. And the little boy wrapped his arms around his namesake, which means someone who has the same name as yourself, and stroked his soft fur. And they both loved each other from that moment on. "I love him daddy, can I have him for Christmas?" he asked hopefully. And when his daddy said yes, danced around the store with Wolstencroft, almost colliding with other shoppers as he did so. Wolstencroft really wasn't such a bad name after all they both decided as they whirled around the Christmas tree at the front of the store. In fact, it was starting to sound better all the time now that they had found each other in this wonderful way. Wolstencroft the bear had never remembered feeling this happy before. Indeed, he felt so chock-full of joy that he thought he just might burst. He was going to a new home at last. And he knew that this little boy, who was called Sten, would be his very best friend forever. Then Sten gave him a hug so big that his tummy was squished. But, of course, Wolstencroft didn't care. Because no hug is too big for a teddy bear.

The Little Gingerbread Man

Once upon a time there was an old woman who loved baking gingerbread. She would bake gingerbread cookies, cakes, houses and gingerbread people, all decorated with chocolate and peppermint, caramel candies and colored frosting. She lived with her husband on a farm at the edge of town. The sweet spicy smell of gingerbread brought children skipping and running to see what would be offered that day. Unfortunately the children gobbled up the treats so fast that the old woman had a hard time keeping her supply of flour and spices to continue making the batches of gingerbread. Sometimes she suspected little hands of having reached through her kitchen window because gingerbread pieces and cookies would disappear. One time a whole gingerbread house vanished mysteriously. She told her husband, "Those naughty children are at it again. They don't understand all they have to do is knock on the door and I'll give them my gingerbread treats. One day she made a special batch of gingerbread men because they were extra big. Unfortunately for the last gingerbread man she ran out of batter and he was half the size of the others. She decorated the gingerbread men with care, each having socks, shirt and pants of different colors. When it came to the little gingerbread man she felt sorry for him and gave him more color than the others. "It doesn't matter he's small," she thought, "He'll still be tasty." Putting the rack on the kitchen windowsill she left it there to cool and went to finish her laundry. The gingerbread men lay quietly, their frosted eyes gazing at the sky with its puffy clouds. At that moment a voice came from nowhere. "Get up. Get up. Come with me." Everyone looked to see who was speaking. It was a butterfly flying just outside the window. Butterflies are naturally beautiful, but her wings were an exceptionally pretty marbled blue. "Come with me," she urged again. The gingerbread men didn't react except to keep staring. All but the smallest gingerbread man who jumped up from the tray and leaped off the kitchen windowsill onto the grass below faster than you could say "hurry." "Where are we going?" he asked breathlessly. "Away." And before the butterfly had finished speaking children appeared in the yard. Spying the little gingerbread man they started shrieking with delight and began chasing him. "Stop, stop," they shouted. "We want to eat you." But with his little legs churning the gingerbread man only ran faster. He yelled, "I won't stop. Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man." And truly those children could not catch him. Once out of their sight he continued running until he had reached a pasture where two horses were grazing. He sat down on a rock near the fence. "Don't stop," said the butterfly fluttering nearby. "I want to rest," he argued. That was a mistake as one of the horses trotted over to the fence and whinnied. "Oh you smell so good little gingerbread man. Come over here so I can smell you better." The little gingerbread man shook his head, but suddenly that horse jumped the fence and began galloping after him, so he had to run even faster. He called out, "I outran children and I'll outrun you. Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man." And truly, that horse could not catch him. The next time he rested the little gingerbread man took care to lie amongst the grass well off the road where no one would see him. "Everybody wants to eat me," he complained to the butterfly. "Do you want to eat me, too?" Laughing she answered. "I love the smell of gingerbread. It's better than my favorite flowers. But I sip nectar, not gingerbread. Besides, you're my friend and friends don't eat friends." Pleased to hear that he had a friend the little gingerbread man was about to reply when again they were interrupted. A farmer's dog with a keen nose had come to investigate. Licking his muzzle at the sight of the gingerbread man, the dog said. "Excuse me for interrupting, but little gingerbread man you look so good. I mean tired. Please stay awhile and rest if you like." As the dog talked, he stepped closer and closer. The closer he stepped, the more nervous became the little gingerbread man. When the butterfly flitted from her grass perch in alarm, the little gingerbread man took off running with the dog nipping at his tiny heels. He shouted, "I outran children. I outran a horse, and I'll outrun you, too. Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man." And truly that dog could not catch him. At last the little gingerbread man and the butterfly reached a stream. It wasn't a very big stream unless you are a tiny gingerbread man. To him it was a river. From out behind a bush sauntered a red fox stopping to stretch because he had just awakened from a nap. Looking at the gingerbread man he said nonchalantly, "May I help you?" The butterfly was quick to respond. "No thank you. We're going to fly across this stream. We don't need your help." Smiling, the wily fox glanced at the butterfly before turning to the little gingerbread man, "You're going to carry him? I've no doubt Ms. Butterfly that you have good intentions, but you're only a bug. You couldn't carry anything anywhere, let alone this gingerbread man across the stream. You'll drop him. I guarantee it!" The little gingerbread man was confused. He knew that his butterfly friend had good intentions but could she really carry him? He doubted it. Her wings were so thin and delicate. The thought of him falling into the cold water and crumbling to damp bits was frightening. He said to the fox, "I outran children. I outran a horse, and I outran a dog. Will you keep me safe and not eat me?" "Of course!" the wily fox quickly assured him before the butterfly could object. "I eat only meat and I had a full meal just before my nap. Here, ride on my bushy tail. Let's go before I change my mind." So the little gingerbread man climbed onto the fox's tail and they entered the water. Unfortunately the fox's tail began dipping into the water. "You're too heavy for my tail, he said. Climb onto my back." http://www.magickeys.com/books/ 1. The little gingerbread man did as he was asked. But the water began creeping up the fox's back forcing the little gingerbread man to climb higher to the fox's neck. "That's not good enough, I'm afraid," said the wily fox. "Climb to my head." Now the little gingerbread man was terrified, but what could he do? He climbed to the fox's ears. "Oh, little gingerbread man, you have to climb onto my nose," insisted the wily fox, "otherwise I can't help you. Don't you see the water is getting even deeper?" So the little gingerbread man reluctantly climbed onto the fox's nose. The moment he did, that wily fox tossed him into the air, opening his jaws wide with anticipation. The little gingerbread man's eyes rounded with fear because he knew he was going to be eaten. It didn't matter now how fast he could run. But the little gingerbread man and the wily fox had forgotten about the butterfly. She swooped into that fox's jaws, grabbing her friend by one leg and rescuing him from an awful fate. She flew higher and higher until the stream and the fox were but spots on the landscape. "You can carry me," cried the little gingerbread man. "Yes," she answered. "I'm stronger than you could imagine. Now I'll take you somewhere safe." She flew with him over farm fields and forests and even mountains. It felt like they had been in the sky forever when they reached a lake, its waters calm like pale glass. There was an island in the middle of the lake lined with forest trees. And among the trees was where the butterfly took the little gingerbread man. She flew down, down, and down until they came to the foot of a pine tree. The little gingerbread man could not believe his eyes. Beneath that pine tree was the most beautiful gingerbread house. Through the front door of the gingerbread house came a gingerbread man and a gingerbread woman. Seeing the butterfly and her companion they smiled excitedly waving their gingerbread hands. "Oh, what have you brought us?" cried the gingerbread woman. Evidently she knew the butterfly very well. "I think that's obvious, dear" said the gingerbread man. "She's brought us a gingerbread boy. Do you realize that now we can be the family we always wanted?" It was true. The butterfly had intended all along to bring these three together. The little gingerbread man had not known that he was, in reality, a gingerbread boy. It was all so sudden, but wonderful. When both his gingerbread parents each gave him a loving hug he knew he was home. The gingerbread family went inside their gingerbread house to celebrate with the butterfly remaining outside on the roof. She was content just smelling the gingerbread and sitting there quietly, whether it was day or night.