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- Herausgeber: Little Tiger Press
- Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
On a frosty winter's day, a bear cub gets ready for his long hibernation, a puppy takes his first walk in the snow, and a lamb catches a glimpse of Father Christmas... A delightful anthology of animal stories that makes perfect bedtime reading. Snuggle up with your little ones and share these sweet stories before they go to sleep. Winter Wonderland is another charming addition to the hugely successful range of anthologies from Stripes Publishing. With illustrations from Alison Edgson and featuring brand-new stories from much-loved authors such as Holly Webb, Jeanne Willis, Tracey Corderoy and Anna Wilson. Winter Wonderland would make a wonderful stocking filler or Christmas gift.
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Seitenzahl: 88
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CONTENTS
THE WINTER PARTY
Liss Norton
When Briar woke up, Mother Bear was sweeping the floor of the den. He sprang out of bed, instantly wide awake. “Today’s the day, isn’t it?” he whooped, fluffing his golden-brown fur with his front paws so that it stood up in spikes.
“Yes,” said Mother Bear, smiling. “The Winter Party.”
Briar ran over to hug her. “I can’t wait!” he exclaimed, his feet jiggling impatiently as she smoothed the fur round his ears. It would be his first ever Winter Party.
His friends had been talking about the party for weeks. It took place every year on the night before hibernation began, and there’d be twinkling lanterns and heaps of wonderful food. All the animals for miles around would be there, dancing, singing and making merry until dawn.
Mother Bear cooked some wild-oat porridge and they sat down to eat it. The fire was blazing and the den felt cosy, but Briar could hear the wind whistling outside.
“It’s a north wind,” Mother Bear told him. “There’ll be snow later, for sure.”
The bear cub felt a thrill of excitement. He’d never seen snow, but he’d heard all about how beautiful it was, covering everything with a thick layer of glistening whiteness.
“I’m getting the den ready for our long winter sleep,” said Mother Bear, when breakfast was over. “And I want you to find food for the Winter Party, Briar.”
“What sort of food?”
“Anything you can find,” replied Mother Bear. “Berries, nuts or rose hips, fish or wild carrots.” She handed him the gathering basket and he pulled on his woolly hat and scarf, then went out into the cold.
It was a clear, bright morning. Frost shimmered on the grass and he could see icicles glittering in the trees up ahead.
“I’ll dig some wild carrots,” Briar said to himself, licking his lips.
He scampered to the corner of the meadow where the wild carrots grew. The cold had turned their white flowers brown but he knew their roots would still be sweet and juicy. Putting down the basket, he began to dig, but the frost had made the ground as hard as stone and his claws couldn’t break it.
“Never mind,” he said. “I’ll pick berries instead.” He ran to the woods where an enormous holly tree grew.
The red holly berries shone like jewels and Briar climbed the tree eagerly, taking care not to brush against the prickly leaves. He soon filled his basket and slithered down again. He could help Mother Bear make a berry crumble for the party. Everyone would love that!
When he reached the ground, he heard wings clapping above his head. A huge flock of starlings flew down.
“Hello, Briar,” they chirped. “Thanks for leaving some berries for us.”
“Lucky I finished gathering mine before you came,” giggled Briar, as they tucked in. There were so many starlings he was certain they’d pick the tree clean.
Sure enough, the berries were gone in no time at all and the starlings flew away again. “See you at the Winter Party!” they called.
Briar was about to set off for home when he heard a gasp in the long grass at his feet.
“Oh no!” a shrill little voice wailed.
Briar bent down to see who was there. Millie, a tiny brown wood mouse, was peeping out of her home in the tree’s roots.
“What’s wrong?” asked Briar.
“The berries have all gone!” The little mouse’s whiskers twitched miserably, then she began to cry. “I was planning to fill my cupboard with berries to feed my children through the winter,” she sobbed. “But there aren’t any left.”
“Don’t worry,” said Briar kindly. “You can have mine.” He tipped over his basket and the holly berries poured out.
Millie blinked away her tears. “Are you sure, Briar? Don’t you need them for the Winter Party?”
“I can easily find something else,” Briar told her. He helped her roll the berries in through her front door, glad to think that she’d have a full cupboard again and that her children wouldn’t go hungry.
“Thank you,” Millie said. “This food will last us all winter long.” As she spoke a white feather drifted down.
Briar caught it on his paw, but it melted away to nothing. “That’s funny,” he said. “That feather vanished.” He spotted another and another and looked up in surprise. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of feathers were floating down between the trees’ branches.
“They’re snowflakes, not feathers,” explained Millie. She shivered. “I’m going indoors to get warm. Thanks again.”
“See you at the party,” said Briar. Excitedly he watched the snowflakes drifting down. They were starting to settle on the ground, and on the twigs and brambles around him. He could have gazed at them all day long.
“But I’ve got to find food,” he said. He set off through the woods, hoping to spot some tasty mushrooms or a few rose hips.
The woods were bare. There were no mushrooms or rose hips to be found, and no hazelnuts or crab apples, either. Briar sped up. He was starting to feel worried. If he couldn’t find food, he and Mother Bear might not be able to go to the Winter Party… He’d been looking forward to it for so long!
“Fish,” he said, determined not to give up. “We can cook fish for the party.” He ran out of the woods and back across the meadow. The snow was quite deep here and it flew up in a powdery, white shower with every step he took.
Soon he reached the river. Mother Bear had just started teaching him to fish and he hoped he could remember how to do it. He balanced on a large, flat stone near the water’s edge, just as she’d shown him.
Peering into the water, he spotted a few fish, but they were so deep down that they were out of reach. “Perhaps the water’s warmer down there,” he sighed.
Briar watched and waited, but the fish didn’t come to the surface. “It’s no good,” he said at last. “I’ll have to go home and tell Mother Bear that I couldn’t find anything to eat.”
He shook off the snow that had settled on his fur, then trudged sadly away from the river. Suddenly he heard a cry: “Help!”
Briar dashed towards the sound and found Ruby Rabbit and her brothers and sisters sitting on a log surrounded by deep snow. “We’re stuck, Briar!” Ruby said. “The snow’s too deep. Can you please help us get home?”
Gently Briar picked up the smallest rabbits and popped them into his basket. “You older ones, climb up on my shoulders,” he said.
Ruby helped her brothers and sisters scramble on, then she sprang up beside them. They all held on tightly to Briar’s soft fur.
“Here we go then,” he said. He hurried to the rabbits’ home, a cosy burrow in a bank on the far side of the meadow.
“Thanks, Briar,” chorused the little rabbits, as he stopped outside their front door. They slid down from his back and helped their tiny brothers and sisters out of his basket.
“My pleasure,” said Briar.
Mrs Rabbit came out to welcome them home. “We’ll have to get the sledge out tonight so we can get to the Winter Party,” she said, as she looked up at the snowy sky. “Are you looking forward to it, Briar?”
“I don’t think I’ll be going,” Briar replied sadly.
“Not going?” said Mrs Rabbit in astonishment. “Why ever not?”
Briar told her about his search for food. “I’ve looked everywhere,” he said. “But it wouldn’t be fair to go to the party without taking something to share.”
“Wait right there,” said Mrs Rabbit. She disappeared into her burrow, with all the little rabbits skipping after her.
When they came back, they were carrying an enormous cherry pie. “I baked two of these for the party,” Mrs Rabbit said. “And I want you to have one as a reward for bringing my children home safely.”
Briar gazed at the pie in delight. “Really?” he gasped. “For me?”
“Of course,” said Mrs Rabbit. “You deserve it.”
Briar put the pie carefully into his basket. “I’ll see you all later,” he called happily, as he headed for home.
The moon was high and the stars were twinkling in the black, velvety sky when Mother Bear and Briar set out for the party. It had stopped snowing, but the meadow was a blanket of silvery-white. Their paws made no sound as they crossed it, and the lantern Mother Bear carried threw sparkles of brightness all around.
As they drew closer to the wood, they saw all their friends heading in the same direction. Ruby and her rabbit brothers and sisters were riding on a sledge pulled by their father. Herbie Hedgehog and his family were wrapped up in so many coats and shawls that their prickles were completely hidden. And Millie Mouse and her children were riding on the back of Rosie Reindeer, whose antlers were decked with mistletoe.
“Hello, everyone,” Briar called brightly.
“Hello, Briar,” his friends called back, waving at him.
At last they reached the wood and hurried between the trees until they came to the wide clearing in the middle.
“Oh!” gasped Briar as he gazed around. “It’s a winter wonderland!” Every tree was hung with flickering lanterns that set the snow glittering pink and blue and gold. Sparkling ice-crystal decorations covered the bushes, and log tables were piled high with cakes, tarts, biscuits and jugs of apple juice.
“Welcome to the Winter Party!” cried Bo Beaver. He signalled to the beaver band, who were waiting on a low stage. At once they began to play a cheerful tune, slapping their tails on the planks to keep time.
Briar found that his feet couldn’t keep still. He stepped on to the dance floor and began whirling and skipping with his friends.
“I love parties!” he cried, as he twirled past Mother Bear.
“Me, too,” she said, smiling.
The party ended at last. Briar held Mother Bear’s paw as they headed for home. He was so happy he couldn’t stop smiling, and his tummy was comfortably full of delicious food.
