Children`s storybooks

Fables for children.
by Jan Luthman

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"Go away, Spring," He mumbled, "Come back later, when it's Summer."

There was a knock at the door of his burrow.

"Bother," Robbitt muttered, "Bother, bother, bother."

He got up and went to open his door: there stood Andy.

"Hi," Said Andy, "I'm busy building: want to keep me company?"

But Robbit didn't feel like being busy.

"Why don't we go and see if Jonathan's awake instead?" He suggested.

Andy and Robbit found Jonathan polishing his spare shell in the bright Spring sunshine.

"Had to get all the winter dust and fluff off it, you see," He explained.

Andy thought it must be wonderful to have a shell that you could polish.

Robbit thought they should go and say hallo to Farmer Jack and Mrs Katie.

"We haven't seen them all Winter," He said.

On their way to the Old Farmhouse, Jonathan tried to explain to Andy and Robbit how he went round corners quickly, but he was so busy talking, he bumped into a daisy.

"I'll do it again, properly," He said, "Watch!"

They watched as Jonathan swept round a large stone and out of sight.

All of a sudden they heard a wail, followed by a faint, faraway splash.

"Oh, wow," Exclaimed Andy, "We forgot Farmer Jack's well."

They peered carefully over the edge. Far below, they could see Jonathan bobbing around on top of the water in his shell.

"Help!" He called, in an upside-down sort of voice.

"I'll fetch Old Mrs Spider," Said Andy, "She could lower me down to Jonathan on the end of a web."

Old Mrs Spider soon took charge.

"Hold on tight," She instructed Andy.

Andy clung on as Old Mrs Spider lowered him down the well; down and down until his toes almost touched the water.

"Stop!" He yelled.

Andy grabbed Jonathan's shell and pulled him to the side of the well.

"Oh, dear," Muttered Jonathan, "The wall's too slippery for me to climb."

"Don't worry," Said Andy, "I'll get the beetle boys. They can climb walls, and they're very strong."

Andy found the two Beetle Boys on the other side of the meadow.

"Jonathan's stuck down the well," He told them, "And can't climb out."

"We can climb anything," The two beetles declared confidently, "Let's go to the rescue."

Andy and the beetles scurried off to the well as fast as they could.

"Hang on, Jonathan," The Beetle Boys yelled, "We're coming to get you."

The beetles pushed and shoved, while Andy pulled and tugged, and slowly, bit by bit, Jonathan was lifted back up the well.

At the top, all their friends were waiting for them. An enormous cheer went up.

"Hooray!!"

Everybody leapt up and down excitedly, waving their arms and thumping Andy and the Beetle Boys on the back.

"Wizard!"

"You're heroes!"

Andy and the two beetles shuffled their feet shyly.

"Thank you," Said Jonathan gratefully, "Thank you very much indeed."

Matilda thought they should all have a party.

"You can all come back to my home under the Old Farmhouse to celebrate. Mrs Katie said she wouldn't mind at all because it's a very special occasion."

It was one of the best parties that any of them could remember, and nobody wanted to leave at all.

"My Goodness," said Farmer Jack, "What on earth's all that scuffling and chattering?"

Mrs Katie smiled.

"Just our friends from the meadow," She said, "They're celebrating because Jonathan fell down the well and they managed to pull him out again."

"Ah," Said Farmer Jack, "That's alright then. I'm glad the day had a happy ending."

The End
Come back soon!
Click on any of the small pictures to see a bigger one.