Paddington, Scout and the Special Book

PETER: "Oleg! Oleg! Oleg, you did it! You managed to get the beautiful aaretrrt ..nev....err book through the magic portal! We're here in Daddy Jesse's garden!"

 

OLEG: "Oh... thank... goodness!" *Pants.* "I am old... Peter! Carrying this... heavy... book... on my back... is hard! I do hope Paddy... is waiting for me... with a delicious cup of Twining tea!"

 

PADDY: "Oh mijn beste vriend Oleg! I am right here! Let me help get that book off your back!"

 

SCOUT: “Hullo mijn allerbeste vriend Peter!”

 

PETER: "Oh hullo mijn beste vriend!"

 

PADDY: "Scout! Please help me, help mijn beste vriend Oleg and get this book off his back! We will carry it the rest of the way so that Oleg doesn't have to walk to the house carrying it."

 

SCOUT: "Oh! Yes Paddy!" *Helps Paddy.*

 

ROSIE: "Hullo mijn prins Peter!" *Blushes red beneath pink woollen plush.*

 

PETER: “Oh! Mijn allerliefste Prinses Rosie! My heart goes flippity-flop when I see you! It’s so good to see you!” *Gives Rosie a soft, snuffly kiss.*

 

ROSIE: “Oh mijn prins Peter! You make my heart go flippity flop too! You are so handsome!” *Gives Peter a soft, snuffly kiss.* "Come along to the house and Daddy will read the beautiful book you and Oleg have brought!"

 

OLEG: "I brought, you mean!" *Grumbles.*

 

PADDY: "It's alright mijn allerbeste vriend! I know you brought the book all the way here."

 

SCOUT: *Grunting and groaning.* "This book is heavy!"

 

ROSIE and SCOUT: *Skip holding paws to the house, followed by tired OLEG, who are followed by PADDY and SCOUT carrying the heavy book.*

 

DADDY: "Oh welcome Peter and Oleg! Mummy Marian told me that you were coming. Thank you Peter for asking the Director of the Drents Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde to borrow the book of faerie tales, so that I can read it. And thank you so much, dear Oleg for carrying it here! I have made a big pot of Twinings English Breakfast Tea for you to enjoy. Please sit down." *Takes book of Paddy and panting Scout.*

 

PADDY: "Come and sit here, next to me on the sofa, my dear Oleg and rest your aching back into this nice soft pillow."

 

SCOUT: "And come up next to me, mijn beste vriend Peter!"

 

ROSIE: "We will sit together, mijn prins Peter!"

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, PETER and OLEG: *Clamber onto the sofa where Daddy serves them all tea.*

 

OLEG: "Oh this is so nice, dear Paddy! I am feeling better and more rested already!"

 

PADDY: "Good, mijn allerbeste vriend! Make yourself comfortable."

 

SCOUT, ROSIE and PETER: "Read us a story from the book, please Daddy!" *Excited.*

 

DADDY: "Yes, alright, I will." *Opens book.* "Oh..." *Turns pages.* "Umm..." *Turns more pages.* "Err..."

 

ROSIE: "That's a funny way for a faerie tale to start, Daddy!"

 

SCOUT: "Yes, usually the start 'Once upon a time'."

 

PETER: "Yes, and 'in a land far away'."

 

DADDY: "Yes I know, and these stories may start just like that, but I can't read any of the stories to you everybear. I'm sorry!"

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, PETER and OLEG: "What?"

 

PADDY: "Why not, Daddy?"

 

SCOUT: "You love faerie tales, Daddy!"

 

DADDY: "I know I do, Scout, but the reason why I can't read any stories to you is because I can't read Dutch." *Passes book back to Peter.* "But the illustrations are very beautiful."

 

PETER: "That is because they are aaretrrt ..nev....err, Daddy."

 

ROSIE: "Oh, I was soooo looking forward to a faerie tale!"

 

SCOUT: "So was I, Rosie!"

 

PADDY: "Oh no, mijn beste vriend, Oleg! You brought that book all the way for very little in return for your efforts!"

 

DADDY: "Not necessarily! I've just had an idea! Peter, you are Dutch! You can read the stories to us!"

 

PETER: "Oh I would, Daddy, but... but I am still learning some of my letters and there are some big words in the book."

 

DADDY: "Oh." *Disappointed.*

 

OLEG: "Wait!" *Sits up.* "I am a very good reader, Daddy, and I like reading faerie tales too."

 

PADDY: "Would you mind reading us some stories then, mijn beste vriend?"

 

OLEG: "No, of course I don't mind! I would love to read to you and Daddy, Scout, Rosie and Peter!"

 

PETER: "Oleg is a very good narr... narra... narrat... her reads very well!"

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, PETER and DADDY: "Hoorah!"

 

DADDY: "I'll just fetch my own teacup whilst you pick the faerie tale you'd like to read us first, Oleg."

 

OLEG: "Alright Daddy! Ahem!" *Clears throat importantly.*

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, PETER and DADDY: *Settle down to listen as Oleg starts reading from the beautiful 'Hans Springer in 't Veld' book from the Drents Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde.*

 

My bears Paddy and Scout have made very good friends with two bears in Holland called Peter and Oleghttps://www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/72157715455845276/ andhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/72157723346489780/ and their Mummy Marian Kloon (on and off) . Peter and Scout are very similar and have become best friends. Peter loves Rosie and Rosie loves Peter, so they have become prince and princess to one another. Oleg and Paddy are very similar and have become best friends too. Peter accompanied Mummy Marian, and her daughter Diana and baby Rune to the Drents Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde to see an exhibition called “Power to the Flower” which features a large selection of beautiful Art Nouveau pieces including 'Hans Springer in 't Veld' which Peter asked the Director of the Museum to borrow, but it must be returned to the museum after three days. So with Oleg's help, the book was brought to the magic portal that goes between Mummy Marian's house in the Netherlands and my house here in Australia. You can see Peter at the exhibition here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/54544223775/ and here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/54543623977/in/photost... or in the first comment below. You can see Oleg transporting the book here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/54546847475/in/photost... or in the first comment below.

 

My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.

 

He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.

 

Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.

 

Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.

 

Thank you to Marian Kloon (on and off) for the use of her photos of Peter, Oleg and 'Hans Springer in 't Veld' in my photo montage.

Done