Paddington, Scout and Rosie Welcome Peter

ROSIE: “Scout! Scout!”

 

SCOUT: “What is it, Rosie?”

 

ROSIE: “There is faerie dust in the air, Scout! You know what that means, don’t you?”

 

SCOUT: “Someone from Mummy Marian’s is coming through the magic portal!"

 

ROSIE: "And you know who it is, don't you, Scout?" *Excited.*

 

SCOUT: "Quick, Mijn beste vriend and your prins Peter!”

 

ROSIE: “Oh yes, Scout! Let’s run!”

 

SCOUT and ROSIE: *Run to the magic portal hidden in Daddy Jesse’s garden.*

 

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.*

 

SCOUT: “Hullo mijn allerbeste vriend Peter!”

 

PETER: “Oh! It is equally as good to see you too, mijn allerbeste vriend Scout!” *Gives Scout a snuffly kiss.* “You and Rosie both look so lovely!”

 

ROSIE: “Oh I wanted to wear pretty orange for you, mijn prins!” *Spins around.* “Don’t you think I look pretty mijn prins?”

 

SCOUT: "And I am wearing a pretty blue tutu because I know you love the colour blue, mijn beste vriend!"

 

ROSIE: "Oh mijn prins Peter, I love you SOOOOO MUCH! I am SOOOOO excited that you are here! We are going to have SOOOOO MUCH FUN together! I want to give you a honderdduizend berenkusjes! Come inside!"

 

SCOUT: "Oh yes, Come inside, mijn beste vriend!" *Claps paws and jumps for joy.* "We are going to have the bestest time EVER! We will have much fun playing hide-and-seek! Oh, and Paddy says that he will happily read you 'The Magic Flute' and your princess Rosie and I are going to sit and listen to it again, because we love that story!"

 

SCOUT, ROSIE and PETER *Walk across the lawn and go into the house.*

 

PADDY: "Hullo little Peter! Welcome! Welcome!"

 

PETER: "Oh thank you Paddy! Oh!" *Claps paws in delight.* "I see you have 'The Magic Flute' ready to read! Hoorah!" *Jumps for joy.*

 

PADDY: "Yes I do, dear Peter! I will read it to you, and you and your best friend Scout and princess Rosie can sit and listen."

 

PETER: "Oh I would love that, Paddy. Oh, by the way, your beste vriend Oleg sends his love to you. He couldn't come on the back of Little Bee because there wasn't room for both of us."

 

PADDY: "Oh that's a shame! I miss mijn allerbeste vriend" *Sighs.* "But I know I will see mijn beste vriend Oleg very soon for a nice cup of Twinings English Breakfast tea."

 

PETER: "Umm... Paddy."

 

PADDY: "Yes little Peter?"

 

PETER: "Before you read the story of 'The Magic Flute' to me and mijn beste vriend and mijn allerliefste princes, I just need to see Daddy."

 

DADDY: "Hullo little Peter! You are here at last! Good! I am just making some tea, and I have some lovely home baked biscuits that are not long out of the oven for everybear to eat."

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE and PETER: "Oh thank you, Daddy!"

 

PETER: "I am glad you are here, Daddy! I have something for you!" *Hands over pretty coloured crochet basket full of flowers. "Flowers for you, from Little Bee, who flew me to the magic portal in Mummy Marian's garden."

 

DADDY: "Oh thank you, little Peter!" *Accepts basket.* "They are lovely, and Little Bee is so kind and thoughtful!"

 

PETER: "Oh he is, Daddy, and he promises to visit you in spring time, when the flowers are out."

 

DADDY: "Very good! I shall look forward to that. Now, do you know the story of 'The Magic Flute'?"

 

PETER: "No I don't Daddy, only that it is a faerie tale."

 

PADDY: "It is about a brave Prince called Tamino, and a very brave princess called Pamina."

 

PETER: "Pamina sounds like mijn allerliefste prinses Rosie!"

 

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

 

SCOUT: "But the best character is Papageno, who is a funny and cheeky bird catcher!" *Giggles.*

 

DADDY: "It is based on an opera written by the famous composer, Mozart in 1791. It is my favourite opera. There is a CD in the back of the book with highlights of the opera. If you give the book to me, Paddy. I will read the story, and then I will play the music and songs at the points they are performed in the story if you like."

 

PADDY: "Oh that would be wonderful, Daddy!"

 

SCOUT, ROSIE and PETER: "Oh thank you Daddy!"

 

DADDY: "Now, just make yourselves comfortable and I will finish making the tea and then I will read the story."

 

My bears Paddy and Scout have made very good friends with two bears in Holland called Peter and Oleg www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/721577154558... and www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/721577233464... 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. Mummy Marian has a new bear living with her. His name is Little Bee and he is very special, as he is Bee Bear www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/721577239332... Little Bee will come and visit us in spring time when there are lots of blossoms around, however he flew Peter to the magic portal in Mummy Marian's garden. You can see that here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/54654085846/in/gallery... or in the first comment below.

 

Paddy is reading my 1997 first edition of 'The Magic Flute' based on the opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, retold by Anne Gatti with Illustrations by Peter Malone, published by Chronical Books.

 

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 photo of Peter in my photo montage.

Done