Hello,
My name is Jacqueline and I'm going to read you a story that I made up for my grandchildren.
It's a story about a little girl called Kelty and her adventures that she has with her best friend Duggee who is a tiny little dog.
So settle down,
Make yourself comfortable and I will begin.
Kelty and the Little Owl After school one Friday afternoon Kelty was thinking of something fun to do when her mummy said to her,
Why don't you go outside and play with Duggee in the forest?
It's lovely and sunny out there and I can make you a picnic to take with you for your tea.
Yes please mummy,
Replied Kelty excitedly.
That's a great idea,
Thank you.
Go and fetch the picnic basket and blanket from the garage while I make you a sandwich,
Her mummy said going into the kitchen to get the picnic ready.
Kelty went into the garage where the picnic basket and blanket were and then grabbed her jacket as she headed back to the kitchen.
Her mummy placed all the items inside the basket along with some napkins and then covered them over with a tea towel.
She closed the lid of the basket and handed it to her excited daughter.
Have a lovely time darling,
She said as she kissed Kelty goodbye.
I will mummy,
Replied Kelty picking up the blanket.
Thank you for the picnic,
See you later.
She went out the back door and into the garden with Duggee following behind.
Let's go into the forest Duggee and sit by the big oak tree,
It is so pretty there.
Duggee followed Kelty into the forest and they walked along the path leading to the big oak tree.
Kelty enjoyed hearing the sounds of the different bird songs as they walked through the forest.
She recognised some of them.
There was a wood pigeon,
A cuckoo,
A woodpecker and a kestrel.
Then she heard an owl hooting which she thought was a little unusual at this time of the day.
All of a sudden the owl flew in front of Kelty and perched on a tree branch just above her head.
She was a very little owl with pretty brown and cream feathers and piercing yellow eyes.
Kelty moved nearer and noticed that the little owl was not afraid of her and allowed her to get up really close.
She put her hand out to pet the owl but the owl hooted and flew off.
She landed on another tree a little way ahead in the direction Kelty was going.
I think she wants us to follow her Kelty said to Duggee.
Let's go but no barking we don't want to scare her.
Kelty and Duggee followed the little owl.
Every time they got close to the tree she had perched in she hooted and flew off to the next tree a little way ahead.
Eventually the little owl reached the area of the big oak tree and settled on a branch of a small cherry tree nearby.
The little owl looked at Kelty and hooted as if to say come here.
Kelty put the picnic basket and blanket on the ground next to the big oak tree and told Duggee to sit there and stay.
Then she went over to the cherry tree that the little owl was perched in.
What is it?
She asked gently.
How can I help you?
The little owl was sitting in front of a nest.
Kelty looked into the nest expecting to see one or two eggs but there was nothing in there.
Kelty was puzzled and wondered what the little owl was trying to tell her.
Looking around she saw a tiny egg laying on the ground by the cherry tree.
Is this what you are trying to tell me?
Kelty asked.
Your egg has fallen out of your nest.
She bent down,
Picked up the perfect egg and noticed it felt very cold.
Let me try and keep it warm for you Kelty said and the little owl hooted in reply.
Kelty carried the tiny egg very carefully over to the picnic basket.
She unpacked all the items her mummy had put inside the basket.
Then she rolled the tea towel into a little cocoon and laid it in the bottom of the basket.
Next she placed the tiny egg inside the cocoon and placed a few napkins over the top of it.
Kelty closed the lid to the basket and hoped that the egg would be ok.
The little owl flew over and perched on a branch in the oak tree and watched as Kelty lovingly took care of her egg.
Kelty looked up at the little owl and said,
Let's leave your egg in the basket for a while to get it warm again.
It will be safe in there,
I'll make sure of that.
The little owl hooted as if to say thank you and then flew to a branch a little lower and closer to the basket.
Like Duggee said Kelty looking at him sniffing the picnic food,
Let's see what mummy has packed for us.
Kelty laid the blanket flat on the ground,
Sat down upon it and sorted the goodies which lay before her.
There were ham sandwiches cut into tiny triangles,
Small bite sized pieces of cheese,
Tiny tomatoes and a bag of her favourite cheese and onion crisps.
There was also a little bag labelled for Duggee.
Kelty opened this and inside were some little sausages the perfect size for a tiny dog.
Finally there was a bottle of water with a cup for Kelty and a bowl for Duggee.
Come on Duggee,
Let's enjoy our picnic.
Tuck in boy,
She said as she laid his sausages on the blanket for him.
After they had eaten their fill Kelty felt a little sleepy.
She looked over at Duggee and saw he was already comfy,
Curled up in a ball after eating his delicious lunch.
Let's take a quick nap,
She said to him,
Ten minutes won't hurt.
She laid down and made herself comfortable.
She glanced up to make sure the owl was still watching the basket where her tiny egg lay.
Seeing that she was Kelty fell asleep.
Suddenly she heard a noise in the bushes.
Looking over at them she saw nothing but heard the bushes rustle again.
Now the bushes seemed to be moving.
There was something in them and it was moving closer to her.
Duggee,
Quickly she whispered as loud as she dared.
She grabbed the picnic basket and ran behind the big oak tree.
Feeling a little braver behind the big oak tree Kelty peered around it.
She saw a fox creeping out of the bushes and he was looking directly at the owl as she sat on the low branch of the oak tree.
All too quickly,
Before Kelty had time to warn the little owl,
As quick as a flash the fox ran towards the owl and leapt into the air with his mouth open wide showing his big white razor sharp teeth.
Kelty closed her eyes as his teeth shut tightly around the little owl.
With a painful hoot that was the last sound the owl made.
Kelty opened her eyes just in time to see the fox heading back into the bushes with owl feathers floating down behind him.
Kelty came out from behind the big oak tree and started to cry as she realised there was nothing she could do for the poor little owl.
She placed the basket down beside her and laid back down on the blanket.
She cuddled Duggee as she closed her eyes and started to think about her friend the little owl.
Hoot hoot she heard in the distance.
Hoot hoot she heard again.
Opening her eyes Kelty looked up and there above her sitting on a branch in the big oak tree was the little owl.
You're okay Kelty said relieved.
The fox didn't eat you after all.
Again the owl hooted and then Kelty realised it had all been a dream.
The fox hadn't come and grabbed the little owl.
She had dreamt it all.
Feeling very happy about this Kelty looked up at the little owl again.
Hoot hoot the little owl said and Kelty realised that she wanted her to look inside the basket.
Kelty lifted the lid of the basket and very carefully removed the napkins from on top of the tiny egg.
To her surprise the egg was starting to hatch.
There were tiny cracks in it and she could hear the baby owl inside tapping at the shell with its beak.
Suddenly before her eyes the shell cracked open enough for the baby owl to appear.
Oh how wonderful whispered Kelty.
Hello baby owl.
Welcome to the world.
Kelty lifted the tiny chick carefully out of its shell and carried it over to the nest where the mummy owl was now sitting.
As she placed the baby chick into the nest the mummy owl flew away and Kelty thought she had done something to upset her.
But within a few seconds she was back with a tiny fresh worm she had found for her hungry baby.
Kelty sat back on her blanket with Duggee and watched the owls together.
How magical this is Duggee she said smiling at the scene in front of her.
A perfect end to a lovely afternoon.
They watched the owls for a few more minutes and then Kelty started to put the leftovers from the picnic back into the picnic basket.
When she had finished she rolled up the blanket and said come on Duggee let's leave them to get to know each other.
It's time for us to go home now.
They took one last look at the owls then made their way back through the forest and across the garden towards the back door.
Once inside the kitchen Kelty went to wash her hands while her mummy unpacked the picnic basket.
Where has this come from Kelty she asked holding up a beautiful brown and cream feather.
Oh that's from a new friend I made today in the forest replied Kelty taking the tiny feather from her mummy.
It's my new piece of treasure she said smiling as she heard a little friend hoot in the distance.
Duggee I found it on the shrub I yellowed it and the owl hoouted it all up excitedly.
Duggee oh and that little書.
It was the owl's Natural
