THE MOUSE AND THE WINTER GLOVE

The Mouse and The Winter Glove

Written by Kim Preston

Winter Story, Playgroup Story

Once upon a time, there lived a little brown mouse,

But the rain fell down and washed away his house.

He ran into the bush and found a snug wee glove;

Then down flew an owl from the gum-tree above”

“Please, is there room for me in your house?”

“Yes, do come in”, said the little brwn mouse.

They all squeezed together, it was getting rather tight

When along came a fox and gave them all a fright:

“Don’t worry, little animals, I’ll do you no harm,

I only need some shelter to keep me dry and warm.”

So they all squashed up, as close as close can be,

Then – oh – I’m sorry to say ... there came a little flea!

“No room! No room! No room!” the animals all cried,

But the flea took no notice and jumped right inside.

Alas, the little glove-house could bear the strain no more;

It burst and split right open, as its seams ripped and tore.

The animals cried out – but soon they cheered “Hooray!”

For the golden sun came shining – and they all went off to play.

THE MITTEN

The Mitten

From Repetitive Stories: A collection for young and old, 
Hella Coenen, 1997

Winter Story

Once upon a time in the middle of winter and old man walked through a forest and his dog followed him. When those two were walking along, one of his mittens fell in the snow.

Nibbler the mouse came along, twirling his whiskers and looking at the world. He saw the mitten and thought it was as good as a palace. He stood in front of it and called out, “who lives in this mitten?”

No one answered for there was no one inside. “I will live there myself,” said Nibbler the mouse, and in he went and set up home.

The Croaker the frog came along, a jump, three strides, a jump again. “Who lives in this mitten?”

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, and who are you?”

“I am Croaker the frog, can I come in?”

“Yes do, and make yourself at home.” So the frog went and the two of them began to live together.

Then a hare came running by. “Who lives in this mitten?”

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the frog, and who are you?”

“I am Bandy Legs the hare, and hill jumper. Can I come in?”

“Yes, do and make yourself at home.” So the hare put his ears down and went in and the three of them began to live together.

Then fox came running by. “Who lives in this mitten?”

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the Frog, I do, Bandy Legs the hare, the hill jumper, and who are you?”

“I am Reynard, the fox the fine talker. Can I come in?”

“Yes do, and make yourself at home.” So the fox went in and the four of them began to live together.

Then a wolf came prowling by. He saw the mitten. “Who lives in this mitten?”

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the Frog, I do, Bandy Legs the hare, the hill jumper, I do, Reynard the fox the fine talker, and who are you?”

“I am Prowler the wolf who lurks behind the bush. Can I come in?”

“Yes do come in then.” And the wolf went in and the five of them began to live together. Then from the middle of the forest came a wild boar walking by, “Who lives in this mitten?”

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the Frog, I do, Bandy Legs the hare, the hill jumper, I do, Reynard the fox the fine talker, I do, Prowler the wolf who lurks behind the bush, and who are you?”

“I am Flat Nose the boar. Can I come in?”

“You are too big. You probably won’t fit in.”

“Well, I will try,” And the Boar went in then, and the six of them began to live together. And then there came along a bear. He was very slow and heavy.

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the Frog, I do, Bandy Legs the hare, the hill jumper, I do, Reynard the fox the fine talker, I do, Prowler the wolf who lurks behind the bush, I do, Flat Nose the boar, and who are you?”

“I am bear Bigfoot. Let me in.”

“We cannot let you in. There is no room.”

“Sit a little closer.”

“All right, if you make yourself a little smaller,” Yes, the bear could just fit inside. Now the seven of them began to live together inside the mitten.

In the meantime the old man had noticed that he had lost his mitten. He turned around and began to search for it. The dog went in front of him and sniffed all the way. Suddenly he saw the mitten, it was lying in the snow and ... moved as if it were alive.

The dog began to bark “Woof, woof, woof!”

The seven animals in the mitten got such a fright that they quickly jumped out and ran into the forest.

Then the old man came and picked up his mitten.

Story notes:
I have also come across this story as a shortened version: there were only the first five characters, and the little house was a pot that had fallen on the side of the road. After all the characters had made the pot their home, the story ends like this:


And then there came along a bear. He was very slow and heavy. 


"Little house, little house, who lives in this little house?"

“I do, Nibbler the Mouse, I do, Croaker the Frog, I do, Bandy Legs the hare, the hill jumper, I do, Reynard the fox the fine talker, I do, Prowler the wolf who lurks behind the bush, and who are you?”


"I am bear Squash-the-Lot." And the bear sat down on the pot and squashed the lot of them!


The way to tell this story is to make one hand the pot, and fingers and the thumb of the other hand the animals that go in one by one. When it came to the end and the bear came along, the bear squashed the whole lot. If a child is acting out the pot and characters with their hands, you can squash the lot with your own and end up in a big bear hug.

Seems a bit of a harsh ending, but my experience is that children love it!

THE FIVE GOATS

The Five Goats

(From Repetitive Stories: A collection for young and old, Hella Coenen, 1997)

There was once a boy who every day had to look after the five goats of his father. He looked after them very well. Every morning he brought them into the meadow. There was nice grass to eat and clear water to drink. Every evening he brought them home again and then they were milked and gave of their creamy milk.

One evening the goats wanted to stay in the meadow, the boy could not manage to get them into the stables. “Hop, hop, home you go! You have to be milked.” He cried. But the goats did not go, and they continued eating from the juicy grass. Then his sister came and said, “Wait, Let me try. I will bring them inside,” and she ran after the goats. But they did not want to go inside.

Just them there came a dog walking by. “Wait. Let me try. I will bring them to the stables; my voice is much louder than yours. It will scare the goats and then I will bring them inside.

“Woof, woof, woof.” The dog ran behind the goats. But they did not get scared and from the juicy grass, and they did not go inside.

Then came the red fox to see why the dog was barking so loudly. “Let me try,” said the fox. “the dog howls much too loudly. I know something better. I will get that done.” The fox ran behind the goats and cried, “Hee, Hee, inside you goats.”

But the goats did not take any notice and just continued eating from the juicy grass.

Then came the horse. “Let me fix this,” said the horse. “I am bigger than the fox. I can do more than the dog, and I have more legs than the boy.” The horse ran to the goats and called “It’s nearly dark, goats; it’s time that you go into the stables.”

But the goats scarcely looked at the horse and continued eating again from the nice fresh grass and did not go inside.

Then came a bee flying by. “What is happening here? He asked, “Why are you still in the field so late?”

“The goats do not want to go inside,” said the boy and the girl. “Nobody can get them into the stable. The horse cannot. The fox cannot. The dog cannot. And we also cannot.”

“Yes, so it is,” said the horse, and the fox, and the dog.

“Then it is my turn,” said the bee. “I will lead them inside. Let me try this.”

“You are much too small,” said the boy and the girl.

“You cannot make enough noise,” said the dog.

“You cannot run on four legs around the field,: said the horse.

“You will see,” said the bee, and he flew away. He flew directly to the biggest goat and went “buzz, buzz, zoom, zoom,” in his ear. The goat lifted his head up immediately and saw the bee, “Oh, what is that?” cried the goat, and ran away as fast as he could.

“If you are going inside I shall go as well,” said the next goat.

“Then we shall all go to the stable,” said the other goats. And so the eventually all went to the stable.

A WINTER RABBIT

Winter Story

(From Repetitive Stories: A collection for young and old, Hella Coenen, 1997)

It snows and it snows and it snows and the fields are white. The rabbit has nothing to eat. Carefully, he looks out of his burrow. “Brrrr, it’s cold.”

The rabbit wants to go and look for something. DO you know what? For two big winter carrots that were sleeping under the snow.

Nibble, nibble, nibble. He finished one of them. Now he was not hungry anymore. The rabbit thinks, “It is so cold and it is snowing so, maybe my neighbour the horse is hungry. I shall take him the second carrot.”

“Hoppity, hoppity, trot. The cold hurts me not.”

Knock, knock, knock, he opens the door. Oh, the horse is not there. Carefully he puts the carrot down, and the rabbit disappears into the snow again.

In the cold wet snow, the horse is looking for something to eat. Hey, there was something! Do you know what? A big fat turnip under a heap in the snow.

Bite, bite, bite, and he eats the whole turnip up. “That tasted good!” Now he is not hungry any more. He goes back to the stable. When he arrives home he sees the carrot.

“Who has brought this here?” he syas in astonishment, “It must have been the rabbit because I can see his foot prints in the deep snow. Oh how kind of him.” The horse thinks, “it is so cold and it is snowing so, maybe my neighbour the sheep is hungry. I shall taker her the carrot.”

“Hoppity, trot trot, so, to the sheep I go. Never tired or slow, trotting through the snow.”

Knock, knock, knock. He pushes the door open. “Oh, the sheep is not here.” Carefully he puts the carrot down, and the rabbit disappears into the snow again.

The sheep with her thick woolly coat has gone to look for something to eat. Hey, there she sees something. Do you know what. A beautiful red cabbage. It was hiding under the snow. She eats the cabbage, leaf after leaf, “bite, bite, bite.”

Now she is not hungry any more. So she quickly goes back to the sheep pen. When she gets home she sees the carrot and says in astonishment. “Who has brought this here? It must have been the horse, because I can see his hoof prints here in the deep snow.”

The hseep think, “It is so cold, and it is snowing so hard, maybe my friend the deer is hungry. I shall take him the carrot.”

“Oh, sheep so brave and without fear, you will find your friend the deer, by the forest very near.”

IKnock, knock, knock, she opens the door. Oh, the deer is not here. Carefully she puts the carrot down and the sheep disappears again.

In the cold wet snow the sdder is trying to find something. Do you know what? A little bunch of frozen grass. Bite, chew, bite, it tastes just right. So now she is not hu ngry anymore. When she comes home she sees the carrot lying there and she says in astonishment, “Who has brought this here? That must have been the brown sheep. Look, a tussle of wool is left behind there.” The deer thinks, “It is so cold and it is snowing so, maybe my friend the rabbit is hungry. I shall go and take this carrot to him.

“Jump, little deer, jump so high. Over the hedge, and the field nearby

Right through the forest with trees so bare,

You will find friend rabbit awaiting there.”

At last she sees the burrow where her dear friend lives. She pushes against the door. She sees her friend asleep in his bed.

Carefully she puts the carrot down. Then the rabbit awakes. The deer says “It is so cold and it is snowing so hard, maybe you have not got any food. That is why I bring you this carrot.”

And that is how the carrot went from the rabbit to the horse,

From the horse to the sheep,

From the sheep to the deer,

From the deer back to the rabbit.

Those are really good friends.

THE GINGERBREAD BOY

The Gingerbread Boy

(From Repetitive Stories: A collection for young and old, Hella Coenen, 1997)

There was once a woman who hadn’t any children of her own and wanted one very much. One day she said to her husband, “I shall bake myself a nice gingerbread boy. That’s what I shall do.”

Her husband laughed at the idea but that very morning she mixed the dough and rolled it. Then she cut out a little boy shape with a smiling mouth and two currants for eyes. When she popped him in the oven she waited for him to bake and then she opened the door. Out jumped the gingerbread boy and he ran away through the kitchen and right outside.

“Husband, husband,” called the woman as she ran after the gingerbread boy.

The man dropped his spade when he heard his wife call and came running from the field. But when the gingerbread boy saw the woman and the man chasing him, he only laughed, running faster and faster and shouting:

“Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”

On he ran until he met a cow. “Moo! Moo!” called the cow. “Stop! Stop! I want to eat you.”

But the gingerbread boy only laughed and ran faster than ever, shouting. “I’ve run away from a woman and a man and now I’ll run away from you!”

“Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”

The cow chased after him but she was too fat and couldn’t catch him. He raced on until he came to a horse. “Neigh! Neigh!” snorted the horse. “You look good to eat. Stop and let me gobble you up.”

But the gingerbread boy only laughed and ran faster than ever, shouting. “I’ve run away from a woman, a man, and a cow and now I’ll run away from you!”

“Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”

The horse galloped after the Gingerbread boy but couldn’t catch him. He raced on faster and faster until he came to some farmers in a field. “Ho! Ho!” they cried. “Stop! Stop! And let us have a bite!”

But the gingerbread boy only laughed and ran faster than ever, shouting. “I’ve run away from a woman, a man, a cow and a horse, and now I’ll run away from you!”

“Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”

The men joined in the chase but no one could catch the gingerbread boy. He raced ahead until he came to a river and had to stop. There he met a fox who wanted very much to eat him then and there, but he was afraid the clever gingerbread boy might escape. So he said politely, “Do you want to cross the river?”

“Yes please,” said the gingerbread boy.

“Well then, jump on my back and I’ll swim across.”

“Thank you,” said the gingerbread boy and he did that.

When they were about halfway across, the fox said, “The water is deeper here. I think you’d better crawl up onto my neck.”

“Thank you,” said the gingerbread boy and he did that. When they had gone three-quarters of the way across, the fox said, “You’d better climb up onto my head. You can’t be very comfortable there.”

“Thank you,” said the gingerbread boy and he did just that. “We’re nearly there now,” said the fox a moment later. “I think you’d be safer if you get onto my nice long nose.”

“Thank you,” said the gingerbread boy. No sooner had he climbed onto the fox’s nose then the fox threw back his head and SNAP! Went his big mouth. The gingerbread boy was half gone.

SNAP! The gingerbread boy was three quarters gone.

SNAP! The gingerbread boy was all gone.

And that was the end of the gingerbread boy who had been too clever for the woman, the man, the cow, the horse and the farmers, but not clever enough for the fox.

THE LITTLE YELLOW DIGGER

The Little Yellow Digger

By Jennifer McCormack, based on the story by Betty and Alan Gilderdale

(to the tune of  “A Foolish Man built his house upon the sand”)

There was a little digger, a little yellow digger

There was a little digger, a little yellow digger

There was a little digger, a little yellow digger

Working hard to dig a hole

The rain came down and the digger got stuck

The rain came down and the digger got stuck

The rain came down and the digger got stuck

Got stuck in the mud and the muck!

So a bigger digger came to help the yellow digger

So a bigger digger came to help the yellow digger

So a bigger digger came to help the yellow digger

That was stuck in the mud and the muck!

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

And it got stuck in the mud and the muck!

And so along to help came another bigger digger

And so along to help came another bigger digger

And so along to help came another bigger digger

To pull the two diggers from the muck!

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

It pulled and it pulled and its wheels spun around

And it got stuck in the mud and the muck!

SPOKEN

The rain went away and the sun shone bright

The people came to help the three diggers stuck tight!

The ground dried up and they brought in a truck

To pull out the little yellow digger that was stuck!

The people dug and the truck pulled and pulled

The people dug and the truck pulled and pulled

The people dug and the truck pulled and pulled

And the little yellow digger came free!

And the little yellow digger dug out the bigger diggers

And the little yellow digger dug out the bigger diggers

And the little yellow digger dug out the bigger diggers

Free from the mud and the muck!

(Repeat 1^st Verse to finish)

THE BOY WHO BUILT THE BOAT

The Boy Who Built the Boat

Adapted by Jennifer McCormack 
from the story of the same name, 
by Ross Mueller and Craig Smith

(Published by Allen & Unwin ,2006)

Down at the bottom of Henry’s backyard is a shed where his dad builds boats. It is a shed filled with tools that hang on the walls and sawdust and big ideas. There are hammers and nails and drills and saws and useful things that his dad likes to keep there because “You never know when you might need them.”

Early one day, when his dad was working in the shed Henry decided it was time he built a boat of his own.

So ...

Henry set out to build a boat that day and he took along a hammer to hammer in all the nails.

And you never know when you might need a hammer.

Henry went out to build a boat that day and he took along a drill, to drill some holes in the wood.

And you never know when you might need a drill or a hammer,

or a drill or a hammer.

Henry went out to build a boat that day and he took along a saw, to cut a mast for the boat ...

And you never know when you might need a saw or a drill or a hammer,

Or a saw or a drill or a hammer.

Henry went out to build a boat that day and he took along a drop sheet, to use for the sails on his boat.

And you never know when you might need a drop sheet or a saw or a drill or a hammer,

Or a drop sheet or a saw or a drill or a hammer.

Henry went out to build a boat that day and he took along a tape measure to make sure he measured everything correctly.

And you never know when you might need a tape measure or a drop sheet or a saw or a drill or a hammer,

Or a tape measure or a drop sheet or a saw or a drill or a hammer.

Henry went out to build a boat that day and he took along his wheelbarrow to see if the boat would float. He filled the wheelbarrow with water from the hose and soon it became his ocean.

He held up the boat for his dad to see, and he said very loudly in his best Captain’s voice, “Good luck to the S.S. Henry!”

The boat bobbled and it wobbled

And it tumbled and it tacked

And the wind was behind it

And the ocean was rough.

The mast was straight and the sail was filled

And it all held together

And the S.S.Henry was STRONG.

He was very excited and his dad was impressed.

He had used all the tools from the shed down the back,

The hammer and the drill

And the saw and the drop sheet,

The tape measure and the wheelbarrow,

The useful bits and pieces that were needed that day.

Henry had put them all together and created something special

He had built ...

A really good boat.

THE THREE LITTLE KITTENS

The Three Little Kittens

Adapted by Kim Preston

Categories: Traditional, Repetitive, Winter, Playgroup

Once upon a time, there were four cats living in a little house. One ... two ...three ... four. The biggest was Mother Cat, and the rest were her three little kittens. Now, one cold day, Mother Cat was busy at work in her kitchen, but her three little kittens were running about in between her paws, and playing in the flour bowl, and tipping up the pots and pans, making it very hard for Mothe Cat to get any work done.

At last, she got quite cross and said:

“Go out and play, you mischievous kittens.

But the wind is cold, so put on your mittens.”

They scampered off across the grass, in and out of the bushes they rushed. They chased each other’s tails, they chased the falling leaves, Until at last they heard Mother Cat call:

“Little kittens, little kittens, wherever you roam,

Your dinner is ready, it’s time to come home.”

The three little kittens were hungry, so they happily raced each other to the kitchen door, but when they got there, they looked at their paws ... oh ... dear ....

The three little kittens, they lost their mittens, and they began to cry:

“Oh Mother dear, we sadly fear, our mittens we have lost.”

“What, lost your mitten? You naughty kittens, then you shall have no pie!”

“miaow, miaow, miaow!”

The three little kittens sadly went back out into the garden with their tails drooping low. They searched high ... and low ... everywhere a kitten could go. When at last:

The three little kittens, they found their mittens, and they began to cry:

“Oh, Mother dear, see here, see here, our mittens we have found!”

“What, found your mittens? You good little kittens,

Now you may have your pie!”

“Miaow, miaow, miaow!”

Notes on the Story: I wrote this story to tell using the simple knitted cats. I used mohair wool, and made the kittens in white, tan, and darker tan, and the mother using all three strands and added a few extra stitched to the body and head of the pattern. The mother need not be TOO much bigger than the kittens. I resisted the temptation to make mittens! – Kim Preston

Three Billy Goats Gruff

-Author Unknown - Three Billy Goats Gruff had had enough  Of where they grazed all day "Let's cross the bridge to the other side",  One Billy Goat did say. Over the bridge, sweet mountain grass! The first Billy Goat, the little one,  With little horns and beard Was first to go across the bridge, The hungry troll he never feared. "Trip. Trap. Trip. Trap. Over my bridge, trip-trap, I hear the sound of running feet Someone's crossing my bridge I fear Now whom shall I meet?" "Oh please don't eat me hungry troll! For if you wait and see my brother is coming very soon He's MUCH bigger than me!" The troll did stop and think a lot "More meat for me to eat you see" And so he waited, patiently. The next Billy Goat, the medium one, With medium horns and beard Was next to go across the bridge THe hungry troll he never feared. "Trip. Trap. Trip. Trap. Over my bridge, trip-trap, I hear the sound of running feet Someone's crossing my bridge I fear Now whom shall I meet?" "Oh please don't eat me hungry troll! For if you wait and see my brother is coming very soon He's MUCH bigger than me!" The troll did stop and think a lot "More meat for me to eat you see" And so he waited, patiently.

The last Billy Goat, the great big one With great big horns and beard Was last to go across the bridge The hungry troll he never feared. "Trip. Trap. Trip. Trap. Over my bridge, trip-trap, I hear the sound of running feet Someone's crossing my bridge I fear Now whom shall I meet?" "Come up and see me hungry troll! I have no fear of you!" And so the troll came up that day What else was he to do? WIth one great BUTT of his Billy Goat horns He sent the troll a-flying Never to be seen again Down stream he went a-crying And so the Billy Goats crossed at last Nibbling happily on sweet mountain grass Sweet mountain grass! Sweet mountain grass! Billy Goats love sweet mountain grass!