They arrived back at Jacques’s stall as he was just starting to clear away, so they jumped back into the bucket as he lifted it into the back of the van. Alice said to Alfie, “That is the best day we have ever had.”
When they arrived back at the windmill they were too tired to do anything else and they fell fast asleep.
The rag dolls were lying on the windowsill when they were awoken by a shining light. It was the moon and he said, “I was watching you both today, you are so lucky to have each other. Nichole sends her love from the star above and says, “Twinkle, twinkle little star, Alice and Alfie, I am watching you from afar.”
One warm spring morning Alice and Alfie got up early. Jacques had gone fishing with one of his friends, so they climbed down the ladder at the side of the window and ran round the back of the windmill. To their surprise all the daffodils and tulips were all flowering in amazing colours. Alice said to Alfie, “They are so beautiful.”
Tied up at the side of the mill there was a little boat with rowing oars. Alice said, “Can we get into the boat, Alfie and pretend we are going down the river?”
Alfie replied, “Yes, as long as you don’t rock the boat.”
Alfie got in first and the boat rocked from side to side. Then Alice stepped into the boat and as she sat down she knocked the rope off the hook which was moored to the wooden jetty. All of a sudden the boat started to move and they began to float down the river. Alfie said, “Ho, Ho, Ho, and off we go,” but Alice looked scared and said to Alfie, “I’m frightened.” They were taken by surprise when Mr. Otter jumped up and said, “Don’t worry, I will look after you.” He told them to grab the oars and row the boat.
The rag dolls watched fish jumping in and out of the water as Mr. Otter played with his friends the ducklings and swans.
The sky started to get darker and darker and then it began to rain. There was a loud bang and they saw amazing colours streak across the sky. There were blues, reds, pinks, greens and all different colours.
Alice said to Mr. Otter, “What is that?”
He said, “It is called a rainbow and they say that at the end there is a pot of gold.”
Alice and Alfie rowed over to the side of the riverbank, where they all got out and Mr. Otter asked “Can I come too?”
Alice said, “Of course,” and as they walked along the riverbank it stopped raining. They could still see the rainbow and it was getting nearer and nearer. Suddenly the colours were shining onto Alice and Alfie and Mr. Otter said, “Stop, stop! You are at the end of the rainbow.” As Alice turned there was a small pot of gold by her feet. She picked it up and the rainbow went flying up into the sky and disappeared. They carried the pot of gold back to the boat and carried on down the river.
In the distance they heard some bells ringing and up on a hill they saw a little church, so they stopped to listen to the bells ringing. As they got nearer the church they could hear children crying. Alfie opened the door and in the courtyard of the church there was a crowd of small boys and girls. The rag dolls hid behind the pillar, and saw a little lady and her friends dressed in white robes. Mr. Otter told the rag dolls they were the nuns who looked after the children.
That night lightning had hit the church roof and destroyed it. The nuns had told the children that they would have to live somewhere else and that was why they were crying. The children all shouted, “Why? Why?” and the nuns told them it was because they had no money to rebuild the roof.
Alice looked at Alfie and said, “Let them have the pot of gold and build the new roof.” So Mr. Otter took the pot of gold over to the nuns and said it was a gift to them from Alice and Alfie, children with big hearts who live at the magical windmill.
The nuns asked Mr. Otter if there was anything they could do for Alice and Alfie. He told them that they would like them to pray that one day they would be reunited with their friend Nichole. The nuns said they would pray for them and they would tell Nichole in their prayers.
As the rag dolls got back to the boat the bells of the church started ringing again. They could hear the children in the distance laughing and singing. Mr. Otter said, “What a lovely day,” and he helped them all the way back to the windmill.
Alfie tied the boat up and they went upstairs to their bedroom. Jacques the windmill keeper was fast asleep and as they lay on the windowsill they fell fast asleep. The moon shone down again and tapped on the window, Alice woke up and opened the window. The moon said, “Nichole’s star has told me that he has heard from the nuns and that you are both well and she sends her love.”
It had been a long day for Alice and Alfie. They had played with the kittens and mice all around the windmill. Jacques, the windmill keeper, had been to an antique fair. They watched him unload the van and decided that when he went to bed they would go and look at what he had bought.
Soon, Jacques was fast asleep, so they went downstairs but there was nothing new on the table. They looked everywhere but it was just the same old things that were always there. Alfie said, “Perhaps he has put them in the barn.” So they crept outside and opened the barn doors and there in the corner was a big metal chest. Alfie said, “Shall we open it?”
Alice said, “Yes, let’s.” They lifted up the lid and there inside was an old lantern, two pictures and an old toy drum.
As they lifted out the antique pieces, right at the bottom was a beautiful wooden box glowing in lovely colours. They lifted it out and put it onto a bale of straw. Alice said, “Open it.” So Alfie lifted the lid.
All of a sudden a glow of light shone at the entrance to the barn doors. They went to have a look and they saw it was the moon. He said he was passing by when he saw the colours of the box glowing. “I have seen that box before on my travels. It is a magical box and you must say the magic words, “Hocus pocus pudding and pie, take us on a journey so we can fly.”
As they said these words, the little wooden box got bigger and bigger; the lid opened fully and inside the box was a glow of colour. The box had grown so big the moon said, “Quick, jump in.”
All of a sudden there was a flash of light and two big ears and a trunk popped out of the box and screamed, “Boo, how are you?” It made Alice and Alfie jump and they fell to the floor.
When they stood up, Alice said, “Who are you?” “My name is Elle the elephant and I live in the magic box. Would you both like to look inside?” he said. As they got in Elle shouted, “Quick! We must go,” and the lid fell down. Alfie asked why they had to go. “I am being followed by a wicked witch.” Alice looked through the keyhole and there she saw in front of them the wicked witch. She had a big black coat blowing in the wind and a large black hat. Alice could not believe it, she was flying on a broomstick and with a scream and a wicked laugh she flew off into the distance.
Elle told the rag dolls that the witch was horrible. “Her name is OLIVE and she gives out bad spells. “Anyway don’t let’s talk about horrible things. Here we go,” and with a woosh and a wish they flew up into the sky. Alice said to Alfie, “Look through the keyhole. We are flying.” They flew amongst the clouds and then dropped to the ground with a large bang. The lid opened and they all climbed out. Elle said, “We have landed at the mad professor’s house, he makes up magical potions and nice spells but don’t be frightened as he’s a very nice man.”
Elle and the rag dolls went up to the front door of the professor’s house. There was a note on the door, “Please knock quietly. I am sleeping.” Alice said to Elle, “That’s strange, how will he hear us?” Elle knocked on the door with her trunk. After a while, the mad professor opened it. He looked out and said “Not today thank you,” and shut the door. Elle opened the letterbox and shouted, “It’s me Elle, the elephant.” The door opened again and the professor told them never to forget the elephant. He said, “Come in,” and sat them down in front of a big log fire and asked them if they had eaten. They all said no and so he went off to cook them a lovely meal.
The professor put a big black pot onto the open fire
. He poured in some water then, rats and mice and some things nice. Alice said to Alfie, “I will eat the nice but not the rats or mice!” As their dinner was cooking Elle talked about the witch called OLIVE. The mad professor said, “Don’t worry about her. I’ll sort her out,” and he cast a magical spell. He said, “RATS AND BATS AND PENGUIN BEAKS LET OLIVE DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A SCREECH!”
He bottled up the spell and gave it to them and told them if she comes near you on the way home, “Just say the magic words and cover her with the potion.” The mad professor said, “I am ready for bed”. Elle said, “We must go now before it gets too dark,” so Alice and Alfie said goodbye.
All three jumped into the box and flew off into the sky through the clouds and all of a sudden there was OLIVE, flying past and looking evil. Elle opened the lid and as the witch flew over, Alice shouted the magic words and Alfie threw the spell and the witch disappeared with a loud pop.
They arrived back at the windmill and said goodbye to Elle and with a flash of light the box went back to its normal size. The moon shone down as they walked back to the mill. He blew a kiss and said it was from Nichole whom he knew they missed.
“Alfie, I think Elle the elephant is special.”
Alice was woken by a sound she had never heard before. The rag dolls looked out of the window and there by the river was a large bird with feathers and a red-feathered head. It was going ‘cock-a-doodle-do’, and was waking everybody up, even the fish in the river. Alice and Alfie heard Jacques go out of the door of the windmill and say to himself, “That noisy cockerel has come back again.” By the time he had finished cock-a-doodle-doing everybody was awake.
Jacques had to make flour that day; he set in motion the wheels that started turning the big sails on the windmill. The noise was very loud. Alice said to Alfie, “I could not stand the noise of the cockerel and the windmill. Let’s go out for the day.”
Alice and Alfie climbed down the ladder at the side of the window and walked along the side of the riverbank. Two big birds flew down in front of them.
Alice said to them, “What sort of birds are you?” as she had never seen birds like that before. They told her they were seagulls. Alfie said, “Where do you live?” and they told him that they lived by the seaside. Alice said, “What is the seaside?” One seagull told them that it is where there is a sandy beach and seawater and where children love to play with the sand and in the water.
Alice asked, “How do we get there?”
The birds replied that it was a very long way and it would take a long time to walk there. “If you like we could take you there,” they said.
Alfie asked, “How can you take us?”
They replied, “Jump on our backs and we will fly you there.” Alice said to Alfie, “Please, please can we?”
Alfie agreed to go and so they jumped up onto the back of the birds who said, “Up, up and off we go. Hold on tight and we will be there before you know.”
The birds flew over the magic windmill and saw the sails going round. They showed the birds where they lived and the seagulls told them that they would bring them back safely. They flew over the magic castle and for one moment they thought they spotted the horrible witch OLIVE, but it was only a flash of the magician’s spells that came from the castle.
As they flew, they saw the sea in the distance. It was shining blue and bright. The seagulls landed on the beach behind some rocks and told the rag dolls to be careful because the tide goes in and out. They said they would be back that night to pick them both up and off they flew up, up and away.
As Alice and Alfie looked over the top of the rocks they could see children playing and swimming in the sea. They had buckets and spades and flags.
Alice said to Alfie, “Can we go and play with the buckets and spades in the sand?” He agreed but he told her they must make sure the children did not see them.
The rag dolls built sand castles and put the flags on the top of them. All of a sudden they saw the children coming back, and they ran and hid behind some rocks. They heard them talking, “Who has made these beautiful sand castles?” They looked around but nobody was there. The children said to one another it must be magic. Alice started to giggle, and Alfie whispered to her to be quiet.
Alice felt something tickle her feet and she looked down and saw a large crab. The crab looked up at her and said, “Don’t be scared of me, I won’t bite as long as you don’t eat me.”
Alice replied, “Why would we want to eat you?” “Mummies and daddies do. That is why I run sideways so they can’t catch me.”
Alice said, “Can you show us how you run sideways so they can’t catch you?” The crab showed them his sideways run and they had never laughed so much. He said, “It does work, you know. I am over twenty years old and have never been on a plate yet. Anyway I must go now as my dinner is coming in on the next tide.”
All the children had gone and had left a small boat on the sand. The tide was coming in fast and it was pushing the boat nearer and nearer some rocks. All of a sudden Alice and Alfie realised that they were stranded. Alice said, “Quick, grab the boat” and they both jumped in. The tide was pushing them out to sea and they started to get frightened.
It was cold and getting dark and in the distance the sun was going down. Alice said, “I wish we were back at the windmill,” and she began to cry.
There was a flash of light and the moon came down and said, “Don’t be frightened, the seagulls are on their way.” The rag dolls looked up in the sky and they spotted the seagulls flying towards them.
They landed on the boat, and one said, “Jump on our backs and we will take you to the windmill.”
The rag dolls lay on the windowsill and Alice said, “What a lovely day.” Alfie agreed and said goodnight. Suddenly the moon tapped on the window and said to them, “Remember, the beach is fun but the sea is the boss, so never make him cross.”
“Go to sleep have sweet dreams. Nichole is near so do not fear, God bless you.”
“Oh, Alice, wasn’t Mr. Crab funny?”
Alice and Alfie were awoken by a horse and cart outside. The horse was going neigh, neigh, neigh whilst it was eating its hay. The horse’s name was Neddie and he belonged to the baker. The baker had arrived to collect the sacks of flour that Jacques had made the day before. The baker said to Jacques, “I have hurt my back. Would you be good enough to load the flour up and help me unload it too?” Jacques said he would and off they went.
Alice heard what they were saying and said to Alfie, “We have got the windmill to ourselves. What shall we do?”
Alfie answered, “Let’s look around.”
The rag dolls got to the bottom of the stairs and noticed a doorway they had never seen before, “It’s because there was always a curtain across it,” Alice said. Alfie tried to open the door but it was locked.
Alice said, “Let’s go and look for the key. It must be somewhere.” They searched around the room but they couldn’t find it anywhere.
Alice was upset but Alfie said, “Never mind.” Just then, under the table, there was a squeak, squeak, squeak. It was the two little mice. The mice said, “It’s a magic door, you do not need a key you just have to say the magic words.”
Alice replied, “Please tell us!” The mice shouted together, “Door-a-door-a, unlock so we can explor-a.”
As the mice spoke the door slowly opened and the rag dolls walked into a secret garden.
There were butterflies flying everywhere. One flew into Alice’s hand and said, “Please don’t try to catch us. We are very delicate but you can run with us.” As they ran along they saw rabbits having a field day in the vegetable patch, eating the carrots, lettuces and cabbage. Alfie asked them, “Does Jacques mind you eating all his vegetables?”
One rabbit replied, “No, this is a magic garden.” And as he pulled up a carrot to eat, up popped another one!
Alfie could not believe his eyes. Alice said, “This must indeed be a magic garden,” and as they walked on they could sme
ll the beautiful roses, daisies and buttercups in the field where the rabbits were running around.
At the end of the garden they heard a commotion. They saw a large green grass area and a game of some sort was going on. At one end there were three stumps with a piece of wood on top of all three. At the other end there was one piece of wood. Mr. Rabbit was holding a wooden ball and at the other end Mr. Hedgehog was holding a bat of some sort.
Alice and Alfie sat and watched Mr. Rabbit throw the ball and Mr. Hedgehog hit it with the bat. Alfie asked the other animals that were sitting close by how the game was played. One time the ball nearly hit Alfie on the head. Alfie shouted out, “How’s that?” and all the other animals thought he had caught the ball, but he hadn’t.
He laughed when he realised you had to catch the ball and when he had shouted, “How’s that?” it meant he caught Mr. Rabbit out but of course he hadn’t caught it. Alice said to Alfie, “I think we ought to leave before you mess the game up.”
Alice and Alfie and the magic windmill Page 3
