by Anna Cuffaro
So early in the morning, they all got up and started putting their plan into action. First, Mama unwound the bandage from the little sparrow’s leg. She perched it on her paw: “Tweet, tweet”, she chirped to it, kissed its head, then told it to: “Take care of yourself, now fly high, you’re a sparrow”. Off the sparrow flew, it span around once to wave ‘goodbye’ to the bear family. They had been so kind.
Now Mama had to disguise herself. Gatwick gave her his sunglasses and fake sideburns. She had better wear her apron too, they decided. Little Sister took her red dickie-bow off and placed it around her Mama’s neck. “We think you should pull my suitcase”, said Little Sister, “so you look like a tourist”.
They started towards the train station. The journey was along the narrow rocky footpath, jutting out of the mountain. A sheer drop was to their left, there were no barriers. On the other side of the deep valley were other similar mountains. As they made their way down, they had to keep an eye on the mountains opposite for shepherds with binoculars and rifles. They came to a particularly dangerous elbow bend sloping downhill rapidly. Little Sister held on to Mama’s apron string. “Tread carefully here, my dears”, she warned the two little bears, “one footstep out of line here would lead to tragedy”. A strong wind seem to conjure up from nowhere. It raised the dust which blew into their eyes making it difficult for them to see where they were treading. “Slowly, here, my cubs, slowly”, warned Mama. “We’ll be there soon”. They got around this blind corner, the footpath became easier. Here they walked a little more briskly.
But, coming around that bend meant that they had come into the sight of a shepherd. He had been lying in wait. Through his binoculars, he looked across the valley. The creature in the middle looked very much like a brown bear to him. His rifle was loaded, he placed it into position and took aim. His finger pulled the trigger. At the same time, Jet flew in his face and pecked his nose as hard as he could, this made the shepherd’s arms rise, and the shot was fired into thin air. The man had fallen backwards, Jet sat on his face, jumped up and down while flapping his wings. What a terrified shepherd he was. Jet’s intervention gave the bears time to go around another bend, and out of the shepherd’s view. In the distance, the bears could now see the train station. Their impulse told them to run, but caution made them continue their steady pace.
They were approaching the station, when the train arrived. Jet was there, too; he saw them onto the train and flew down to the flatland and to the railway station in the valley. After forty minutes the bears arrived, safe and sound. They were relieved and happy to see Jet again.
“Now”, Gatwick began, “let’s get a taxi to the Grand Hotel. I think we could spend a couple of nights there and then go back home”.
Everyone agreed with him, especially Little Sister who remembered how she’d been pampered there: “Exciting!” she shouted: “Why don’t you come with us in the taxi, too?”, Little Sister asked Jet.
“I’d much rather fly, thank you. See you there”, and off he flew.
The bears opened and ate another box of chocolates in the taxi to celebrate their clever escape.
33 Five-star Life Again
Now feeling quite at home at the Grand Hotel. Gatwick confidently walked up to the reception desk.
“What rooms will I give you?”, the receptionist asked, surprised to see Gatwick and Little Sister in the hotel again, and this time with their mother and Jet.
“I’m sorry to remind you”, began Little Sister, “but we never got our sweets last time”.
“I gave you one suite”, answered the receptionist, “I remember that very well”.
Now was not the time for arguing.
“Could we have four sweets, please?”, asked Little Sister.
“I’m so sorry, but I only have two left”.
“Fine, we’ll take those two”, said Gatwick.
“Yes, Mama and Little Sister take one, and you two can take the other”, said the receptionist pointing to Jet and Gatwick.
“Could we have a marshmallow and a Turkish Delight, please?”
“I see”, the receptionist smiled. Only now had he understood that they meant ‘sweets’. “Of course”, he nodded, “and would you like some toffee, fudge, and perhaps a lolly or two?”
“Yes, please”, they all sang out together.
Gatwick and Little Sister decided they would show Mama and Jet around the hotel: the swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna, and Turkish baths. They would try them all out. Mama was most impressed by the whirlpool. She’d never been in one before, all those bubbles tickling you. What luxury!
And so it was that their second stay at the hotel started out in the best of ways, if it hadn’t been for the Red Vultures in the suite between the bears’ two suites.
In the last few days, the Red Vultures had also been out looking for Gatwick and Little Sister; but others had seemed to get to them first. Now, though, the Red Vultures had had the good luck to have the bears come and stay right next door to them. The Red Vultures weren’t sure if Gatwick was a friend or an enemy of theirs. It could work out in three ways:
First, Gatwick might have been carrying the documents for someone else, and didn’t know anything about the mission to blow up the Kremlin; this seemed unlikely to the Red Vultures.
Second, Gatwick might be working for Anton Weiss in which case he was their friend. Because Anton Weiss was their spy. He pretended to work for the Eagles, under the name of Arnold White. But, if anything was going to be blown up by that powerful polar bear, then it would be done when the Red Vultures gave him the OK.
Third, Gatwick was working for the Eagles and had no idea Anton Weiss was spying on the Eagles for the Red Vultures (and making pretend that he would blow up the Kremlin). Gatwick might believe that the attack on the Kremlin was really going to happen.
In the first case, they would simply let Gatwick go off scot free.
In the second case, the Red Vultures would have to treat him like a prince, a powerful friend.
In the third case, the Red Vultures would feed Gatwick a powerful nerve poison. This would cause dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps after about three hours. Then after about another three hours he would die the most painful slow death.
Dazbog started going around the hotel in the hope of meeting one of the creatures in Gatwick’s party. He couldn’t see any of them. Quite understandably, the three bears were sleeping after all the stress of the escape. But, Dazbog spotted Jet in the gardens looking for seeds.
“Mpnbet”, Dazbog said ‘Hello’ to Jet.
“Mpnbet”, Jet replied, it must have meant ‘hello’ he thought.
Dazbog thought this a good start. If he understood Russian, then Jet must have been one of them. Jet didn’t like to be disturbed while he was looking for seeds. Jet thought he’d just answer ‘no’ to all his questions. If Jet didn’t show interest that might get rid of that big bully of a bird. Just as you think you’ve got some peace and quiet for yourself, someone has to come along and spoil it. So, Jet decided to answer his questions by just saying ‘no’:
Хороший день не это?
“No”, answered Jet.
Вы остаетесь здесь длинными?
“No”.
Я люблю это, здесь не делают Вас?
“No”.
Jet’s technique of answering ‘no’ didn’t seem to be working. Maybe he should try answering ‘yes’, instead.
Вы с ребенком Тэдди?
“Yes”.
Вы работаете с ним?
“Yes”.
Вы знаете Антона Веисса?
“Yes”.
Вы в его обслуживании через ребенка Тэдди?
“Yes”.
Вы ...?
Jet had lost his patience. In good wholesome English, he squawked viciously:
“Beat it, willya?”
Here is
the translation of the dialogue between Dazbog and Jet. Those of you who do know Russian can go on to the next chapter.
“Nice day, isn’t it?”
“No”, answered Jet.
“Are you staying here long?”
“No”.
“I love it here, don’t you?”
“No”.
Jet’s technique of answering ‘no’ didn’t seem to be working. Maybe he should trying answering ‘yes’, instead.
“Are you with Gatwick?”
“Yes”.
“Do you work with him?”
“Yes”.
“Do you know Anton Weiss?”
“Yes”.
“Are you at his service through Gatwick?”
“Yes”.
“Are you ...?”
As quickly as he could, Dazbog moved away. He had got a glimpse of Jet’s nasty side and didn’t like it at all.
34 Trouble for Little Sister
Wandering around the hotel, a little later on, Dazbog found Little Sister in the swimming pool whizzing down the long slide shouting: “Wheeee!” with a strawberry lollipop in her paw, a beautiful diamond necklace around her neck, and the hotel’s plastic shower cap on her head. While Mama was having her afternoon nap, Little Sister had quietly crept out of the suite and made her own way down to the pool.
Dazbog dived into the pool at the point at which Little Sister would fly off the slide and bumped into her on purpose pretending he was there by accident:
“Very sorry, Miss little white bear”, he apologised.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m having so much fun!”
“Haven’t I seened you here before?”
“I don’t think so, I don’t remember you”, she answered.
“You in room next to mine”.
“I’ve never noticed you before. Would you like to whizz down the slide with me?”
“I’d love to whizzed. Let’s go!”
They climbed the steps to the top. Little Sister sat down ready for the dive: Dazbog sat down behind her. As they were about to slide down, Mama appeared at the door: “What’s happening here?” she yelled across the swimming pool. “Get away from my little girl, you greasy vulture. How dare you?”
Dazbog got up, flew down the steps and then out of an open window.
“I’d like a word with you, Miss”, Mama said sternly to Little Sister. “Go up to our room straight away. The moment my back is turned you go off and get yourself into trouble”.
Once in their room, Little Sister sat on her water bed quite afraid. She still had her lollipop in her paw, the hotel’s shower cap on her head and the diamond necklace on.
“I’ve told you many times not to speak to strangers, especially to male strangers”.
“Yes, Mama: but he was so nice, and great fun”.
“You are not old enough to judge who is good and who is bad. Do you remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood? She thought the big bad wolf was good. But, he wasn’t, was he?”
“No, Mama: he was bad, very bad!”
“There you are then. Now as punishment, you won’t watch TV this evening and you will go to bed without dinner”.
“Yes, Mama”.
So Little Sister looked for something interesting to do. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, dashed to the dark wardrobe, went inside and looked up. There she saw a heavy metal box whose door was open. She couldn’t reach it to see what was inside. She went into the bathroom and dragged the stool into the wardrobe. Standing on the stool, she gripped the edge of the lower part of the safe and heaved herself up. It was dark in there. Very dark, but she could see there was something in the far left-hand corner. She looked again. Yes, there was definitely something there. What could it be? She heaved herself up some more until she managed to raise her leg up enough for it to enter the safe. Wobbling and wriggling around a bit, and pulling her other leg up behind her, she caught her diamond necklace on the lock on the inside of the safe door. And, as she entered the safe with her whole body, the door clamped shut behind her.
There she sat in total darkness and hadn’t got the slightest idea what to do – she started crying. “Well, it’s no good crying”, she said to herself. Putting her paw down, she felt a hard cold object. It was what she had been trying to look at. But she couldn’t see it now! It felt like a stone. Yes it must be a stone. Somebody must have brought it up from the garden and placed it there. With the stone, she started hammering on the safe door in the hope that Mama would hear the noise. Nobody came. Little Sister cried some more. The necklace was cutting into the back of her neck. She felt around for the clasp, and unfastened the necklace for relief. Then, she kept hitting the door harder with the stone, her heart was thumping and she was still sobbing a little.
Mama was having a bath. She was fully immersed in all that scented bubble bath froth. She was happy whistling then began singing:
“Don’t worry, be happy
Oooooh, ooooooooh, oooooooh
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
Oooooh, ooooooooh, oooooooh”
“That’s enough soaking for the afternoon – time to be dressing for dinner.
Oooooh, ooooooooh, oooooooh,
Don’t worry, be happy”.
She dried herself all over with the hairdryer. “I once wrote a catchy poem about happiness and washing yourself”, she said to herself. “How did it start? Oh, yes:
There’s nothing like a piece of soap
To chase the blues and stop you mope
From when I was just six and a half
Every night I’ve had a bath
When I am soaped all over
I think of foamy waves in Dover
After I’ve sat amongst the bubbles
I forget my cares and muddles
I am happy as can be
When all those suds wash over me”.
She thought that was a really good poem. One day she’d write a book of poems.
“Oooooh, ooooooooh, oooooooh,
Don’t worry, be happy...” Mama started singing again, as she swayed to and fro dancing.
Then Mama Bear sat down on the... where was the stool? She was sure there had been one there. She’d have to go and look for it. But, first she wanted to fill the kettle and have a nice cup of tea. She briefly thought of the happy days she’d had with Bertie. There was a long pause in her thoughts, then she set off hunting around for the stool. ‘How could it have got inside the wardrobe? Silly place to...’ Thump, thump, she heard, from the safe. There it was again, thump, thump. She gave it a tug, the door flew open and Little Sister rolled out still grasping the stone in her paw. Mama slammed the safe shut, turned the dial, then looked at Little Sister. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand why you were in there!”
“Please don’t shout so loudly, Mama. I noticed that the safe was open and wanted to look inside, I got tangled up in my necklace and I locked myself in”.
“Do you think that was a sensible thing to do?” asked Mama.
“No, Mama, I’m sorry. I knocked and pushed and kicked the door for a long time. I was so frightened...”
“Well, you’re out now, don’t think of it any more, my pet”.
“Yes, Mama. You know, my necklace is still in the safe”. She thought that having a dickie bow around her neck was really quite enough decoration. That heavy shiny thing only weighed her down. “It didn’t look nice with my dickie bow, Mama. Let’s just leave it in the safe”, Little Sister said. “I’d rather have the stone. The necklace got me locked in, and the stone got me out”.
“Whatever makes you happy, my little one”, Mama said affectionately.
35 The Hero
In the meantime, in the other suite, Gatwick was waking up after his afternoon nap. He got up to look for Jet. Where was he? Because he was in a five-star hotel, Gatwick thought he had better smarten himself up a little brush his fur properly something he hadn’t done much lately. So, he carefully
groomed his head, tummy, legs and paws. The fur on the top of his head had started growing again, he noticed. At the back his fur was still ruffled. He couldn’t reach there, so left it. Have you ever seen a bear who is neat and tidy at the front and scruffy at the back?
In the enormous, well-lit reception hall, Gatwick and Dazbog’s paths crossed near the fountain.
“Excuse me”, began Dazbog holding his wing up signalling Gatwick to stop. “Can you tell me way to swimming pool?”
“Oh, yes, you have to go down two floors, the pool is on the right at the bottom of the stairs”.
“Thank you so mich. Eh... Are you in suite next to mine?”
“Yes, I believe I am”, replied Gatwick.
“Yes, you were here before few days ago. Have you beened here on business?”
“I’m not sure that’s any business of yours”, Gatwick answered, a little irritated at his direct question.
“I so sorry, not very civilised of me to ask”.
“That’s true, it’s not civilised”, said Gatwick. Then he thought that he hadn’t always been civilised either. He ought to forgive Dazbog:
“No, problem. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go and have a drink together”, Gatwick said.
So off they went to the hotel bar for fizzy drinks.
“I speaked to your friend, Jet, in garden this morning”, started Dazbog.
“Jet’s my very best friend, you know. He’s helped me to escape twice. Once when I was hiding in a plastic bag at Gatwick Airport, and the other time from prison”.
“So, you beened in prison?”
“I have, but I don’t want to talk about it, if you don’t mind”.
