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Loki the Trickster, The Jobless Giant, A Fairy
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“Yoo-hoo!”
 d in g ad ven tu r e
a r ea
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a mini masterchef with a massive
nose, a magical pup, a jolly giant,
and a super-powered snail?
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90 London Rd, London, SE1 6LN. Florence Guittard  The Fairy Dog
© Luma Creative Ltd, 2017. All rights Tomislav Zlatic The Jobless Giant
reserved. No part of this magazine Paco Sordo Dwarf Longnose
Quang Phuc Pham The Great Snail Race
may be used or reproduced without
Tim Budgen Alphabet Zoo
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 read happily ever after...
Famous Fables Around the World Tales
The Lion and the Rabbit
A timid creature gets the better
of the fearsome jungle king.
6
The Great Snail Race
A funny story from Laos about
a smart little snail.
31
Poems and Rhymes Poems and Rhymes
The Moon
By Oliver Herford. How does the
moon get thinner each night?
Find out here.
10 Alphabet Zoo: N and O
Numbats, naked mole rats,
orangutans and okapis. We
love Alphabet Zoo!
36
Storyteller’s Corner Myths and Legends

The Fairy Dog

Be very careful next time you
see a stray dog – you never
12
Loki’s Greatest Trick
For once, the Norse god Loki
has a helpful trick up his sleeve,
40
know who owns it! and it involves shapeshifting.

Tales from Today Storytime Playbox

The Jobless Giant

By Jennifer Moore. Isabella
makes a gigantic new friend! 15
Test your observation and
maths skills, make amazing
moon sand, and take part in
our super snail race.
45
Favourite Fairy Tales Story Magic
Dwarf Longnose
20 50
Oliver Jeffers’ amazing new
A witch’s curse creates the book and more reading
world’s best chef! inspiration for you.

On The Cover
give a friend
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Famous Fables

The Lion and

the Rabbit
T
he king of the jungle was a fierce lion, who scared everyone
with his loud roar and his huge appetite. He roamed the forest
eating any animal that took his fancy.

None of the animals knew when the greedy lion might attack and they grew so
tired of living in fear, they got together and came up with a plan. With knees
quaking, they set off for the lion’s den.

The brave zebra stepped forward. “Oh, mighty King of the Jungle,” she said. “We
have come to offer you a deal. Instead of tiring yourself out hunting in this terrible

6
heat, if you can agree to eat just one morning, the animal whose name was
animal every day, then we promise drawn would go to the lion’s den.
that, every morning, one of us will
come to your den to be your dinner.”
On the first morning, they all put their
The lion thought this was a good plan.
names into the hat and the rabbit was
He liked the idea of lazing around all
chosen. Now, the rabbit was the most
day. “Very well,” he agreed. “But if I
timid creature of them all, but he was
don’t get my meal by noon, the deal
also the smartest.
is off and I will hunt down every single
one of you.” To show he was serious, He waved goodbye to his friends and
he roared very loudly. hopped to the lion’s den as slowly as
he could, trying to come up with a
The animals left the clearing feeling
clever plan on the way. By the time
sad. Truly, none of them wanted to
he reached the clearing, noon had
be the lion’s dinner.
been and gone.
From that day on, they agreed to put
their names into a hat and, every

7
 Draw It!
Which an
im
your king al is
of
jungle? D the
raw a
picture o
f it!

“Why are you so late?” growled the of the Jungle and carried on hunting
lion, impatiently. He was very hungry me! I managed to escape, but I was
by now. “You broke the deal and very far away from your den and
you’re a pathetic, puny meal. I will that’s why it has taken me so long
have to eat your friends anyway.” to get here.”

“I’m sorry,” said the rabbit. “It wasn’t As the rabbit told the story, the lion
my fault. It was the other lion.” grew furious. “There is only one King
of the Jungle!” he sneered. “Show me
“What other lion?”
this other lion’s den.”
“Well, on the way here, I came upon
The rabbit bowed to the lion and led
another lion and he began to chase
the way. He took the lion on a long
me. I begged for my life and explained
and winding path through the trees to
that I was going to be dinner for the
another clearing, where there stood a
King of the Jungle, but he wouldn’t
deep natural well.
listen. He said that he was the King

8
“He was hiding in here, mighty king,” “No, I am the King of the Jungle,”
said the rabbit. thundered the lion.

The lion snarled and peered down “No, I am the King of the Jungle,” said
the well. When he spotted his own his enemy.
reflection, baring its teeth at him, he
With that, the lion became so enraged
let out a deafening roar, and the roar
he leapt into the bottomless well to
echoed right back at him.
fight his own reflection. The last thing
“How dare you wear a crown! I am the the rabbit ever heard of him was a
King of the Jungle,” he growled. great, noisy splash!

“I am the King of the Jungle,” the echo The clever little rabbit hopped away,
growled back at him. eager to tell his friends the good news.

9
Poems and Rhymes

The Moon By Oliver Herford

T
he moon is like a big round cheese
That shines above the garden trees,
And, like a cheese, grows less each night,
As though someone had had a bite.

The mouse delights to nibble cheese,

The dog bites anything he sees –
But how could they bite off the moon
Unless they went in a balloon?

And human people, when they eat

They think it rude to bite their meat,
They use a knife or fork or spoon;
Who is it then that bites the moon?

10
 LearnourAfrebe oMoountPhItas!es
Download
who
Worksheet to find out
Visit:
really ‘eats’ the moon!
m/free
storytimemagazine.co

11
 The Fairy Dog
Storyteller’s Corner

I
t’s a little known fact that fairies love pets too – and if you ever
pass a stray dog or cat, it might not be abandoned. It might just
belong to a fairy who is hiding from you.
Bronwen Jones knew this because her cousin Rhiannon was on her way home
one night when she found a strange dog crying for some food. Instead of taking
it home and caring for it, Rhiannon told the dog to “Shoo”. The next day, she was
on her way home again when three little fairies appeared before her.

“Hello, Rhiannon,” they tinkled. “How would you like to travel home tonight –
above wind, mid wind or below wind?”

Thinking she was being clever, Rhiannon answered, “Below wind, please.”

But that was the worst answer she could have given. You see, above wind would
have been a breathtaking flight through the clouds, mid wind would have been a
pleasant ride along the breeze, but below wind… well! Rhiannon was lifted off her
feet and dragged through brambles and mud, fields and bogs, until her clothes
were torn, her legs were scratched and she was covered in dirt! When she got
home, Rhiannon vowed never to be mean to a stray dog again.

12
 Name It!
Give Bronwen’s fairy puppy a name.
Write it here:

____________________

Bronwen Jones remembered her “Good day to you, Bronwen,” they

cousin’s tale when, one evening, she tinkled. “We think you might have our
found a tired little pup collapsed on puppy. She’s a curious little creature
the lane near her farm. She picked it – always going on adventures.”
up, cuddled it and carried it home,
“I have,” smiled Bronwen. “She’s safe
where she fed it well and made it
and sound here, but you are welcome
a soft bed by the fire.
to take her home again.”
She stroked it and spoke soothing
The puppy came running to the door,
words to it and the puppy wagged
wagging its tail happily. When the
its tail. Partly, Bronwen feared the
fairies saw how kind Bronwen had
fairies, but mainly she cared for it
been to their pet, they thanked her.
out of the goodness of her heart.
“Tell us, Bronwen. Would you rather
The next morning, there was a gentle
have a clean barnyard or a messy
tap on the door. When she opened it,
barnyard?” they asked.
she found three fairies fluttering about.
13
Bronwen thought about it carefully When Bronwen checked her barnyard,
and she realised that the only way she was delighted to find that her
to have a barnyard that was perfectly animals had doubled in number, the
spick and span would mean having troughs were overflowing with food,
no animals in it at all. and even the hay bales were bigger.

“A messy barnyard,” she answered. It was a perfectly messy barnyard –

The fairies nodded and smiled. just as it should be. From that day on,
there was no finer milk, butter or
“And so it shall be,” they chuckled,
eggs than those from Bronwen’s
and they took their little puppy and
fairy-blessed farm!
disappeared in an instant.

14
 Tales from Today

The Jobless Giant By Jennifer Moore

T he first time the giant caught the bus, Isabella Rockersteller hid
behind her mother’s shoulder.
“I’m off to look for a job,” boomed the giant, crushing four rows of seats with his
bottom. “How about you?”

“We’re going to the beach,” whispered Isabella, peeping out at him. “We’re going
to build sandcastles.”

15
“Ooh, I love sandcastles,” said the “Thank you for a lovely day,” he said.
giant. “Can I come? I’ll look for a job
“Thank you,” said Isabella. “And good
tomorrow instead.”
luck finding a job tomorrow.”
“Of course,” said Mrs Rockersteller.
“But we’ve only got one bucket and
spade. You’ll have to share.” There was no hiding the next morning
when the giant got on the bus. Isabella
The giant was a brilliant sandcastle
was delighted to see him.
builder. He made a big sand palace,
with twisting turrets and a swimming “Hello,” he roared, climbing on board.
pool the size of a small lake. Isabella The wheels wobbled and wheezed
floated in the salty water while the under his enormous weight. “I’m off to
giant paddled his toes. find a job today. How about you?”

At home time, he held out a huge “We’re going to the zoo,” Isabella told
hairy hand for her to shake. him. “To see the elephants.”

16
“That sounds wonderful,” said the head was still covered with parrots.
giant. “Can I come? I’ll look for a job “I hope you find a job tomorrow.”
tomorrow instead.”
The next day, it was raining. Isabella
“Of course,” said Mrs Rockersteller. was very pleased to see the giant
“But we’ve only packed one picnic. waiting at the bus stop.
You’ll have to share.”
“Where are you off to this time?”
The zoo was twice as much fun with he asked, swinging her on board.
the giant. He lifted Isabella high Whee!
above the crowds to see the animals.
“We’re going to feed the ducks in the
They had a roaring competition with
park,” Isabella said. “They don’t mind
the lion and made so much noise, the
the rain.”
ostrich buried its head in the sand.
“That sounds perfect,” said the giant.
“That was brilliant,” said Isabella
“Can I come? I’ll look for a job
when it was time to go. She waved
tomorrow instead.”
goodbye to her gigantic friend, whose
“Of course,” said Mrs Rockersteller. He wasn’t on the bus the next day
“But we’ve only got two umbrellas. when Isabella and Mrs Rockersteller
You’ll have to share.” went to the cinema. And he wasn’t
there when they went to the museum.
By the time they got off the bus, the
Or the day after that when they went
rain was pouring down.
to the supermarket.
“Oh dear,” said Mrs Rockersteller.
But the following week they found a
“We’re going to get soaked. And the
brand-new bus waiting right outside
bread will get soggy.”
their house. It was a massive triple-
The giant grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ve decker with extra-big wheels and a
got just the thing.” He picked up the special pull-out rain shelter. There was
bus shelter and carried it over their a sign painted across the side in large
heads like a massive umbrella. red letters:

THE GIANT BUS COMPANY.

The next day was bright and sunny HOP ON BOARD FOR BIG FUN
again. The giant joined Isabella and AND ENORMOUS ADVENTURES!
her mother on a fruit-picking trip, and
afterwards Mrs Rockersteller invited
him back for homemade fruit pie.

“Thank you for having me,” he said,

after his eighth slice. “It’s been the
best week ever.” Then he frowned.
“But I still haven’t found a job. I’d
better look for one tomorrow.”

“I’ve had an idea about that,”

said Isabella. She whispered in
his enormous ear.

The giant’s frown turned into a

big grin. “That’s brilliant!” he said.
“I’ll get started straight away.”

18
The top deck was already full of “Yes please,” said Isabella.
excited children and their parents,
The driver reached out over the heads
and the queue snaked all the
of the waiting passengers and swung
way back down the road.
Isabella and her mother on board.
“Hello,” boomed the bus driver
“I’m afraid I’ve only got one bus,” he
to Isabella and her mother.
said, with a giant wink. “You’ll have
“We’re off to the fair. Would
to share!”
you like to come?”

Spot It!
these three o
bjects
Can you spot xes
? Tick the bo
in the picture
d them.
when you fin

13
Favourite Fairy Tales

Dwarf Longnose
O nce upon a time, there was a poor, hardworking couple who
made their living selling vegetables at the market. They had
one young son called Jem, who helped them out.

One day, a hunched-over old lady came hobbling towards their stall. She had a
sharp, pointed chin and the longest, most bulbous nose anyone had ever seen.

“How can I help you, madam?” asked Jem.

“We’ll see,” said the old lady, and she started to dig her bony fingers through
their herbs, scrunching and tearing them, and sniffing them with her long nose.

“No, these are bad,” grumbled the old lady. “Very bad indeed.”

Jem was annoyed by how rude she was. “Our herbs are freshly picked, and
now we can’t sell them because you’ve torn them with your dirty fingers and
stuck your great long nose into them!”

“You don’t like my nose, eh?” cackled the old lady, looking sharply at Jem.
“I’m sorry. He didn’t mean it, madam,” running over! They were dressed
said Jem’s mother. “But maybe you in smart waistcoats and dickie bows,
could buy something today, as we and they carried a pair of fur-lined
can no longer sell our herbs?” slippers. The old lady slipped them
on and, at once, she stood up straight
“Very well,” sighed the old lady. “I’ll
and walked briskly across the room.
buy six cabbages, but your boy has
to carry them home for me.” “Follow me!’ she called to Jem, and
they went into the kitchen. Jem put
Jem didn’t like this idea at all, but
the cabbages on the table and turned
his mother insisted, so he gathered
to leave, but the old lady said kindly,
the cabbages in his arms and glumly
“Take a seat, dear. You’ve walked a
followed the hobbling old lady.
long way. I will make soup for you.”

She whistled again and the guinea

Eventually, she stopped at an old, pigs hurried into the kitchen wearing
tumbledown cottage. She opened the aprons. They were followed by
door and beckoned Jem to follow her. squirrels wearing little chef’s hats.

Once inside, the old lady took out a The squirrels scuttled around quickly,
whistle. When she blew it, to Jem’s fetching pots and pans, while the
surprise, a group of guinea pigs came guinea pigs chopped and stirred.

21
The old lady sniffed the soup and It was a bright red flower, and smelt
sprinkled on some herbs, while Jem exactly like the soup he had eaten.
looked on in wonder. As he sniffed the flower, it tickled his
nose and he sneezed so loudly that
When the soup was ready, she ladled
he woke up.
it into a silver bowl and set it down
before him. “There,” said the old lady. “What a funny dream,” he said. Jem
“Eat this – you deserve it.” jumped up, eager to get back to the
market stall, but his body felt stiff and
Jem was so hungry, he gulped down
sore and, when he turned around, he
the soup. It was the most delicious
knocked his nose against the door.
thing he had ever eaten and it had
Jem laughed at his own clumsiness,
an aroma he had never smelt before.
and he left the old lady’s cottage
“What is it?” he asked.
wondering where everyone was.
“Something with a special herb your
mother doesn’t sell,” said the old lady.
When Jem reached the market, he
Jem ate it all up and felt so full and
was surprised to see people pointing
tired, he rested his head on the table.
and staring at him. He thought he
He soon fell into a deep sleep and
must be in trouble with his parents.
dreamt that he was a squirrel – and
that he worked with the guinea pigs, He saw his mother and rushed over.
waiting on the old lady. “I’m sorry, Mother! That old lady gave
me a strange soup to thank me, and
In his dream, he became a brilliant
I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to leave
cook who could master anything from
you alone for so long.”
dainty pastries to roast dinners. After
seven years of serving the old lady, Jem’s mother leapt back in horror.
he was searching for an ingredient, “Get away from me, you ugly thing!”
when he found a dusty old bottle with
an unusual herb in it.

22
“What do you mean?” asked Jem. His father rushed over to comfort
“Why would you be so cruel to your his mother. “What do you mean by
own son?” upsetting my dear wife, you strange
little creature – leave us alone!”
“Son? You’re not my son,” sobbed his
mother. “My son went missing seven “But I am your son!” Jem protested.
years ago, and I haven’t heard from
His father wouldn’t hear it. “Do you
him since.”
think I wouldn’t know my own son?
“Seven years!” cried Jem. All of a He didn’t have a horrible big nose
sudden, he realised that he hadn’t like yours – and he wasn’t a dwarf!”
been dreaming at all. He really had
Jem felt his nose and was horrified to
served the old lady for seven years.
find that it was as long and bulbous
She must have been a witch!
as the old lady’s.

23
He ran to the well and, when he saw
 ars ca me t o h is e y es.
his reflection, te

FIND It!
Can you find this little fellow hiding in
the picture? Tick the box when you do!
“No wonder my own parents don’t Amused, the head cook agreed to give
recognise me,” he wept. him a trial. Just then, the butler arrived
with the duke’s lunch order. “Today, his
Hurt and confused, Jem ran away from
highness demands Danish dumplings,”
the market. He set off for the palace of
said the butler.
the grand duke, who was well known
for his love of food. “Perhaps I can find “I doubt you can handle that,” said the
work there as a cook.” head cook. “Danish dumplings have a
secret recipe.”
He walked for a day and a night until,
at last, he reached the palace. When “That’s easy!” said Jem. He listed the
he entered the courtyard, the guards ingredients, and added, “Plus a herb
made fun of his big nose, but marched called heal-well.”
him to the head cook.
“We never use that,” said the cook, but
When Jem bowed before the cook, Jem insisted and set to work straight
his nose almost touched the floor. away. He was careful not to dip his
nose in the pan as it bubbled away.
“Did someone send you here for a
joke?” chuckled the cook. Before lunch was served, the head
cook tasted the dumplings, and
“No,” said Jem, bravely. “Name any
was amazed by how
dish and I will cook it for you – and it
good they were.
will be the best you have ever tasted.”

26
The grand duke himself declared it One evening, the prince asked to
the best lunch he had ever had, and meet the cook who had treated him
made Jem the assistant head cook. to such wonderful dishes. Dwarf
Longnose bowed deeply before him.
Jem became known to everybody in
the palace as Dwarf Longnose and, “You are a wonderful cook, but you
in time, the duke grew plump from haven’t served me the queen of all
five delicious meals a day. desserts. Tomorrow, I would like a
Suzeraine pastry, please.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” said the

One day, the duke received a surprise
dwarf, but he was worried. He had
visitor – the prince had come to stay.
never heard of a Suzeraine pastry,
The duke warned Dwarf Longnose,
and neither had the head cook.
“The prince likes fine food even more
than I do, so you must serve him the That afternoon, Dwarf Longnose
very best dishes – something different hurried to the market, looking for
at every meal.” ingredients to give him a clue. He
found a plump white goose to serve
“I will, Your Highness,” promised Dwarf
for dinner, but he could find nothing
Longnose and, for the next two weeks,
for the mystery pastry.
he did nothing but cook.

27
On his way back to the kitchens, special herb called relish, as I knew
he moaned, “What am I to do? The it would be. Your cook isn’t so clever
prince will have my head if I can’t after all.”
make the Suzeraine pastry.”
The duke was outraged. He rushed
At that moment, the goose piped up, to the kitchens and shouted at Dwarf
“I know what it is. I can help you!” Longnose, “How dare you make a
fool of me before the prince – you
“A talking goose!” laughed Dwarf
served him something unfinished!”
Longnose. “I suppose I have seen
stranger things. How can you talk?” “Please, Your Highness,” cried Dwarf
Longnose. “I followed the recipe.”
“I am Mimi, the daughter of Wizard
Weatherbold. A wicked witch turned “No you didn’t! You missed out a herb
me into a goose. If you promise not called relish,” spat the duke. “Serve
to cook me, I will help you. We used the pastry as it should be tomorrow,
to eat this pastry a lot.” or you will lose your head!”

Dwarf Longnose agreed to look after

the enchanted goose, and she listed
When Dwarf Longnose told Mimi what
the ingredients he needed. That
had happened, she cried, “Oh, I know
night, he began work on the pastry.
that herb! Do you have any chestnut
When it was served to the prince at trees nearby? It grows by their roots.”
lunch, he said to the duke, “It’s nice,
Dwarf Longnose carried the goose to
but it’s not perfect. It’s missing a
the chestnut trees near the palace,
and she began to peck around.

28
The dwarf followed her anxiously, Once there, Dwarf Longnose sniffed
and suddenly she flapped her wings the red flower, and as he did so, his
excitedly. “Here it is!” she said. sore, stiff limbs began to stretch and
grow, and he felt his long, bulbous
Dwarf Longnose was astonished to
nose shrink. Moments later, he had
see that the herb was the same red
returned to his true form. He was Jem
flower he had sniffed in the witch’s
again – a young man with a perfectly
kitchen – the herb that had broken
boring, normal nose.
his enchantment, but left him with an
enormous nose. He told Mimi the “Look at you!” laughed Mimi.
goose everything.
Quickly, Jem took Mimi under his arm,
“Grab a handful,” said Mimi, “and let’s left the duke’s palace and set off for
go back to your room.” the home of Wizard Weatherbold.
Of course, nobody stopped him,
because nobody recognised him!

When he reached the wizard’s house,

the old man transformed the goose
into his daughter again. He was so
happy to see her, he gave Jem a
handsome reward – and Mimi
swore she would always be
Jem’s friend.

BAKE IT!
What ing
redients
you put wo
in a Suze uld
pastry o
r enchan raine
Make a ted soup
pretend ?
lunch – magical
but
with an e don’t end up
normous
nose!
The wizard used his magic to return Jem to his parents’ house, where the young
man told his mother and father all that had happened to him over the years.

“We’re so sorry we didn’t recognise you,” they cried, and Jem forgave them.

The very next day, he used his reward from the wizard to open a café in the
market square – and his speciality was the Suzeraine pastry.

Jem lived a long and happy life there – unlike the greedy bad-tempered duke,
who argued with the prince over the pastry and lost his entire fortune.

30
 The Great
Around the World Tales

Snail Race
I
n Laos, there was one person who was well known for being
smarter than everyone else and he was called Xieng Mieng.
But sometimes, even the smartest people meet their match.

One day, Xieng Mieng decided to go for a walk by the river. As

he was strolling down the lane towards it, he
saw a snail moving slowly along.

“Oh, to be a snail crawling along so slowly

in this heat. What a sorry sight,” he thought.
He knelt down beside the snail. “Hey there,
slowcoach, where are you heading?”

The snail stopped and looked up at Xieng

Mieng. “To the river to cool down.”

31
 Xieng Mieng laughed.
“How long will that take? A
month? Maybe more! It will be winter
by the time you get there. Better to “I have an idea,” said the snail, “but I
give up and go home now.” need your help.” It shared its plan and
everyone was more than happy to be
The snail was offended by Xieng
involved. The snails loved the idea of
Mieng’s teasing. “Well,” it said, “if you
outwitting a human – especially one
think you’re so fast, why don’t have
as clever as Xieng Mieng.
we have a race?”

The snail’s suggestion made Xieng

Mieng laugh even harder. “Sure! Let’s When it was time for the race, Xieng
start now. Ready… steady…” Mieng arrived and found his slimy
competitor waiting for him.
“No!” said the snail, realising how silly
it had been to challenge a human. “I’ll “Xieng Mieng, I had a thought,” said
need some time to prepare. Let’s meet the snail. “Because I am so small and
here at the same time tomorrow.” the path is so overgrown, you might
not see me racing along beside you.
“Fine,” said Xieng Mieng, still grinning.
Why don’t you call out my name now
“I’ll see you here tomorrow.” And he
and again and I will answer you? Let’s
walked away chuckling to himself.
see if it works.”
The snail headed for home. When it
“Okay,” said Xieng Mieng, greatly
told its family and friends about the
amused that the snail was taking the
race, they were all shocked. “But
race so seriously. “Snail!” he called.
how can a snail win a race against
a human?” they asked. “Yoo-hoo!” replied the snail.

“Perfect!” said Xieng Mieng. “Let’s

begin!” After a “Ready, steady, go!”
the race was underway.
 READ IT!
This is a rare Xieng
Mieng story, because he
usually outwits everyone.
Why not read our free bonus
story: Xieng Mieng Outwits
the King? Download it here:
storytimemagazine.com/
free

33
Xieng Mieng pelted ahead, leaving Again, the snail’s “Yoo-hoo!” came
the snail slowly slithering behind him. from somewhere far ahead.
After a while, he couldn’t see his tiny
“Impossible!” thought Xieng Mieng.
competitor. He thought it was because
“This snail is fast, but I am sure I can
the snail was so far behind, so he
catch up.” So he started to run even
decided to call out, “Snail!”
faster. He was quite out of breath
He was very surprised when he heard when he next called out, “Snail!”
a “Yoo-hoo!” far ahead of him.
Once more, the snail replied with a
“How can the snail have got in front of “Yoo-hoo!” and this time it sounded
me?” thought Xieng Mieng. “I’d better even further ahead.
speed up.” So he began to sprint and,
“I can’t believe it,” thought Xieng
because he still couldn’t see the
Mieng. Now he was starting to get
snail, he called out again, “Snail!”
worried. Not only worried, but tired.

count IT!
Are you more
an Xieng
observant th
many
Mieng? How
ou
snails can y
the
spot hiding in
? Write
undergrowth
here:
your answer

34
His heart was beating hard in his chest “Snail!” Xieng Mieng called weakly,
and sweat was pouring from his brow, and the smiling snail turned round and
but he carried on pushing himself to said, “Yoo-hoo!”
run as fast as he could.
That was the first and last time that
As the river came into sight, he called Xieng Mieng was ever outwitted and
out, “Snail!” and, again, somewhere up he never did work out how the snail
ahead, he heard, “Yoo-hoo!” managed to beat him. If only he had

Answer: There are six snails.

bothered to look, he would have seen
Xieng Mieng ran and ran until his legs
every single member of the snail’s
could no longer carry him and they
family lined up along the path ready
finally gave way. He collapsed in a
to shout out “Yoo-hoo” to fool him!
heap and, in the distance, he spotted
the snail crossing the line.

35
Poems and Rhymes

Alphabet Zoo
We love our zoo, so off we go…
Let’s meet animals for letters N and O !

B oo and Bonnie head for the woodland habitat

Where they take us to meet the stripy numbat.
An unusual marsupial with no pouch,
It tracks down dinner with its long narrow snout.

It scoffs twenty thousand termites every day,

Then curls up in a log to sleep the night away.
From the numbat to a nude rat – let’s say “Hi”
To the bald and naked mole rat. Don’t be shy!

36
 This wrinkly little rodent live deep underground,
Digging with its teeth, it tunnels up and down.
Leader of the pack is the naked mole rat queen,
who dines on delicious root and bulb cuisine.

Whenever it gets cold and they need to keep warm,

They all cuddle up in a big mole rat ball!
Now to an animal with more than its fair share
Of super-long and furry orange hair…

37
 The orangutan of Asia – a real great ape,
He’s king of the swingers, make no mistake.
With his long, strong arms, he moves from tree to tree,
Eating figs and mangoes and spreading their seeds.

A gardener of the forest, such a smart fella,

He stays dry in the rain with his leaf umbrella.
At night he makes a nest with a pillow of leaves,
A bedroom in the sky, the place for jungle dreams.

ur
i s s o oo
m Z
o n’t abet nning
D h i
x t Alp s beg P,
l
ne ima etter ns
an l ui
for ith the peng rs!
w ding bea
lu r
inc d pola
an
But on the forest floor, from deepest Africa,
A most bizarre beast, a bit like a zebra.
It’s the okapi – a crazy mixed-up creature,
Striped legs, white socks and a brown tum feature.

Related to the giraffe, not a horse or deer,

With its curly tongue, it can strip branches clear.
Its big round ears pick up sounds far and near,
But its calls are so low, we humans can’t hear.

Secretive okapi – don’t be a mystery,

Come out from your hiding place and say hello to me!

ANIMAL FACT!
The okapi is so secretive, scientists didn’t even know
it existed until 1901! Find out more fun facts about the
animals featured here, plus free puzzles and posters
in our Alphabet Zoo Factsheet. Download it from

39
storytimemagazine.com/free
Myths and Legends

Loki’s Greatest Trick

T
he Norse god Loki was a trickster, but not all his tricks were
bad ones. When Asgard – the home of the gods – was first
created, Loki’s tricks came in very handy.

Odin had found the perfect place for the gods to live on a vast
plain at the top of a mountain. They all set about building a
great city and each god had his or her own magnificent
palace, decorated with precious metals. When the city
of Asgard was finished, Odin stood back to admire it.

“Our enemies will envy this place and they will

try to overthrow it,” he warned. The other gods
agreed and they decided to take it in turns to
guard the city, but it was a boring and difficult job.

One day, a stranger arrived in Asgard. He was

taller and stronger than any of the gods, and Thor,
who was on guard, refused to let him pass.

“What is your business here?” asked Thor.

“I am a builder, looking for work,” said the stranger.

“I think your great city needs a wall.”

sgard
b u ild in g s in the realm of A
st famou s It was said to
One of the mo s ru le d over by Odin.
wh ich wa ields and
was Valhalla, o m th o u sa n d s of golden sh
made fr le.
have a ceiling ld ie rs w h o h ad died in batt
e of brave so
it was the hom
40
Odin joined Thor and the builder. Odin furrowed his brow. To give away
“It would have to be a high wall to the sun and the moon would plunge
protect us from our enemies,” he said. Asgard into eternal coldness and
darkness, but persuading Freya to
“I can do that,” said the builder. “In
marry this builder would be even
fact, I can build a wall so high and so
more of a challenge.
strong that no enemy will ever get in.”
“Let me discuss it with the other gods
Odin and Thor looked impressed.
and I will return with an answer.”
“And how quickly can you build it?”
Thor and Odin went to their meeting
asked Odin.
place and called for the other gods.
“In three seasons,” said the builder. When they told them about the
builder’s offer, Freya was furious.
“And what do you seek as payment?”

“The sun and the moon, and the

goddess Freya for my bride.”

41
“I will not marry a complete stranger The next day, the builder turned up
for the sake of a wall,” she raged. with a big and powerful stallion.

But Loki came up with a plan to calm “He’ll probably just use the horse to
her down. “He asks far too much, pull stones,” said Loki. But the gods
Odin. Why don’t you agree that if he were surprised to find that the horse
can build the wall in two seasons did a lot more than that. It pulled the
instead of three, he can have what he stones, it lifted them onto the wall and
asks for? It will be impossible to do it it even spread mortar between them.
in that time, so we won’t have to pay.”
In just one day, the builder and his
All the gods agreed that Loki’s idea horse had made great progress. In
was good, so Odin returned to the the coming seasons, the wall grew
builder and told him their terms. stronger and taller every day.

“I agree,” said the builder. “I will return The gods began to worry, but Loki
tomorrow to get started – but you reassured them. “Don’t panic! There’s
must promise to keep your bargain.” no way he’ll finish the wall on time.”

Odin vowed he would.

42
The seasons flew by and, soon, it was That evening, the builder and his
the eve of the builder’s deadline. He horse descended the mountain to
only had a few more stones to add to search for more stones in the forest.
the grand archway he had built at the In a clearing, they found a beautiful,
entrance to Asgard. healthy mare which whinnied at the
builder’s horse, asking it to follow it –
The gods were angry with Loki for
tempting it to come and play.
giving them such bad advice.
The mare was none other than Loki
“You must think of a way to delay the
in disguise! He galloped into the
builder,” said Odin, “or Freya will
trees, neighing all the way.
wreak revenge on you.”

43
Longing for some time away from its heavy workload, the stallion broke loose
from the builder and chased after Loki the mare. Loki ran through the forest all
night long and all through the next day with the stallion close behind him.

Without his strong horse to help him, the builder couldn’t pull any of the stones
up the mountain. His deadline passed, and the wall remained unfinished, so
Odin didn’t have to keep his promise after all.

When Loki was sure it was safe, he changed back into his
true form and was applauded by the gods for his cleverness.
They said it was his greatest trick yet.

Because the builder hadn’t met his part of the bargain, he

didn’t receive any payment at all for building the wall.

This, however, might have been Odin’s biggest mistake.

The builder was actually a giant and, from that day on,
the giants of Jotunheim and the gods of Asgard were
enemies forever.

ting
u s ed h is shapeshif
often into
e m y th o logy, Loki c h a n g e s himself
In Nor s s, he lady
r s . In v a r ious storie o n , a b ird, an old
powe l, a salm to?
y in g in s ect, a sea y o u s h a peshift in
a fl would
a h o r se! What
44
a n d
 Story t i m e
Play b x
Climb aboard the giant’s bus, race a snail, uncover a secret recipe,
and make your own moon sand! We show you how.

1 Farmyard
Maths!
The fairies are so happy, they are going
to triple the number of animals in this
picture. How many will there be?

Horses cows
chickens PiGS

2 secret 1. lats
recipes
What is Dwarf Longnose
cooking? Unscramble each
2. rotcar
anagram to find the
ingredients – the letters in
the highlighted squares will
reveal what’s for lunch!
3. yukert

he is making... 4. oattop
3 Busy
Bus
Draw all the faces of
the children on the
Jobless Giant’s bus.
Don’t forget to draw
Isabella and her
mum – and you too!

TIP! our
See trations
o ry illus tion.
st
r in spira
fo

Quick 5
4 Quiz! Stone GONE
Which animal Loki has hidden the last three
from Alphabet stones for Asgard’s wall. Can
Zoo is a rodent? you find them? Colour in the
a. Okapi horse when you do.

b.
Numbat
c.
ra n g u t a n d. Naked
O
Mole Rat
 A sk a
6 MAKE MOON SAND grow
n -up!
Crumbly but easy to mould, moon sand is great fun to model.
Make your own and then make a moon, inspired by our poem!

• Sieve 8 cups (a medium-sized cup is best) of plain

white flour into a large mixing bowl.
• Pour in 1 cup of baby oil (or coconut oil). Make sure
you use the same cup size as for the flour.
• Using the dough hook of a food mixer, a fork or your
hands, blend the ingredients together until the oil is fully
incorporated in the flour. This can take around 10 minutes.
• If you want to make coloured moon sand, add 1 to 2 tsp food colouring to
the oil and stir it in well before adding it to the flour. (It won’t mix in entirely,
as it’s oil and not water.) Alternatively, add 2 tbsp powdered paint to your sifted
flour and stir it in before pouring in the baby oil.
• If you’re making the moon, add a sprinkle of glitter to the dry flour before you pour
in the oil to make it look more space-like.
• When it’s finished, you should be able to mould it, form it, use cutters with it and make
impressions in it, but when you press it, it should crumble. If it doesn’t do this, add a
little more oil to make it slightly damp rather than wet.

TIP!
 Moon sand is messy, so play with it in a large tray. When you’ve
finished, store it in an airtight container, where it will keep for weeks.

7 LION Only one of these pictures is identical to the lion

in our story. Which one?
Line-Up
c e

a
b d f
He is making SOUP; 4. Quick Quiz: d. Naked mole rat; 7. Lion Line-Up: d
Answers: 1. Farmyard Maths!: 6 horses, 9 chickens, 3 cows and 6 pigs; 2. Secret Recipes: Salt, Carrot, Turkey, Potatoes –
 The Great
SNAIL RACE
The snail s ha ve decided to have their ow n race. Who will slither
your friends to find out.
to the line first? Compete against se
S n a ils to u
edy om
ur Spe ur game fr free
How to Play Print
a
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s
w
o
c
.
o
u
u
t o
nters
storyt
in y
imem
a
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g a zine.c
om/

w
To play, you need a dice and to print
out our Speedy Snail Counters from
www.storytimemagazine.com/free.
Line up your snails on the start
lines and choose a player to go first.

3
Player 1 rolls the dice and moves
their snail forward the correct
number of spaces.
If you land on a square with an
instruction, make sure you follow it.
1 2
Players take it in turns to roll

Stuck in a !
the dice.

1 slime balln.
The first snail to reach the
finish line is the champion!

Competitors known as... top speed special skills Miss a tur

Impenetrable
the flash 1 sph* Shell

supersonic 1.2 sph laser vision

1 2 3
Built-in
speedster 0.98 sph
1 Throw a 6
Skateboard
next turn
rocket racer 1.1 sph toxic slime

*slime per hour

for an
instant wi
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3
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shell up in
extr for an
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7 10
6

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Mis ta lime

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4 5
STORY MAGIC
This month, we’re focusing on one of our favourite picture book
authors, Oliver Jeffers, and celebrating his amazing new book!

Book of the Month!

here we are by award-winning illustrator and
author Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins Children’s
top 3
oliver jeffers books
Books) is a truly special book. Subtitled ‘Notes for
With so many brilliant books under his
Living on Planet Earth’, Jeffers got the idea for this
belt, it’s hard to pick a favourite, but here
book when his own son was born and he wanted
are three fantastic Jeffers titles you
to explain what the world, life and humanity are
really shouldn’t miss!
all about. It’s an ambitious concept, beautifully
executed with lots of inspiring thoughts. It’s not a 1. How to catch a Star The whimsical
non-fiction book, so it’s not scientifically accurate, and wonderful story of a boy who sets out
but it is a heartfelt lovesong and humorous guide to catch a star of his own, but it isn’t quite
to our planet – and a plea for us all to take care as straightforward as he hoped.
of it and use our time here well. This should be a
must-read for any child aged three to eight and 2. Lost and found When a penguin
would make a fantastic new baby or Christmas appears on a boy’s doorstep, the boy
gift too. Pure loveliness. decides to return it to where it belongs.
What follows is an incredible adventure
to the South Pole and a thought-provoking
ending which touches on loss.

3. the day the crayons quit by

Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver
Jeffers. Duncan’s crayons aren’t happy with
how they’re being used, so they decide to
tell him how they feel. Full of humour and
energy – a must for creative kids.

COMPETITION! WIN
To be in with a chance of winning the wonderful
!
Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers, email us with the answer
to our Storytime spine question. You’ll find it here:
storytimemagazine.com/win
 iry-ta le bake- off !
Join us for a fa “Yes please,” said Isabella. “He was
The top deck was already full of hiding
said the in her
excited children and their parents, The driver reached out over the heads rabbit. e, mig
hty king
and the queue snaked all the of the waiting passengers and swung The lion ,”
“No, I
snarled am the
e, way back down the road. Isabella and her mother on board. the wel and pee thunde King of
at ap l. When red dow red the the Jun
l gre ke. reflect he spo gle,”
– a rea no mista e, n lion.
to tre “Hello,” boomed the bus driver “I’m afraid I’ve only got one bus,”
he ion, bar tted his
Asia tree let out ing its own “No, I
n of , make
am the
s from to Isabella and her mother. teeth
nguta ingers seed
s. said, with a giant wink. “You’ll have a dea
fening at him his ene King of
The ora of the sw move their
echoed
right bac roar, and the
, he my. the Jun
s, he ding “We’re off to the fair. Would to share!” gle,” said
king ong arm sprea la, k at him roar With tha
He’s g, str s and art fel you like to come?” “How
dare you . t, the lion
his lon ngoe a sm lla. he lea becam
t, such leaf umbre
With d ma King of wear pt into e so enr
s an es the Jun a crown! the
g fig for his ves, gle,” he I am the fight his bottom aged
Eatin r of the rain with of lea s. “I am growle own refl less wel
rdene a pillow dream the Kin d. the rab ection.
The last to
l
A ga in the with g of the bit eve
ys dry nest jungle growle
d bac Jungle great, r heard thing
He sta kes a pla ce for k at him ,” the noisy
splash!
of him
was a
ma the . echo
ht he sky, The clev
At nig in the er little
dro om eager rabbit
A be to tell
his frie
hopped
away,
nds the
good
news.

Spot It!
these three
objects
Can you spot ? Tick the boxes
in the picture find them.
when you

13

The Moon
r
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Poems and Rhymes

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cheese
This is
Mieng a rare he moon is like a big round
Xieng
story, garden trees,
usually becaus That shines above the
Why not outwits eve e he
less each night,
And, like a cheese, grows
ryone.
story: read our free
Xien
the King g Mieng bonus had a bite.
? Outwits
As though someone had

li s!
storytim Download
emagaz it here
ine.com :
nibble cheese,
free / The mouse delights to
he sees –

l
The dog bites anything

i
off the moon
But how could they bite

r
Unless they went in a balloon?
they eat
And human people, when

B ook
their meat,
They think it rude to bite
or spoon;
They use a knife or fork
the moon?
Who is it then that bites
LEARN ABOUT IT!
free Moon Phases
Download our
to find out who
Worksheet
the moon! Visit:
really ‘eats’
zine.com/free

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