SCOUT: “Eeeeeekkkk! Paddy! Paddy!” *Comes running and buries himself in Paddy’s arms.
PADDY: “Goodness Scout!”
ROSIE: “Scout? Whatever is the matter?”
BOGART: “Oh poor Scout, are you alright?”
FREDDY: “Scout! Scout, tell us what happened!”
PADDY: “What is it Scout?” *Rubs the back of Scout’s head soothingly.* “Tell me what happened.”
SCOUT: “Oh Paddy! I just had the most awful fright!”
FREDDY: “What frightened you?”
BOGART: “Was it a snake?”
SCOUT: *Shakes head vigorously.*
ROSIE: “Was it a yucky pidie (spider), Scout?”
SCOUT: *Shakes head vehemently.*
PADDY: “What did you run into that frightened you so, Scout?”
SCOUT: “It wasn’t so much a what as a whom!” *Looks up from Paddy’s chest. “I ran into a… a… dragon!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “A dragon, Scout?” *Alarmed.*
SCOUT: “Yes! A big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon everybear and fox!” *Buries head in Paddy’s chest again.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo! You-hoo little bear! Where are you?”
SCOUT: “Oh no! That’s her now!” *Trembles and tries to bury himself further into Paddy’s arms.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! I can’t find you! Are you hungry? I know I am!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *Gulp.*
SCOUT: “Don’t let the big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon eat me, Paddy! Please!”
PADDY: “Of course I won’t, Scout! I’ll protect you! We all will, won’t we Rosie, Bogart and Freddy?”
ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *Gulp again and nod nervously.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! Come out now! There is no point hiding from Tallulah!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Tallulah?” *Surprised.*
SCOUT: “That is the big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon’s name, Paddy! She told me before she nearly fried me with her great fire breathing mouth!”
PADDY: “Tallulah doesn’t sound like the name of a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Of course it does, Paddy! How many big, monstrous, fire breathing dragons do you know?”
PADDY: “Well none that I know of, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Right!” *Stomps paw self-righteously. * “So how can you possibly know whether the name Tallullah is that of a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon or a big, non-monstrous, non-fire breathing dragon, Paddy?”
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! Come to Tallullah!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *All stand still and tremble, unable to move in fear as the bushes nearby begin to rustle and shake.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “Oh there you are, sweet little bear! Oh!” *Gasps.* “And you’ve brought your friends! Splendid!” *Friendly dragon head appears through the bushes.* “There will be plenty to eat!”
SCOUT: *From the safety of Paddy’s arms.* “Don’t eat me, Miss Tallulah!”
TALLULAH: “Who is going to eat you, sweet little bear?” *Steps out from bushes.* “Just let them try! They’ll have to get past Tallulah first!”
SCOUT: “Well you are, Miss Tallulah.” *Questioningly.* “Aren’t you?”
TALLULAH: *Starts laughing heartily, but doesn’t spit out any fire.* “Good heavens no, you sweet little bear you! I was just going to ask you into my nice cosy cave for some tea and faerie cakes.”
PADDY: “Tea and faerie cakes?” *Confused.*
TALLULAH: “Oh don’t worry, slightly bigger bear! I always bake lots of cakes and delicious treats for when unexpected guests drop by, so I have plenty for you, and your other bear and fox friends.”
ROSIE: “But Scout said that you were a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon!”
BOGART: “And that you were going to eat him!”
FREDDY: “So he ran away!”
TALLULLAH: *Laughs jovially again.* “Oh dear, sweet bears and fox, there must have been some misunderstanding from your young bear friend. Whilst it is true, I am not as slender as I used to be in my youth.” *Runs claws down her scaly sides.* “I am certainly not monstrous, nor fire breathing. If I was fire breathing, I wouldn’t need a match and some kindling to light my oven.”
SCOUT: “Do you mean you aren’t going to eat me, Miss Tallullah?” *Cautious.*
TALLULAH: “Goodness no, sweet little bear. I am just here as guardian of this garden to be a hospitable hostess and invite you, and all your little friends here, in for some afternoon tea. It’s getting quite warm out here, and you could probably do with some light refreshments before I send you on your way home.”
PADDY: “Oh that would be most kind, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULAH: “I have seen you around here before, usually walking with a man.”
BOGART: “That’s our Daddy!”
FREDDY: “He takes good care of us.”
TALLULAH: “I’m sure he does, little fox. As I’ve seen you before, you must come from around here.”
SCOUT: “Yes,” *Sniffles.* “We live at Daddy’s house, over that way.” *Points in the direction of Daddy’s house.*
TALLULAH: “Then of course you must come in and have some nice tea and some faerie cupcakes. Daddy’s house sounds a long way away.”
DADDY: “Oh, it isn’t that far for me, but it certainly is for little bears and foxes!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Daddy!” *Surprised.*
DADDY: “Hullo everybear and fox. I was getting worried that you might have gotten lost on your walk, so I came to fetch you home.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh.” *Disappointed.* “And I was just about to invite everybear and fox in for something to eat in my cosy cave, Mr. Daddy! I’m a bit lonely today.”
PADDY: “Daddy, this is Tallulah, the,” *Looks at Scout who looks away sheepishly.* “The kind and generous and non-scary, non-fire breathing dragon.”
DADDY: “How do you, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULLA: “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Daddy.”
DADDY: “Well, I don’t see why you can’t stop and have some tea with Miss Tallullah, and I’ll just come back and collect you in an hour everybear and fox.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh you must stay too, Mr. Daddy! I have plenty of delicious cupcakes, certainly enough for you too, and the kettle is on the hob even as we speak.”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Oh yes Daddy! Do stay!”
DADDY: “Well only if you are sure, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh I am, Mr. Daddy. Now come along!”
DADDY: “Wait! Please let me take a photo of you all first, to mark the occasion.” *Takes out camera.* “Now, everybear, fox and dragon, say ‘grumbly tummies’!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDIE and TALLULAH: “Grumbly tummies!”
*Camera goes click and whirr.*
SCOUT: “Grumbly tummy, Daddy! Grumbly tummy!” *Rubs tummy vigorously and giggles.*
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, includng the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Tallulah the Dragon is the kindly caretaker of a wonderful garden full of magic in one of the inner suburbs of Melbourne. She is hand made of terracotta and hand painted. She always has a smile (and a faerie cupcake or two) for any passersby, if only you stop to pause and say hullo.