Muddywart Grime and Princess Lily
Princess Lily was in trouble – Again. Sometimes, being a princess was RUBBISH, Lily thought. She wasn't allowed to do anything and everyone kept telling her off!
'Don't suck your thumb,' her mother would tell her.
'Stop playing with your hair,' her uncle would scold.
'You must not get your shoes dirty – and straighten your clothes – clean your teeth- and do NOT pick your nose,' insisted her governess.
'And princesses always SMILE,' her grandmother would say.
It just wasn't fair.
Her governess, Miss Black, was looking very cross. 'Why are your new shoes and socks so muddy,' she asked. 'There's a tear in your second-best dress and you have grass stains on your knees?'
Lily squirmed and wriggled, 'But an ENORMOUS snail was trapped under some netting in the garden,' she said. 'I had to jump across a massive puddle so I could rescue it. Only I tripped and fell over and the grass was very wet... Sorry, Miss Black.'
'Princesses DO NOT jump puddles in their best shoes, especially to rescue snails!'
'But it had a really pretty shell,' said Lily.
Miss Black looked even crosser. 'You will wash and go to bed without your supper. Perhaps next time you will be more careful and not answer back!'
Well, that wasn't fair at all, thought Lily. She turned around and stomped her way toward the long winding staircase.1
She clomped past the statue of a girl on a horse, scowled at the cat who sat cleaning his paws and ran up the steps, one – two – three -four. Past portraits and vases, a small dog that was scratching. With hardly a glance she ran past a stern guard, startling a maid carrying a tray full of cards.
Finally, she reached her bedroom near the top of the palace. CRASH went her door. BANG went her dirty shoes as she kicked them across the floor. Lily sat on top of her bouncy bed, folded her arms, feeling very cross indeed!
It was then she heard the weirdest sound. BRRgggHH – BRgggHH. It sounded a bit like a car with a cough! What was even stranger, it seemed to be coming from right under her bed.
She bounced up and down a few times on the springy mattress. Perhaps the bed was going to break? She bounced again, a little harder...
'BRRgggHH... Do you mind,' said a rumbling voice? 'That's my head you keep hitting!' 1
Lily took a deep breath and slipped down onto the floor. She counted all the way to FIFTEEN, before she dared to peep underneath the bed.
She sneezed, 'ATCHOO,' then sneezed again even harder. Along with the dust, there were toys, books and some old odd socks, even a blue bouncy ball. But sat in the middle of everything was something she had NEVER – EVER seen before. It had a big round body and two large green eyes. Its nose was all squashed and black. It was rubbing its furry head with a large hairy hand and she thought it looked quite cross.
Princesses, she knew, were always supposed to be polite. 'Hello,' she said. 'I'm Lily, who are you?'
'Muddywart Grime,' said the monster, 'But you can call me Muddy if you like.'
'Why are you hiding under my bed?' she asked.
'I'm in trouble,' said Muddy. 'My mum said I can't have any tea, until I get properly dirty and there are usually lots of dirty things under here.' He held out a VERY dusty book to show her.
'So why don't you go outside in the garden,' asked Lily? 'I'm always in trouble for getting dirty when I'm out there.'
'I'm too scared,' said Muddy. 'I don't like being out there on my own.'
'Hmmm,' said Lily. 'I think what we need is a plan!'
The next morning after breakfast, Princess Lily opened up her big wooden dressing-up box and took out everything she thought she might need.
An old pair of her brother's trousers, that she could pull up over her pretty new dress.
A baggy old jumper that was warm and thick
Long stripy red socks that stretched over her knees
And, a purple woollen hat to cover her plaits...
'Climb into this bag, Muddy,' she told her new friend. 'And I will carry you out to the garden.'
She hurried from her bedroom and ran down the long hall. Smiled at the cat who sat sharpening his claws and hurried down the steps, one – two – three - four. Past portraits and vases, the small dog that sat whining. With hardly a glance she swished past the statue straight to the old garden door.
And pulled on her old red Wellington boots!
Puddles were splashed in, races were run. They built a hide under bushes, watched the worms, snails and slugs. Muddy climbed trees; his fur was soon coated in twigs. While Lily made a mud-pie castle and surrounded it with sticks.
'Princess Lily?'' a voice called.
'That's Miss Black. I have to go,' said Lily feeling sad.
'But we can come back again tomorrow,' said Muddy. He was looking VERY dirty but VERY happy indeed.
Lily ran through the back door and into a bathroom.
Off came the old trousers, jumper and long socks. With a flick and a shake the purple hat was off. She slipped on clean shoes then washed hands and face.
'Yuck – now YOU look too clean!' complained the monster. 1
'But I can get all dirty again tomorrow,' she promised.
Lily hurried out into the hallway...
'Well done, Lily,' said her mother. 'You look very pretty.'
'And your hair is so neat,' said her uncle. 'It's just right.' 1
Lily smiled, a big, wide smile because they couldn't see the EXTREMELY dirty Monster hurrying up the stairs ...
'And what a beautiful smile, Lily,' said her grandmother looking pleased. 'You really are the most perfect Princess!'
The End.
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Bedtime - A Short Story Anthology
Short StoryShort children's stories written by the winners of our writing contests.
