Short Tales 3

By Storm Cloud Publishing

A collection of short stories from a collection of writers. Suitable for boys and girls 8-12 years.
If you want fun and adventure, a trip to the past, the future or a world of fantasy, there's sure to be a story here for you. You'll find some of your Short Tales favourite writers and some new ones to enjoy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Storm Cloud Publishing
• Release date: May 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781925285222

Book preview

Short Tales 3

A collection of short stories for kids 8 – 12 years

Short Tales 3

Copyright remains with the individual authors

Published by Storm Cloud Publishing (2017)

ISBN: 978-1-925285-22-2 Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please go to Smashwords.com or any online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the authors.

Junior Fiction: A collection of short stories from writers all around the world.

Fun and adventure, Fairy tales and fantasy, Aliens, Ancient Egypt, Realism and drama, Courage, Family relationships, Dreams and ambitions, Conflict and resolution, Life skills

Ages 8 – 12 years

Contents

Plumble Bumble Pudding

The Broken Leg Birthday

The Odd Jobs

The Dare

Rapunzee

The New Pet

Watching Grass Grow

The Littlest Basketballer

The Stonecutter’s Apprentice

About the Authors

Storm Cloud ebooks

Plumble Bumble Pudding

Jaz Stutley

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a castle, and in the castle was a kitchen. In the kitchen was a famous chef called Bumble. He was famous for making Plumble Bumble Pudding, and for being the angriest man in the kingdom.

In the kitchen were also many boys. It was these boys who made Bumble so very angry. They were slicers and dicers, dishwashers and serving boys, carriers and stirrers. Besides making Plumble Bumble Pudding each day for King Cheviot’s dessert, Bumble had to make breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the whole castle, and sometimes a huge feast as well.

But the boys always seemed to be everywhere, or never there.

When he wanted someone to carry a bowl of fresh fruit up to the three princesses, the kitchen was empty. When he was trying to beat the eggs for just the right length of time for the Plumble Bumble Pudding, one of the boys was right at his elbow, annoying him.

This was usually Smirk, the boy who made him angriest of all. Smirk was always trying to find out the recipe for Plumble Bumble Pudding.

Go and do some work, boy! Bumble would scream, dancing around like an angry bee.

The only recipe for the pudding was in Bumble’s head. If not made exactly right, it would explode all over the kitchen walls – it had happened once, and the boys had found it very exciting. This was because the pudding mix had a special magic pinch of something in it that had to be measured out to the last little grain.

Bumble kept the special something in a secret hiding place. Smirk didn’t know where it was. But someone did. That someone was Wintergreen, the Serving Cat. He sat on his red velvet cushion in front of the fire, saying nothing.

One evening, it was very busy in the kitchen. Bumble was shouting out orders, and boys rushed everywhere at once like bees in a hive. The kitchen was very hot, for a huge fire was burning, and two boys were turning the spit to cook the meat. A grand feast was being prepared.

The king from the next door kingdom was visiting with all his court including his best and bravest knights. There had been some trouble on the border, and King Cheviot wanted to make sure they were all still friends. Everyone was invited to the feast, from the milkmaids up to the queen and princesses.

Suddenly, Bumble stood stock still in the middle of the kitchen.

Oh, no! he said. I’ve forgotten to make the pudding!

He usually started it each night when the boys were asleep, to keep the secret.

I’ll help you, said Smirk.

No, you won’t, boy! said Bumble loudly. We’ll have no exploding puddings around here!

And he made every one of them leave the kitchen while he started the pudding.

Then he called them back. Smirk looked around carefully to see if he could find the secret hiding place.

Now, Bumble had been in such a hurry that he had left a clue. Wintergreen’s red velvet cushion was not in its usual place in front of the fire, and Wintergreen was lashing his tail from side to side.

A-ha! thought Smirk. I’ll bet the special something is in the cushion.

And when Bumble wasn’t looking, he