Beanbag and the New Home


Beanbag felt worried. Everything was being packed into large boxes And the furniture was disappearing!There were strange men coming and taking the things and putting them into big trucks.

What was happening? Isabelle didn’t seem to mind but Amelia was very quiet. And Beanbag knew that meant she was worried.

“What is happening?”
He asked Capstan the cat, but she was curled up on top of a box and appeared quite unconcerned.

   “I’m worried too.” said little Panther. “Everything is changing. And Amelia is worried . When our mistress is worried I get a very wobbly feeling in my tummy.”

“Amelia will look after us, won’t she ?” the little bear asked with a  frown. “The girls are going to stay with their Nanny for several days while the house is cleaned and the furniture is moved.”he added thoughtfully.

“But who will look after us ?” said  Little Panther.

“Amelia knows we are her special toys.”Said Beanbag.” She won’t forget.” But in the excitement of moving to a new house would she remember?

“ Are you excited about your new house ?” Mummy asked.

“I don’t know. I’ll miss this house. The new house is bigger and I’ll love to have my own bedroom, but I’m a little bit scared.” sighed Amelia.

That was it ! Thought Beanbag. If Amelia was scared, then the toys had reason to be scared too. But he couldn’t think of anything that could
happen now they were safe in Amelia’s special bag.

The toys were placed on the bed in one of Nanny’s bedrooms. It would be crowded as Isabelle and Amelia would have to share the bedroom for awhile.Nanny only had two bedrooms.

While Amelia was at school Isabelle was allowed to feed and play with the toys, so they began to know one another a little bit better.
Amelia also had a lot of Barbie dolls given to her as a present and she played a lot with them, but Isabelle was not allowed to play with them.

Beanbag thought they were stuck up as they didn’t talk to the other toys.
The little stuffed bear looked at the Barbie dolls. They had such long legs and beautiful clothes and lovely hair, and they had a caravan and a house and a car.
 What did the little pocket toys have ?  What could he and his friends offer ?He knew he was plump and really didn’t have anything else like they did.

That night he decided he would ask someone older and wiser than himself. He would go and talk to the ancient dragon at Nanny’s house.
He picked up his knapsack and stood by the window and called Little Owl to take him to Nanny’s garden.

Beanbag had talked to Isabelle a lot. She hadn't  understood toy talk as well as Amelia, and she was a bit roughhandling the toys but at least she played with them all.Sleepy Fox , another one of Amelia's toys raised his head and grunted. 
“I’ve seen those Barbie people before. All little girls love them. I can’t think why, they are all really rude, they think they are better than us.”
Then he went back to sleep.
This was it ! The day that Beanbag had been dreading. Amelia was growing up. Would she continue to love them all, or would they be tossed out in the dustbin like other old toys he had heard of? Another worry to ask the dragon in Nanny's garden.

There was a hoot by the open window.
He climbed on the bird’s back and hung on for dear life.
The Owl flew over the neighbourhood and alighted by a small gold fish pond guarded by a sleeping dragon

It was very quiet under the ferns and the goldfish swam slowly round and round the pond.

“Why are you here, little bear?” asked a voice from somewhere.
“Please sir dragon. I have a problem." said Beanbag sadly.
The dragon looked at the little toy bear.
“Come and tell me about it.” he said.
After telling him of all his doubts the little bear finished.
“So now what can we offer ? These new toys are so beautiful and have so many other things. We have nothing but ourselves.”
Two big tears trembled at the corner of his eyes.
The dragon smiled.

“Little Bear, you have the best gift of all to give Amelia.” he said.
“What’s that ?” Beanbag asked scratching his head.
“It is love. And it is a rare gift one can share with another. And don’t be afraid of change. Everything changes in time. Amelia will grow up, but she will still love you.You will find Isabelle will care and love you just as much but in a different way.
Don’t be afraid, little Bear. You are loved in return.And even grownups remember their first toys with rare affection. Now come and I will give you courage.”
The dragon reached over and breathed on the little toy. His breath smelt of cinnamon and spiced apple.Beanbag fell asleep curled up in the dragon’s tail.

Meanwhile Amelia and Isabelle searched through Nanny’s house. They had found that Beanbag was missing!
“He’s my favourite toy!” cried Amelia. “I didn’t mislay him. He was here on the shelf.” But Beanbag wasn’t there.

“Never mind Amelia. He is around somewhere.” said Nanny. “Perhaps you left them in daddy’s car.” But they knew  they had not.

That night Owl came and took Beanbag back to Amelia’s new house.
Beanbag crept inside and snuggled down next to his mistress.
She reached out and sleepily cuddled him,
“I missed you. “ she said sleepily and then fell fast asleep.

The next day Amelia set out all the Barbie dolls and toys around her room. Then she placed Beanbag and his friends on a shelf above her bed. “Because you are my Special toys.” she whispered and then ran out into the garden.
Beanbag sighed happily and told his friends the special gift that they had to give to Amelia and Isabelle.
“I think things will get a little bit more boisterous when Isabelle is our owner.” said Little Panther.
“Yes more like dogs and roller skates rather than tea parties.” laughed Little Cat.
“I don’t care.” said Beanbag. “It’s being loved that counts.”