Stories for Children up to 7 years old.
Discover the moral in the story.
Website Publishing
Colin the Elf, or, The Clyde Giant.
If you were to stand in Greenock, Scotland, and look out across the River Clyde, you would notice a large formation that locals call, "Dumbarton Rock".
There is a secret about this "Rock" that is known to very few.
This is the story of Colin the Elf, a not quite true tale that is known to some as, "The Clyde Giant.
000000000
Colin was small.
Colin was very small.
Colin was an elf.
Colin lived in the small village of Largs in Scotland a long long time ago.
One day, Colin went to the fairground and saw a magician, Colin made up his mind, he wanted to be a magician.
In Largs there were no jobs for magicians so Colin decided that he would go to Glasgow.
Colin looked at a map and found out that he would have to follow the River Clyde to get to Glasgow.
Next morning Colin started walking.
Colin walked all day and by night time he was very tired, but, because Colin is very small, with small legs, he had not travelled very far.
Colin sat down on the grass beside the river and thought about his journey and how long it would take to reach Glasgow. Colin decided that he needed longer legs.
Every elf is allowed three wishes, so, Colin wished for longer legs. In a flash, Colin’s legs grew very long.
Colin stood up, and then, Colin fell over.
Colin’s legs were long but his feet were still small and he lost his balance.
Colin lay beside the River Clyde and knew that he had to use another wish to make his feet larger.
“Hello, Who are you? What are you doing?” Said a voice.
Colin looked and saw that a large head had risen out of the river. “Oh, you frightened me” said Colin, “Who are you?”
“I’m Digby the dolphin” said the large fish.
Colin told Digby that he was going to Glasgow to be a magician and about his long legs that made him fall over.
“I will help you” said Digby, “Roll on to my back and wrap your long legs around me, we will soon swim to Glasgow”.
Very quickly they were swimming up the River Clyde towards Glasgow.
Soon they saw a sign that said GLASGOW.
Digby with colin on his back swam to the harbour wall and stopped beside a ladder that Colin would climb to get to the top, but, Colin's arms were too short to reach the ladder, so he used the second of his wishes to wish for long arms.
Colin reached the top and as he was very tired he decided to lay on the ground for a while.
Colin did look very strange with his long arms and legs and his very small body.
A shout made Colin wake up. “It’s a big spider” a voice said, “I will tread on it” said the voice.
Colin opened his eyes and saw a very big boot coming towards him.
Suddenly there was a big splash of water that knocked the man over and saved Colin. It was Digby splashing the river with his tail and the water washed over the harbour wall.
“Stop” shouted Colin, “or I will be washed back in to the river”.
Colin looked around and saw a large piece of wood beside him, he saw some writing on it, “PORT”.
Colin looked up at the sign that they had seen, he noticed that a piece had been broken off of the sign, Colin realised that he was a long way from Glasgow, this was Port Glasgow.
A large lady with a small dog, that had been walking by, shouted to the man, “Don’t tread on it, it’s not an insect, it’s a little man”.
Colin told the lady of the events of that day and that he really wanted to be in Glasgow to get a job as a magician. The lady told Colin that her name was Mags and she would take him to her house so that he could rest.
“I can’t walk, my feet are too small, I fall over”, said Colin.
Mags stopped a boy that was passing and asked if she could borrow his skateboard, then she helped Colin to roll on to the board and tied the dogs lead to the board. “My dogs name is Toby” she said, “he will pull you to our house”.
Colin rested for a while on Mags settee and Mags found a very small cup in her grand daughters toy box to give Colin a cup of tea.
Mags asked Colin why he wished to be a magician, Colin answered, “Because I want to make all the poor people rich”. “How can you do that?” asked Mags.
Colin told Mags about his plan, “I saw a magician and his hand was empty, then he closed his hand and when he opened it again there was a one pound coin in it. I am going to do that and then I will give the coins to the poor people and make them rich”.
Mags
Mags said, “I’m sorry Colin, what you saw was a trick by the magician, it wasn’t really magic but If you really want to help others maybe I can help you to do that”.
“I do need help” said Colin, “but, how can you help me?”
“This is a secret” said Mags, “You must promise not to tell anyone else, I am a good witch and I can help you”.
“I promise” said Colin.
“The first thing we must do is to make you your right size” said Mags.
She took a big heavy old book from the shelf and turned over several pages, after reading the spell she mixed together lots of different powders and then sprinkled the mixture over Colin.
Colin’s arms and legs became smaller and smaller until he was his normal elf size.
Toby the dog, who had been sleeping in his basket, opened one eye, looked at Colin, and went back to sleep.
Colin would live in Mags house and learn the secrets of magic, it would take many years of hard work.
Colin had to get out of bed at six o’clock every day and help with the house work, at 9 o’clock he would sit at the table and read all of the big old books about magic spells.
At supper time Mags would ask him questions about what he had learnt, after that, Colin would be very tired and go to bed.
This was the way that was to be Colin’s life for many years but he was happy and learning all the time.
0000000000000000000000000
CONTINUED on ColinElf part 2
Click on panel top left.
Hosting Manager
Adding Fun
bravenet.com