Fleabag

0:00:07 > 0:00:09..Or...Bonzo?

0:00:11 > 0:00:14Or... Oh! Hello.

0:00:14 > 0:00:17My name's Jake. What's your name?

0:00:19 > 0:00:23This dog - he don't have a name. I'm trying to think of one for him.

0:00:23 > 0:00:28I've thought of Rufus, but... don't sound right, does it?

0:00:28 > 0:00:32Or Bonzo? What do you think he should be called?

0:00:32 > 0:00:36The dog in tonight's Bedtime Story doesn't have a name either.

0:00:36 > 0:00:39The story is by Helen Stephens

0:00:39 > 0:00:42and it's called Fleabag.

0:00:43 > 0:00:47There was once a dog who had no name

0:00:47 > 0:00:50and he had no home.

0:00:50 > 0:00:55What he did have was fleas, but they weren't much company.

0:00:55 > 0:00:58He lived all alone in the big city

0:00:58 > 0:01:02and found his dinner wherever he could.

0:01:02 > 0:01:07He liked to bark at the huge blue things that thundered past

0:01:07 > 0:01:10and to run in a green place with lots of other dogs.

0:01:10 > 0:01:14The other dogs all had people to take for walks,

0:01:14 > 0:01:17and he wished he had a person, too.

0:01:17 > 0:01:21Sometimes he tried to join in the other dogs' games,

0:01:21 > 0:01:25but their people called him "fleabag" and told him to "shoo".

0:01:25 > 0:01:29Then, one day, he saw a boy with a ball but no dog.

0:01:29 > 0:01:32The boy's big person was busy.

0:01:32 > 0:01:34He had no-one to play with him.

0:01:34 > 0:01:38That didn't seem right, so when the boy threw the ball,

0:01:38 > 0:01:40the dog ran as fast as he could

0:01:40 > 0:01:45across the green stuff, through the pink things, and he caught it.

0:01:45 > 0:01:47That was fun!

0:01:47 > 0:01:50He'd never done playing before.

0:01:50 > 0:01:55The boy looked very pleased and tickled the dog under the chin.

0:01:55 > 0:01:57The dog liked that.

0:01:57 > 0:01:59He'd never been tickled before.

0:01:59 > 0:02:05"Don't touch him, Bob," said the boy's big person. "He's all mucky!"

0:02:05 > 0:02:09"I don't mind," said Bob. "I like him."

0:02:10 > 0:02:14Over the next few days, the dog looked out for his boy

0:02:14 > 0:02:17and the boy looked out for his dog.

0:02:17 > 0:02:21The boy's big person was usually too busy to notice,

0:02:21 > 0:02:23and they became great friends.

0:02:23 > 0:02:27But then, one day, the boy didn't feel like playing.

0:02:27 > 0:02:30He was too sad.

0:02:30 > 0:02:34He told the dog his family were moving house the next day.

0:02:34 > 0:02:36They were going far away

0:02:36 > 0:02:39and he wouldn't be able to play with the dog ever again.

0:02:39 > 0:02:44The dog waggled his eyebrows as if he understood...

0:02:44 > 0:02:46but he didn't really.

0:02:46 > 0:02:50Then the boy's big person called out, "Come on, Bob, home time!

0:02:50 > 0:02:53"Leave that little fleabag alone now."

0:02:53 > 0:02:58"I have to go with my mum," said the boy. "I'll miss you,"

0:02:58 > 0:03:01and he shook the dog's paw.

0:03:01 > 0:03:04Then the boy followed his mum,

0:03:04 > 0:03:08and the dog followed his boy, all the way home.

0:03:08 > 0:03:12That night, the boy couldn't sleep.

0:03:12 > 0:03:16He looked out the window and saw his dog sitting there, far below.

0:03:16 > 0:03:20"I can't leave you behind," he thought,

0:03:20 > 0:03:24and he decided to do something very scary.

0:03:24 > 0:03:28He picked up his suitcase, which was already packed for the move,

0:03:28 > 0:03:32stuffed a few biscuits in his pocket and tiptoed out of the flat.

0:03:32 > 0:03:36He was scared as he scampered down the stairs.

0:03:36 > 0:03:40He was scared as the heavy door shut behind him.

0:03:40 > 0:03:43He was scared as he ran to meet his friend.

0:03:43 > 0:03:46"Come on, boy," he said, bravely.

0:03:46 > 0:03:48"We're running away."

0:03:49 > 0:03:54The dog was very confused. What was his boy doing outside in the dark?

0:03:54 > 0:03:57He should be safe indoors with his big people.

0:03:57 > 0:03:59He sat very still.

0:03:59 > 0:04:02"Well, come on," said the boy.

0:04:02 > 0:04:05But the dog wouldn't move.

0:04:05 > 0:04:07"Biscuit?" said the boy.

0:04:07 > 0:04:10But the dog wouldn't budge.

0:04:10 > 0:04:15"I'll carry you," said the boy, but the dog tried to pull him back home.

0:04:15 > 0:04:18Then he ran around him, barking.

0:04:18 > 0:04:22"Shush," said the boy. "You'll wake up Mum and Dad!"

0:04:22 > 0:04:24That seemed like a good idea,

0:04:24 > 0:04:29so the dog woofed until a light went on and a worried face looked out.

0:04:29 > 0:04:34The boy's big people seemed rather cross and sent him back to bed.

0:04:34 > 0:04:39Then one of them said, "I suppose this fleabag can sleep here tonight."

0:04:39 > 0:04:45"I think that he deserves to," said the other. "He did look after Bob."

0:04:45 > 0:04:48The dog was very excited.

0:04:48 > 0:04:51Well, he'd never slept in a real bed before.

0:04:51 > 0:04:56Next day, the family put everything from their flat into an enormous van.

0:04:56 > 0:05:00When the van was full, they got into their car.

0:05:00 > 0:05:02Now, the dog was worried.

0:05:02 > 0:05:07Were his people going somewhere without him? Then the man said,

0:05:07 > 0:05:10"Hop in, little fleabag. You're coming with us."

0:05:10 > 0:05:15And that's how the dog with no name found a home.

0:05:15 > 0:05:19The dog soon settled in.

0:05:19 > 0:05:23Dad got rid of his fleas, which was good.

0:05:23 > 0:05:26Mum got him clean, which wasn't so good.

0:05:26 > 0:05:29But then Bob got him nice and dirty again.

0:05:29 > 0:05:34The dog listened while his family tried to think of a name for him.

0:05:35 > 0:05:39"Scruff?" said Mum.

0:05:39 > 0:05:42"Spike?" said Dad.

0:05:42 > 0:05:45"Ga-ga?" said the baby.

0:05:45 > 0:05:48But the only name that stuck...

0:05:48 > 0:05:50was Fleabag.

0:05:52 > 0:05:57That story was called Fleabag. I'm glad Fleabag found a good home.

0:05:57 > 0:06:00Bob and his family really did look after him,

0:06:00 > 0:06:04and Fleabag got to sleep in a proper bed, just like you do.

0:06:04 > 0:06:08In fact, it's time for you to go to bed right now,

0:06:08 > 0:06:13while I try and think of a name for this little chap here. Night-night.

0:06:13 > 0:06:16I'll see you soon for another story.

0:06:17 > 0:06:19So...

0:06:19 > 0:06:22how about Scruff?

0:06:23 > 0:06:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd