Fleabag CBeebies Bedtime Stories

..Or...Bonzo?

Or... Oh! Hello.

My name's Jake. What's your name?

This dog - he don't have a name. I'm trying to think of one for him.

I've thought of Rufus, but... don't sound right, does it?

Or Bonzo? What do you think he should be called?

The dog in tonight's Bedtime Story doesn't have a name either.

The story is by Helen Stephens

and it's called Fleabag.

There was once a dog who had no name

and he had no home.

What he did have was fleas, but they weren't much company.

He lived all alone in the big city

and found his dinner wherever he could.

He liked to bark at the huge blue things that thundered past

and to run in a green place with lots of other dogs.

The other dogs all had people to take for walks,

and he wished he had a person, too.

Sometimes he tried to join in the other dogs' games,

but their people called him "fleabag" and told him to "shoo".

Then, one day, he saw a boy with a ball but no dog.

The boy's big person was busy.

He had no-one to play with him.

That didn't seem right, so when the boy threw the ball,

the dog ran as fast as he could

across the green stuff, through the pink things, and he caught it.

That was fun!

He'd never done playing before.

The boy looked very pleased and tickled the dog under the chin.

The dog liked that.

He'd never been tickled before.

"Don't touch him, Bob," said the boy's big person. "He's all mucky!"

"I don't mind," said Bob. "I like him."

Over the next few days, the dog looked out for his boy

and the boy looked out for his dog.

The boy's big person was usually too busy to notice,

and they became great friends.

But then, one day, the boy didn't feel like playing.

He was too sad.

He told the dog his family were moving house the next day.

They were going far away

and he wouldn't be able to play with the dog ever again.

The dog waggled his eyebrows as if he understood...

but he didn't really.

Then the boy's big person called out, "Come on, Bob, home time!

"Leave that little fleabag alone now."

"I have to go with my mum," said the boy. "I'll miss you,"

and he shook the dog's paw.

Then the boy followed his mum,

and the dog followed his boy, all the way home.

That night, the boy couldn't sleep.

He looked out the window and saw his dog sitting there, far below.

"I can't leave you behind," he thought,

and he decided to do something very scary.

He picked up his suitcase, which was already packed for the move,

stuffed a few biscuits in his pocket and tiptoed out of the flat.

He was scared as he scampered down the stairs.

He was scared as the heavy door shut behind him.

He was scared as he ran to meet his friend.

"Come on, boy," he said, bravely.

"We're running away."

The dog was very confused. What was his boy doing outside in the dark?

He should be safe indoors with his big people.

He sat very still.

"Well, come on," said the boy.

But the dog wouldn't move.

"Biscuit?" said the boy.

But the dog wouldn't budge.

"I'll carry you," said the boy, but the dog tried to pull him back home.

Then he ran around him, barking.

"Shush," said the boy. "You'll wake up Mum and Dad!"

That seemed like a good idea,

so the dog woofed until a light went on and a worried face looked out.

The boy's big people seemed rather cross and sent him back to bed.

Then one of them said, "I suppose this fleabag can sleep here tonight."

"I think that he deserves to," said the other. "He did look after Bob."

The dog was very excited.

Well, he'd never slept in a real bed before.

Next day, the family put everything from their flat into an enormous van.

When the van was full, they got into their car.

Now, the dog was worried.

Were his people going somewhere without him? Then the man said,

"Hop in, little fleabag. You're coming with us."

And that's how the dog with no name found a home.

The dog soon settled in.

Dad got rid of his fleas, which was good.

Mum got him clean, which wasn't so good.

But then Bob got him nice and dirty again.

The dog listened while his family tried to think of a name for him.

"Scruff?" said Mum.

"Spike?" said Dad.

"Ga-ga?" said the baby.

But the only name that stuck...

was Fleabag.

That story was called Fleabag. I'm glad Fleabag found a good home.

Bob and his family really did look after him,

and Fleabag got to sleep in a proper bed, just like you do.

In fact, it's time for you to go to bed right now,

while I try and think of a name for this little chap here. Night-night.

I'll see you soon for another story.

So...

how about Scruff?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd