The Stickman CBeebies Bedtime Stories

.

Hello, I'm Derek.

Do you know who lives in a tree?

Yes, squirrels and birds live in trees.

But I know about another family who live in a special tree.

They're called the Stick family,

and tonight's bedtime story is all about the dad.

He ends up having a lot of adventures, and one in particular

means he can help a very special person, who visits us once a year.

I wonder if you know who that is. Why don't I tell you the story,

and you can find out if you're right? The story is by

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and is called Stick Man.

Stick Man lives in the family tree, with his Stick Lady Love

and their stick children, three.

One day, he wakes early and goes for a jog.

Stick Man, oh, Stick Man, beware of the dog!

"A stick," barks the dog, "an excellent stick!

"The right kind of stick for my favourite trick.

"I'll fetch it and drop it and fetch it and then I'll drop it

"and fetch it and drop it again." "I'm not a stick! Why can't you see?

"I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, that's me,

"and I want to go home to the family tree."

A notice says, "Dogs must be kept on the lead."

At last, the game's over, and Stick Man is freed.

He sets off for home with a hop and a twirl,

Stick Man, oh, Stick Man, beware of the girl!

"A stick!" cries the girl, with a smile on her face,

"The right kind of Pooh-stick for winning the race.

"Has everyone got one? Get ready to throw.

"It's one, two, three, into the river they go."

"I'm not a Pooh-stick, why can't they see?

"I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, that's me,

"and I'm heading away from the family tree."

Stick Man is floating, he floats on and on.

Stick Man, oh, Stick Man, beware of the swan.

"A twig," says the swan, "this twig is the best.

"It's the right kind of twig to weave into my nest."

"I'm not a twig! Why can't they see? I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man,

"I'm Stick Man, that's me,

"and I long to be back in the family tree."

The nest is deserted, and Stick Man is free.

He drifts down the river and sails out to sea.

He tosses and turns, till the frolicking foam

washes him up on a beach far from home.

Here comes a dad with a spade in his hand.

Stick Man, oh, Stick Man, beware of the sand.

"A mast!" yells the dad, "An excellent mast!

"Hooray, there's a flag on our castle at last."

"I'm not a mast for a silly old flag,

"or a sword for a knight, or a hook for a bag.

"I'm not a pen, I'm not a bow, I'm not a bat or a boomerang, no.

"I'm Stick Man."

Oh, Stick Man, beware of the snow.

Here comes a boy

in a warm woolly scarf.

"An arm for my snowman." he says with a laugh.

"I'm not an arm, can nobody see?

"I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, that's me.

"Will I ever get back to the family tree?"

Stick Man is lonely, Stick Man is lost. Stick Man is frozen,

covered in frost. Stick Man is weary,

his eyes start to close.

He stretches and yawns and lies down for a doze.

He can't hear the bells,

or the sweet-swinging choir,

or the voice saying,

"Here's a good stick for the fire!"

Stick Man is lying asleep in the grate.

Can anyone wake him before it's too late?

He dreams of his kids and his Stick Lady Love,

then suddenly wakes.

"What's that noise up above?"

It starts as a chuckle, then turns to a shout.

"Oh, ho-ho-ho-ho, I'm stuck! Get me out."

A stuck man? A stuck man?

Now who could that be?

"Don't worry," cried Stick Man, "I'll soon set you free."

A scratch and a scrape and a flurry of soot, a wiggle, a jiggle,

and out pokes a foot.

A shove and a nudge and a hop and a jump,

and Santa falls into the room with a thump.

"Stick Man, oh, Stick Man, you excellent friend,

"thanks, thanks a million, thanks without end."

Then Stick Man helped Santa deliver the toys to fast asleep girls,

and to fast asleep boys.

Faster and faster, they fly through the snow, till Santa says,

"Only one chimney to go!"

Stick Lady's lonely.

The children are sad.

It won't feel like Christmas without their stick dad.

They toss and they turn in the family bed,

but what is that clattering sound overhead?

Someone is tumbling into their house!

Is it a bird, or a bat, or a mouse?

Or could it...

Yes, could it just possibly be...?

"I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, I'm Stick Man, that's me!

"And I'm sticking right here in the family tree."

And that story was called Stick Man.

Were you right?

Did you guess that Stick Man would be helping Father Christmas?

And it's a good job he did, otherwise no-one would've got

their Christmas presents.

Well, it's time for me to go now, but I'll be back soon,

with another bedtime story.

Night night.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd