Ferdie and the Falling Leaves CBeebies Bedtime Stories

CBeebies Bedtime Story.

(So...)

(I've got a green leaf,)

(a red leaf)

(and a brown leaf.)

Oh, hello.

I'm Kimberley.

I'm trying to find out how many different coloured leaves there are.

I've collected a brown one, a red one and a green one,

but there's so many different colours.

Ferdie finds a little brown leaf in tonight's story.

It's by Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke,

and it's called Ferdie And The Falling Leaves.

The world was changing.

Each morning, when Ferdie bounced out of the den,

everything seemed a little different.

The rich green of the forest was turning to a dusty gold

and the soft, swishing sound of summer was fading to a whisper.

Ferdie's favourite tree was looking dull, dry and brown.

Ferdie, visiting every day, was beginning to get worried.

"I think my tree is ill," said Ferdie.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Mummy.

"Its leaves are turning brown," said Ferdie.

"Don't worry. It's only autumn," smiled Mummy.

Ferdie trotted back to his tree and patted the rough bark.

"Don't worry. It's only autumn," he said.

"You'll soon be feeling better."

But the tree didn't get better.

Day by day, it got browner still.

One day, as Ferdie sat under the tree, the wind began to blow.

A small, brown leaf blew off the tree and drifted towards the ground.

Ferdie jumped up and caught it very gently in his paw.

"Don't worry, Tree, I've got your leaf.

"You'll soon be fixed," said Ferdie.

He looked around, scratched his head

and picked a piece of grass.

He carefully tied the leaf to its branch and sat happily down.

Just then, another gust of wind ruffled Ferdie's fur.

The little leaf shook itself free and fluttered back to the ground.

Ferdie picked it up again and thought very hard.

Then, he poked the leaf onto a twig and pushed it firmly down.

"Now, you hold on tight," said Ferdie, sternly.

"No more flying around."

The little leaf gave a tiny rustle, in reply.

RUSTLING

The next day, a strong wind was blowing through the forest.

Ferdie rushed out of the den and ran all the way to his tree.

Lots of its branches were brown and bare

and little lost leaves whirled everywhere.

WIND GUSTS

"Don't worry, Tree," he called, in alarm.

"I'll catch them for you, I promise."

Round and round and round whirled Ferdie

after the twirling leaves.

"Leaves? Wonderful! Just what I need for my nest,"

said a squirrel, scampering up.

"But these belong to the tree," said Ferdie.

"Don't take these away."

"The tree doesn't need them any more," said the squirrel,

and off he bounded. "Help! Help!

"The wind and the squirrel are stealing our leaves!"

cried a frantic Ferdie.

"Leaves? Marvellous!

"Just what I need to keep warm," said a hedgehog, rolling around.

"But these belong to the tree," said Ferdie,

plucking leaves from the hedgehog's prickles.

"Not any more," snuffled the hedgehog, and away he rolled.

"Help! The wind and the squirrel and the hedgehog are stealing

"our leaves!" cried a frenzied Ferdie.

This time, a flock of friendly birds swooped down,

picked the leaves up in their beaks

and poked them onto the tree's branches.

Soon, the tree was leafy again

and Ferdie flopped down and smiled.

"Thank you, thank you, birds!" he gasped,

as the birds fluttered and chirruped away.

He lay looking up through the leaves at the sky,

and drifted off to sleep.

But still the wind continued to blow, and still the branches danced.

The leaves shivered and shook themselves

and began to wiggle free.

They tossed and turned and twitched and twirled

and tumbled to the ground.

They brushed Ferdie's ears and nose,

and filled his dreams with a whispering sound.

When Ferdie finally blinked awake, he couldn't believe his eyes!

Instead of a roof of dancing leaves...

he could see bare branches against the sky.

"Oh, Tree. I'm so sorry," gulped Ferdie.

"All your leaves are gone."

But then... he saw high in the branches

one small leaf holding on.

"I won't let the wind steal that one," said Ferdie,

and he began to climb.

He wriggled along to the last leaf, and held it firmly onto its branch.

All day long, the wind blew, the branch bounced,

and Ferdie held tight.

"I'll stay with you, Leaf," he gasped.

"Don't worry that all your friends have gone."

But then, with a sudden whoosh of wind,

the branch bounced high.

With a whispered "Plip!"

the leaf let go and fluttered like a little flag

clutched in Ferdie's paw.

Ferdie looked sadly at the leaf -

the tree's last leaf he'd promised to save.

He carried it carefully down the tree,

and all the way back to the den.

He made it a cosy little bed, and gently tucked it in for the night,

but all night long he could only think of his tree...

all on its own.

At first light, he tiptoed into the chilly dawn.

The wind had finally stopped blowing,

and the air was damp and cold.

The moon still hung in the clear sky, and pale stars glimmered.

OWL HOOTS

As he came to his favourite tree,

Ferdie saw a magical sight.

The tree was hung with a thousand icicles,

shining silver in the early light.

"You are more beautiful than ever,"

whispered Ferdie to the tree made of ice.

"Can the squirrel and the hedgehog keep your leaves

"for the cold winter nights?"

A tiny breeze shivered the branches,

making a sound like laughter.

And in the light of the rising sun,

the sparkly branches nodded.

And that story was called Ferdie And The Falling Leaves.

Are you all nice and cosy and ready for bed now,

like Ferdie was in his den?

Good, because it's time for you all to go to sleep...

and I'll see you soon for another story.

Night-night.

(Now, I wonder what other colours we can find...)

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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