Mr Bear's Birthday CBeebies Bedtime Stories

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Now then, how many guests are coming?

Oh, hello. I'm Sue. I'm getting ready for a party, a surprise party.

Look, I've decorated the room.

There's party plates, party cups AND a cake.

I think Mr Bear in tonight's bedtime story would like this cake.

The story is by Debi Gliori and it's called Mr Bear's Birthday.

"Happy birthday, Daddy!" said Small Bear, "Are you very old?"

"Not very," said Mr Bear.

"Will you have thousands of candles on your cake?" asked Small Bear.

"Not thousands," said Mr Bear, heading downstairs,

"Just a few hundred."

In the kitchen, Mrs Bear was busy feeding Baby Bear.

"Happy birthday, dear," she sighed.

"I haven't baked you a cake because we've run out of flour."

"I'll go and get some right away now," said Mr Bear.

"I love birthday cake."

"I'll come with you," said Small Bear,

following Mr Bear out of the door.

"Haven't you had any birthday cards yet?"

"Not yet," said Mr Bear, but maybe the postman will bring me some.

Oh, poor Mr Bear. Mr Rabbit Bun had nothing exciting in his mailbag.

"Never mind," said Mr Bear, "It's a lovely day for a birthday.

"Who needs birthday cards?"

No sooner were the words out of Mr Bear's mouth,

than the sky turned grey and it began to rain.

Mr Bear lifted Small Bear onto his shoulders and ran for cover.

Inside the flour mill they found Mr Grizzle Bear

frowning over a little bit of bent metal.

"It's not my lucky day today," he said.

"I'm afraid the mill isn't working because the cog is broken."

"It's Daddy's birthday today," said Small Bear.

"We need flour for his cake."

"I need a cog for my windmill," said Mr Grizzle Bear,

"otherwise I won't be able to grind any flour."

"I need a birthday cake," said Mr Bear.

"I'll go and get you a cog straightaway."

"Oh, poor Daddy," yawned Small Bear.

"No cake, no birthday cards, no flour."

"No problem," said Mr Bear.

"Mr Hootoowit will have a cog in his tool shop

"and then Mr Grizzle Bear will be able to fix his windmill

"and we'll be able to grind some flour and before we know it,

"we'll be eating your mummy's wonderful birthday cake. Mmm!"

"Are we there yet?" yawned Small Bear. "I'm hungry."

It was a long way to Mr Hootoowit's tool shop,

but before they got there, they could hear Mr Hootoowit shouting.

"Stop thief, that's mine, not yours. Put it back, you thieving magpie!"

Inside the tool shop, Mr Bear groaned.

"Oh-h! Was that the only one you had?"

"The very last cog," Mr Hootoowit sighed.

"Was it for anything special?"

Mr Bear shook his head.

He was looking outside at the faraway trees where the magpie lived.

"We have to go there," he said, "otherwise there'll be no cake."

So Mr Bear and Small Bear set off to find the magpie.

It was a long way.

First Mr Bear and Small Bear had to cross the boggy marsh,

then they had to clamber up to the top of the rocky ridge,

and down the other side.

Finally, they had to pick a path through the dark woods

till they came to where the magpie lived.

The bird was tidying his nest.

"What do you want?" he cawed. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"See that boring bit of metal you've just found," said Mr Bear,

"the dull and unimportant little cog."

"What about it?" scolded the magpie. "What will you give me for it?"

Mr Bear nearly groaned out loud. He hadn't thought to bring any money.

"Come on," said the magpie, "I want shiny, sparkly stuff."

"Look," said Small Bear, holding out her tinsel crown.

"Will this do?" The magpie's eyes grew wide. "I'll say!" he shrieked.

"Here, swap you!" And dropping the cog to the ground, he swooped down

and plucked Small Bear's crown out of her hands

and flew off cackling delightedly. SHE CACKLES

"Well done," said Mr Bear. "Hurrah for Small Bear."

And back they went to the mill with the cog for Mr Grizzle Bear.

Through the dark woods, up and down the rocky ridge.

Back through the swamp

and finally just as the first stars were coming out,

back to the mill where all was still, silent and closed for the night.

"Oh, no!" wailed Small Bear, and she began to cry.

"Never mind," said Mr Bear, minding very much indeed.

"Let's go home and see what Mummy's made for birthday supper, shall we?"

But when they reached home, the lights were off

and the house was in darkness.

"Oh, no!" groaned Mr Bear, close to tears as he opened the front door.

"This is the worst birthday of my whole..."

ALL: "Surprise!"

Happy birthday, Mr Bear!

That story was called Mr Bear's birthday. What a nice surprise.

Hope my party's as big a surprise as Mr Bear's was.

But I haven't put any candles on the cake! I need to find those.

And while I do, it's time for you to go to bed.

I'll see you soon for another story. Good night.

Now, where are those candles?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd