Shobna Gulati - Rhinos Don't Eat Pancakes CBeebies Bedtime Stories

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Oh, great! There's some orange juice in the fridge.

Although I'd really like...

Oh, hello! I'm Shobna. Have you had a busy day?

I've had a lot to do today

and it's made me feel a little bit peckish.

So I thought I'd look in the CBeebies fridge for a snack.

I'd really like a drink and maybe some pancakes...

with syrup - mmm!

Do you like pancakes?

Well, there's a very big animal in tonight's bedtime story who does.

Let me get comfy.

This story is by Anna Kemp and Sarah Ogilvie

and it's called Rhinos Don't Eat Pancakes.

Do you ever get the feeling that your mum and dad

aren't listening to a word you say?

You do? Then you're just like Daisy.

Her mum and dad never listen.

Daisy could tell them that

their hair was on fire or the dog had eaten the postman,

but they'd just nod and say, "That's nice, dear."

Or, "Tell your gran." Or, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

So, when Daisy has something has something really important to say,

guess what?

Nobody listened! So this is what happened.

Daisy was eating her breakfast

when a big purple rhino strolled into the kitchen.

That's right, a big purple rhino!

It was as big as a bus and as purple as a plum.

It was also peckish, so it took a chomp of Daisy's pancake.

"Mum! Mum!" Daisy called, "There's a big..."

"Tell your dad," said Mum, "He'll catch it in a mug."

"Dad!" said Daisy, "There's a big, there's a huge..."

"Shh!" said Dad, "The spider can wait."

"It's not a spider!" Daisy shouted, "It's a big purple rhinoceros!"

But as usual nobody listened.

Meanwhile, the rhino made himself right at home.

Daisy saw him in the hall, glimpsed him in the garden,

spied him in the bathroom and surprised him on the loo!

Every time she tried to tell her parents they'd say,

"Can't you see we're busy?!"

Daisy's parents were busy all week,

so Daisy began to talk to the rhino instead.

They became good friends. They played hoopla, made pizza

and the rhino tickled Daisy until she burst,

but Daisy's parents didn't notice!

Until the pancakes ran out.

"Who ate all the pancakes?" yelled Dad, looking at Daisy.

"It was the rhino!" she said.

"Rhinos don't eat pancakes," said Dad.

"This one does!" cried Daisy, "I saw him in the kitchen."

"Rhino?" said Mum. "Kitchen?" said Dad.

"Yes!" said Daisy, "Exactly." Mum and Dad roared with laughter.

"Whatever next? A shark in the toilet? A polar bear in the fridge?"

"There he is, look!" yelled Daisy,

but Mum and Dad were so busy laughing they didn't even notice.

"Come on, rhino," said Daisy, "I've had enough of this."

The rhino tickled Daisy with his horn,

but she was far too glum to giggle.

"Mum and Dad never listen," she sighed,

"they're always a million miles away."

The rhino sighed deeply through his big purple nostrils.

"I'm sorry, rhino," said Daisy.

"Your family are a million miles away too, aren't they?"

The rhino nodded and a lilac tear rolled down his cheek.

Poor rhino.

That night Daisy thought of ways to get the rhino to his family.

He was too heavy for a hot air balloon

and too big for Daisy's rubber dingy.

She thought about lending him her bike,

but the helmet would never fit.

Next morning Mum and Dad had a surprise.

"We're taking you to the zoo, so you can see a REAL rhino."

"What do you think of that?" grinned Dad.

Daisy thought it was a stupid idea,

when there was already a rhino sitting on the sofa,

but she didn't say so.

What was the point? NOBODY would listen.

At the zoo, Daisy saw yellow giraffes, bright red parrots,

orange and black tigers and grass green snakes,

but she couldn't help thinking about her poor rhino.

"Hurry up, Daisy," said Mum, "the rhinos are this way!"

But what was this?

"Missing, big purple rhino. Likes pancakes.

"If found call the zoo."

"Cripes!" gasped Mum,

"That explains the pancakes!" gasped Dad.

Mum, Dad and Daisy rushed back home

and guess what they saw when they got back?

That's right, the biggest, purplest rhinoceros in town.

"What did I tell you?" Daisy said, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm phoning the zoo," said Mum. The rhino looked startled.

"No!" said Daisy,

"He needs his family. They're a million miles away."

"We'd better get a move on," said Dad,

"The next flight leaves this afternoon."

The rhino packed his suitcase, while Daisy found his hat.

Then they pushed his big purple bottom into the car

and drove to the airport.

"I'll miss you," said Daisy, as the rhino boarded the plane.

The rhino gave her a big purple hug,

he would miss her too.

Back at home Daisy began to feel lonely again.

Who would listen to her now?

Little did she realise that everything was about to change.

"Tell us about the rhino, Daisy," said Mum.

"Yes," said Dad, "tell us about that big purple pancake-eating rhino."

Daisy told them about the hoopla and the pizza and the tickles,

and guess what?

They listened and listened, until she'd completely run out of words.

It was BRILLIANT!

"Is there anything else to tell us?" asked Mum,

as she tucked Daisy into bed.

Daisy looked out on to the landing.

"No, that's all for now," said Daisy, smiling, "Night-night."

The pink polar bear would have to wait until tomorrow!

And that story was called Rhinos Don't Eat Pancakes.

I wonder what a pink polar bear eats?

Maybe we can find out tomorrow,

but right now it's time for you to go to sleep like Daisy.

I'll see you soon, for another story.

Night-night.

Now, what can I have to eat?

Since the rhino ate all the pancakes!

Hmm.

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