Simon Callow - King Jack and the Dragon CBeebies Bedtime Stories

CBeebies Bedtime Story.

Hello, I'm Simon. Are you nearly ready for bed?

With your pyjamas on, your teeth cleaned and your face washed?

Good. Jack in tonight's bedtime story is not ready to go to bed.

He's decided he'd rather fight dragons

and terrible beasties before he goes to bed.

Let me tell you about him.

This story is by Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury,

and it's called King Jack And The Dragon.

Jack, Zack and Casper were making a den,

a mighty great fort for King Jack and his men.

A big cardboard box, an old sheet and some sticks,

a couple of bin bags, a few broken bricks.

A fine royal throne from a ragged old quilt,

a drawbridge, a flag, and the castle was built.

"Prepare to do battle, brave knights!" cried King Jack.

"Protect your king's castle from dragon attack!"

They spend the whole day fighting dragons and beasts. Ggrr!

And return to their stronghold for fabulous feasts.

"We'll all sleep the night in the fort," said King Jack.

Then a giant came by, and went home with Sir Zack.

"Two can fight dragons! No problem!" Jack said.

Then another giant came and took Casper to bed.

Wrapped up in his blanket, Jack sat on his throne.

"All right, then," he said, "I'll fight dragons alone."

Then a strong gust of wind made the trees start to quiver.

"It's nothing!" thought Jack, with a hint of a shiver.

A mouse scampered over the roof, skitter scurry.

"It's nothing!" thought Jack.

"There's no reason to worry."

"Werrrggh!" croaked a frog.

"It's nothing!" thought Jack,

as he switched on his torch in the deepening black.

"Too-Whooooo!" called an owl.

"It's nothing!" Jack said,

as he pulled up his blanket right over his head.

Then suddenly brave King Jack's heart skipped a beat.

He could hear something coming.

A thing with FOUR feet.

It was outside the drawbridge. King Jack gave a yelp.

"A dragon! A dragon! Mum! Dad! Help!"

He wished he was anything else but a king

as the drawbridge fell open and there stood THE THING!

"We're sorry," smiled Mum, "If we gave you a fright,

"but it's time for brave kings to come in for the night."

"And kings who fought dragons all day need a bath,"

said Dad as he lifted King Jack off the path.

"I knew you weren't really a dragon,"

yawned Jack, as he bravely rode home on a big giant's back.

That story was called King Jack And The Dragon.

And just like Jack, it's time for you to go to bed now.

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

I wonder if there are any dragons in the theatre here.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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