Ted Robbins - Burglar Bill: Part One CBeebies Bedtime Stories

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Hello. I'm Ted. It's time for a story.

Are you ready? You are? Great. I'm really looking forward

to telling you all about someone rather naughty.

It's one of my favourite stories and it's called Burglar Bill

and it's by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

Burglar Bill lives by himself

in a tall house full of stolen property.

Every night, he has stolen fish and chips

and a cup of stolen tea for supper.

Then he swings a big stolen sack over his shoulder

and goes off to work, stealing things.

Every morning, Burglar Bill comes home from work

and has stolen toast and marmalade

and a cup of stolen coffee for breakfast.

Then he goes upstairs and sleeps all day in a comfortable stolen bed.

One night, Burglar Bill is working in a little street

behind the police station.

When he comes to the first house,

he climbs in through the bathroom window and shines his torch around.

"That's a nice toothbrush," says Burglar Bill, "I'll have that."

And he puts it into his sack. When he comes to the second house,

he climbs in through the kitchen window and shines his torch around.

"That's a nice tin of beans," says Burglar Bill, "I'll have that."

And he puts it into his sack. When he comes to the third house,

he climbs in through the bedroom window and shines his torch around.

"That's a nice hat and coat and pair of trousers and socks

"and shoes," says Burglar Bill, "I'll have them."

And he puts them into his sack.

When he comes to the 16th house, he stops.

There, on the front step, is a big, brown box

with little holes in it.

"That's a nice big, brown box with little holes in it,"

says Burglar Bill, "I'll have that."

In the distance, the town hall clock strikes five.

HE SIGHS

"Time to stop work," says Burglar Bill.

He swings the sack over his shoulder, picks up the box

and goes home to have breakfast.

After breakfast, Burglar Bill plays with his cat by the fire.

Suddenly, he hears a noise.

CRYING

"Sounds like a police car," says Burglar Bill.

But the noise is coming from the big, brown box

and it is getting louder.

"Sounds like TWO police cars," says Burglar Bill.

He creeps up to the box and raises the lid.

"Blow me down!" he says, "it ain't no police cars.

"It's a...baby!"

Burglar Bill puts the baby on the table.

"What was you doing in that box, baby?" he says.

But the baby only keeps on crying.

"All alone," says Burglar Bill.

He pats the baby's little hand. "An orphan."

But the baby only keeps on crying.

Then Burglar Bill says, "I know what you want. Grub."

Burglar Bill gives an apple to the baby, but still the baby cries.

He gives a slice of toast and marmalade to the baby,

but still the baby cries.

He gives a plate of beans and a cup of tea to the baby.

The baby eats the beans, throws the cup of tea on the floor

and starts to laugh.

"That's better," says Burglar Bill, "I likes a few beans meself."

Burglar Bill sits by the fire and wonders what to do.

The baby is crying again. He gives the baby a football to play with.

The baby throws the football at the cat and keeps on crying.

He gives the baby a book to look at.

The baby bites a hole in the book and keeps on crying.

He sings a song and plays the piano to the baby.

The baby cries louder than ever.

He falls off the piano school and bangs his nose on the floor.

The baby laughs and shouts. "Ha-ha-ha! Again!"

"Again?" says Burglar Bill. He rubs his nose.

"I didn't want to do it the first time."

Burglar Bill bounces the baby on his knee.

"So, you can talk," he says.

"Say, 'Burglar Bill.'"

"Boglaboll," says the baby.

Say, 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper,'" says Burglar Bill.

"Boglaboll," says the baby.

Suddenly, Burglar Bill feels his knee getting wet

and smells a smell. "Poo!" he says. "I know what you want."

"Poo," says the baby.

Burglar Bill changes the baby's nappy.

He doesn't have another one, so he uses an old bath towel instead.

"Say, 'For he's a jolly good fellow for changing my nappy,'"

says Burglar Bill.

Burglar Bill plays with the baby and shows it round the house.

He feeds it again, changes its nappy again,

washes its clothes and hangs them on a line in the kitchen.

When night comes, he takes the baby for a walk in the park.

"Say, 'Run for it,' if you see anybody," says Burglar Bill.

"Runfrit," the baby says.

At 12 o'clock, Burglar Bill comes home, puts the baby to bed

and goes to bed himself.

Soon he's snoring softly...

..and dreaming of his childhood days.

Suddenly, he wakes up.

Downstairs, there is a noise.

It is a noise that Burglar Bill has heard before...

..the noise of someone opening a window and climbing carefully in.

"Blow me down," says Burglar Bill, "I'm being burgled!"

Now, this is quite a long story and you'll have to wait to find out

exactly what Burglar Bill finds downstairs.

I can tell you it's a very funny surprise,

so don't forget to join me again tomorrow for the second part

of Burglar Bill's story.

Are you all tucked up and cosy and ready for a good night's sleep?

Great. I hope you have happy dreams and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Night-night.