0:00:06 > 0:00:09Hello, I'm Ben. This is my friend dragon.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12He's called Barry, and we've been playing
0:00:12 > 0:00:14and having lots of fun today
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and now we're both pretty tired, aren't we? Mmm.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22But I know a bedtime story all about a dragon. Would you like to hear it?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Good. Tonight's bedtime story is called -
0:00:25 > 0:00:30Marmaduke The Very Different Dragon, by Rachel Valentine and Ed Eaves.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Marmaduke was different.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39The other dragons were purple, with smooth, shiny scales,
0:00:39 > 0:00:44but Marmaduke was faded orange, with sticky-out scales.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48The other dragons had tiny, neat ears, but Marmaduke's ears,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51well, they were enormous.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56And while the other dragons loved to fly, Marmaduke didn't.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00His wings were different, they were unusual,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03and because he didn't want anyone to see them, he never flew.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08Marmaduke had always wanted to protect a princess,
0:01:08 > 0:01:10but he'd never had the chance.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13One day, he asked the other dragons for help.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17"You? Ha!" they laughed,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19"protect a princess?!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21"Marmaduke, you don't even fly.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25"Princesses need dragons like us, not you."
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Marmaduke wandered sadly through the woods, when suddenly,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32he spotted a tower with a beautiful princess
0:01:32 > 0:01:36leaning out of the highest window and no dragon protecting her.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39"This is my chance," thought Marmaduke.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Trembling, he called, "Erm, excuse me,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45"er, I don't suppose...
0:01:45 > 0:01:48"I was wondering, could I be your dragon?"
0:01:48 > 0:01:52"You're not really a proper dragon, are you?" she sniffed.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55"You're not even the right colour.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58"My daddy's getting a REAL dragon to keep ME safe."
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Poor Marmaduke.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03He turned and ran as fast as he could,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06all the way to his cave, where he curled up on his bed.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09"I don't like being different,"
0:02:09 > 0:02:12he sighed, as a tear rolled down his cheek.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13But a long way away,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17someone else was being different too - Princess Meg.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19The other princesses were quiet,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21with pretty dresses and neat hair,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24but Meg was loud, with a crazy dress
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and very messy hair.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And while the other princesses sat calmly
0:02:30 > 0:02:33in their chairs, Meg loved to dance...
0:02:33 > 0:02:35in a most un-princess-like way.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39None of the dragons wanted to protect Meg, but she didn't mind.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42"Who'd want to steal me?!" she chuckled.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44"I don't need a dragon."
0:02:44 > 0:02:46And Meg was happy, especially today.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Today, she felt like dancing.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52She discoed across the drawbridge,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55leapt over logs,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57twisted through tall trees
0:02:57 > 0:02:58and danced away till dusk.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01But Meg was having too much fun
0:03:01 > 0:03:06and as she boogied through the bushes, she realised she was lost.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Deep in the woods,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10in the dark, all alone.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12"Help!" she cried.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14"Please, help!" But she was so far away
0:03:14 > 0:03:16that no-one could hear her.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Or could they?
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Because a long way away, there was someone,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24someone with enormous ears.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Someone who heard her.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Marmaduke! He leapt out of his cave and galloped through the trees,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33dashed across the rocks and hurtled round the bushes.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37"I've come to rescue you," Marmaduke puffed proudly.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41"Oh, thank you!" cried Meg.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Meg leapt on Marmaduke's back, ready to fly,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46but Marmaduke started to run.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50"I think flying might be quicker," said Meg.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53"I don't fly," said Marmaduke quietly.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57"My wings don't look like other dragons' wings, they're different."
0:03:57 > 0:04:01"I'm sure they're fine," said Meg kindly.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03"Why don't you show me?"
0:04:03 > 0:04:07And so, very slowly, Marmaduke opened his wings.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Up, up they went, reaching to the sky,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14the most amazing wings Meg had ever seen.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17"Those ARE different, gasped Meg,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19as they shimmered and sparkled.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23"Fantastically different! Beautiful!"
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Marmaduke smiled.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26"Really?"
0:04:26 > 0:04:31"Really," shouted Meg. "Let's go!" And up they soared.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36As they reached Meg's tower, Marmaduke took a deep breath.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42"I don't suppose you need a dragon to protect you?" he asked nervously.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Meg shook her head. "Not really.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48"You see, I'm not like other princesses."
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Marmaduke's face fell.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51He turned away sadly.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54But then...Meg smiled.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57"I would like a friend, though," she said.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01"A wonderfully different friend, a friend just like you."
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Marmaduke and Meg WERE different.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Fantastically, brilliantly, happily different, together.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13The other dragons watched them, shaking their heads.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17"Really, they're having too much fun," they grumbled.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22"They're far too happy. I wish..." they each muttered,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24"I wish that I could be that different."
0:05:26 > 0:05:30And that story was Marmaduke The Very Different Dragon.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33I think Marmaduke and Meg will be best friends
0:05:33 > 0:05:35for a very long time, don't you?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Now it's time for you to cuddle up to your favourite toy
0:05:38 > 0:05:41and sink your head into your soft pillow
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and dream of dragons and princesses and a land very far, far away.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Night-night.