Edith Bowman - I Wish I'd Been Born a Unicorn CBeebies Bedtime Stories

CBeebies Bedtime Story.

Hello. My name is Edith.

Now, I hope you're sitting comfortably

because it's time for a bedtime story.

Tonight's story is about a little horse with a big dream.

Would you like to hear it?

Good.

It's called I Wish I'd Been Born A Unicorn,

and it's by Rachel Lyon and Andrea Ringli.

Mucky was a playful horse

who lived up to his name.

He didn't bathe or brush his teeth

and never combed his mane.

No other horse would share his field

because he'd grown so smelly

and flies and fleas would bite his knees

and picnic on his belly.

"I wish I had some friends," he sighed,

whilst chewing on some hay.

"But no-one seems to like me much.

"I'm never asked to play.

"If I'd been born a unicorn, I bet they'd like me more.

"But I'm just silly Mucky, who likes rolling on the floor."

"Your true friends," said clever Owl, as Mucky ate his meal,

"Aren't bothered how you look or smell, but only how you feel.

"However, if it's really what you want, I'll make your wish come true.

"I'll help you be a unicorn." And up and off he flew.

Now, unicorns are white, of course, and Mucky's brown and plain.

So first, Owl asked the cows for milk to paint his coat and mane.

"But milk is runny," mooed the cows. "It simply will not stick.

"Perhaps if Frog will swim around, he'll churn it nice and thick."

Owl headed next towards the beach to find a pointy shell,

which, once tied tight on Mucky's head, would work so very well.

Owl took the cream to Mucky's field and worked the whole night through.

He turned him white from head to hoof to make his dream come true.

One final touch between his ears, he tied the seashell horn.

"Come look," Owl cried to all around. "And see the unicorn."

Up hurried the frog, the cows came too.

They waited in the field.

The sun came up and in its light, new Mucky was revealed.

"A unicorn? Where?" Mucky asked. "You surely don't mean me?!"

"Oh, yes!" Frog and the cows replied.

"Look in the pond. You'll see."

"I am! I am a unicorn," he sang and skipped with glee.

"I'll soon have friends, and best of all,

"They'll want to play with me."

But suddenly, a cloud appeared. It slid across the sun.

"It mustn't rain," thought little Owl. "Poor Mucky's coat will run."

The sky grew dark, the wind blew wild,

the raindrops tumbled down.

And right before their very eyes,

the unicorn turned brown.

"Oh, deary me," the milk-cows cried.

"Poor Mucky seemed so glad.

"But now the milk's been washed away, he looks so very sad.

"Dear Mucky, please don't cry," they begged.

"We'll make more cream today.

"And once you're painted white again,

"we're sure you'll get to play."

But as they looked on, feeling sad,

they saw a smile appear.

It grew on Mucky's dirty face

from filthy ear to ear.

"Who needs to be a unicorn? Who needs a wish come true?

"I'll never feel alone again with friends as good as you.

"It's like Owl promised yesterday. You know your friends are real,

"when all they truly care about is how you really feel.

"I'm glad I'm not a unicorn," he added with a neigh.

"I now have all the friends I need,

"so let's all go and play."

That story was called I Wish I'd Been Born A Unicorn.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Owl helped Mucky to realise that he already had good friends.

Now it's time for you to find your favourite toy

to cuddle up to in bed.

Sleep tight and have sweet dreams.

I'll see you again soon.