0:00:01 > 0:00:02Would you like to visit it with me?
0:00:04 > 0:00:07CBeebies Bedtime Story.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Hello.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13My name is Aaron.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17There's a magic show coming to town.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Would you like to visit it with me?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22You would? Great!
0:00:22 > 0:00:26I can tell you all about it in tonight's Bedtime Story.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30It's called Abracazebra and it's by Helen Docherty,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33with pictures by Thomas Docherty.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38In Yawnalot, a sleepy old place,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42where everyone knew each other's face,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45life went by in its usual way,
0:00:45 > 0:00:50day after day after day after day.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54The children ran out of things to do,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57with nothing exciting and nothing new.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01So, they'd all sit around and watch old Goat
0:01:01 > 0:01:05patching the holes on his fishing boat.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08But then, one evening, a stranger came.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Nobody dared to ask her name.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14She came on a bicycle, decked with flowers.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19They say she rode for hours and hours.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22She parked her bike in the village square
0:01:22 > 0:01:26and started to build a stage right there.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Word spread fast and the rumours flew.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32What was this stranger going to do?
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Goat sat and sulked by the sycamore tree.
0:01:38 > 0:01:52"She doesn't look all that special to me!
0:01:52 > 0:02:02as a drum beat loud and the silence fell.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07The animals gasped in sheer delight.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10The village had never shone so bright.
0:02:10 > 0:02:17Abracazebra bowed down low.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21A beanstalk grew from a tiny bean.
0:02:21 > 0:02:29The tallest stalk they'd ever seen.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33a shower of stars fell from the sky.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37And everyone cheered, except for Goat,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40who stomped away to mend his boat.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44"They think she's clever with all her tricks.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46"But I've got important things to fix."
0:02:48 > 0:02:53When Abracazebra's show was done, the animals thanked her one by one.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Pig brought a jug of lemonade.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Cow brought some biscuits, freshly made.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Sheep volunteered a bed for the night.
0:03:03 > 0:03:11But she smiled and said, "No, I'll be all right.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15"The grass is a good enough bed for me."
0:03:15 > 0:03:18For the rest of the week, in Yawnalot,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21the village square was a lively spot.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25With new performances every day
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and games for the littlest ones to play.
0:03:28 > 0:03:34And under the shade of a sycamore tree, Abracazebra spoke of the sea.
0:03:34 > 0:03:42Jungles, hills and grassy plains, of deserts, where it never rains.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Of how after cycling through town after town,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49it was time, perhaps, to settle down.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53The animals begged, "Oh, stay here with us!"
0:03:54 > 0:03:57But Goat just muttered, "What a fuss!
0:03:57 > 0:04:01"For a few silly stripes and a travelling show,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04"this Abracazebra has got to go!"
0:04:05 > 0:04:09So, he started to whisper in people's ears,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13conjuring up their darkest fears.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15"Abracazebra? I smell a rat!
0:04:15 > 0:04:20"You can't trust an animal with stripes like that.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23"You don't see stripes on a pig or a cow,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26"so why should we welcome stripes here now?"
0:04:27 > 0:04:33And one by one, they all agreed, that she was an extra mouth to feed.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38And no-one complained, well, not out loud,
0:04:38 > 0:04:43when a sign appeared - "NO STRIPES ALLOWED".
0:04:43 > 0:04:49She must have left before the dawn. And all but Goat felt quite forlorn.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56A guilty silence hung in the air, now Abracazebra wasn't there.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03The smallest kid began to cry - "Why is Abracazebra gone, Mum? Why?"
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Goat paced around the sycamore tree.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12"Should I have made them listen to me?"
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Maybe she wasn't all that bad. And now she's gone and everyone's sad.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25He gave his beard a sorry shake. "I think I've made a big mistake!"
0:05:26 > 0:05:29He tore the sign from the sycamore tree.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33But where could Abracazebra be?
0:05:33 > 0:05:37"Does anyone know which way she went?"
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Dog was first to find her scent. "I think she went down the river track."
0:05:42 > 0:05:46"OK, follow me - we'll get her back."
0:05:47 > 0:05:53The animals all ran after Goat and clambered into his fishing boat.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58They sailed and sailed while the hot sun shone.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02But where had Abracazebra gone?
0:06:02 > 0:06:07Then, just when they thought they could search no more,
0:06:07 > 0:06:13they saw her pedalling by the shore. Goat leapt up to the river track.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19"Abracazebra, please come back! I'm sorry I made you go away.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23"We need your stripes, so won't you stay?"
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Abracazebra smiled at Goat.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31And climbed down onto his fishing boat.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Now, Yawnalot is a happier place,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37where they welcome any kind of face.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41There's a goat, I'm told, who serves up tea,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44under the shade of the sycamore tree.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47And Abracazebra?
0:06:47 > 0:06:53Well, if YOU go, you might just catch her Magic Show!
0:06:56 > 0:07:01That story was called Abracazebra. I hope you enjoyed it.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03The happiest places are often the ones
0:07:03 > 0:07:06where everyone is made to feel welcome.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08It's bedtime now.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13So, off you go and have a good, long sleep. Night-night!
0:07:13 > 0:07:15And I'll see you soon.