Shaun Dooley - Love from Louisa CBeebies Bedtime Stories

Hello. I'm Shaun.

Have you tidied up your toys before bedtime? I hope you have!

Tonight's story is about someone who likes everything to be

clean and tidy all the time.

The only problem is, she lives on a muddy farm.

The story is called Love From Louisa,

and it's written by Simon Puttock,

with pictures by Jo Kiddie.

Louisa the pig was not pleased.

The farm was a mucky mess.

"Something", said Louisa, "must be done about this!"

So, she wrote a letter to Farmer Giles.

"Dear Farmer Giles,

"The farm is mucky and messy.

"Please clean it up at once!

"Sincerely, Disgruntled."

Farmer Giles scratched his head.

Who could the letter be from?

"But whoever it is has a point," he remarked.

I'll tidy it up a bit.

Farmer Giles mucked out the barn,

cleaned out the henhouse

and then he did the pigsty, too!

"That," he said, "ought to do it."

But Louisa the pig was not impressed.

"Huh", she thought.

And she wrote another letter.

"Dear Farmer Giles, you have not done enough.

"Please do more. Sincerely, Disgruntled!"

Farmer Giles was surprised.

"Well," he said, "I suppose I could give the barn a lick of paint."

So, the next morning, he got up bright and early

and painted the barn a lovely shade of blue.

Then he painted the henhouse and the pigsty, and his front door, too!

"That's dandy," said Farmer Giles, admiring his handiwork.

But Louisa the pig did not agree.

And she wrote another letter.

"Dear Farmer Giles,

"What about the yard? It is a muddy disgrace.

"Please do something immediately.

"Sincerely, Disgruntled."

Farmer Giles was confounded.

"A barnyard's made for mud," he muttered.

"But it does tread in.

"I'll see what I can do."

Next morning, Farmer Giles was up before the rooster.

He got a great big roller

and rolled, and rolled, and rolled the barnyard

until it shone like chocolate icing.

Louisa the pig just sniffed.

"Oh...mud is such a dreary colour."

And she wrote another letter.

"Dear Farmer Giles,

"The farm is now tidy, but it is also very dull.

"Please brighten it up. The sooner, the better.

"Sincerely, Disgruntled."

"Whoever can Disgruntled be?" Farmer Giles wondered.

"But a bit of colour would cheer the place up."

So next morning, before the sun had even begun to rise,

Farmer Giles drove into town and shopped, and shopped, and shopped.

Then he took his shopping home and planted it.

The farmyard looked remarkable.

"And that," said Farmer Giles, "is that."

But, Louisa the pig quickly wrote another note.

"Dear Farmer Giles,

"A good effort, but I look around and what do I see?

"The fields could do with a trim

"(turnips are such untidy vegetables)

"and there are cow pats everywhere!

"While you're at it, the sheep are in terrible need of haircuts.

"Sincerely, Disgruntled."

"Enough," shouted Farmer Giles, "is enough!

"This is a farm, not a beauty parlour!"

And he slammed the door and sat down for a sulk.

And, while he sulked, it began to rain.

It poured down in bucket and basket and barrel loads.

The barnyard got churned,

the paintwork got splattered and the flowers got rained down flat.

"Good grief," said Farmer Giles,

"There's going to be another horrid letter!"

But then he had an idea.

He got a great big piece of paper

and wrote on it in great big letters.

"Dear Disgruntled,

"If you don't like it, you can jolly well clear it up yourself!

"Yours sincerely, Farmer Giles."

"Humph," said Louisa, sniffily,

"If that is the way it's going to be, I shall go somewhere better!"

She packed her writing things and hitched to the city.

Farmer Giles watched Louisa driving down the lane.

So that was Disgruntled!

And she was leaving.

"Yahoo!" cried Farmer Giles, "No more annoying letters!

"No more daft ideas!

"And no more Disgruntled!

"Good riddance to bad rubbish."

But...

the city was smoky and smoggy and smelly.

And Louisa wasn't pleased with it at all.

So she wrote another letter.

"Dear Farmer Giles,

"The city is all very well,

"but I'm sure you must be missing me terribly.

"So the good news is, I'm coming home. Love from Louisa.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss.

"PS, see you soon."

And the very next day, she set off back to the farm.

Did you see what Farmer Giles left for Louisa,

as a welcome-home present?

It was a bucket and some soap.

I think he'll be leaving all the cleaning and tidying up to her

in the future.

Right.

Well, I'd better give this place a quick tidy.

I would ask you to help me, but it's your bedtime.

So off you go.

You get tucked up, warm and cosy.

I'll see you again very soon, for another bedtime story.