0:00:06 > 0:00:09Hello. I'm Dr Ranj.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Thank you for joining me for a Christmassy bedtime story.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Have you ever wondered how Father Christmas delivers
0:00:16 > 0:00:18all of the presents in one night?
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Well, sometimes, he needs a bit of help and tonight's story
0:00:22 > 0:00:27is all about a very unlikely little helper.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It's called Norman The Slug Who Saved Christmas
0:00:30 > 0:00:35and it's written and illustrated by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40Norman was very excited, it was Christmas Eve.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43His stocking was up and he'd even left
0:00:43 > 0:00:47a snack for Father Christmas's reindeer.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Meanwhile, far above, Father Christmas sneezed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53"Achoo!"
0:00:53 > 0:00:57And, without him knowing it, a sack fell from his sleigh.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Down on the ground, Norman snuggled in his bed.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06"I hope I've been a good slug," he said to himself.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08"I hope Father Christmas comes.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12"Yes, I have been a good slug," thought Norman.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14And he was just closing his eyes
0:01:14 > 0:01:16when...thwack!
0:01:16 > 0:01:18"Gosh!" thought Norman,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21"I didn't know I'd been that good!"
0:01:21 > 0:01:23"Thanks, Father Christmas!"
0:01:24 > 0:01:29Norman dived straight in, there was wrapping paper everywhere.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32But then he spotted something.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35"What's this label?" said Norman.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40"The scooter is for Jess," he read.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43"The ukulele is for Billy.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45"And the football is for Susie."
0:01:46 > 0:01:53"Oh, no! What have I done? None of these presents are for me."
0:01:53 > 0:01:56"Billy, Jess and Susie will wake up tomorrow
0:01:56 > 0:02:00"and think that Father Christmas has forgotten them.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03"I better get these presents to Wiggleton as fast as I can."
0:02:03 > 0:02:08But Wiggleton looked a very long way away.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11How would Norman get all the presents there?
0:02:11 > 0:02:14And that is when he had an idea.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Heave! He pushed over the sign.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23"Fantastic! That will do nicely," thought Norman.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Then he set to work, gathering all the other things he needed.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30He was very busy.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Ta-da!
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Now it was time to rewrap the presents.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36But how?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Norman didn't have any sticky tape.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44But, luckily, if there's one thing slugs don't need, it's sticky tape.
0:02:44 > 0:02:49With a slither and a slother, the presents were ready.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50"Phew!"
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Now it was time to put his plan into action.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56"Hey, snails," he called,
0:02:56 > 0:02:57"I need your help."
0:02:57 > 0:03:01"We need to deliver the Shelby family's presents or
0:03:01 > 0:03:03"their Christmas will be ruined."
0:03:03 > 0:03:06"But, Norman," said the puzzled snails,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08"how will we do that?"
0:03:09 > 0:03:11"Like this!" said Norman.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13"Giddy-up, whee!"
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Crash!
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Finally, they arrived at 11 Slime Avenue.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25"Erm, Norman," said a snail,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28"how will you get to the chimney?"
0:03:28 > 0:03:30"I won't," Norman replied,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33"I'm going to use the cat flap."
0:03:33 > 0:03:35CAT MEOWS
0:03:35 > 0:03:40He heaved and pushed until the last present was safely through.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45"Quick, Norman!" cried the snails, "the children are coming."
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Norman needed to hide.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49But where?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Ta-da!
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Norman loved being a bauble
0:03:54 > 0:04:00and nobody would ever know that a slug had saved Christmas Day.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Thank goodness Norman and the snails were there to help.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08They really did save Christmas, didn't they?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11It's time to get snuggled up and close your eyes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Perhaps you'll dream of saving Christmas, just like Norman.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19I'll see you again very soon, for another bedtime story.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Night-night and merry Christmas.