Emily Watson - How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel CBeebies Bedtime Stories

CBeebies Bedtime Story.

Hello. I'm Emily.

I love to brush the teddies' hair,

except Henrietta's hair is longer than most bears'

and it takes a while for me to brush.

In fact, Henrietta's hair is almost as long as Rapunzel's,

the girl in tonight's Bedtime Story.

The story's called How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel.

It's written by Wendy Meddour and the pictures are by Rebecca Ashdown.

On the 16th floor of a tall tower block sat Rapunzel,

quite idle, whilst growing her locks.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel? Please let down your hair",

called the milkman from down on the bottom stair.

"The lift is not working. The stairs are too steep.

"My asthma is bad and my heart is too weak."

But Rapunzel just sat. She didn't move.

She had nowhere to go.

She had nothing to prove.

She just looked at the sky and she dreamed up a dream,

whilst the milkman went off in his float to sell cream.

It was later that day, much warmer than most,

when the postman came around to deliver the post.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel? Please let down your hair,"

called the postman from down on the bottom stair.

"You've got a brown letter. It looks like a bill.

"Shall I leave it down here on the windowsill?"

Rapunzel just sat. She didn't blink.

She had nothing to say.

She had nothing to think.

She looked out at the birds and started to frown.

So the postman just left it and went into town.

When the sun was full blaze, just after lunch,

the baker came around, selling warm things to munch.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel? Please let down your hair",

called the baker from down on the bottom stair.

"I've got a bad knee, but I'm not one to moan.

"Let me send up some bread and a hot buttered scone."

But Rapunzel just sat. She didn't flinch.

She wouldn't move, not even an inch.

Not a sound was uttered, not a word was said.

So the baker went back to her shop to sell bread.

Now, Rapunzel's aunt was the caring sort,

and around about 4:00, some dinner, she brought.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel? Please let down your hair",

called her aunt from down on the bottom stair.

"I've made a fish pie for you to eat.

"I've wrapped it in tinfoil to keep in the heat."

But Rapunzel just sat. She didn't stir.

A statue wasn't as still as her.

She just watched as the rain began to fall,

whilst her aunt dashed off to the bingo hall.

Now, this story must have a prince, of course,

and he showed up late, but not on a horse.

With the wind in his hair and blowing his hooter,

along came the prince on the back of a scooter.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel? Please let down your hair",

called the prince from down on the bottom stair.

He brought with him chocolates and roses red.

He wore leather trousers and shades on his head.

But Rapunzel just sat, as still as a wall.

She didn't think much of her prince at all.

She just stared and stared and stared at the rain.

And the prince was never seen again.

It has to be said, without lunch or dinner,

Rapunzel was starting to get a bit thinner.

"To leave her without any milk was mean",

said the milkman on hearing Rapunzel was lean.

"And I should've really delivered that letter."

The postman felt guilty and wished she were better.

"To think", said her aunt, "that she's all alone

"on the 16th floor, as thin as a bone.

"Rapunzel has patience, she doesn't move.

"She has nowhere to go, she has nothing to prove.

"But to sit on your own all day and dream,

"well, it's not really good for one's self-esteem."

The milkman, the aunt and all of her friends

decided to gather and make their amends.

They climbed up the stairs, steady but sure.

All the way up to the 16th floor.

And burst through the door of Rapunzel's flat,

where she sat alone with only her cats.

They cooked her some supper, the first in weeks.

It brought the roses back to her cheeks.

The postman gave her the letter to read

and what happened next, you'd hardly believe.

Rapunzel leapt up and she shouted with glee,

"I've got a new job at the library!"

She skipped around the room and she started to groove.

She had somewhere to go, she had something to prove.

She went to the cupboard and brought out a spanner,

then she fixed the lift in a ladylike manner.

"Thank you, dear friends", she said. "I'm all right."

So they all took the lift and she turned out the light.

The following morning at 6:00 sharp,

she jumped up out of bed whilst it was still dark.

She tied up her hair in a very long plait

and pinned it all under a bright purple hat.

She put on a suit and a pair of smart shoes

and ate a big breakfast whilst reading the news.

Then she got in the lift and went down, down, down, down,

to start her new job at the library in town.

Everyone loved her.

She sparkled all day.

And life at the library continued this way.

For, along with her hair and her ravishing looks,

she loved nothing better than reading good books.

Now, Rapunzel has changed,

and it makes her wince to think that she used to just wait for a prince.

That she used to just sit, that she didn't move,

with nowhere to go and nothing to prove.

For now, she reads three books every night

under the beam of her bedside light.

She can tell you the distance to the moon.

She can do Scottish dancing and pay the bassoon.

She can speak in four languages, skip and play chess.

She can knit tiny eggcups and cross-stitch a dress.

She knows the difference between crows and rooks,

and all because of library books.

So don't just wait for your prince to show.

He might turn up, but you never know.

Pop down to your library and borrow a book.

There's so much to find out if only you look.

But don't just sit and wait and stare

when there's more to life than growing your hair.

I am so happy Rapunzel loves books.

I think Henrietta the Bear loves books just as much.

And I hope you loved that story.

I'll see you soon for another lovely story. Night-night.