Loopy in Space Driver Dan's Story Train

All aboard!

'It's Driver Dan's Story Train!'

-Hello, everyone!

-'Hello, Driver Dan!'

# Which of our friends are we going to see?

# Which of our friends do you think it will be?

# Climb aboard and travel with me

# All aboard the story train

# All aboard the story train! #

Twinkle? Have you spotted someone?

I can't see who it is. Can you?

'It's someone green.

'And they're bouncing.

BOTH: 'It's Loopy!'

It is! Let's go and say hello.

Hi, Loopy! That looks fun.

Ha, ha! Hi, Driver Dan!

Ha, ha! I'm bouncing, ha, ha!

Yes, so I see.

-I'm bouncing into space! Whoosh!

-Into space, eh? Like an astronaut?

Yeah. I'm Loopy the astronaut.

Blast off!

I'd love to really go into space, Driver Dan.

-Me too.

-Oh, I know!

Huh?

Zoom! Zoom, zoom, zoom!

Zoom!

I'm an astronaut in my space rocket, flying round the moon. Ha, ha!

And now I'm landing on a strange planet.

What's this? Is it a space ship?

Yes, it's the story space ship.

I think it's time we blasted off to explore some more strange planets.

Yeah! Ready for blast off!

All aboard the story space ship.

'All aboard the story space ship.'

Twinkle has spotted someone up ahead. Who do you think it might be?

'Look, stripy legs.

-'It must be Milly and Lilly.

-Yeah!'

Well done! It's Milly and Lilly.

Hello, what are you painting?

Hello, Driver Dan. We're not really sure.

-We want it to be something amazing.

-But we can't think of anything.

-Whoa!

-Zoom, zoom! I'm an astronaut

zooming through space in my rocket. Whoosh!

-Amazing.

-Yes, that is amazing. And d'you know what?

It would make...

BOTH: An amazing painting!

Let's paint an astronaut flying through space.

-Can you help us, Loopy?

-Ho, ho! Yes, please!

-What do you want me to do?

-You can tell us all about space.

Well, space is really big,

and big round moons like this.

There are hundreds and thousands of sparkly stars. Phew.

Being an astronaut is hard work.

What does the rocket look like?

Well, it's pointy, with wings, and has big engines

which blast it up into space.

Phew. Then the astronaut begins the countdown.

5...4...3...2...1. Blast off!

The rocket shoots off into space. Urgh...

Oh, dear. Loopy looks tired.

'Loopy's tired from all that skating.

'He's been skating lots and lots.'

You did really well, Loopy.

-You really helped Milly and Lilly.

-Look at our painting.

-Yes!

-Amazing.

-What do you think, Loopy?

-I'm really tired.

Do you like our painting, Loopy?

LOOPY YAWNS

I don't think he likes our painting.

I'm sure he does, really.

I think it's a wonderful painting.

-Oh, hi, Tallulah.

-Hello, Driver Dan.

I'm taking smiley photos today. Smile!

Great photo.

Your turn, Loopy. Smile!

Eh? Oh-h-h.

Oh, Loopy. What's happened to your smile?

We don't know. He doesn't even seem to like our painting very much.

-You're just a bit tired, aren't you, Loopy?

-Yeah.

I'm so tired, I can't even pretend to be an astronaut any more.

Oh, dear. You can't be an astronaut if you're too tired.

I've got an idea.

Oh, don't do that, Tallulah! I like the painting!

Don't worry, Loopy. Tallulah has had an idea.

Yes, Loopy. Come behind here and look through this hole.

-Huh?

-Smile!

Come on, Loopy. You can smile better than that.

Ha, ha, ha!

That's my smiliest picture yet.

Ha, ha, ha, ha! It's me in a rocket!

Loopy the astronaut! Ha, ha! Thanks, everyone!

Well done, all of you.

After all that hard work, I think it's time for a well-deserved rest.

-In Story Corner.

-ALL: Hooray!

We're all hooked up, Twinkle. Are we ready to go?

TWINKLE TWITTERS

Are you ready too? Then let's go!

'All aboard the Story Train!

-'We're going to have a story!

-Maybe about space.

-'I hope it's about aliens.

-Yeah!'

-Story time!

-Story corner!

-Who's ready for a story, then?

I am. I'm not tired any more.

I was thinking maybe... A-ha!

I know just the book! Is everyone settled down and ready to listen?

-Ready, Dan!

-Yes. Story time!

-And all of you? Sitting down comfy and ready to listen?

-'Ready, Dan.'

This story is called But The Cat Just Sat.

It was written by Allan Plenderleith with pictures by Garry Parsons.

Once there was an astronaut, sitting in her rocket,

ready to zoom into space. She checked her supplies and controls,

and the countdown to lift off began.

100...99...98...

But just then, the astronaut heard a noise.

It was coming from the launch pad. "Meow," it went.

Out leapt the astronaut. A cat was sitting beneath the rocket.

On went the countdown. 85...84...83...

"Shoo! Shoo!" shouted the astronaut, anxiously.

But the cat just sat.

Ooh. What's the astronaut going to do?

The countdown continued.

69...68...67...

The astronaut tried to surprise the cat. "Boo!" She yelled, jumping out.

But the cat just sat.

52...51...50...

The astronaut tried every trick she could think of.

Crazy dancing, singing loudly, turning cartwheels.

But the cat just sat.

The astronaut tried to tempt it with a saucer of milk,

a big tasty fish. She even pretended to be a dog.

But the cat just sat. And all the while, the countdown continued.

37...36...35...

At last, the astronaut sat down on the runway

with her head in her hands.

"I give up," she said, hopelessly. "I won't be able to take off.

"There's nothing I can do!"

But just at that moment, the cat got up, strolled over,

and settled comfortably on the astronaut's lap.

The cat looked at the astronaut and purred.

The astronaut looked at the cat and smiled.

"I've got the answer," chuckled the astronaut.

I wonder what she's going to do?

Once there was an astronaut sitting in her rocket,

ready to zoom into space.

She checked her supplies and controls,

and the countdown to lift off began.

5...4...3...2...1...

Blast off! The rocket whooshed away.

Fire fizzed, sparks whizzed.

The astronaut gazed in wonder at the starry sky.

-And the cat just sat.

-Ha, ha, ha!

The end. Wasn't that a great story?

That cat was so sweet.

I liked the part when they blasted off into space. Ha, ha!

And now it's your turn. Which bit did you like best?

Come on, it's time to show me the story.

I'm a cat.

Meow. I'm washing my whiskers.

Boo! The cat won't move.

Pee-yew. That fish really smells!

I'm pretending to be a dog. Woof, woof!

Look at me! Let's do a silly dance!

Woo-hoo, woo-hoo!

Oh, no. The cat just won't move.

Get ready for blast off!

Here we go...

Blast off! Whoosh!

Well done, that was really good!

The astronaut took the cat with her

and blasted off into space.

I'd love to really go into space one day, like the cat!

I'm going to take a photo tonight of the moon, in the starry sky.

Or even a rocket.

Rockets! Yeah! With astronauts inside. Whoosh!

It's time we zoomed off... Back to the Story Train.

Follow me, everyone. Whoosh!

-Zoom!

-Zoom!

Yes, it's time to go. All aboard!

'All aboard the Story Train.'

Bye, everyone. It's time to go.

But let's come back soon, because we all love stories!

-'Bye, Driver Dan.

-Bye!'

'I like stories about dinosaurs.

'I like stories that go "Boo!"

'My favourites are intergalactic stories.'