Big Elf, Little Elf Grandpa In My Pocket

Not the shrinking cap, Grandpa!

Catch me if you can!

Grandpa!

No, be careful!

Grandpa, stop!

Ooohhhhh!

'There was a lot going on in the Mason house today.'

Yes!

'Mum was in the kitchen doing her latest hobby -

'making fancy dress costumes!'

Da-daaaa!

Aren't I just the most beautiful

fairytale fairy that you've ever seen?

'And it wasn't just Great Aunt Loretta dressing up.

'We were going to the Sunnysands fancy dress party

'and had to be fairytale characters.'

What's so funny? You'll laugh when you see what you're wearing.

Grandpa, time to try your costume on. You too, Jason.

What do you think we're going to be?

I hope something good, like a knight in shining armour!

I fancy being a giant for a change!

'But Mum had other ideas for us.

'Yes, we were going to the fancy dress party as...'

What do you think?

-Very nice.

-Very nice(?)

We don't look very nice.

We look very fantastical and very fairytale-like!

I know!

Especially me!

I know!

But you've taken so long making these

-that you're going to run out of time.

-I know.

I've still got Dad and Jemima's costume to do.

-I haven't even started on my own.

-Exactly. You need help.

Luckily, I know someone who's brilliant at making costumes.

My very good friend Mrs Maridadi.

'Mrs Maridadi wears the most amazing and unusual clothes.

'Like this...

'and this!'

-DOORBELL RINGS

-Here she is now.

'Mrs Maridadi makes them all herself.'

Darlings! I came as soon as I heard the terrible news.

-What terrible news?

-A costume crisis. A dressing up disaster.

A fancy dress fiasco!

-I just said we needed a bit of help.

-You need an enormous amount of help!

-Who made these dreadful costumes?

-I did.

I thought they were rather good.

Oh, no! Darling!

The colours clash, the bow's too big, skirt's too short.

Your wand is bent.

And what are you two supposed to be?

Big Elf.

And Little Elf!

But you can't possibly be elves.

Everybody knows that elves wear green, you cannot have a red elf.

And they don't wear big beards like this. These are for gnomes.

And...what about your caps?

Everybody knows that elves wear flower petal caps.

Actually, this is exactly what elves look like.

Oh, yes, and how would you know? You've never seen one,

unless you're telling me you have elves at the bottom of your garden!

THEY CHORTLE

I think I'd better get on.

'Things weren't going very well for Grandpa

'and were about to get a lot worse.'

I know what we can use for Grandpa's flower petal cap!

-This old thing.

-No!

You can't!

'Grandpa's cap is magic, and when he puts it on, he shrinks.

'Like this.

'And this.

'And this!'

Catch me if you can!

'I'm the only one who knows about Grandpa's magic shrinking cap,

'and we couldn't have everybody finding out about it now.

'That would be a disaster!'

-Give it back, Loretta.

-I won't.

It doesn't look anything like an elf's cap.

It doesn't now, but it will. Try it on for me, darling?

No, I don't want to.

-Do as you're told, Grandpa.

-Oh, come on. Don't be a silly elf.

'I had to do something.

'If Mrs Maridadi put Grandpa's cap on his head,

'everybody would get the shock of their lives.'

Now he's gone for a little lie down. Typical!

It doesn't matter, darling.

Once I've turned it into a flower petal cap,

he'll never want to take it off.

Show me what everybody else is wearing.

My things, darling.

'Off she went to make Grandpa a flower petal cap

'and to see what everyone else was wearing.'

It's all right, Grandpa, they're gone.

We've got to get the shrinking cap back, Jason!

'But the shrinking cap was already a flower petal cap and now...'

You don't look like a king, you look like an ice cream sundae.

The britches are tight, the shirt's not ruffly enough.

The crown is too big.

-I thought I looked perfect.

-So did I.

-I didn't!

And who are you?

-A fairytale princess, of course.

-More like a kitchen maid.

You'd look better in a sleeping bag, darling.

Not to worry, I can fix it. I can fix anything.

Ah! See what I mean?

A flower petal cap, fixed.

Great! Let's see what it looks like on Grandpa!

Don't lurk, Jason, I can't stand lurking.

Oi, Grandpa, don't be so lazy! Come on out and try your cap on!

-No.

-Ooh, he always was awkward.

-Ever since he was a little boy.

-Let me try, Great Aunt Loretta.

-He might do it for me.

-Oh, what a helpful little elf you are.

Oi, hurry up, Grandpa.

Mrs Maridadi wants you in the garden.

'The good news was I had Grandpa's shrinking cap.

'The bad news was it was covered in flower petals.'

-I've got it, Grandpa. You can come out now.

-Well done, Jason.

'Of course, Grandpa had a plan.'

So, Mrs Maridadi wants to see me in the garden, does she?

Right, shrinking cap, please, Jason.

Quickly then. Shrink, Grandpa, shrink.

'You know what Grandpa's like when he's got a plan.

'There's no stopping him. Off he ran through the sitting room.

'And across the kitchen.'

There are too many people about. I've got to get her on her own.

OK, I'll see what I can do.

-Where's Grandpa? Did he put his cap on?

-Yes.

-Should think so too.

-Where is he then?

-Um, I'm not sure.

Gone back to bed I expect. I never knew such a lazy elf.

Oh, it's no good. They're still not working.

They look dreadful. Ghastly!

A complete and utter disaster.

What are we going to do?

I need a clever idea.

You're not going to rip them up and start from scratch, Mrs Maridadi?

-Ah-hah, that's the clever idea.

-No way! I love my costume!

-'I got rid of Jemima'.

-So do I.

-'And Dad'.

-Actually, I quite like mine as well.

-'And Great Aunt Loretta'.

How dare you run away like that! Come back!

Oh, this is too much. Too much!

'Now I just had to get rid of Mum.'

What are we going to do?

I expect Mrs Maridadi would like a cup of tea.

I think we could all do with one.

'Now it was up to Grandpa.'

Well, well, well, if it isn't the famous costume maker, Mrs Maridadi.

Aaargh!

Come back. I want to talk to you.

Aaargh!

Now, now, there's nothing to be scared of.

Not everyone gets to meet a real live elf.

You're... an elf?!

Of course I'm an elf.

Red jerkin, red trousers, fluffy white beard, pointy shoes.

-What else could I be but a cute little elf?

-I... I don't know.

I've never seen a cute little elf before.

Oh!

'This time, Grandpa had gone too far.'

Oh, you're divine.

And you look just like Grandpa and Jason.

Too right I do, and Dad looks just like a fairytale king

and Jemima is exactly like a fairytale princess.

Really? Are you sure?

I should know. I come from Fairytale Land after all.

And, as for Loretta,

she's the spitting image of all the fairies I've ever met.

Oh, darling, I had no idea. How sweet of you to tell me.

You don't have to do a thing with those costumes.

They're perfect just as they are.

I understand, darling.

You go home and leave them to it.

Don't tell anyone you met me. No-one would believe you anyway.

It will be our secret, promise.

'With that, Grandpa jumped off her hand and was gone.'

Oh well, at least I got the flower petal cap right.

Cup of tea, Mrs Maridadi?

Oh, no thanks, darling. I'm going home. You don't need me.

You're a wonderful costume maker.

I just want to say you all look absolutely divine,

as if you'd just stepped out of a fairytale.

I'm off now to make my own costume. See you at the party.

I always knew she was peculiar.

'I rushed out to the garden

'just as Grandpa came out of his hiding place.

'He took off his shrinking cap and came back to normal size.'

-You make a great elf, Grandpa.

-So do you. Teamwork, eh?

-Teamwork.

-THEY LAUGH

'We all helped Mum to finish the costumes

'and soon we were ready to go to the Sunnysands' fancy dress party.

'Dad was a king, Jemima was a princess,

'Great Aunt Loretta was a fairy and Mum was a pumpkin.'

-You look divine.

-I know.

Come on, let's go.

Put your cap on, Grandpa.

I don't think so.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]