Katie Morag and the Baking Day Secret Katie Morag

# Katie Morag

# Far away across the ocean

# Katie Morag

# Over the sea to Struay

# Katie Morag

# Far away across the ocean

# Katie Morag

# Over the sea to Struay. #

My name is Katie Morag McColl and I live on the island of Struay.

I suppose it's quite wee, but it's ginormous to me and

everyone looks out for me when I'm out and about having my adventures.

This is where I live with my family.

My mum and dad run the shop and post office.

This is the bedroom I share with my brother Liam.

My mum says it's an absolute midden!

This is the croft where Grannie Island lives

with her animals and hens.

This is the Redburn Bridge where I play poohsticks.

STICK SPLASHES

And I think it's the best place in the whole entire world

and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

# Katie Morag. #

Every day's special here on Struay, but Friday's my absolute favourite.

That's because Friday is Baking Day, and if you sniff really hard,

SHE SNIFFS

you can smell all the goodies people are making for the weekend.

Neilly Beag bakes meringues as big as a baby's head.

Mrs Baxter always bakes delicious strawberry tarts.

And the Nurse's jammy doughnuts are just fabbydo.

Dad normally bakes clootie dumpling,

but he'd gone to Glasgow for a couple of days.

-That's your breakfast on the table.

-Thanks, Mum.

And Mum doesn't really like cooking.

Anybody in?

'But there is one thing that she makes really well,

'and it happens to be my favourite - jelly and ice cream,

'especially when it's covered in sprinkles.'

-I hear the new teacher's paying you a visit.

-Aye, that's right.

-They're coming over next Friday.

-Oh, his wife said it was today.

She must have got mixed up.

I suppose you'll be giving them something fancy.

I...wouldn't have thought so.

You do know she's a pastiche!

-A what?

-A pastiche,

one of those that makes the fancy pastries and cakes.

-Well, she's written books on it and everything.

-Oh! A patissier.

A pastry chef.

I didn't know that. No! Ugh, well. Peter will be home by then.

He's the baker in the family.

Well, that's me.

-I'll see you later.

-Bye.

Well, that's funny, Mrs Mackie getting her dates mixed up.

They definitely said...

-Oh, no!

-What's wrong?

It's today.

SHE GASPS They're coming today.

What on earth am I going to make them?

Jelly and ice cream.

I don't think so.

Icing sugar...

tea...

Ah!

Here we are.

Cake mix.

It seems fairly easy.

Couldn't we just have jelly and ice cream too?

She's a pastry chef, Katie Morag.

You don't give pastry chefs jelly and ice cream.

Not even with sprinkles?

Not even with sprinkles.

I ran straight home after school that day.

I couldn't wait to see Mum's cake.

Hi, Mum. Is it ready yet?

-Just making the icing.

-Mum! You forgot to...

put the lid on.

'I thought it was a pity not to have icing,

'but Mum said it was a blessing in disguise.'

Ugh! Icing sugar's old-fashioned.

Mrs Mackie probably uses organic tofu on her cakes

or grated yam root.

'I wasn't sure what either of those things were,

'but I hoped we didn't have them in the fridge.

'They sounded horrible.'

At least we've still got the cake.

-Oh, no! FIRE ALARM:

-Fire!

FIRE ALARM BEEPS

MUM COUGHS

Keep wafting! Keep wafting!

-FIRE ALARM:

-Fire!

MUM COUGHS Window!

Oh! SHE SIGHS

Oh, great! Everything's ruined!

They're coming for their tea and I've nothing to give them.

How about jelly and ice cream?

You're right. Check the freezer.

Sardines, tinned tomatoes, horseradish...

Ah! Jelly!

Anything?

-Ice cream.

-Jelly and ice cream it is, then.

OK.

Now, this takes an hour to set.

They'll be here in 45 minutes...

I need more time. You'll have to hold them back a little.

How am I going to do that?

I don't know. Distract them. Use your imagination.

Think of it as a special mission.

Now, if there's one thing I have a lot of, it's imagination.

A little bit too much according to some people,

but I always knew it would come in handy one day.

I just had to think up a plan.

Katie Morag, I've just made the best meringues ever.

Can't today, Neilly Beag. I'm on a special mission.

'I always pop by Mrs Baxter's on Baking Day.

'She likes me to try out her strawberry tarts.

'It was one of my good deeds.

'I hated to disappoint her, but Mum was relying on me.'

By the time I got to the Nurse's house,

the whole special mission thing had started to seem

like a really bad idea.

If I didn't have some of her jammy doughnuts,

she'd eat them all herself and that couldn't be good for her!

Hello there. We were just heading over to your house.

I thought I'd come and meet you in case you got lost.

That's very kind of you.

-So, how are you liking Struay?

-I love it.

-Have you seen all the sights?

-Some of them.

How about the lighthouse? We could pop by now, if you like.

I was up there yesterday.

Bonnie Loch, then. It really is bonnie.

I know. We went fishing there last week.

'She'd hardly arrived on the island

'and she'd already been round it twice.

'It seemed like my plan wasn't working.'

How about the Giant Footsteps?

They're real footsteps made by real big giants.

Well, I haven't seen that.

Well, we don't want to keep your mum waiting now, do we?

I couldn't get them to do anything. They wouldn't even play poohsticks.

Just one go, please. I'll give you a head start.

We're late already, Katie Morag.

STICKS SPLASH

Come on, slow coach!

'But I wasn't going slowly enough.

'If I didn't think of something quickly,

'they'd be drinking our jelly through a straw.'

Of course! The best thing wouldn't take much time at all.

It's right here.

What's that, then?

Neilly Beag's unusually shaped vegetables.

His what?!

Better see for yourself.

My what?

Don't you remember the carrot that looked like Grannie Island?

-Oh, aye.

-And the spud that had the two little feet?

Och, that was a long time ago, Katie Morag.

-And a man's got to eat.

-Oh, well. Not to worry.

Wait!

Do you not have ANY left?

Well, I suppose I could take a wee look.

We really should be going.

-Next time, maybe.

-Aye.

Cheerio, then, and thanks again.

Here, here...

What's going on?

They're staying for tea.

-But I thought your dad was in Glasgow.

-Mum's cooking.

Oh.

-Oh, dear.

-We were going to have jelly, but it's not ready yet.

VOICES INAUDIBLE

VOICES INAUDIBLE

Stop!

Have you seen the Five Sisters?

-Well, they're kind of hard to miss.

-Do you know their names?

-Oh, I'm afraid I don't.

-I'll teach you them.

It's easier to see from up here.

Those two on the right are Ben More and Ben Bog.

The ones on the left are Ben Hur and Ben Beag.

-Got it.

-But can you guess what the in-between one's called?

I'm afraid I can't.

Ben In-between.

Well, I suppose that makes sense.

Well, come on, you two. We're late.

KNOCKS AT DOOR

Hello! How lovely to see you.

-Sorry we're late.

-Are you?

I didn't even notice. I hope you're hungry.

Oh, starving!

Oh, well, that's perfect. I hear you're a pastry chef.

-Years ago. I only cook for fun now.

-MUM LAUGHS

Oh, me too. In fact, I've gone for the fun theme this evening.

How exciting!

I hope you don't mind j...

Oh! Oh, wonderful!

Those meringues look set to float.

And those tarts, they're a work of art.

And what are these?

A miracle?

SHE SNIFFS DEEPLY

SHE SIGHS

They're super sticky jammy doughnuts.

I'll be wanting the recipe.

So will I.

-Sorry?

-I said, "Aye."

Hang on a minute.

-What's wrong?

-Have you been talking to someone?

-I...what...?

-Look, James.

Jelly and ice cream! I can't remember the last time I had it,

but it's my absolute all-time favourite.

And sprinkles too. How on earth did you know?

-Oh! Lucky guess.

-Lucky for me!

Oh, do you mind?

Be my guest.

So, that's how all those goodies had got there.

It wasn't a miracle after all,

just the nicest neighbours in the whole wide world.

Mum was in such a good mood, she said we could have

any bedtime treat we wanted

and you can guess what we asked for.

Night, night, my darling.

She said today had reminded her that the simplest things

in life are usually the best.

I'm not completely sure what she meant,

but I think it's just a fancy grown-up way of saying,

"Everybody likes jelly and ice cream."