Katie Morag and the Big Boy Cousins 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 Granny Island lives with her animals and hens.

This is the Redburn Bridge where I play Pooh sticks.

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

and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

# ..Katie Morag. #

My big boy cousins were coming for the holidays and I couldn't wait.

I reckon they're the best fun cousins in the world.

You wouldn't believe the adventures they have.

Cos I was just a little girl the last time they came,

I didn't get to go with them,

but this time it was going to be different.

Do you remember my big boy cousins, Fabbydo?

That's Hector, Archie, Dougal, Jamie and Murdo Iain. And that's me.

Hector's the biggest. He's just brilliant.

I want to be just like him when I'm older.

I just wish they would hurry up and come.

-Are you sure you've got enough beans?

-Do you think I need more?

SHE LAUGHS

Just you try feeding five boys for a fortnight

-and see how amusing YOU find it.

-Are they here yet?

Not yet, Mrs Baxter.

Oh, thank goodness for that. I thought I'd left it too late.

Two cartons of milk, please, Isobel.

I don't know how you put up with those boys. And for two whole weeks?

-Ach, they're all right.

-Just a wee bit rambunctious, that's all.

-That's one word for them. Not the word I'd use, though.

-Mm.

COMMOTION OUTSIDE

Oh, dear! Forget about the milk, Isobel.

I-I'll do without it... Ooh!

I've got it right...here. Oh, hello, boys.

-ALL BOYS:

-Hello.

-Hard to believe there's only five of them.

-It's a trick of the eye!

Right, boys. Away through to the kitchen and grab yourself some juice.

-Where's Katie Morag?

-I'm here.

-Katie Morag?

-I'm right here.

-Have you seen her?

-Afraid not.

-Hello!

-Oh, hey, squirt. Didn't see you down there.

-Yes, you did.

BOYS LAUGH

-I think you've shrunk!

-I have not.

-Oh, stop tormenting her.

And start shifting these boxes. We've got a tractor to load.

Right, let's go.

-Can we buy some sweets?

-Oh, aye. A wee sugar rush is all you need!

-Please?

-There'll be plenty of time for sweeties

after the chores are done.

-Oh, see you later, Katie Morag.

-Can't I come, too?

-I think Grannie Island has enough on her hands.

-Och, I don't mind.

How about you, Hector? Do you mind your wee cousin tagging along?

You have to be pretty cool to hang with my crew.

-I am cool, honest.

-You'll keep an eye on her?

Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't get up to mischief.

-Well, OK then.

-Yes!

Low five... Too slow! You snooze, you lose!

-Best behaviour, OK?

-OK.

-Aye.

BICYCLE BELL RINGS

Wait for me!

BICYCLE BELL RINGS

'We couldn't wait to start having adventures,

'but everybody wanted to do something different.

'Hector wanted to go to the Blue Eyed Lighthouse,

'Archie wanted to build a fort and I said we should play Poohsticks.

'We decided to let Grannie Island choose,

'and then we wished we hadn't.'

Right, boys. I know a brilliant game.

It's called bringing in the boxes.

BOYS GROAN

-Then there's putting up the tent...

-MORE GROANS

-..gathering in the firewood...

-MORE GROANS

..fetching in the peats. Oh, that's my favourite.

And then, you can do anything you like.

Come on then, boys. Let's get busy.

And don't knock over my plant pots.

Come on, look lively, boys.

That's it, quick as you can, off into the croft.

Is that all you're carrying?

-Is this the back bit or the side bit?

-It's the bottom bit.

It goes on the floor so your sleeping bag doesn't get wet.

-Bit of an expert, are you?

-I do know how to put a tent up.

-Me and Agnes do it all the time.

-Why don't we finish it later?

-But Grannie said.

-What Grannie doesn't know doesn't hurt her.

We should scout the terrain,

-see what's beyond our perimeter.

-Our what?

Standard military procedure.

We need to know if the inhabitants are friendly.

I don't think we have inhabitants in Struay.

You can't see them, but I can guarantee they can see you.

-Shouldn't we finish our chores?

-Time to step up, soldier.

-Are you in or out?

-Man or mouse?

'I wasn't a man or a mouse, but I didn't want them

'to think I was scared, and it did sound exciting.'

-I'm in.

-Excellent.

Follow me, lads. Mouths shut, heads down and serpentine.

-What do you reckon?

-No cover. Anyone could see us.

-Camouflage?

Right, lads. Branches, leaves, anything you can get your hands on.

-I don't understand.

-Ssh!

Bushes don't move.

-Aren't folk going to notice?

-They will if you keep chatting!

-Bandits at three o'clock!

-Run!

BOYS SCREAM

-Hello there, Mr McMaster.

-Hello there, Katie Morag.

COW MOOS

Right, let's go.

THEY SHOUT

Just jump it!

Come on, guys. Hurry up!

-Are you coming?

-Just a sec.

-Katie Morag!

-We have to shut the gate.

-Just leave it.

-We're not supposed to.

Who's in command here, me or you?

SHE SIGHS

COW MOOS

Aren't we going to put the tent up?

First things first, we're all hungry and rations are low.

Jamie, Dougal, Murdo Iain, Archie -

south sector, see what you can scavenge.

Katie Morag, follow me.

-What about our chores?

-I have bigger things to worry about.

What things?

Survival. We'll be out of rations when reinforcements arrive.

'I was more worried about Grannie Island arriving,

'especially if we hadn't put the tent up.

'But Hector said it wasn't my job to worry, my job was to follow orders.'

-Guys, over here! I think it's a dinosaur egg.

-No, it's not.

Velociraptor, probably.

It's a goose egg. You shouldn't touch them.

-There's another one.

-There's another one.

Must be swarming with dinosaurs.

We're so far away from civilisation.

It must have lived here undisturbed for millions of years.

If there were dinosaurs in Struay, somebody would've seen them by now.

Maybe they have. Maybe they just haven't lived to tell the tale.

Anyone you know that disappeared recently?

Well, Mr Todd went away last Easter to go and work in Oban.

-That's what they told you.

-You're being silly.

You shouldn't touch those eggs anyway.

She has got a point, though.

-Dinosaurs are territorial, especially the mothers.

-So?

See that egg? What if she smells it off you?

She'll know who's been touching them.

-You take it.

-I don't want it.

-I don't want it either.

What's all this?

-SMASH!

-Oh!

COW MOOS

Oh! Get off my plant pots!

And get out of my parsley, you great, hulking brute!

-Who left that blasted gate open?

-And who tore the branches off my tree?

I can explain.

'I did try to explain, but it just made Grannie Island crosser,

'especially the bit about dinosaurs.'

Right. Before I decide what to do,

does anyone else have something to say?

None of it was Katie Morag's fault, she even tried to stop us.

Is that true, Katie Morag?

'It was kind of true, but not exactly true.

'They didn't make me go with them

'and they didn't make me tear the branches off the tree.

'They didn't even make me leave the gate open,

'I just sort of did it because I didn't want to be left out.'

I did everything they did, so I reckon it's my fault, too.

Right. Let's get you lot to work.

Come on. Out you go.

'And when Grannie Island said work, she really meant work.

'By the time we finished our chores, we were absolutely exhausted.'

Finish setting the table and then you can get started.

And that was very good work.

Maybe you're not such a useless bunch of big galoots after all!

And tomorrow, when the chores are done,

we'll maybe go fishing and see what we can catch for tea.

Right, who'd like an egg?

ALL LAUGH

Oh!

-I've never felt so tired in my whole, entire life.

-Me either.

-I could stay in bed for a whole week.

-Squirt?

-Yes?

What you did today - saying it was your fault as well

and taking the punishment with the rest of us - that was cool.

-Really?

-Very cool. Now everyone, be quiet.

I've got some serious sleeping to do.

'You'd think after all that had happened,

'I would have been sad that night, but I wasn't.

'In fact, I couldn't remember ever being happier.'