Katie Morag and the Big Picture 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 Pooh Sticks.

And I think it's the best place

in the whole entire world

and I wouldn't want

to live anywhere else.

'One of my favourite things in the world is painting pictures.

'Mum says it's cos I'm creative and that's a good thing.

'Though she wishes I wasn't so creative

'when it comes to making a mess.

'Mum says I might be a real painter like the Lady Artist one day.

'I like doing big, enormous pictures

'and sometimes I just can't help making a mess.

'Then Mum tells me I'm just a burachy wee girl.

'Burachy is one of my mum's favourite words.

'It means very messy indeed.'

That's our house, shop and post office.

There's the new pier.

There's Grannie Island

and there's you and me.

Let's see yours, Liam.

Very good. Well, very good at mixing colours.

No, Mrs Baxter, the bananas aren't in that box.

They're over there. I'll get them.

Hurry up, then, or there'll be none left and you know how much

I love a banana or two, especially in a banana cake.

-I do, I do.

-Do you know...?

Sorry, Mrs Baxter, but the visitors ordered that box of bananas.

There you are. Oh!

And here's your mail.

And sorry, the paint's all gone.

Neilly Beag was whitewashing the Lady Artist's house.

Bye. Enjoy your holidays.

A whole box of bananas. How many are they planning to eat?

It'll be one of those fancy mainland diets, no doubt.

As if they couldn't have brought their own bananas

from one of those super shops on the mainland.

Oh, I'll be glad when summer's over.

Mum! Mum! Come and see our painting.

And please can we have some really big paper to do another one?

Oh, Katie Morag, you know it's boat delivery day.

We'll have a look at your pictures after the shop has closed.

Why don't you run along to the Lady Artist's?

-She'll have loads of big paper.

-No, she won't.

-She does tiny wee paintings.

-Katie Morag, please!

What have I said about answering back?

Now, off you go, like a good girl.

Neilly Beag is along at the Lady Artist's painting the walls.

-He'd appreciate some help, I'm sure, Katie Morag.

-Boring!

Come on, Liam, we might as well go along to the Lady Artist's.

Tell them to call us when you get there.

'It was very annoying being an artist and having nothing to paint on...

'..but the Lady Artist might know where to get big pieces of paper...'

Aye aye, Katie Morag.

'..and if she didn't, Grannie Island definitely would.

'She knows everything about everything.'

Hello, Katie Morag. Hello, Liam. Have you come to help?

Now make sure you don't walk under the ladder.

-Why not?

-It's bad luck.

Is the Lady Artist here? I need some really big paper.

I was wondering if she knew where I could get some.

Did you not pass herself and Sasha on the way to the shop?

She ran out of biscuits and tea for the tea break.

Here, maybe you could set the table for her before she comes back, eh?

No, thanks.

The paper's really very important. Maybe Grannie Island will have some.

All right, then. Good luck.

'Being an artist is hard work.

'Even before you start painting, you have to have the right materials.

'Mum sometimes makes me use the back of an old cereal packet.

'I bet the Lady Artist never has to do that.'

Grannie Island! THUD!

Ouch! Come in.

-I really need your help.

-Well, of course, Katie Morag, what is it?

I'm going to be an artist when I grow up and I really need to practise.

-I really need some big paper as well...

-Oh!

-..and nobody has one.

-You need a piece of paper?

-A really big one.

Well, the only bits of paper I have are empty sheep feed sacks.

-If they can be any use, I could iron them flat for you.

-Sheep feed sacks?

No, thanks, Grannie Island. An artist needs real paper, you know.

Oh, well, I wouldn't know anything about that,

but I do know that the first ever artists were just men and women who

lived in caves a long time ago and painted pictures on the cave walls.

Nobody paints on walls nowadays, do they?

Well, yes, they do a bit,

like the inside of your Uncle Matthew's house.

Paintings on walls are called murals.

Maybe you could be a mural painter one day, Katie Morag.

Anyway, I've got to get going.

I promised Neilly Beag I'd help him paint the Lady Artist's house.

Now, you two help yourselves to the porridgies.

Only two each, mind, and then follow me up afterwards.

Thank you very much, Grannie Island.

That Lady Artist, she never has any biscuits in her tin

and she's always running out of tea, but I'll see Neilly Beag right.

Now, catch me up when you're finished. I'll be watching for you.

Hi, Katie.

Hello.

'At least Liam has found something to paint on.

'It looked like one of the cave paintings

'Grannie Island was talking about.'

And I'm so glad you came over with the tea break, Grannie Island.

Would you believe it, the shop ran out of biscuits and tea?

Aye, well, you have to be at the shop

at the crack of dawn on boat day.

You'd be best making your own biscuits.

Katie Morag wanted to see you, Lady Artist,

something to do with paper, said it needed to be big.

-She seemed to really keen.

-Aye, she came to see me too.

I told her she could have paper

from the sheep feed sacks for her painting.

Knowing Katie Morag, she will want the whitest of white paper

and no creases on. Oh, I do love teaching art at the school.

The children have such imagination.

Och, well, I'd better get back to work.

One more final coat on the gable end and that will be it.

I'm afraid Sasha and I will have to abandon you.

We're taking Gertie the goat for a walk.

Oh, my beautiful white wall!

Just what do the two of you think you're doing?

We're being artists like cave painters.

Quick, Neilly Beag, get the hose before the Lady Artist sees this.

This is appalling behaviour, Katie Morag,

you're old enough to know better.

Oh, deary, deary me, the Lady Artist is going to be so upset.

Now, I'll get some scrubbing brushes

and then the two of you can get scrubbing, OK?

-Scrub it.

-Scrub away there.

Here comes the Lady Artist.

-I don't know what to say.

-Oh, don't you fret.

We've just got one more coat of whitewash to put on the wall

-and then it will be as good as new.

-No, wait.

This could be the beginning of something very special.

I've always wanted to make a large painting, a mural,

but I've never had the courage. Will you all help me?

I'll get my paintbrushes. Oh, this is tremendously exciting.

That's beautiful! Oh, Liam, is that End Island?

Keep painting.

I'm not really an artist, I'm not much good at it.

Carry on, Neilly Beag.

Isn't that just wonderful?

'We were lucky not to get into big trouble for painting on the wall.

'Most folk would have been really cross,

'but the Lady Artist seemed pleased.

'She said people would come from all over to see her beautiful mural,

'which would be absolutely fabbydoo.

'But even though painting the wall was fun,

'if I do become a real artist,

'I think I'll just use pieces of paper -

'that way visitors can take their paintings home with them

'and put them up in their very own houses and who knows?

'One day, there may be pictures of Struay all over the world.'

WHISPERS: Good night, Grannie Island.