Katie Morag and the Day of Birthdays 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 village where Neilly Beag lives.

Hello, how you doing?

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

'and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.'

# Katie Morag. #

Everybody loves birthdays but I reckon I love them

more than anyone else in the world.

That's cos me and my two grannies

all have our birthdays on the exact same day

Imagine three Christmases all on the same day, or three Halloweens.

'Well, that's exactly what my birthday is like and that's why

'it's the most totally, absolutely, brilliant time of the year.'

Liam, what do you think of my birthday list?

A new pair of wellies?

One thumb, not bad.

A dictionary for school?

Zero thumbs?

A chocolate rabbit, entirely made out of all chocolate?

Finally, we have a winner.

WHISPERING

Oh! Would you care for another cup of tea, Granma?

Why, that would be lovely.

'Have you ever noticed how weird grown-ups can be

'when they want to keep a secret?

'They go all funny and start pouring each other cups of tea

'and there's no point in even asking what they're up to

'cos they'll never, ever tell you.'

-What have you got there, Katie Morag?

-Nothing.

Well, if you must know, I'm doing my top-secret birthday list.

-I'm sticking it on the fridge to keep it safe.

-Why is it top-secret?

Well, if people knew what I wanted but I knew they knew,

then I would know what they were getting me

and it wouldn't be a surprise and I love surprises.

Ah, but what if someone walks past the fridge

and accidentally reads it?

Accidents happen.

So what are you two up to?

-BOTH:

-Us? Nothing!

'Like I said, no point in even asking.'

SHEEP BLEAT IN DISTANCE

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

What's that, Katie Morag?

I'm ordering birthday presents for my grannies.

A tractor key ring for Grannie Island and smelly soap for Granma Mainland.

Soap? That's worse than socks.

Grannies love smelly soap.

I think it's perfect.

Will the presents even get here on time?

Of course it will!

Unless the ferry's late.

-TEACHER:

-Right, now, children, who can tell me which

is the next letter of the alphabet?

'The others hadn't said anything but I knew what they were thinking.'

It can be nice and sunny on my birthday

but sometimes it can be really wet and windy, too.

Grannie Island calls it the May storms

and she makes sure that she checks

that all the wee, baby animals have somewhere to shelter.

THUNDER CRASHES

-What's wrong, sweetheart?

-What if they cancel the ferry?

-Oh, I'm sure they won't.

-But what if they do?

You'll be fine. I reckon the storm's dying down.

LOUDER THUNDER CRASH

And, even if it isn't, I'm sure it'll pass by morning.

But if it was still stormy on my birthday,

the ferry wouldn't sail, and if the ferry didn't sail,

the presents I'd ordered for my grannies wouldn't arrive.

And what about the presents they'd ordered for me?!

When I woke up on my birthday, it was actually worse.

Ah, you're up, birthday girl.

Your breakfast awaits you.

KNOCK AT DOOR

-Terrible news!

-Oh, is it the lambs? I went...

No, no, it's not the lambs.

Has the burn flooded? Oh, it hasn't washed away the curlews' nest?

-No, no, the burn's fine.

-Well, what is it, then?

The ferry's cancelled!

Well, of course it is.

You might not have noticed but it's a touch blowy out there.

What about Katie Morag's birthday?

What about the special delivery from Mrs Hodge?

Oh, dear. Well...

the first thing you're going to do

is stop standing there like a wet banana.

We don't want you catching pneumonia.

But Katie Morag, she's going to be so disappointed.

Och, don't worry, we'll work something out.

You know what I always say.

"East, West, home's best."

-When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

-Yes.

Och, I say the other thing, too.

I was sure it was going to be the worst birthday ever.

No ferry, no presents for my grannies, and no presents for me.

That's the thing about living on an island.

You can't just pop down to the shops cos there aren't any.

'Well, not apart from Mum and Dad's

'and that sells mostly just a lot of stuff that grown-ups like.'

Sorry, Liam, I don't feel like playing at the moment.

Liam McColl!

You are an absolute genius!

-What are you up to, love?

-Oh, this and that.

FOLK MUSIC

-Happy birthday, Katie Morag.

-Thanks, Neilly Beag.

Whatever were you wanting all this lavender for?

You'll have to wait and see.

-(Is the coast clear?)

-(They're up in their bedroom.)

(Neilly Beag's outside with the stuff.)

(Well, let's go give him a hand.)

Mum? Dad?

Hello?

Where is everybody?

Wait outside. Remember the code.

Granma!

Ho-ho, oh, happy birthday, ma petite chou-fleur.

You, too, Granma. Where is everyone?

Erm... they're out checking.

-Checking what?

-The grass.

It's a thing grown-ups do. Waste of time, if you ask me.

In you come, you lot.

Is the grass OK?

The grass?

Erm, you were checking...

-Oh, so we were.

-Oh, it's fine.

Exactly as it should be.

Were you wanting something?

-Here.

-Oh.

-Where are you going?

-Wait and you'll see.

Oh, that's lovely.

Oh, isn't that lovely?

"You are all invited to a special event.

"Location, Katie Morag's bedroom.

"Time, right now.

"Dress, whatever you're wearing

"but no muddy wellies because Dad just swept the floors."

That's my girl.

Right, what are we waiting for?

Surprise, surprise! Happy birthday to our two grannies.

-Katie Morag!

-Katie Morag!

-Ha-ha!

NEILLY KNOCKS ON WINDOW

I made you both special presents cos the ferry didn't come in time.

They're not your real presents but I still thought you'd like them.

Oh, thank you.

Oh!

-It's Alecina!

-It was all Liam's idea.

It's the leftovers from the peg dolly.

-Oh, it's beautiful.

-My turn.

It's perfume made from fresh lavender. Neilly Beag helped me.

Oh, it's absolutely wonderful!

-But it's your birthday, too, Katie Morag.

-I don't mind waiting.

Well, that's all very well, but we've got a surprise for you, too.

Do you?

Wait a minute. Where's Neilly Beag?

HE KNOCKS ON WINDOW

Aww...

I kept doing the code knock but nobody answered.

I thought you'd forgotten all about me.

Oh, as if we'd do that.

-What's the big surprise?

-What do you think it is?

Your presents! We ordered them ages ago.

That's what all the plotting and planning was about.

When you get to our age, you have to learn not to rely on the ferry,

not during the May storms when there are important things like birthdays.

Come on, then.

Look at that.

Aww...

'I don't know how they managed to guess but I got all

'the presents on my wish list and a few I hadn't even thought of.

'But that wasn't all.

'When I had finished opening my presents,

'they said they had one more surprise for me.'

-ALL:

-Surprise!

-Jelly ice cream cake!

-With extra sprinkles.

And my old friend Mrs Hodge from Scarinish was going to send

over a massive, great cake but because the ferry didn't come,

the cake didn't come, so this will have to do you meantime.

CHEERING

And that was the day when the worst birthday ever

became the best birthday ever.

It was also the day I realised that one of the sayings

Grannie Island always tells me is true.

Giving really is as much fun as receiving.