Mirror Teacup Travels

'Here they come - my two intrepid explorers,

'Charlotte and Elliott.

'I'm their Great Aunt Lizzie, you see -

'and I wonder which one is coming to see me today?

'Ah, so it's Elliott's turn.

'Here he comes, racing to hear another tale

'from an epic adventurer...

CLACK CLACK

'And what wonderful adventures they were.

'So long ago and so far away.

'I collected a few souvenirs along the way...

'..but my most precious possession of all

'is my extraordinary collection of teacups.'

You've still got your coat on, Elliott.

Come on, no time to count the clouds.

We've got stories to tell.

Now...

let's have a lovely cup of tea.

But first, we need...

A teacup!

But which one?

That one.

Oh...

The Egyptian mirror.

What a choice, Elliott.

I do really love that story.

This is just perfect to drink now.

So...

-Are you ready?

-Ready.

Then let me tell you the story of Great Aunt Lizzie

and the adventure of the glassless mirror.

ELLIOT CLEARS HIS THROAT

Oh, yes - of course.

Let me tell you the story of Elliott

and the adventure of the glassless mirror.

It all began long, long ago,

in ancient Egypt...

..where towering pyramids

and gigantic limestone statues

graced the golden sand dunes.

'After journeying for days across the Egyptian kingdom,

'with its majestic desert and its sweeping valleys...

'Elliott came to a quiet village...

..where the narrow streets and canopies

'gave shade from a cloudless sky.

'In the distance, there was a woman,

'selling honey and herbs from a basket.'

Fresh herbs, fresh spices.

Come and get your fresh honey, fresh herbs and fresh spices -

the best in all of Egypt.

Come and get your delicious fresh herbs and fresh spices -

the best in all of Egypt.

'As she carried on along with her way

'and Elliott quenched his thirst,

'he heard a conversation strike up from one of the nearby tents.'

-Make sure it's neat.

-'There was a barber.

'He was trimming the beard of a rich man, called Ittisan.'

Don't trim too much off. I want a full beard.

I'm meeting my new wife and I want to impress with

-my hair and my beard.

-Yes, sir.

I wish I could see it.

Could I interest you in a mirror, sir?

-It's the best possible quality.

-But this is no good -

I can't see anything in this.

It just needs polishing, sir.

'That was when Elliott knew he could help.'

Excuse me, I could polish it for you.

Oh, yeah, thanks.

'It didn't look like much of a mirror at all to Elliott,

'but he polished it with the cloth

'and soon, it shone so well

'he could see his reflection in it.'

There - all polished.

Thank you.

Oh! Oh, no!

My beard! Now that I see it in the mirror,

-it's even worse than I thought.

-It's not that bad, sir.

I wanted a long, full beard and look - mine's hardly there at all!

My new bride will never like this tiny, wispy beard.

-I've heard honey does wonders for making beards grow, sir.

-Really?

Makes it grow a treat. Put some honey on your chin

-and you'll be amazed.

-Have you got any?

-No.

-Oh.

Excuse me, there's a woman outside selling honey.

I could go get some.

Well, I've got to do something about this terrible beard,

-before my new bride comes.

-I'll be as quick as I can.

'Elliott set off to find the woman

'and saw the most extraordinary thing...'

Whoa!

'..a Sphinx.

A huge, half-man, half-lion,

rising out of the desert sand.

He couldn't help but admire his wonderful, long beard.

Just then, the woman with the herbs and honey came past.

-..fresh spices...

-Do you have any honey left?

I have just the one jar left. What you want it for?

-It's to help a man's beard grow faster.

-Grow a beard?

-Yes.

He's meeting his new bride tomorrow and he wants to impress her.

His barber said honey would help.

He could use all the honey in the world,

but he'd never grow it by tomorrow.

-What he needs is a false beard.

-A false beard?

-They're all the rage.

Anyone who's anyone is wearing them. They're the latest fashion.

Oh, I see.

My twin sister

makes the most wonderful false beards in all of Egypt.

'Getting a false beard seemed like it would be a piece of cake.

'But of course, it was never going to be as easy as that.'

The thing is, she lives a long, long way away.

It'll take you all day to get there.

'It was still afternoon and already, it had got so complicated.

'Elliott had tried to help the man by polishing the mirror,

-'but all that had done was show him how scrawny his beard was.'

-Oh, no!

-'The barber thought honey would help...'

-Really?

'..but the honey seller persuaded him a false beard would do the trick

'and he thought getting a false beard would be a breeze.

'He couldn't go back to the barbers with nothing, could he?

'He had to set off to find the fruit seller's twin sister

'and her collection of false beards.

'So, off went Elliott in his old, battered boots.

'He crossed the desert peaks, until...

'..when he was almost out of breath,

'the path ran out.

'There was only one way to get to the other side.

'Elliott took a deep breath.

'Safely across, Elliott set off once more,

'until there it was...

'..the magnificent city of Waset.

'But there was no time to be awestruck.

'Elliott had to find a false beard.

'The desert sun was high in the sky

'as Elliott found himself at the wig and beard shop.'

Hello?

Anyone in?

-Hello?

-'But the shop looked very closed.

'There was no answer,

'but there was an arrow on the wall.

'Elliott didn't know what the arrow meant at first,

'but he had a guess that it might just mean

-'that the woman was working around the back.'

-Ah...

'There, Elliott saw a woman, plaiting a false beard.'

Excuse me, I'd like to buy a beard.

Your sister says you have the best collection in the whole of Egypt.

I do, I do. I have all sorts here.

What sort of beard are you looking for?

What's the most stylish one you have?

That would be the new gold ribboned one.

It's made of the finest goats hair.

It's perfect. I'll take it, thank you.

Don't you want to try it on?

I have a mirror - I polished it especially.

Oh, you could be a pharaoh.

Actually, it's not for me.

Oh, OK.

Well, if it's a present,

you won't go wrong with this one.

-Tell my sister I send my love.

-I will.

-Safe trip back.

-Thank you, bye.

'Back came Elliott in his old, battered boots,

'over the desert peaks

'and down the mountainside.

'It felt like a very long journey indeed,

'when finally, Elliott made it back to the barber's shop.

'To his amazement, Ittisan was still there,

'gazing into the mirror.'

-Did you get any honey?

-No, but I got you a false beard.

-BOTH:

-A false beard?

Yes, they say everyone's wearing them.

Really?

Er, yes - I've heard that too.

False beards are very fashionable right now.

Let me show you what we can do.

'Whilst the barber attached the false beard to the man's chin,

'Elliott waited with the mirror.'

There. Wonderful.

Very impressive.

I don't like it. Makes me look silly.

'Oh, no - after all that!

'What could Elliott do?

'Then, he remembered...'

The Sphinx has one just like that.

That's true, but...

It's just not me.

'But before Elliott could say another word,

'Ittisan's new bride turned up, out of the blue.'

-Ittisan?

-Menui!

I do love false beards.

They're so Sphinx-like.

Well, I am rather proud of it.

You're not the type of man who always looks in the mirror, are you?

Oh, no. No, Not at all.

In fact, my dear...

this mirror is a present for you -

a token of my love.

It's so beautifully polished.

-Thank you.

-Let's celebrate.

Yes, let's.

And that was that. The whole kit and caboodle.

Elliot and the adventure of the glassless mirror.

-It's funny to have a metal mirror.

-..which you polished so well

-that Ittisan could see his face in it.

-And his beard!

-Indeed.

And who would have thought that far away in Waset,

there was a woman selling the perfect false beard?

-Ittisan was wise to give the mirror to Menui.

-He was. Though I think

she may have found out that he was a bit vain, don't you?

Blow me down with a feather - is that the time already?

Come on. Your mum will be here in a minute.

Your coat.

Now, how did that get there?

Home time now, Elliott.

Thanks, Great Aunt Lizzie!

Cheery-bye, Elliott.