Oh, hello. I'm Ashton from Little Angel Theatre and I'll be reading Tom Thumb.
This story is about Thomas, his wife Eve, Merlin the magician, a crow, King Arthur,
a fish and of course Tom Thumb.
Thomas really really wanted a son, even if he's no bigger than a thumb.
So did his wife Eve. "I'll go and see Merlin the magician" said Eve.
"We really really want a son" she told Merlin, "even if he's no bigger than a thumb."
Merlin chuckled. "No bigger than a thumb?" he said, "then your wish will come true."
Sure enough Eve had a teeny tiny baby boy, he was no bigger than a thumb.
Let's call him Tom Thumb.
Eve made little Tom a cobweb top, a pair of woolly shorts, apple skin shoes and an oak leaf hat.
He was healthy and happy but he never grew any bigger.
One morning Eve made some buns to sell at the market.
She couldn't find Tom anywhere so she went to the market without him.
A tall man bought a bun. He broke it open to eat and got the shock of his life.
"Please don't eat me!". Eve gasped. She washed Tom and gave him a kiss.
The next day she took Tom to milk the cows.
She perched him on a thistle to keep him safe, but cows like thistles.
"Tom! Where are you?" cried his mother. She couldn't see him anywhere.
Then a cow burped and Tom tumbled out. Eve washed her son and gave him a kiss.
A week later Tom went to sow seeds with his father.
"Be careful Tom!" "Don't worry, I'll be fine"
"You can be the Scarecrow" said Thomas, "stand up and wave your arms".
The crows weren't scared of little Tom Thumb. "Shoo!"
One crow swooped down and carried Tom away.
Tom wriggled and jiggled. "Let me go!"
He jiggled so much the crow dropped him.
Down and down he fell - splash into the lake.
Little Tom was swallowed by a fish. The fish was caught by a fisherman.
That evening the fish was served to King Arthur. The King got the shock of his life.
"Oh please don't eat me!"
King Arthur liked Tom Thumb. "I'm an excellent pea juggler".
So did the Queen and the princesses. "I always win at hide-and-seek".
Even the big bold Knights liked Tom Thumb. "I can slay a dragon with one swipe of my sword".
"I shall make you a knight too", said the King,
"you must have new clothes and your own horse".
Brave Sir Tom hunted down spiders, and chased after dragonflies.
He collected falling petals and rescued drowning moths.
The King invited Tom to stay forever.
"I'd like that very much" said Tom, "but first I must go home. My mother will be worried."
"Of course", said the King, "and you must take a gift from me. Choose anything you like."
He showed Tom his treasure room. Tom set off home with a shiny gold coin.
"Be careful Tom" "Don't worry, I'll be fine".
"Tom!" called Eve "Is it really you?" cried Thomas
"Yes it is me" replied Tom, "I'm Sir Tom now. I brought a gift from the King."
Tom told his parents all about his adventures. "I'm the King's chief pea juggler" he said,
"and the Queen's petal collector" "We're so proud of you".
In the morning Tom headed back to the castle.
"Be careful Tom" his mother called out "Don't worry, I'll be fine" he replied.
And he was. The End.