A bedtime story...

The last room in the attic of my canal house 'Singel 224' has long stood empty until I finally decided it would be a children's room.   I am using an oak floor which was left over from a previous project. 

 Under the sloping roof I am building a closet-bed. I will share more about the bed another time, because as I was testing the fit of the unfinished bed, a little bedtime story just...happened.  

Two bears

in

'A bedtime story'

'Hattie,' said Bear, 'where am I?'  'You're inside the closet-bed Bear,' said Hattie.  

Bear was an old bear who couldn't see very well.  'The closet-bed?'  asked Bear.  'Yes,' said Hattie, 'remember we went up to the attic yesterday to play hide and seek?'  'Theatric?'  said Bear and he looked puzzled as he was an old bear and his hearing wasn't very good. 

'Remember you were hiding in the closet-bed and nobody could find you?'  Hattie said, a little louder this time. 'They couldn't...?' said Bear and he stood thinking a while.
He tried to remember yesterday's game but he was an old bear and his memory wasn't very good.  

'Lets play another game,'  Bear said suddenly and he started climbing out of the bed.  

'Be careful Bear!'  Hattie said.  'I will get the chair so you can stand on it'.  

Hattie pushed the chair towards him and Bear put his leg over the side of the bed.  

'I'll help you,' said Hattie.  But it was too late... Bear was an old bear and couldn't climb very well. 

He tumbled head first out of the bed, onto the chair and onto the floor.  

Hattie fell too and it was quite a tumble as even her paper hat had turned around on her head.  

But Hattie was fine and got up quickly to help Bear as he was an old bear who often needed mending.            
'Are you all right Bear?'  Hattie asked, checking his scars.  

'Yes, I think so,' said Bear, 'what happened?' 'You fell out of the bed,' said Hattie.  'I did?' said Bear and he tried to remember his fall but couldn't as he was an old bear and a bit dizzy from the fall. 

Bear got up slowly and looked at the bed.  'Oh dear, did I break the bed?'  he asked.  

Hattie saw it too.  Something was missing from the side of the bed, but had not fallen on the floor like they had.  'I'll climb up to look inside,'  Hattie said.  'Will you hold the chair for me Bear?'
  Hattie quickly climbed onto the chair and into the closet-bed.  

'Look, here it is Bear,' Hattie said, 'and it is not broken.'  Bear couldn't see from where he was standing so he climbed onto the chair, carefully, as he was an old bear and his limbs were very stiff. 

They both looked at the board in the bed.  Then Hattie looked up at Bear and smiled.  

'Do you know what this is Bear?' Hattie said.  Bear shook his head because he didn't know what it was. 'It is a bed rail Bear,' said Hattie.  'It is a board to prevent you falling out of bed.' 

Hattie started laughing.  'To prevent...!'  Bear said, and started laughing too.
Bear could barely speak  '....Falling out of bed!'   And they both roared with laughter.  

Bear laughed so hard he had to sit down as he was an old bear and his balance wasn't very good.  
He laughed and laughed but that was something Bear could do very well
as he was an old bear who was all in stitches.

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Bear:  made by Jeanet Dekker
Hattie:  made by Elles Leenders
Chair:  made by Kim Selwood