The children in Ms. Lynn Zorn's class from Massey
School,
Once there was an interesting beaver named Chuck with a mind of his own. He was very adventuresome and curious. There was something different about Chuck… he was red and white. Many years ago, these were the original colors of the Canadian beaver. Chuck spent his lazy days in a small, northern town called Lodgeville near Dawson. He wasn’t fond of Lodgeville but continued to live there because of the fun and challenging archery range.
Chuck was a skilled marksman in the field of archery. Everyday Chuck practiced extremely hard for an upcoming competition. Little did Chuck know, this day was going to be very unusual for him. As he was practicing shooting at his favorite target, off in the distance a loud, rumbling sound was approaching closer by the second. As Chuck turned his fuzzy head to see what the commotion was about, he noticed a black, dust cloud rapidly approaching. It only took him a second to realize that a wild, moose stampede was heading directly towards him. In a frenzied panic, he leaped on top of the nearest target, and just in time! Hundreds and thousands of snorting, ugly, rabid moose were charging all around him. The target was jolting dangerously like a mechanical bull. The moose were so close to Chuck that he could feel and smell their hot, stinky, putrid breath. Every once in a while, a tangled antler would brush against him and almost knock him off the target. Chuck was so terrified that he tightly squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that it would be over soon.
The sound of splitting wood was heard, and before Chuck knew it, he was amongst the rubble on the ground with his feet stuck directly up in the air. As the dust settled, Chuck began searching frantically for his favorite bow and arrow. He noticed something reflecting brightly in the sun light a few feet away. Cautiously, he hobbled over to the area only to find bits and pieces of his bow amongst the hoof prints and debris. Chuck stared in disbelief as tears pooled up in his eyes. As he began to pick up fragments of his bow, he realized that his arrow was still missing.
Overhead, a sleek woodpecker swooped smoothly down and perched on Chuck’s arrow which was stuck in a tree only a few metres away. He didn’t notice until the woodpecker started furiously pecking away at the tree. The bird made so much noise that Chuck looked up from his sulking position. His eyes lit up with joy and he waddled towards the arrow. Chuck reached up to grab the arrow from the humungous, maple tree, but it wouldn’t budge! He then grabbed the arrow with two hands and braced his feet against the trunk of the tree. Chuck pulled so hard that he toppled backwards and performed a couple of somersaults. The arrow remained firmly embedded in the tree. Chuck realized that this situation was going to call for desperate measures. He climbed back up the tree and began to gnaw around the arrow. After a while, a sticky substance began to ooze from the tree. Chuck was oblivious to the situation and before he knew it…
The children in Ms. Andrena Teed's class from The
Berlin Brandenburg International School in Berlin, Germany wrote:
…the woodpecker had chipped out around the arrow. When Chuck pulled on it, the force of his pull, like an elastic, flung him over the ocean to Germany, where they landed in the chariot of the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
“Oooh!“ Chuck looked around.
The Quadriga came to life. The horses neighed, but Chuck ignored it. Then he heard a booming voice say “I’ll join you.” When he looked around, he saw the Berlin Bear holding the world above its head. The bear is Berlin’s mascot. It had just popped into the Quadriga chariot from the colourful circle of international bears in Pariser Platz.
“I am the Berlin Bear. Call me Bärry. I’ll take you on a magic whirlwind trip through Europe. You name a country or region, and we shall go there.”
Chuck called out: “Germany, France, and Spain.”
“Phew, that’s a few places. We need some guides, so I shall call up the bears from those countries.” So he did. Three more brightly decorated Berlin bears joined Chuck and Bärry in the Quadriga chariot. “Let’s go!”
They flew into the air. Down below they saw a magical castle, a romantic picture of a medieval world.
They looked around. “I wonder where we are, exactly?” asked Bärry
Suddenly a voice from behind them said, “Welcome. This is Neuschwanstein. It is a fairy castle built by King Ludwig II. I am Prince Charming. I am looking for Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty. Can you help me please?
“Well, I can help.” offered Chuck.
“How?” asked Prince Charming.
“ I am a beaver. I can gnaw through these thorn branches.” Chuck proudly answered. So, he gnawed and he gnawed and he gnawed some more. Finally, he had created a path to the palace.
Prince Charming dashed along the path. He found Sleeping Beauty in the highest tower. He kissed her gently, softly, emotionally on her red lips.. She awakened. She opened her eyes and smiled at her wonderful prince. And then they kissed again.
“Euuuuuu-u-u-u-u-u-u!” and with that, Chuck turned his face away in disgust. “Bla-a-a-agh.” He turned to the Quadriga. “Let’s get out of here!”
The three fairy Godmothers had arrived while Prince Charming was kissing Sleeping Beauty. They heard Chuck. So, they waved their magic wands and zapped the Quadriga and its passengers to France.
“Where’s the German Berlin Bear?” asked Bärry. “We’re not complete.”
“I guess he stayed where he belonged, in Germany.” answered the Quadriga.
They looked around. “I wonder where we are, exactly?” asked Bärry
Suddenly a voice from behind them said “I live in an old house in Paris, all covered with vines, with twelve little girls in two straight lines. I’m the youngest, Madeline. Welcome to Paris. I could give you a tour, if you like.”
“Oh, yes please. That would be wonderful!” exclaimed the Quadriga. “I don’t know this place very well.”
“First stop will be the Eiffel Tower.”
“What an exciting place this is!” cried out Chuck.
When they arrived at the Eiffel Tower, Bärry asked “Who’s that man in the funny costume? He has a top hat, and a full beard. He doesn’t look as if he is from our time period.”
“Oh, wow, look. It’s Georges Bizet, the famous opera composer. He composed the exciting, tragic, dramatic opera Carmen.” Madeline answered in an excited voice.
“Let’s go talk to him. I’d love to meet him. I’ve seen Carmen in the Staatsoper in Berlin.” said Bärry.
They walked to Georges Bizet, and they discussed Carmen.
“You know, one of my childhood dreams is to see Seville, the setting for Carmen.” said Bärry.
“Anything is possible!” replies the Quadriga. And with that, they flew off.
“Where’s the French Berlin Bear?” asked Bärry. “We’re not complete.”
“I guess he stayed where he belonged, in France.” answered the Quadriga.
They looked around. “I wonder where we are, exactly?” asked Bärry
Suddenly a voice from behind them said “You’re in Seville. Don José is here somewhere. He is looking for Carmen. Could you help us find her?” Frasquita and Mercedes said in unison.
“Well, we could help.” said Chuck.
“Carmen! I am so-o-o-o excited to meet Carmen!” exclaimed Bärry.
“Look at that pretty Gypsy.” said Chuck.
“That’s Carmen!. Oh gosh!! Oh gosh!!! Oh Gosh!!!! Don José is with her. I can’t look!! He has a knife in his hand!!!” said Bärry.
“Carmen!! Be careful!!!” screamed Frasquita and Mercedes.
And with that ……
The children in Ms. Kerry Millar's class from The
Cashmere Primary School in Christchurch, New Zealand wrote:
And with that Chuck glanced at his watch only to find that he had 10 minutes before his flight left for New Zealand. Quickly he scurried out of the building and caught the nearest taxi to the airport.
He boarded his plane just in time and set off over the sea.
He settled down into his seat and looked to the left, to see a strange
looking bird. It had an enormously long beak and brown fluffy feathers.
“Kia Ora,” it said, “My name’s Kev the Kiwi and I’m from New
Zealand/Aotearoa, I’m on my way home from a European holiday. What’s
you’re name?”
“My name’s Chuck,” he answered, “I’m from Canada.”
And so they kept on talking until the end of the long flight.
They arrived in New Zealand to beautiful sunny weather and Kev invited
Chuck to his 5 star kiwi hole. So they set off into the dense, overgrown bush.
As they walked on it seemed to get darker and darker.
They heard a rumbling in the distance it soon became a deafening roar
and 50 or more black shadows charged towards them.
“Ahhhh,” scream Chuck and Kev in unison.
As the shadows drew closer Kev and Chuck could make out ugly faces and
crude wrought iron amour of the Uruk-kai.
“Help,” yelled Chuck, “there’s Saruman’s Orcs from Lord of the
Rings.”
The lead runners were just a few metres away when a loud voice shouted
“CUT!”
Suddenly the forest was filled with bright light and two men appeared.
One was rather rotund with a dark brown beard and glasses. The other one was
tall and grey haired.
“Ohh it’s Peter Jackson,” gasped Chuck.
“What are you two doing on my set?”
“Ahh, um,” they both stammered.
“Don’t worry, I’ll edit you out.
Look I’m to busy to use these, you can have them,” and Peter held out
two tickets to the rugby. Kev and Chuck happily took them and set of to Jade
Stadium to watch the game.
When they arrived they entered the stadium through the nearest door.
They carried on walking and before they knew it they were standing on grass.
Ahead of them was a circular, yellow, plastic thing.
“Front row seats,” exclaimed Kev. They rushed over to the plastic
circle and sat down to watch the game. All of a sudden, a sharp boot kicked
them, with such force they were…
The children in Ms. Barbara Marciniak's class from
Primary School #6 (Szkola
Podstawowa nr 6 w Trzebini) in Trzebini, Poland wrote:
flying up to the air.... As both of them were not able to fly they were paralyzed with fear.
“Are we going to die?” asked Chuck sadly.
” I am not sure…Maybe…But I do not care. It is the first time I can fly!!!!” Kev exclaimed with joy.
But Chuck was really afraid “ I do not want to die” he cried.” There are lots of places I would like to see…”
The scream filled the bright blue sky. And suddenly just from the middle of the white cloud the big bird came out. It was a beautiful black and white bird with the small sack in its long red beak.
“Dzień dobry” he greeted the flying objects in Polish.
“ Oh, I am sorry, I mean GOOD AFTERNOON “ he corrected himself.” I always get confused when using a foreign language…who are you?”
“ Can you help us first? We cannot fly!!!!!!!!!!!” shouted Chuck and Kev in unison.
“ Of course” and the Stork and flew closer so that the travelers could land on his soft feathers.
“ So my little friends, my name is Stork and who are you? And why are you flying if you say you cannot fly? “
Kev explained their problem to Stork who was smart enough to understand this complicated story.
“ And what about you “ Kev asked finally “ I have never seen the bird like you before .You do not belong to our country do you?”
“ Oh no. I was on my annual trip from Egypt to my home in Poland with thousands of my relatives when a strong wind blew me down to the southern hemisphere.” Stork then told them his long story about his journey, and about his home country.
“ So now you can understand why I must come back to my lovely Poland.” finished Stork.
“Yes, it seems to be a wonderful place this Poland…can we visit it with you? Your back is so comfortable…”
Both Chuck and Kev were ready to spend next days among warm soft feathers. Stork agreed to take the newfound friends with him to the middle of Europe.
They traveled high in the sky over the oceans, mountains and lands. The stork slowly only had to flap his wings a few times. The strong air streams did the rest and took him straight to Cracow. They landed on the top of Wawel Hill where the Vistula River surrounded the old castle.
“ I need something to eat and drink’ said Stork.
“ My stomach is also empty,” whispered Chuck.
“And mine too” agreed Kev ” but I can not see any restaurants here…” He was so hungry that he burst into tears.
“ Don’t worry. I have a friend of mine who lives under the castle” said Stork and pointed to the ground.
“ What?????????” Kev and Chuck opened their eyes wide.
“ Yes, it is the Wawel Dragon who lives in the cave under the Wawel Castle. He looks dangerous but in fact he is a very friendly guy…”
They went down and stopped in front of the cave door. Stork put the sack on the ground and opened it carefully. There was a little piece of stone there.
“ Have you been caring this stone for such a long distance? Are you crazy??????” Kev was really shocked.
“It is not a simple stone. I had promised to bring a piece of the Sphinx. When I saw this piece fell down by its own I took it for Wawel Dragon as a keepsake. And here it is.”
“ Oh, I see” nodded Kev. Stork knocked into Dragon’s door twice. Chuck moved back and hid behind Kev. The door opened….
A big green lizard like creature appeared in front of the newcomers.
“ Cześć!” said Dragon
“ It means Hello” translated Stork.” Cześć my dear friend. We have foreign guests today”
“Welcome to my castle” Dragon invited everyone in.
And as the Polish tradition dictates he let his guests
enjoy themselves. He opened the fridge and took out everything he had in it. The
table was full of food. They sat eating and talking for a long time. The Dragon
told them about Polish history, about famous Polish people, the customs and
colorful traditions. It was late at night when they finally went to bed.
The next day The Dragon showed Chuck and Kev the old city of Cracow, the near mountains and took them even to the seaside. And everywhere they were met by friendly Polish people.
After many weeks Chuck missed his country and the archery in his neighborhood. Kev began to miss his 5 star kiwi hole as well…
Stork and Wawel Dragon understood their guests very well, so they decided to prepare the goodbye party in a special way. They wrote the invitation cards for the Quadriga, Bärry, Prince Charming and the Sleeping Beauty, Madeline, Frasquita, and Mercedes they had known from Kev and Chuck’s stories. All of them were invited for the 1st of May 2004 to Warsaw, the capital of Poland to celebrate Poland joining the European Union.
There was going to be a great fest there.
All of them became very good friends for the rest of
their lives.