Dogger

Once there was a soft brown toy called Dogger. One of his ears pointed upwards and the other flopped over. He was quite old.

Dogger belonged to Dave. He was very fond of Dave and took him everywhere. Sometimes he gave him rides in a trolley.

Or Dave pulled him along like a real dog. When it was cold he wrapped him up in a bit of blanket.

Sometimes Mum said Dogger was dirty and showed Dave how to wash him.

Dave’s brother, Joe, liked hard toys.

Dave’s sister, Bella, took seven teddies to bed every night. But Dave liked only Dogger.

One day Dave and his mum went to collect Bella from school. Mum said there was going to be a summer fair. Dave pushed Dogger up against the railings to show him what was going on.

Just then Bella came out of school. They all had an ice-cream.

At tea time Dave was rather quiet. In the bath he was even quieter. At bed time he said,” I want Dogger!”

But Dogger was no where to be found.

Mum looked under the bed.

She looked behind the cupboard.

She searched in the kitchen…

… and underneath the stairs. Dave watched anxiously but she was too busy.

When Dad came home he looked for Dogger in the garden with a torch. But Dogger was quite lost.

Dave was very sad when he went to bed. He kept waking up and missing Dogger.

The next day it was the school fair.

Bella and her friend won a race. But Dave didn’t feel like racing. He was missing Dogger too much.

Then Bella won an enormous teddy, wearing a beautiful blue silk bow.

Dave went to look at the toy stall.

And there, at the very back of the stall, was Dogger.

Dave tried to explain to the lady but she was too busy.

Dave found Bella and told her all about Dogger. They ran back to the toy stall as fast as they could.

But something terrible had happened! Dogger had just been bought by a girl. Dave began to cry.

Dave cried and cried. The little girl began to cry too.

Then the girl spotted Bella’s enormous teddy. Then Bella said, “ Will you swop the teddy for Dogger?”

The girl said “yes” and gave Dogger to Dave. Dave hugged Dogger and he hugged Bella too.

That night Dave had Dogger in bed beside him and was very happy again.