Esther Chilton

Instead of a dash of flash this week, I’ve written a story for young children, inspired by some cows I saw wandering across the common near where I live…

The 59^th Nanny

Lilly was a lovely cow. In fact, she was the loveliest cow there ever was. But, poor Lilly was a little different to other cows.

She had a VERY, VERY big tongue which slithered and slobbered and slurped about.

She had VERY, VERY large ears that flipped and flapped and flopped this way and that.

She also had a VERY, VERY long tail that swished and swirled and swatted everything in its path.

Alas, all the other cows ignored poor Lilly. They thought her VERY, VERY big tongue was just horrible. They didn’t much like her VERY, VERY big ears either. And they couldn’t even bring themselves to talk about her VERY, VERY long tail.

So one particular day, Lilly decided to go far, far away.

Now, far, far away lived a princess called Daisy. And on this particular day, Princess Daisy was screaming VERY, VERY loudly.  Not that that was very unusual in itself. Princess Daisy was always screaming or stomping or shouting VERY, VERY loudly.

And if she wasn’t doing that, she was being VERY, VERY naughty.

“What are we going to do with her?” Queen Priscilla despaired, after Daisy smeared slime from the royal pond all over her VERY, VERY expensive jewels.

“I don’t know what to do!” cried King Rupert, when Princess Daisy stored up all her bogeys for a month and spread them over the royal throne.

All of the previous 58 nannies had left the palace – shrieking, wailing and running down the long and winding royal road.

No one wanted to look after Princess Daisy. She didn’t mean to be naughty. But she didn’t have any brothers or sisters to play with. And the King and Queen were always far too busy doing VERY, VERY royal and posh things to play with her. 

And now, bored and fed up, Princess Daisy had wandered off and was lost.

“I don’t want to be lost!” Princess Daisy screamed VERY, VERY loudly for about the 20th time.

Then Princess Daisy saw something in the distance. And for the first time in her life, Princess Daisy was VERY, VERY frightened.

For Princess Daisy could see a cow coming towards her – a VERY, VERY, ferocious cow, with a VERY, VERY big tongue, VERY, VERY large ears, and a VERY,

VERY long tail, not at all like the fluffy, wuffy cows in her book.

“Go away, cow!” Princess Daisy screamed VERY, VERY loudly.

“But I don’t want to go away,” the cow said staring at Princess Daisy.

Princess Daisy gulped. Perhaps she should add that VERY, VERY nasty word, which began with a ‘p’ – the one she didn’t like saying very much.

“P-p-please don’t eat me,” Princess Daisy said VERY, VERY quietly for a change, imagining that VERY, VERY big tongue sliding towards her and licking her like a lolly until there was nothing left.  

“But I don’t want to eat you,” the cow said.

Princess Daisy chewed her lip. Perhaps if she weren’t quite so naughty, she wouldn’t be stuck here with a VERY, VERY fearsome cow.

“Please don’t fling me away with your ears,” Princess Daisy said VERY, VERY softly, already picturing the VERY, VERY large ears flicking her up in the air and flinging her miles away, never to be seen again.

“But I don’t want to fling you away,” said the cow.

Princess Daisy shook. Perhaps if she thought about other people a little bit more, she wouldn’t be here with a VERY, VERY terrifying cow.

“Please don’t trap me with your tail,” Princess Daisy said VERY, VERY gently, imagining the VERY, VERY long tail wrapping itself round and round her. 

“But I don’t want to trap you,” the cow said.

Princess Daisy sighed. “Well, what do you want to do, then?” she asked.

“I’d like to make a friend, actually,” the cow said starting to cry. “I haven’t got any friends.”

“Neither have I,” Princess Daisy said starting to cry, too.

The cow passed her a tissue.

“And I’d like a job, as well. I don’t quite fit in with all the other cows,” the cow sobbed.

“Well, I think you’re a lovely cow and a lovely friend,” Princess Daisy said reaching out her hand, “and there’s a job going at the palace – as the 59^th Royal Nanny. Your first duty is to take me home. I’m lost.”

“I know where the palace is. I passed it on the way here. My name’s Lilly by the way,” the cow said. “Why the 59^th nanny?”

“The others weren’t up to the job,” Princess Daisy said clambering onto Lilly’s back. “But I think you are and I promise not to be naughty – well, perhaps just a little bit.”

And that’s how Lilly the cow came to be the 59^th nanny.

***

Image credit: http://www.clker.com