Alice and Alfie and the magic windmill Read online

  All rights reserved

  Text Copyright © 2009 by Loykey

  Illustrations © 2009 by Lillybit

  In accordance with Copyright Act 1988

  This edition first published 2009 by Loykey & Lillybit

  This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the author’s or publisher’s prior consent in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 978-0-9562333-1-8

  Bound by Bramble Bookbinders

  Printed by Sarum Colourview

  Alice and Alfie are two

  rag dolls who belong to a

  little girl called Nichole.

  One summer her family

  go on holiday to France

  to a beautiful windmill.

  On their return to

  England the rag dolls are

  accidentally left behind

  and magically come alive

  and this is where their

  journey begins..............

  CONTENTS

  Alice and Alfie

  The Magic Windmill

  Best Friends

  The Magic of the Windmill

  Go Camping

  The Day the Snow Came

  Christmas Comes but once a Year

  The Country Fair and Sports Day

  A Day on the River

  The Magic Box

  Go to the seaside

  The Magic Garden

  When you Wish upon a Star

  Holiday Time again

  The Wooden Prince’s Dream

  The Circus Comes to Town

  Fireworks in the Sky

  The Easter Egg Hunt

  A Day with the Kites

  A mess in the Kitchen

  The School Trip

  The Magic Carpet

  A Day at the Golf Club

  The Teddy Bear’s Picnic

  The Return of Nichole

  There was once a little girl called Nichole, she lived with her mummy and daddy in a little village in Sussex. This story begins when her mummy and daddy said to her at dinner that their holiday this year was going to be in France. She was so excited, she ran upstairs and lay on the bed with her best friends Alice and Alfie her rag dolls. Nichole told them they were going on holiday to France.

  Nichole went back downstairs and as she left the room Alice and Alfie, magically came alive but this only happened when Nichole and her mummy and daddy were not around. They jumped up and down and got very excited. Suddenly, they heard Nichole coming back up the stairs and they fell to the floor and became rag dolls once again.

  The holiday came round so quickly. The cases were packed, the car was loaded and the rag dolls were packed with their heads peeking out of Nichole’s rucksack in the back of the car. So off they went.

  Nichole and her family all went on a big ship on the sea. It was lovely. Soon they were in France where they drove through a big forest. At the end of the forest there was a clearing and there in front of them was the most beautiful windmill. Nichole’s mummy said to her, “This is where we are staying for our holiday.” The rag dolls Alice and Alfie could see the windmill and their faces lit up with joy for they knew that no one else could see them.

  Nichole jumped out of the car and ran up to the windmill. It looked so big, but to her it was magical with its big sails turning in the wind. She went inside with her mummy and daddy. The rooms downstairs, where there was a lounge and kitchen, were beautiful. Nichole went upstairs where she found two bedrooms and a bathroom. Nichole chose her bedroom and her mummy and daddy had the other room.

  Nichole went to the window and watched the sails of the windmill going round; it was lovely to see. She could also see the river and she watched the ducks with their ducklings on the water and could not wait to go down to see them. As she left the room Alice and Alfie came alive once again. They went to the window and could not believe their eyes. They saw the water and the ducks and they danced round and round saying what a jolly holiday this was going to be. Just at that moment the door handle turned. It was Nichole’s mummy, so Alice and Alfie dropped to the floor.

  Nichole’s mummy picked up the rag dolls and muttered to herself, “Nichole is so untidy leaving her toys everywhere.” She looked out of the open window and called to her, “I have made some lunch. It is time to come in.”

  As Nichole’s mummy left the room, Alice and Alfie jumped up and went back to the window. They spotted a ladder up the side of the window. Alice looked at Alfie and said, “Shall we?” and down they went.

  Alice and Alfie went straight to the ducks and ducklings. Nichole had left some bread on the side of the river so they carried on feeding the ducklings. The two rag dolls just sat there magically drawn to the windmill. Alice said to Alfie, “I would love to live here forever.”

  The week of the holiday was fantastic and the rag dolls were taken everywhere with Nichole. They went on walks through the woods where they saw the wood pigeons and owls and they were also taken fishing where Nichole’s daddy caught some fish with a rod and line. The week went by so quickly. Every night Nichole would put the rag dolls to bed in a little box in the corner of her bedroom and cover them over with a blanket before she went to sleep.

  The day arrived to go home and Nichole’s daddy was rushing around as the family were late getting up and they had to get back to the ship on time. Nichole was still asleep when her mummy came into the bedroom. Mummy said, “Go to the bathroom and wash and I will pack your things.” As Nichole washed, her mummy knocked on the door and said, “I will meet you downstairs.” Nichole had some breakfast and then daddy said, “We must leave now I have packed the car.” Nichole said goodbye to the windmill that had been so magical to her and said, “We will be back some day.” And they all climbed into the car and began the journey home.

  When they arrived home Nichole started to unpack her case. Suddenly she started crying and shouting and her mummy rushed upstairs to see what had happened. Mummy said, “What is wrong, Nichole?

  Nichole answered, “Alice and Alfie are not in my case, where are they?”

  Mummy asked her “When did you last have them?”

  “I put them to bed in the corner of the bedroom in the windmill.” Nichole replied.

  “I did not see them there, I am sorry.” Mummy said, “I do not know what to say. We will have to go shopping and buy you some more rag dolls.”

  But Nichole sobbed, “They are special to me; can we go back?”

  Mummy replied, “No I’m sorry, Nichole. We can’t.”

  Nichole cried all night and in the early hours she saw the moon was shining down onto the house. Nichole looked out of the window and the moon said to her, “Don’t worry, Nichole. Alice and Alfie will be alright. I’ll keep watch over them.” Nichole thanked the moon and went off to sleep and dreamt about her rag dolls at the magic windmill.

  Meanwhile.........

  back at the windmill Alice and Alfie suddenly

  came alive and this is where their journey began.....

  “Oh, Alfie, it would be lovely to stay here forever.”

  Alice and Alfie came alive as they heard the car going up the road away from the windmill. They ran to the window and saw Nichole and her mummy and daddy disappear into the distance. At that moment their little hearts sank and they could not imagine what life was going to be like not having Nichole with them.

  Alice said to Alfie, “They h
ave left us and we are all alone,”

  Alfie said, “Don’t worry. We will be alright,” and just at that moment they heard the front door open. They looked down the staircase and saw a little old man with a white short beard and a small black cotton hat. They quickly ran back to the bedroom and sat very still on the windowsill. The old man, whose name was Jacques, came into the bedroom and put his suitcase on the bed. He was the owner of the windmill and he had rented it out to Nichole’s mummy and daddy.

  Jacques saw the rag dolls on the windowsill. He picked them up and said to himself, “What lovely toys.” He realised that Nichole and her mummy and daddy had left them behind. He put them back on the windowsill and went downstairs to get some dinner.

  As Jacques walked downstairs, Alice and Alfie came alive. They looked out of the window and spotted some kittens running around by the water. Jacques had bought them back with him to try and keep the mice away. All of a sudden two little mice came running into the bedroom. They saw Alice and Alfie and started shouting, “Please help us.”

  Alice said, “Quick, jump into our pockets.” Alice lay down and Alfie lay in front of her and they told the mice to keep very still. The kittens ran into the bedroom but could not find the mice, so they scurried downstairs and sat in front of the large log fire that Jacques had lit. He sat there and ate his dinner and the kittens had their milk.

  Alice took the mice out of her pocket and said to Alfie, “We will have to hide them somewhere.” They decided the best place was in the box that Nichole used to put them in at night. The mice thanked them for what they had done and then they said that when Jacques went out they would show Alice and Alfie the windmill and the woods.

  That night after everyone had gone to bed, the two rag dolls sat at the window when all of a sudden the moon floated down. To their amazement the moon spoke to them, saying, “Nichole sends her love to you both and says she will be back for you one day.”

  The next morning when Alice and Alfie awoke they heard the kittens playing in the garden and saw Jacques go off to town to do some shopping.

  Alice said, “Lets go down and play. I should like to take the mice with us.” The mice sat up and said, “What!…what!… They will eat us!”

  Alice replied, “No they won’t. We will all be friends,” and so they all climbed down the ladder at the side of the window and went off to join the kittens.

  The rag dolls sat and played with the kittens and Alice said, “I have brought some new friends for you to play with,” and the kittens said, “Where?…where?… Do show us.”

  Alice took the mice out of her pocket and the mice said, “Don’t eat us, please don’t eat us.” The kittens laughed and replied, “We only chase mice because we want to play with them,” and so they all became good friends.

  Alice said to Alfie, “I can’t believe it we have made some friends already.” That night when they went to bed the moon shone down and said to them, “Nichole sends her love and hopes you have lots of fun on your adventures.” The moon then drifted away and they both fell fast asleep.

  The next morning Jacques the windmill keeper got up really early and fed the ducks and kittens and then had his breakfast. After he had eaten he went round the side of the windmill where there was a big barn.

  Suddenly there was a loud grinding sound that woke Alice and Alfie. The rag dolls looked out of the window and to their amazement the four big sails of the windmill came rushing past. They could not believe what they were seeing. Alice said to Alfie, “It must be a magic windmill.” They sat on the windowsill and watched the sails going round and round in the wind.

  Alice and Alfie wanted to have a closer look and crept downstairs. At the end of the kitchen they saw a door which was half open. They peeked through the door and they could see the windmill machinery going round and round. The rag dolls saw Jacques in the corner putting corn grain onto a big stone and then another larger stone came down on top grinding away.

  Alice and Alfie realised the windmill sails were making the stones go round to grind the grain which produced the flour.

  Alice said to Alfie, “I wonder what that powder is for.” They watched Jacques put the powder into bags, around which he tied a piece of string to stop it spilling out. He put the sacks into the back of his van. Alice said, “Let’s see where he goes.” Just before Jacques drove off they ran and jumped into the back of the van. At the back of the sacks they spotted a large old bucket and they quickly jumped in.

  Jacques drove through the woods and up and down the hills until he reached a little village where he stopped. It was right outside a small shop with a sign outside saying BAKERY. Alice and Alfie jumped out ofthe van and ran up the side of the shop and peered in through a doorway.

  Inside the doorway they stared with amazement. The baker said to Jacques, “Thank you for the flour. Would you like to watch me make the bread?” Alice and Alfie watched the baker make the bread and put it into the oven. It smelt absolutely lovely. Jacques said, “I must be off now, I have to get back to the windmill to make some more flour.” The rag dolls ran to the van and quickly jumped back into the bucket. The baker came out with Jacques and said, “Thank you, Jacques, for the lovely flour.” The baker also gave him two loaves of bread and some cakes.

  When they got back the sails on the windmill had stopped. Alice said to Alfie, “It is a magic windmill and it will do it all again tomorrow.”

  That night they lay on the windowsill and went to sleep. All of a sudden there was a tap on the window.

  It was the moon and he said goodnight to the rag dolls and told them Nichole sent her love. Then the Moon puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew and the sails on the windmill went round and round as the two rag dolls drifted off to sleep.

  ‘Alfie, I would like to bake some cakes”

  Jacques the windmill keeper was down in the kitchen making his breakfast. Alice and Alfie heard him talking on the phone saying he was going to his brother’s for the weekend. Alice said, “We will be on our own for two or three days. What shall we do?”

  Alfie replied, “Down in the barn I saw a small tent hanging up. We could go camping.”

  Alice said, “Oh, can we? Please, please, please let us go.” So they waited until Jacques’ van had left, then they went down to the barn and there it was, a small tent hanging up. They took it down and carefully put it into a small bag that they found on the floor.

  Alfie went back into the windmill and put some water and food into a bag and their journey began.

  They walked along the side of the river and the butterflies flew with them and kept them amused for ages. They came to an old bridge where they sat and watched the fish swimming in the water. They carried on down the riverbank and they saw a beautiful waterfall that had a little sandy beach at the end.

  Alfie said, “I’m going for a paddle in the water.”

  Alice followed.

  The rag dolls splashed each other with water and got soaking wet and really enjoyed themselves. Afterwards they sat on the grass and dried themselves off. Alice said, “Look at the sun going down over the hill. Can we pitch the tent here tonight, Alfie? It is so lovely.”

  “OK Alice. Let us do that,” answered Alfie.

  The two rag dolls had fun and games putting up the tent. It was upside down, inside out. They just could not get it right. They just sat there looking at the tangled tent then Mr. Frank the Owl flew down and said, “I see you are having problems. I have seen all this before,” and then he showed them how to put up the tent. They were so grateful, they said, “Would you like some food and water?”

  Mr. Frank replied, “Thank you.” They sat and ate the food and afterwards he flew off into the woods singing ta-wit-ta-woo. The owl returned with some lovely red plums to thank them for the food.

  At that moment a tiny little deer came out of the woods. They only had water left but he was very grateful and he said, “I will stay with you all night along with the owl and keep you both safe.” And with that they all went off
to sleep.

  The next morning Alice and Alfie woke up to find the owl and the deer had gone. They packed up their tent and went on their way following the river. In the distance they saw a castle. It was beautiful and when they were close they could see that the river went all the way round. They also saw that there was no bridge to cross the water.

  Alice said to Alfie, “I would love to go and see the castle,”

  Alfie replied, “There is no way of getting to the other side, not even a boat.”

  Just then from the top of the castle a swan flew down and landed next to them. “Do you wish to see the castle?” he said.

  “Oh, yes please,” said Alice.

  “Jump on my back then and I will fly you to the castle.” With that they went up, up and away.

  The swan flew gracefully over the castle walls and landed in the courtyard of the castle. He said to them, “It is a magical castle. Just have fun and I will return later to take you back across the water.” Alice and Alfie thanked him and set off to explore.