LITTLE MOLE. and Christmas. Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová. Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová Little Mole and Christmas

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ISBN 978-80-00-02511-7 Little Mole has a great Christmas surprise for

1 ISBN Little Mole has a great Christmas surprise for his friends from the forest edge. Do you wonder what it is? So open up this winter book right away! Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová Little Mole and Christmas Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová LITTLE MOLE and Christmas

3 Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová LITTLE MOLE and Christmas ALBATROS

The year before last as soon as the snow had fallen and covered the countryside, as always at the forest edge, everyone was getting nice and snug for their winter slumber.

4 The year before last as soon as the snow had fallen and covered the countryside, as always at the forest edge, everyone was getting nice and snug for their winter slumber. Then they slept and slept and slept All except Little Mole, but he did not mind. Hana Doskočilová, 1998 Illustrations Zdeněk Miler, 1998 Concept J. A. Novotný, 1998 Translation Mike and Tereza Baugh, with the assistance of Terry Baugh, ISBN

And Little Mouse was softly squeaking and whistling in her dreams So now Little Mole could begin to get things ready for Christmas.

5 He quickly ran around to peek into every hole, den, and nest to see if everyone really was asleep. It was all right, they were. The sound of snoring echoed throughout the forest edge. And Little Mouse was softly squeaking and whistling in her dreams So now Little Mole could begin to get things ready for Christmas. Quite the opposite. He was worried that they would wake up too soon. He wanted to give them an honest-to-goodness Christmas, especially for his old friend Little Mouse. And do you know the best thing about Christmas? Exactly The surprise! 6

But even in a sleeping forest nothing can be kept completely secret.

flew out to take a look. Oh well! Perhaps they will not let the others know Worse was that Mean Mrs.

Just yesterday when the rangers were making a clearing, a little fir tree fell out of their truck.

6 But even in a sleeping forest nothing can be kept completely secret. Bunny peeked out from behind a pile of snow, out of the tree popped Squirrel, and curious little Sparrow flew out to take a look. Oh well! Perhaps they will not let the others know Worse was that Mean Mrs. Raven was secretly watching from a distance. Little Mole had a Christmas tree already. Just yesterday when the rangers were making a clearing, a little fir tree fell out of their truck. And up it goes! And decorate it deliciously. A couple of carrots, a few onions, apples, pears, and other treats, and to make it pretty at least a mile-long chain of straw 8

It was not just any carol but something Little Mole

And now he was singing it over and over again Even at

ribbon. If only he had a basket full of presents.

Can t you hear All the joy and cheer Let s all be

7 It was not just any carol but something Little Mole thought up all by himself. And now he was singing it over and over again Even at home when he was tying up Little Mouse s present with ribbon. If only he had a basket full of presents. That way everybody could get one. Can t you hear All the joy and cheer Let s all be friends It s time to make amends Because Christmas is here! Little Mole sang to himself cheerfully when he was done. 11

8 12 Mean Mrs. Raven thought of the Christmas surprise quite differently: Kaaa! I ll stuff my beak, I ll eat it aaaaaall! Kaaa! Let those little guys go hungry, kaaa! She snatched Little Mole s beautiful Christmas tree and whoosh! She vanished behind the hill.

Little Mole did not know, but he soon found out.

She had eaten everything to be eaten, and now was pecking the Christmas tree,

Little Mole runs, ringing the bell on the way, to let everyone know that at the

9 Little Mole did not know, but he soon found out. Behind the hill he caught the raven red-handed or rather, red-winged. She had eaten everything to be eaten, and now was pecking the Christmas tree, breaking it into splinters. You cackler, you ll pay for this! Little Mole runs, ringing the bell on the way, to let everyone know that at the forest edge Christmas is just beginning. Oh no! Where did the tree go? All that remained of it was a hole in the stand. Who could have done this? 14 15

out. He rolled a hard snowball and crash! Let that Raven have it.

10 He hit her right in the beak. I don t want to see you here ever again, you thieving thief, he said over his shoulder. And he left. When a nice guy like Little Mole actually gets angry, you better watch out. He rolled a hard snowball and crash! Let that Raven have it. Now he had other things on his mind. He had to do whatever it would take to save Christmas. So that Little Mouse and his other friends would be happy

Should he cut down another little tree himself? Not at all.

In his room underground he searched for an old ice skate it could come in handy now and he

Just so you know, back then Little Mole did not have a sled.

11 Should he cut down another little tree himself? Not at all. It did not even occur to Little Mole. He had a much better idea. In his room underground he searched for an old ice skate it could come in handy now and he skated down the hill to the town like he was on a sled. Just so you know, back then Little Mole did not have a sled. He was not even friends with any snowman. And this one that Little Mole skated right through, was huge and looked like an angry janitor with a broom. Little Mole would not have wanted to be friends with him 19

Down in the town Little Mole had good friends at the toyshop. He often brought the saleswoman hazelnuts for Christmas cookies. So he could choose what he wanted in the store.

12 Down in the town Little Mole had good friends at the toyshop. He often brought the saleswoman hazelnuts for Christmas cookies. So he could choose what he wanted in the store. Excuse me, do you have a Christmas tree that can t be eaten? Of course, Little Mole, we have everything, laughed the saleswoman. And right away she offered him the best one

this before. And so his trip back seemed quite short.

13 Little Mole liked this. His forest friends had certainly never seen anything like this before. And so his trip back seemed quite short. Even though it was mostly uphill and the old skate was not much help. In the end he had to drag both the box and the skate Don t you have a bigger tree? This one must be too small if it fits in a box, replied Little Mole. It isn t too small, it s folded! All you have to do is push a button and the tree pops out, said the saleswoman

And so Little Mole quickly showed her the latest model Christmas tree right there.

But the second try worked better. Hello, Little Mouse, wake up!

Little Mole called in front of the mouse-hole and rang and rang his little bell.

14 And so Little Mole quickly showed her the latest model Christmas tree right there. He pressed the button Click! Except on the first try nothing happened. But the second try worked better. Hello, Little Mouse, wake up! We are going to celebrate Christmas! Little Mole called in front of the mouse-hole and rang and rang his little bell. Little Mouse peeked out, yawned, and sleepily said: What s going on? It will be spectacular, you ll see. I got a Christmas tree, the latest model. It folds out! But Little Mouse looked like she would rather be sleeping

But Little Mouse was still half-asleep. How could she guard the Christmas tree?

As soon as the raven grabbed it with her beak, it immediately collapsed and hid

15 Watch the tree, I ll be right back! Little Mole told Little Mouse and rushed home for the present. But Little Mouse was still half-asleep. How could she guard the Christmas tree? Luckily the tree was clever and looked after itself. As soon as the raven grabbed it with her beak, it immediately collapsed and hid itself in the box. Bam! As it was closing it smacked the raven s beak. All at once the world spun round and around, she fell and fell into the snow with the box. 27

there on time. He will take the knocked out raven far, far away.

He dumped her and the old skate into a deep pile of snow.

16 From far off Little Mole saw it all. So instead of the present he brought the old skate from his home and made it there on time. He will take the knocked out raven far, far away. So she cannot ruin Christmas for a third time. He dumped her and the old skate into a deep pile of snow. The skate would stay there and he did not worry about the raven. Those ravenous ravens can always get out of a pickle. But now he had to rush back to Little Mouse before she fell asleep. 29

Little Mouse however could not even think about sleeping anymore.

As it was slowly getting darker and darker the tree shone

17 Little Mouse however could not even think about sleeping anymore. She pushed the button on the box click! and the tree popped up. As it was slowly getting darker and darker the tree shone brilliantly When they had seen it all, Little Mole said, Little Mouse, I have a surprise for you. I have a surprise for you too, replied Little Mouse. And so finally they could start giving gifts. 31

Little Mouse was happy that she could play a trumpet

Such as: Which is better: Giving gifts or getting gifts?

18 Little Mouse was happy that she could play a trumpet instead of having to whistle. Little Mole had always wished for a harmonica. And if they play together, you can only hear pretty carols. Such as: Which is better: Giving gifts or getting gifts? Both are equally nice. Especially when you are like Little Mole and Little Mouse: two peas in a pod

up. Quietly, on tip-toes they gathered around the tree from all

19 On the first day of Christmas And on this day of Christmas all the sleeping animals at the forest edge miraculously were woken up. Quietly, on tip-toes they gathered around the tree from all sides, and they were all smiling then Even the grumpy snowman

20 Zdeněk Miler Hana Doskočilová LITTLE MOLLE and Christmas Illustrated by Zdeněk Miler Written by Hana Doskočilová Concept by J. A. Novotný Translated from the Czech by Mike and Tereza Baugh, with the assistance of Terry Baugh Graphic Design by Soňa Šedivá Editor Petr Onufer Art Editor Alexandra Horová Production Lubomír Kuba Published in Prague in 2009 by Albatros Albatros is an imprint of Albatros Media a. s., Na Pankráci 30, Praha 4, Czech Republic Printed and bound in Tiskárny Havlíčkův Brod, a. s., Husova 1881, HB

She wears a special shirt with (counts as she puts it on) one, two.. seven buttons

Imaginative Spaces Storytelling toolkit The Stories of Polly the Post and Little Owl Little Owl and Jada the Jellyfish Hello would you like to meet Polly, she s a post lady? She wears a special shirt with