Bathtime with Babette

I have written this children's story for Louis and Fleur who both like it and ask me now to read it each night, but I would really appreciate any comments and constructive criticism as I wish to send it to a few childrens publishers for them to read. This is the first time I have written anything but have always wanted to. Bruv and Fuchsy I also need an illustrator for each page, if either of you are interested. Its not vital but I have been told that it can obviously add dimension to a story if it is illustrated.

BATH TIME WITH BABETTE
Going to Mer-school.

WRITTEN BY SWAN KARASS
This book is dedicated to my two lovely children, Louis and Fleur
Copyright 2005

PAGE 1.

‘It’s bath time’ SAID MUM

“Yippee” said Fleur “I can go swimming with Babette,”

“OK Clothes off, in you get. You can play, but no splashing tonight please. I’ll be next door hanging up your school uniform.” SAID FLEUR’S MUM, AND SHE LEFT FLEUR TO PLAY WITH HER BATH TOYS.

PAGE 2.

“Fleur, ooohhh it’s lovely to see you.” SAID BABETTE,
BABETTE WAS FLEUR’S WHIZZY TOOTHBRUSH. MUM HAD BROUGHT IT IN THE CHEMIST NEXT TO THE DOCTORS WHEN THEY WERE WAITING FOR A PRESCRIPTION FOR FLEUR, WHO AT THAT TIME HAD A VERY SORE THROAT.

BABETTE WAS BEAUTIFUL - SHE HAD LONG, GOLDEN HAIR AND SHE WORE BLUE SEASHELL EARRINGS AND A BEAUTIFUL GREEN SHINY DRESS WITH A WHITE TUMMY BUTTON. THIS BUTTON MADE THE TOOTHBRUSH WHIZZ IN FLEUR’S MOUTH. AND TICKLE HER GUMS AND TEETH.

LOUIS, FLEUR’S BROTHER HAD A WHIZZY FOOTBALL TOOTHBRUSH CALLED HENRI WHICH ALWAYS TRIED TO KICK BABETTE. SO FLEUR CAREFULLY PICKED UP BABETTE FROM THE BACK OF THE SINK WITHOUT DISTURBING HIM.

THEN FLEUR GOT DOWN HER HAIRBRUSH FROM THE SHELF ABOVE THE SINK AND BEGAN TO BRUSH BABETTE’S LONG GOLDEN HAIR - BABETTE LOVED THIS AND BEGAN TO SING HER FAVOURITE SONG
Under the sea...that’s where we’ll be...just Fleur and me...under the sea...

PAGE 3.

“Babette can we go swimming?” WHISPERED FLEUR

FLEUR LAY DOWN, WITH HER TUMMY ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BATH AND MADE SWIMMING ACTIONS WITH HER ARMS. BEFORE SHE KNEW IT, SHE WAS SWIMMING NEXT TO BABETTE IN THE DEEP BLUE OCEAN. FLEUR PRESSED BABETTE’S TUMMY BUTTON AND BABETTE WHIZZED OFF LIKE A SPEEDBOAT WITH FLEUR HOLDING ONTO HER LONG LOVELY TAIL. THIS WAS THE PART FLEUR LIKED THE MOST.

FLEUR HAD BROUGHT HER PLASTIC TEACUP THAT SHE PLAYED WITH IN THE BATH, SO THEY STOPPED AND HAD SOME ALGAE TEA AT THE OLD TURTLE CAFE – WELL, THOUGHT FLEUR, THAT’S WHAT MUM WOULD DO!
PAGE 4

BABETTE AND FLEUR THEN JUMPED ON THE BACK OF ONE OF THE TURTLE TAXIS WAITING OUTSIDE THE CAFE WHICH TOOK THEM TO CONCH CAVE - WHERE ALL OF BABETTE’S FRIENDS LIVED. FLEUR MET ALEXIA, JULIETTE, CHLOE AND SAFIYA. THEY WERE ALL EATING MER-MUFFINS. THESE WERE REALLY HEALTHY MUFFINS MADE OF SEAWEED AND SAND - MUM WOULD BE HAPPY, FLEUR THOUGHT - SHE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO GET ME TO EAT GREEN-STUFF!

PAGE 5

“Fleur, today I am going to take you to my school - you will be the star attraction because you have 2 feet”, said Babette excitedly.

BABETTE’S SCHOOL WAS IN A GIANT, WHITE CLAMSHELL. THE EDGE OF THE SHELL WENT UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN. THE LARGE SHELL OPENED UP WHEN YOU PRESSED THE ROUND PEARL BUTTON ON THE FRONT.

ONCE INSIDE, THE SHELL GLISTENED AND SHIMMERED LIKE A THOUSAND DIAMONDS - IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING FLEUR HAD EVER SEEN.


PAGE 6

MER-CHILDREN SWAM AROUND THE SHELL THEY ALL SAID HELLO TO FLEUR AND HUGGED HER, FLEUR SUDDENLY DIDN’T WANT TWO FEET SHE WANTED 1 LONG BEAUTIFUL TAIL SO THAT SHE COULD SWIM AROUND TOO!

“Aahh you must be Fleur, I am Madame Océan, Babette’s teacher. Today I must teach you how to swim but, mmm, you have 2 feet. You’ll have to use a mertail”

Page 7.

“Madame Océan gave Fleur what looked like a mermaid’s tail crossed with a surfboard and helped her to push her 2 feet into it, in an instant she was whizzing around the large clam shell with all of the other mermaids.”wheeeeee!”

WHILST SWIMMING AROUND, FLEUR WAS THINKING THAT LOUIS, HER BROTHER, WOULD BE SO JEALOUS IF HE HAD SEEN HER MERTAIL BUT SHE DIDN’T CARE, SHE WAS OFF AGAIN WITH BABETTE, SKIMMING AROUND THE EDGE OF THE LARGE GLISTENING CLAM SHELL GOING UP AND DOWN, FASTER AND FASTER, UNTIL SHE WAS FEELING QUITE DIZZY....


PAGE 8

Fleur’s Mum had come back into the bathroom, “Fleur, its time to wash your hair, can you stop splashing around in the bath - oh look at all the water on the floor again!” Said Fleur's Mum looking annoyed.

“Ooohh, why do you always spoil my fun Mum, I was swimming round and round a beautiful, large, sparkling clam shell on my mertail...I went to Babette’s school tonight and I met her teacher, Madame Océan”

“Yes fleur, come on Babette back on the sink.”

MUM PUT BABETTE BACK NEXT TO HENRI AND ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED HIM OVER. HENRI STARTED KICKING HIS LEGS AND BABETTE ROLLED OVER TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY.

“If you don’t believe me Mum, then what’s this?”

PAGE 9

FLEUR OPENED HER HAND, AND THERE WAS A LARGE GLISTENING PEARL WITH A LITTLE SEAWEED WRAPPED AROUND IT.

“Mum, Babette says that this is very precious.”
“It is precious...” said fleur's Mum with a look of amazement.
FLEUR’S MUM LOOKED AT THE LARGE PEARL SITTING IN FLEUR’S HAND.

“Mum, today Madame Océan taught us about Queen Aphrodite, the Queen who was born in the Sea, she used to calm the stormy seas and she sailed in a large black shiny mussel shell.

Mum, Madame Océan had an amazing picture book, when she opened the book all the pictures came to life, you could even hear the sound of the waves and the sea.

When we got to the chapter about Queen Aphrodite it said that she shook pearls from her hair when she dried it – and this pearl fell out of the picture book into my lap.
Mum, why don’t I have pearls in my hair? Said Fleur longingly.

MUM WAS LOOKING WORRIED NOW IN CASE FLEUR HAD TAKEN THIS FROM SOMEONE AT SCHOOL OR FROM A SHOP ON THE WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL.

“Mum, tomorrow Babette is taking me to…”

P.10

“Tomorrow, you are going to real school Fleur, so let’s get you out of the bath and get you ready for bed. I’ll look after this pearl and I’ll show it to daddy when he gets home from work, then we'll decide what to do with it.

"But Mum its my pearl, Queen Aphrodite wanted me to have it." said fleur, about to cry.

“Have you brushed your teeth?

FLEUR LOOKED AT BABETTE, AND BABETTE WINKED BACK. FLEUR PUT SOME MINT TOOTHPASTE ONTO BABETTE'S BRISTLES AND THEN PRESSED BABETTE’S TUMMY BUTTON TO MAKE HER BRUSH WHIZZED AROUND.
“Ooohhh it really tickles Mum, hee hee hee, stop it Babette.”
BABETTE WAS SWITCHED OFF AND AS SHE SLOWED DOWN SHE WHISPERED “Sweet dreams Fleur, and don't worry about the pearl”

FLEUR PUT HER TO SLEEP FOR THE NIGHT ON HER LOVELY SOFT PINK FLANNEL ON THE EDGE OF THE BATH, THEN MUM TUCKED HER UP IN BED. FLEUR WAS STILL WORRIED ABOUT THE PEARL, THEN SHE REMEMBERED WHAT BABETTE HAD SAID. SHE COULD HEAR BABETTE SINGING SOFTLY IN THE BATHROOM, AS SHE DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP.

Under the sea...that’s where we’ll be...just Fleur and me...tomorrow you’ll see!

THE END