Blackhall, Sheena
Lang, langsyne, the adder wis a wee roon craitur the shape o a scone, bonnie an glittery as a brooch. An ae day, fin he wis sunnin hissel on tap o a rock, twa beasts cam oot the wids an winted tae takk him hame an keep him as a treasure.
The first tae spy him wis a sherp-cleuked futterat, that dances like a dervish, roon an roon, roon an roon, fin he hears the blackie cheepin.
The secunt wis a wee reid ant, fa merches like a sodjer, up an doon, up an doon fin he hears the blackie cheepin.
(optional. percussion music/recorder, for children to move to in role of ant/futterat)
'I saw the adder first.' said the futterat.
'Na, it wis me,' said the ant.
Sae they baith took an eyn o the adder, an started tae rug, back an fore, back an fore.
(This could be too boisterous with some classes. Children can interlace their fingers and simply rock their arms back and fore)
Fin it looked like the ant wis lossin, he spotted the wild cat wi his wavy strippit tail steppin ooto the trees, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the wild cat put his airms roon the sides o the ant, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore. Bit the wark wis hard an the day wis hett and they baith began tae tire.
Efter a wee while, fin it looked like the futterat wis lossin, he spotted the jinky squirrel steppin ooto the trees, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the jinky squirrel put his airms roon the sides o the futterat, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore. Bit the wark wis hard an the day wis hett and they baith began tae tire.
Efter a wee while, fin it looked like the ant wis lossin, he spotted the siller salmon lowpin up frae the burn, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the siller salmon put her fins roon the sides o the wildcat, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore. Bit the wark wis hard an the day wis hett and they baith began tae tire.
Efter a wee while, fin it looked like the futterat wis lossin, he spotted the speckly trootie lowpin up frae the burn, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the speckly trootie pit her fins roon the sides o the squirrel, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore. Bit the wark wis hard an the day wis hett and they baith began tae tire.
Efter a wee while, fin it looked like the ant wis lossin, he spotted the wide-winged erne fleein oot the clouds, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the wide-winged erne pit her wings roon the sides o the salmon, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore. Bit the wark wis hard an the day wis hett and they baith began tae tire.
Efter a wee while, fin it looked like the futterat wis lossin, he spotted the flappin doo fleein oot the clouds, an he cried oot lood:
'I wint the adder for my ain
Gie me a haun tae fetch him hame'
An the flappin doo pit her wings roon the sides o the trootie, an they rugged back an fore, back an fore, back an fore.
Noo, wi aa this ruggin an tuggin, the futterat the ant an their friens hid streeched the adder oot frae the shape o a wee roon scone till a lang bit o rope, an aa this ruggin an tuggin hid pit him intae a fine fizz. He wummled an shoogled an shoogled an wummled like a bit o elastic till he skyted ooto their hauns an raise up spittin an hissin wi his wee forkit tongue, an threatened tae bite the hale jing-bang, if they didna leave him alane. An that is foo, tae this day, the adder is lang like a bit o towe, an foo naebody gings ower near him fur fear he'll bite.
This is a 'movement' story. Each animal has its own movements, and as each new creature is introduced, the children mime the movements to different music. Suitable for nursery-infant stage