The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears

**Lisa Bueno** (0:00)
Okay, our friends, so today we are reading a very special story for you, our very special friends.

**Philip** (0:09)
It is called The Prince and The Witch, and The Thief and The Bears.

**Lisa Bueno** (0:16)
This story was written by Alastair Chisholm, and it is illustrated by Jez Tuya, and it is read today by Mommy and...

**Philip** (0:36)
I like the way you... Just normal Philip.

**Lisa Bueno** (0:39)
Oh, I liked the way you had done that with like a little bit of the singing song. Okay, just Philip.

**Lisa Bueno** (0:46)
Are you ready?

**Philip** (0:47)
Here we go.

**SPEAKER_5** (0:49)
What kind of story shall we have tonight?

**Lisa Bueno** (0:52)
Asked Dad as he tucked Jamie into bed one evening.

**SPEAKER_4** (0:58)
A made up one, said Jamie, with a prince and a bear and a witch and more bears.

**SPEAKER_5** (1:08)
All right, said Dad. Why not?

**Lisa Bueno** (1:15)
Let's get to it.

**SPEAKER_5** (1:17)
This, said Dad, is the story called The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears by Jamie's dad.
Once upon a time, said Dad, there lived a valiant prince. He was brave. He was a brave and noble prince, and he lived in a far-off kingdom where he-

**SPEAKER_4** (1:44)
How far off?

**Lisa Bueno** (1:46)
asked Jamie. What?
asked Dad.

**SPEAKER_4** (1:51)
How far off was the kingdom?

**SPEAKER_5** (1:54)
The kingdom, said Dad, was far, far away on the top of the highest mountain in the world, mount really, really tall, where fierce bears and dragons and wolves prowl.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:17)
And in the picture, my friends, we can see this castle on top of this mountain with all of these fierce creatures around it.

**SPEAKER_5** (2:27)
My goodness.

**SPEAKER_4** (2:29)
How fierce were the bears?

**Lisa Bueno** (2:31)
Asked Jamie.

**SPEAKER_5** (2:33)
Very fierce, said Dad. Enormous and shaggy with thick, matted hair and vicious claws as big as your head.

**SPEAKER_4** (2:44)
So how did the prince get past the bears then?

**SPEAKER_5** (2:49)
He climbed down the cliffside where the bears couldn't reach, said Dad.

**Lisa Bueno** (2:57)
And in the pictures, we can see that happening. Wow, said Jamie.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:03)
With his horse as well?

**SPEAKER_5** (3:08)
Yes, said Dad. He carried his horse on his back.
Wow, he was very strong, said Dad.

**Lisa Bueno** (3:22)
And we can see the prince with his horse trapped to him, lowering himself down from his castle via rope.

**SPEAKER_5** (3:34)
So, said Dad. There was this prince, and he was very brave. And one day he set off to rescue a beautiful princess.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:45)
Why couldn't the princess rescue the prince?

**Lisa Bueno** (3:48)
Complained Jamie.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:50)
Mom says princesses in stories are rubbish.

**SPEAKER_5** (3:55)
Well, in this story, it's the prince.

**SPEAKER_4** (4:00)
I want it to be the princess, said Jamie.

**SPEAKER_5** (4:04)
Right? Reply dad, why not?
The very brave princess set off.

**SPEAKER_4** (4:13)
No, actually, I want the prince, said Jamie.

**SPEAKER_5** (4:18)
The prince, exclaimed dad, set off to rescue the princess. And the princess was a prisoner in a dark tower on the edge of the forest, and she was being held there by her wicked aunt, who was really a witch with an evil eye.

**SPEAKER_4** (4:42)
How evil?

**SPEAKER_5** (4:45)
So evil that it could turn you into stone, said dad.

**SPEAKER_4** (4:51)
Or Jello?

**Lisa Bueno** (4:53)
Asked Jamie.

**SPEAKER_5** (4:55)
No, stone.

**SPEAKER_4** (4:58)
But maybe Jello sometimes?

**SPEAKER_5** (5:03)
Okay, yes, sometimes, said dad.

**SPEAKER_4** (5:07)
Good, said Jamie. I like Jello.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:11)
And in the picture, we can see some of the things that this witch has done. She's turned some things into stone, and other things into pink Jello.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:23)
Mmm, yum, yum, yum.

**Lisa Bueno** (5:31)
The witch had locked the princess up in the tower.

**SPEAKER_5** (5:35)
The witch had locked the princess up in the tower.

**SPEAKER_4** (5:39)
Why did she do that?

**SPEAKER_5** (5:41)
She did it to set a trap for the prince. The witch hated the prince because he'd laughed at her only friend, a tiny green frog, just as big as your thumb, who lived in the folds of the witch's cloak. And so it was that the prince rode for many miles until he reached the tower, a terrible, awful place called Castle...
Castle...

**SPEAKER_4** (6:18)
Broccoli!

**SPEAKER_5** (6:19)
Said Jamie, darkly. Castle Broccoli.

**SPEAKER_4** (6:26)
I don't like Broccoli, muttered Jamie.

**SPEAKER_5** (6:30)
At the top of this disgusting, hideous Castle Broccoli, the prince looked for the princess, but before he could rescue her, the witch caught him!
Shouted Jamie, the witch caught him, agreed dad. And they had a fight, shouted Jamie, and they had a fight, agreed dad.