Short Stories, Nigel The Niggly Napkin

But that was a mistake because along came Malcolm who was VERY attracted to lampshades and Nigel (currently a lampshade) was VERY afraid of moths!

He knew moths ate cardigans, socks, best jumpers and…

… NAPKINS!

Or so Nigel thought and fled to the safety of his drawer.

“What’s up with him?” Malcolm asked Lucy.

“All I want to do is be friends?”

“He thinks you’re going to eat him,” sighed Lucy. “He doesn’t know you’re made of paper.”

“I don’t eat paper!” exclaimed Malcolm, “And besides, I wouldn’t eat Nigel, it’s not a good way to make friends.”

“Well someone should explain that,” said Lucy brightly. “Go and ask Elsie to help.”

So Malcolm fluttered out of the window and headed towards the apple tree where Elsie was swinging on a branch.

“Why do you live in an apple tree?” he asked.

“Why not?” she replied and carried on swinging.

“It’s not everyone’s choice but I like swinging so what better place.”

“Have you come to join in?”

Malcolm explained about Nigel and Elsie just carried on swinging so none the wiser, Malcolm went back to the kitchen.

“YOU’RE MADE OF PAPER AND I DON’T EAT PAPER!!” he shouted angrily into the drawer.

But Nigel wouldn’t budge.

He’s quite right,” said Elsie gliding in through the window. And deftly opening the drawer with her long blue trunk, she picked Nigel up and took him back to the apple tree.

“I could do with some company,” she said, “Will you make yourself into an elephant?”

“Easy,” said Nigel and made himself into an elephant.

“Have you come to eat me?” said Elsie when Malcolm arrived. “Or have you come to eat me?” echoed Nigel.

“No! I haven’t come to eat either of you.” replied Malcolm, “Everyone knows that you can’t eat an elephant….

…let alone two of them.”

“There’s your solution, stay as an elephant,” advised Elsie.

So Nigel safely trotted back to the kitchen with his new friend Malcolm. “I can turn myself into just about anything,” he chatted, “You just name it.”

“A cardigan?” suggested Malcolm slowly.

“Easy-Peasy!” replied Nigel and became a nice blue one.

Now that wasn’t a very wise thing for Nigel to do.

“Do you know the story about the scorpion and the frog?” asked Malcolm moving closer.

“No?” Does it have a happy ending?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Malcolm. “You see, the scorpion needed to cross the river and, to cut a long story short, the frog eventually agreed to carry him but was afraid the scorpion would sting him.”

“And did he? Did the scorpion sting the frog?”

“Oh yes… good and proper.”

“But why?”

“Because it was in his nature,” sighed Elsie in passing.

“And unfortunately for you, and it’s in Malcolm’s nature to eat cardigans…

….even paper ones.”

“Huh! I wish I’d stayed as I was,” said Nigel glumly as he became Malcolm’s lunch.

“He wouldn’t have eaten an elephant.”

Poor Nigel. It’s a good job he’s got a twin brother!

The end.

BoodleBobs, short stories for kids, written & read-aloud by Jo Kemp

N is for Nigel: Nigel the Niggly Napkin
Is it a bird? Is it a bee? No, it’s Nigel turning himself into a bird or a bee because – being a napkin – Nigel can fold himself into any shape he likes.

And it always had to be perfectly straight lines and sharp creases which makes him irritatingly…. Niggly.

It stands to reason that Nigel’s favourite pastime is ORIGAMI – the art of folding paper (or napkins) into anything and when he succumbs to flattery and decides to show off, he does rather end up in the deep end.

Just ask the frog and his so-called friend the scorpion!

Nigel’s in Australia. In Australian English, Nigel is a colloquial term for a male social misfit or a friendless person, Names Nigel. Nigel’s name meaning on Wikipedia

This is an older version of Nigel’s cartoon.  Subscribe and hit the bell for notification for the Granny Annie version.

Granny Annie’s ‘Ultimate Alphabet Book’ is a different approach to alphabet books insofar as it’s written to expand children’s vocabulary and their imagination. Every letter of the alphabet is catered for with characters that are engaging and lasting; in situations that young people can relate to in their everyday lives.

A to Z of Granny Annie’s Short Stories For Children

This Online story is all about Ollie and yes he’s an Ostrich

This bedtime story is all about Percy. And yes, he’s a pot plant.

This is a bedtime story all about Queenie and yes, she’s a quilt.

This bedtime story is all about Raj. And yes, he’s a radiator.

This bedtime story all about Samuel. And yes, he’s a sausage.

This bedtime story all about Terence. And yes, he’s a tap.

Hourglass Book Series

Jo Kemp (Granny Annie writer & voice) new sci-fi book.