Animals of the Moor

ANIMALS OF THE MOOR

Diana lives on the moor with her family and lots of other Red Deer.
Tomorrow is Christmas Day, it will be Diana's first. She had chosen the
Christmas tree. It grows in the woods on the edge of the moor.
Samuel the fox cub, William the Weasel and Boris the baby badger,
Diana's best friends, have helped to decorate the tree. They had found
lots of pretty things for the tree. Now they have nearly
finished.
The little animals looked at the tree. There was something missing.
Samuel scratched his head. William walked around the tree. Boris put
his head on one side and then he said 'I know what's wrong. We need
something special for the top.'

The friends decided to make one last search in the woods for that
something special. As they searched they found Reggie the Redwing. He
was visiting for the winter. He had given them some bright red holly
berries but couldn't think of anything else.
As they walked along the path that led deeper into the woods they
heard someone running. Diana looked around but could see no-one.
Suddenly Ellie the Exmoor pony ran from behind a gorse bush. She was
galloping very fast.
"Hello Ellie," shouted Diana, "can you help us find something for the
top of our Christmas tree?"

"Sorry," called Ellie galloping on, "got to get warm. Too cold to
stand about! Find Sir-yp-mal. She might be able to help." Then Ellie
disappeared into the woods.

William looked at Diana with a frown. "Who is Sir-yp-mal?" he
asked.
"Don't know," said Diana, "perhaps Terry the Tawny owl will."
"I know where he lives," said Samuel, "I'll race you there!"
Soon the little animals reached a large Oak tree. Half way up the
trunk was a bright green door.
Boris stood on Samuel's shoulders and knocked on it. A very sleepy
voice said, "Who's down there waking me up at this time of day?"
Diana was worried. She hated making people cross. "It's Diana, Samuel
and Boris," she called, "please can you help. I'm sorry if we woke you
up."
Terry came through the door blinking hard. "What can I do to help"? he
yawned.

Boris told Terry why they were there and how Ellie had told them to
look for Sir-yp-mal.
"We don't know who Sir-yp-Mal is," said Samuel looking over his
shoulder at Diana. Diana was worried. It was getting dark.
"Oh," said Terry with a great big yawn, "Sir-yp-Mal is a great friend
of mine, she is a beetle with a special surprise!"
Terry told the friends to go home. He said he would find Sir-yp-mal
and ask if she could help.
On the way home Samuel found a large fir cone. Diana's father put it
on top of the tree. The friends were tired. Saying goodnight they
agreed to meet under the tree at dawn on Christmas day.

Next morning when the friends arrived they noticed that
their tree looked different. They all gasped as it suddenly
sparkled.
Terry flew in and sat beside them. "I'm glad Sir-yp-mal and her
friends turned up", he smiled.
"Who is Sir-yp-mal?" asked Diana.
"Sir-yp-mal is a Glow Worm and for very special friends she can
sparkle and glow!" said Terry, looking at the plain brown beetle that
had arrived and was sitting behind Samuel.
"Happy Christmas!" said Sir-yp-mal, sparkling and smiling at the
friends.