The Patchwork Pig and Other Stories

By Julia Carroll

I wanted to write stories to which small children could relatestories about ordinary children. All but one of the stories is based on actual events in the lives of some of my children and grandchildren.

Bens No-Jeans Birthday Party is based on my own recollections of growing up with food rationing and simple homemade party entertainments.

The Patchwork Pig is the only one involving magic and an element of dont try this at home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: May 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543400953

Julia Carroll

Julia is a retired pharmacist, mother of five children, and grandmother of eight. An avid reader since the age of four, she has read stories to her children and grandchildren over many years. Her other interests include photography, bird watching, and quilting. She has arts degrees from two universities and a master of letters degree in philosophy. Her heroes are Socrates and Winston Churchill. A Ten Pound Pom, Julia lives in Australia with her husband, two English Springer Spaniels, and a horse. In spite of all efforts to teach her, Julia has never learned to swim, sing, dance, or draw.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Julia Carroll. 757662

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-5434-0096-0

   EBook      978-1-5434-0095-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 05/17/2017

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.xlibris.com.au

Contents

Ben’s No-Jeans Birthday Party

Bloodknock

Clutbog

The Bedroom Frogs

The Frog in the Boot

The Patchwork Pig

Thomas’s Nice Day

Ben’s No-Jeans Birthday Party

Ben trudged across the front yard, dragging his school bag in the dirt.

See ya, Ben! called some of his friends from the windows of the school bus as it moved off from Ben’s letterbox, where it had just dropped him off. Ben was in grade 1. Most days when he got off the bus, he stood and waved until it disappeared around the bend in the road—but not today. Rugby, Ben’s little corgi, ran out, barking at him. Then he lay on his back to have his tummy tickled. But Ben took no notice and walked past the puppy into the kitchen, where his mummy was cooking.

Hello, Ben. How was school?

Ben threw his bag on the floor and himself into a chair. Mum, I don’t want a birthday party.

Why ever not, Ben? You’ve been planning your party for weeks.

The other kids don’t want to come, said Ben, trying not to cry.

Why don’t they want to come to your party?

They say the food will be yucky, like my lunches. They say there won’t be any cheezles or cordial or lollies. Ben tried hard not to sound upset, but there were tears in his eyes.

I see, said his mummy. Do your friends know why you don’t have cordial or cheezles?

Most of them do. I told them some foods upset me, and then I can’t concentrate properly in class. Ben felt rather pleased with