Benni the Naughty Bear

Benni the bear awoke one morning to find himself squashed between a doll and a clown. 'Go away!' called Benni to the other toys. 'There's not enough room for all of us!'

The clown made a funny face to cheer Benni up and replied, 'Come on, Benni, there is actually enough space here for all of us!'

Benni didn't find this funny and didn't react.

'Benni, you're mean,' said the pretty doll. 'Where else are we meant to sit if not on this toy shelf?'

'Everyone go away! This is my shelf!' replied Benni.

The pretty doll began to cry and said to the tin soldier, 'I don't know what to do! I don't have anywhere else to stay — but I definitely do not want to stay with that mean bear, Benni.'

The tin soldier urged the funny spinning top to bounce around for Benni to put him in a better mood. So the funny spinning top jumped around like crazy but Benni still remained grumpy.

The other toys left the toy shelf one after the other because they didn't want to be near Benni while he was so grouchy.

Now Benni had more than enough room for himself. But soon he felt lonely and cried, 'Come back, I didn't really mean it.'

But the other toys didn't listen to him, so Benni was left to sit there on his own.

At night, when Benni was still sitting all alone on the shelf, a voice whispered to him, 'Benni, you are a naughty bear.'

Benni looked around and saw a little fairy. The kind fairy said to Benni, 'If you promise me that you will be good, I will help you!'

'Yes, I promise,' said Benni. "Please bring my friends back to me!'

So the kind fairy flourished her magic wand and said to all the funny toys that Benni was truly sorry for being so grumpy.

'We'll forgive you!' said his friends and they all flocked back to him on the toy shelf.

'Thank you,' said Benni, 'take as much space as you like.'

Then all the toys cuddled up close to one another and fell asleep happily.