There once was a crow and Susie was her name. She was always cold and getting warm was her game. 

Susie lived in a pine tree in a nest up high. Her attempts to warm herself did make her sigh.

There once was an old woman who moved here from a place that made her frown.

This would be her first Christmas away from that loud busy town. 

Flying off for sticks and shivering wildly. Something below caught Susie's eye and she could make it out mildly.

It was an old woman on a bike with her basket full. Wool of every colour and not one of them dull.

Susie went about her business and came to a house. The garden trees were being decorated by a mouse.

When suddenly the old woman cycled through the gate. She got off her bike and said "goodness I got home before late".

The old woman sat down on her fireside chair. She took two knitting needles out which were nesting in her hair.

Susie flew to the window and watched her knit a scarf so warm. Then felt the breeze of a cold winter storm.

She spread out her wings and jumped up to fly 

but slipped on a leaf and didn't reach the sky. 

The woman looked up and said 'oh dear what was that noise?' She walked to the window and saw Susie with wide eyes.

'Poor thing' said the old woman as she cradled Susie tight. Then placed her in the basket to rest there for the night. 

Susie was feeling better the next day. The woman brought her to the door to release her on her way. 

But poor Susie began to shiver again. 

"You're cold!" said the old woman who had an idea just then. 

She brought her back inside and placed her on the floor. 

Then picked up two balls of wool and began to knit once more. 

Turning to the window she said "oh it's beginning to snow" 

When Susie saw the snowfall her worry did show. 

"My first Christmas here, I have snowfall and a guest.

I think this Christmas will be one of the best!"

After an hour the ground outside was covered in white.  

The old woman held up a little blue jumper with snowflakes so bright. 

"Oh this is perfect!" she cried with her cheeks so rosie. 

and put it on Susie saying "this will keep you cosy."

So outside she went to release her once more. 

Susie was now warmer than ever before. 

She spread out her wings and flew into the air. 

then turned to the old woman and said "thank you, take care" 

But to an old woman her words had just one flaw. 

As this was the sound of a crow which simply said "caw, caw"

Now if you look to the sky on a cold winter's day,

You might just see Susie and hello you must say. 

The Old Cobbler

There once lived a little old woman long ago. Grey haired, she wore raggy clothes and her feet did show.

She was walking along the road one cold afternoon, when suddenly she spotted beside a rusty spoon

An old leather shoe was thrown away. 'This shoe is lovely! I really must say!"

It was a left shoe, wrinkled and torn. 'I have a similar right shoe at home ready to be worn.'

This shoe had eyes among the laces. Yes shoes have eyes and a mouth, quite hidden faces.

He thought it odd that she thought he was useful. As he was thrown out for being withered and dull.

For an old woman who couldn't afford clothes. her feet were quite cold especially her toes.

She picked this shoe up and brought him home. Then placed it down beside the right shoe and around the house they would roam.

The old woman had left them on a table and went off for a bath. When she came back she found them both out on the path.

'How on earth did you get out here? Now, come with me and I'll make you look new and dear.'

What these old shoes did not know, was this old woman used to be a cobbler long ago.

This old poor woman once had a shoe shop in town, Before a cheaper shoe shop opened and closed her down.

Soon she was poor and moved to a cottage by the woods. She had to sell everything, yes all of her goods.

She placed the shoes on the dresser and took out some leather, This she had found lying in a ditch among some heather.

Sewing and hammering on new heels and soles, lacing and polishing and covering up the holes.

These shoes soon no longer looked old. They looked brand new and in any shop could be sold.

The next day the old woman wore them into town to try them out. She wore them with pride and a satisfied pout.

Everyone turned and admired this woman's foot wear. One lady stopped her and said 'forgive me I did not mean to stare.'

'I simply must ask you, I have nothing to lose. Where did you buy such beautiful shoes?'

'Oh, I didn't buy these dear, I found them thrown away.' Then she told her the story of how she mended them the previous day.

The lady was astonished at this old woman's skill. 'I have some shoes which need to be mended if you will?'

Soon everyone in town knew of this poor old woman and her talents for mending, she soon had piles of old shoes people were sending.

Shoes kept coming and and didn't seem to stop. So this poor old woman had to open a cobbling shop.

No longer poor now she knew it was because of the shoes she'd found. And each time they became worn, she mended them and wore them around.

There once was a spider as small as could be.
She lived at the base of an old oak tree.

Ellie was her name and in this woods she had grown.
In a small wooden hut which she called her own.

One dark eerie morning, Ellie awakened to a howl.
She went out for a look and on her face was a scowl.

'Batten down the hatches!' screamed Harry the Hedeghog running past.
'A storm is approaching, do what you can, it's coming fast!'

In a panic poor Ellie ran for some tools in the town.
A wooden hammer and some pegs to tie her home down.

I must stop my home from blowing deep into the woods.
It has been around since the oak tree's very first buds.

She got back to her house and found some rope inside.
Then threw it over the house and with the pegs down she tied,

The storm was now closer and Ellie's legs left the ground.
As the wind picked her up and threw her around.

She spun some web down to her house safely tied tight.
and pulled herself down and got over her fright.

The storm came fast and roared and howled all day,
Rain fell hard and her cosy twig hut kept it at bay.

The storm blew over and Ellie walked out to the sun.
It seemed a long time since she saw Harry the hedgehog run.

But all seemed ok, most homes were in tact with their latches,
For nobody would be be safe if Harry didn't shout 'Batten down the hatches'

The Tiny Bracelet

I was walking along and saw something shiny. It looked like a bracelet but for something tiny. 

Diamonds dotted all around and of silver made. To buy this in a shop would be a fortune paid. The tiny bracelet was smaller than a little finger nail. It was even smaller than the shell of a passing snail. "Who does this belong to? Where are they now? I really want to give it back but I don't know how!" Just then I saw something jump right out of a ditch. My heart leapt when who did I see but a tiny wicked witch?! She wore a flower as a hat and her hair was down. And she was staring at the road with a very large frown. Are you looking for this I asked the witch, so tiny. Her eyes lit up when she saw the bracelet so shiny. Yes that is my grandmothers bracelet, I lost it last week. When I noticed it gone, everyday since I did seek. So I gave her the bracelet and she thanked me once more. Before jumping back into the ditch with a cackle and a roar. 

The Small Witch

There once was a witch, wicked and tall.
A spell went wrong and shrunk her small.
Down to the ground the wicked witch went.
and over her cauldron the magic wand bent.
Her clothes shrunk too, all except her hat.
The spell threw it up and turned it into a bat.
'A witch needs a hat or a witch I am not
A hat is something even if it's all you've got.'
Looking around for a hat in all of the bushes,
she found a bed of flowers behind some rushes.
One fell to the ground upside down in a ditch
'Oh this is just perfect!' cackled the wicked old witch.
She picked the flower up and placed in on her head.
A beautiful fresh flower flush with the brightest red.
I love my new hat made of a lovely fresh flower.
A hat so beautiful it gives a bent wand some power.
She waved the bent wand and shrunk her whole house,
now she lives happily small and rides her pet mouse.

There once was a witch who was small as could be.
She wore a flower for a hat and had glasses to see.

One day the witch set off to find ingredients for a spell
But her broom became tired and down a large hill she fell.

Ouch! Cried the witch and she pulled a stone from her shoe.
I need the hair of a dog and the smile from a shrew.

So she walked a road leaving her broom to rest.
She would fly home later when it was back to its best.

The witch came to a village of mice and hedgehogs. 

They all lived in fear of the local farmer's large dogs. 

Please help us be safe for we fear for our lives. 

The farmer's dog's teeth can cut us live knives. 

So the witch in her flower hat, hid behind a mushroom. 

A dog approached growling and she shouted KABOOM!

The dog backed away as he saw the witch near. 

She jumped on his head and he took off in fear.

She cackled so loud with the fun of the ride
Before the dog threw her off, landing on her backside.

When she opened her hand, there was the hair she needed.
Then came a laugh from behind "stop making me laugh" they pleaded.

It was a tiny shrew with a smile from ear to ear.
The second ingredient for her potion was now right here.

So she set off home with her bottle of smiles and her dog hair too
and emptied them into the cauldron of lovely witch stew.

She uttered a spell from her grandmother's old witch book.
Then the air filled with magic and the witch had a look.

Ah it's good as new as she peered into the large pot.
That mended the hole nicely! But to buy food I forgot!

The Spider Who Shone

There once was a spider scary as could be!

She had 16 eyes and hairs on each knee. 

Nobody liked her, chased her all over the house.

So she waited until night to roam around like a mouse. 

This very night she walked across the table. 

She knocked over some glue and a tube, unstable. 

Covered in glue with a tube falling on her head,

She tried to run but got stuck there instead. 

A hail of glitter sprinkled her like a colourful shower. 

Then she broke free as the clock struck the hour. 

Onto the ground she went tumbling and soon came to a stop,

In front of a tall mirror and her heart  nearly did drop. 

Who is that beautiful thing staring back at me there? 

Can it be me? Is it the glitter in my hair? 

The child came downstairs and her eyes caught a sight,

Of a spider so glittery, she lit up the night. 

She watched and she listened and the spider began to sing.

And across the house this beautiful song did ring. 

 ‘Spiders will see, spiders like me, will come to look and shout with glee, how beautiful she is, the spider of light and shout and hum and sing in delight.’ 

The little girl approached and asked "can I join?"

The spider replied "yes let's get in a line"

So they danced and sang all through the night.

The now unscary spider became her friend and night light! 

There once lived a blackbird named Amelia. Now Amelia lived in a little hedge on the edge of The Great Forest. Why didn't she live in the forest you ask? Well Amelia was born differently to the other blackbirds and indeed every other bird around. You see, Amelia was born with four legs. She didn't dare enter the forest for fear of being taunted and made fun of. She was quite happy on the outskirts of The Great Forest. 

        One day a fox came running past. He looked towards Amelia and shouted "RUN!" She looked back towards the countryside and saw a plane fly over some nearby buildings and something falling. Suddenly a flash of light and smoke and an eruption of sound filled the air. Amelia was thrown from her nest. She scrambled to her feet, all four of them and ran into The Great Forest.