Little Wolf’s Book of Badness

Little Wolf’s Book of Badness Ian Whybrow A new edition of the first novel about much-loved character Little Wolf from the author of the MEERKAT MADNESS books and HARRY AND THE BUCKETFUL OF DINOSAURS.All Little Wolf wants to do is stay at home with Mum and Dad and Baby brother Smellybreff. Instead he’s packed off to Cunning College to learn the 9 Rules of Badess and earn his Gold BAD Badge from his wicked Uncle Bigbad. He sets off on his journey, sending letters home as he adventures in the big wide world.A hilarious adventure from the author of MEERKAT MADNESS Copyright (#ubd75680a-0779-561b-aba5-d31b33b54f1d) First published in Great Britain by Collins in 1995 This edition published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2012 Collins and HarperCollins Children’s Books are imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF Visit us on the web at www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk) Text copyright © Ian Whybrow 1995 Illustrations copyright © Tony Ross 1995 Why You’ll Love This Book copyright © Jeremy Strong 2009 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. Source ISBN: 9780007458547 Ebook Edition © MAY 2012 ISBN: 9780007458554 Version: 2015-06-19 Contents Cover (#uffaaa0b8-37a3-51cf-8d24-713f4830a258) Title Page (#uab14e8d7-42eb-5cc8-996d-5b190e5e5336) Copyright Why You’ll Love This Book Map (#u629920b8-c23b-52cd-9aea-3e13ca83a81a) Little Wolf’s Book of Badness More Than a Story Contents Page (#litres_trial_promo) Also by Ian Whybrow About the Author About the Publisher Why You’ll Love This Book (#ubd75680a-0779-561b-aba5-d31b33b54f1d) By Jeremy Strong Clever, brave, funny and always the optimist, Little Wolf quickly wriggles his way into your your heart and stays there. Lurching from one perilous adventure to the next and living on his wits, Little Wolf manages to remain winningly bouncy about Life and Living. At the same time he also provides us with delightful observations concerning family and relationships. Ian Whybrow has created a real classic with this gem of a story and Tony Ross’s drawings provide a perfect match. This is one of the best blinking blunking books I’ve read. Definitely. Jeremy Strong Jeremy Strong has written over eighty books, including several best-sellers and award-winners, such as The 100 Mph Dog and Beware Killer Tomatoes. He spends much of his time visiting schools and festivals world-wide to entertain and inform children and to encourage their own reading and writing. He is particularly keen to pass on the joy of books to young children in the hope of starting up a lifetime’s habit. The Lair, Murkshire I have had no reply to my many letters to you. I therefore have no choice but to send this one by the paw of my eldest cub, Little Wolf. I want you to be his teacher. Little is a bad boy at heart, I am sure, but he is worryingly well-behaved at the moment. He has been far too nice to Smellybreff, his baby brother, and only yesterday he went to bed early without being growled at. His mother and I think that it is time he left the Lair and had some adventures. We want him to go to Cunning College to learn his 9 Rules of Badness, and earn a BAD badge, just as you and I did long ago at Brutal Hall. We are at our wits’ end. You are our only hope. We rely on you to make a beast of Little Wolf. Your anxious brother, On the road to Lonesome Lake Day 1 – morning Please please PLEEEEEZ let me come home. I have been walking and walking all day, and guess how far? Not even ten miles, I bet. I have not even reached Lonesome Lake yet. You know I hate going on adventures. So why do I have to go hundreds of miles to Uncle Bigbad’s school in the middle of a dark damp forest? You say you do not get on in life these days without a BAD badge. But I know loads of really bad wolves who never went to school. Ever. Like my cousin Yeller for one. I know you want me to be wild and wicked like Dad, but why do I have to go so far away? Just what is so wonderful about Cunning College in Frettnin Forest? And what is so brilliant about having Uncle Bigbad as a teacher? Is it all because Dad went to Brutal Hall and they made him a prefect and he got a silver BAD badge when he left? I bet it is. There is another four days’ walk, maybe more to Frettnin Forest. Let me come back and learn to be bad at home. PLEE-EE-EEZ!!! Your number 1 cub, By Lonesome Lake Day 1 – night-time I am a bit lost. I think I have come to Lonesome Lake just where the River Rover runs up to it. I used Dad’s map as a tablecloth for my picnic lunch. Now it is hard to tell if you have come to a river or a bit of bacon rind. I have not had word from you to return home, so I must continue on this stupid, long journey, even though I might never find Uncle Bigbad. He never answers Dad’s letters. Maybe Cunning College is closed, and he has moved from Frettnin Forest. Anyway, how will I know I have found him when I do? I have got the Wanted poster that you gave me, but it is years old. Maybe he has changed. What will he look like now? Too scary, I bet! Just now the sun fell in the water. I did not like it. Now the moon has come up and I can just see my pen and paper but I wish it was brighter. My tent is stupid. It falls down all the time, so I have curled up in my rucksack. Camping is my worst thing, and maps too. I am frozz, I am hopeless. Yours tiredoutly, Up the hilly end of Lonesome Lake Day 2 – morning I woke up this morning feeling a bit tickly with ants in my rucksack. They were small but plenty of them, and quite tasty for breakfast. Then I was more cheery. I started walking soon after the sun jumped out. It was hiding behind a hill. 3 hours later. I have stopped now for a rest and one of Mum’s rabbit rolls. Yum yum, only 25 left, worse luck. Shall probably starve… You know I am a hopeless hunter. You just think I am a goody-goody, I bet. Is that the reason why I have to go away for badness lessons? But I told you I only cleaned my teeth last week for a joke. And brushing my fur, and going to bed early, that was just to trick you! You ask my cousin Yeller, it was his idea. He said let’s pretend being good. I just said OK. Then you were s’posed to say, “Oh no, Little Wolf has gone barmy.” Then I was s’posed to say, “Arr Harr, tricked you, I am a bad boy really.” But no, you would not listen, you did not understand. You said I must go to Cunning College, I must live in Frettnin Forest until I get my BAD badge and learn Uncle Bigbad’s 9 Rules of Badness. I bet you won’t make Smellybreff leave home when he is my age. You will just say, “Oh yes, my darling baby pet. You stay here safe with us and watch telly all you want.” And what about Yeller? I ’spect you think he is a small bad wolf but no. You do not see him doing good things like I do. Like the kite he made for me to take with me, with yellow wolf-eyes painted on it. And sometimes he says pardon when he burps, too. Bet his mum and dad are nice and do not send him to school in a faraway forest. Yours fedduply, Spring Valley Murkshire Day 3 Aaah, the hunters got me in Lonesome Woods, urg. Only kidding, I am all right really. Had you worried though, eh? Walked miles today and have got to Spring Valley, but still a long long way to go. Have eaten most of Mum’s rabbit rolls already, boo, shame. I can smell your present for Uncle Bigbad, lots of lovely mice pies. Yum, yes please, scoff scoff (not really). I wonder if Uncle is as greedy as you said. Hope he is not cruel, I am only small. That reminds me. Tell my baby bruv Smellybreff not to chew my teddy bear or I will chew him back. Dad’s map is a bit wrong because there is no big black monster between Lonesome Woods and Murky Mountains. I looked and looked but it is only trees here. Off to Roaring River tomorrow. Love from Under bridge Roaring River Murkshire Day 4 I am writing this under a bridge at a town called Roaring River. This makes six bridges I have crossed on my journey, and still not even in Beastshire yet. I am sure it is much much further to Frettnin Forest than Dad said. Spent last night in a bus shelter. Quite warm and unscary, with my torch switched on going flash. Mum always says yellow eyes are friends with the dark. True, but it is still nice to have a torch when you are a small loner. Roaring River is too big, not a good place to wake up. There are so many human people here you would not believe. It is not safe for cubs. Yours watchingly, Roaring River Day 4 – night-time Spent the day in Roaring River. I like the cars, they are nice and smelly and good growlers. And buses are best of all. They go FSSSHHH when they stop and the people line up and get inside them. It is funny, just like Dad eating sausages. This morning I wanted to try being a sausage. So I got in a line behind a large woman at the bus stop. Then guess what, she hit me with her shopping just for wearing a fur coat. She said, “Take that for animal rights.” I said, “Stop, I am an animal!” She said, “What sort?”, so I told her and she ran off screaming, har har. Her shopping was quite tasty except for some white powdery stuff in a box. It made your tongue go bubbly… Yours spittily, Somewhere rocky near the road north of Crowfeet Crossroads Day 5 I was glad to leave Roaring River. Feel a bit better after a good gargle in a stream, and all the nasty froth spat out at last. Got to Crowfeet Crossroads by noon. Nice houses here, but not as nice as our smelly cave. Did not see any people, only a post box to post this. I had a think today. Do you know what? Everybody else thinks I am bad, even if you think I am a Goodie-4-Paws. Remember when Mum was asleep that time and I nipped off her whiskers with the claw clippers? And what about when I glued Smellybreff’s tail to his high chair? So whyo Y do I have to make this stupid long journey? Just now I thought I heard Yeller calling me. It was only a train howling in the valley. I am going now up the steep and wiggly path through the Murky Mountains. It looks VERY dangerous. Hope you are satisfied. Farewell from Borderlands Market Beastshire Day 6 I had some big shocks today. You did not say about how cold it gets up in the mountains. You have to climb up and up above Crowfeet Crossroads. Sometimes you are up so high that nothing grows, not even trees. And the ice makes your feet slip. Two times I nearly skidded right over the edge of the path. It was terrible. When I peeped over, the houses down below looked small as sparrow nests. Then I got lost. I followed one thin path. It just went round and round and came back where I started. So I wrote TRICK PATH in big letters on a rock for the next traveller. And off I went fedduply. Just before dark I found the edge of Murkshire. I felt sleepy and wanted to lie down. My breath was in white clouds. Then I saw a deep dark tunnel going into a mountain wall and a sign above the entrance. It said: My fur started jumping up all along my back. But I did not want to stay in the open and freeze. So big breath and in I went, running, running. I shouted, “Can’t scare me. Yellow eyes are friends with the dark!” Then guess what! My words shouted back – only louder and growlier! I ran and ran with my puff hot in my throat. I had just enough puff to get to the end. It was the best feeling ever to be in the open, looking at the moon shining down. It was shining on the village of Borderlands Market. And that was how I got here. Just. Can’t keep awake. More tomorrow. Still Borderlands Market Beastshire Day 7 Guess who woke me up this morning? I will give you a clue. He has got sharp eyes, a pointy face, red bristly fur and a smell like pepper. I was all curled up under a small cart near a street light in the market square – zzzz – fast asleep. All of a suddenly, I felt hot breath in my ear and this voice saying, “My boy!” I jumped up and banged my head. I tried to run but strong paws held me down and then I yelled, “Oo-er, a fox!” The fox said, “Mister Twister is my name. You are camping under my stall.” I said, “Whoops, sorry, Mister Twister.” he said, “Do not worry yourself, my boy. There will be no charge. For now. But then, something tells me that you are a keen young chappie who is eager to assist me with my work today.” I did not know how to say no to him. More later. Yours stuckly, Borderlands Market Day 8 – Morning Yesterday I did work in the market for Mister Twister. He sells dizgizzes (cannot spell it). My job was putting on false beards, masks, sheep’s clothing, etc. and walking up and down saying, “Hey, guess what I am?” It was quite good fun dressing up, and loads of people stopped to buy things. A small mouse came up to me and he said, “I am lonely. Can you sell me something to help me make friends?” I said, “Yes, I can. Here are some tieon wings. Wear these and stand on your head. Then loads of bats will come and play with you.” And guess what? He bought 2 pairs! And my best thing was finding something for a stoat to wear to a fancy dress ball. I sold him half a coconut and told him to shave all his fur off. Then he could go as a tortoise! He was so pleased he said I could keep the change. I like being a market worker. Yours richly, Day 8 – Afternoon Mister Twister said I was a good worker and would I stay? I wanted to but I told him I had to go to Cunning College and study for my BAD badge. “You amaze me!” he said, and his sharp eyes went wide, and his red fur went even more bristly. “Do you mean to tell me that you are going to Cunning College in Frettnin Forest?” I said, “Yes, do you know it?” He said, “My boy, I was a teacher in that school many a full moon ago! Your uncle and I used to be partners! Can you really be the nephew of that nasty mean bad horrid crook?” I said a proud “Yes”. The fox told me more. He and Uncle Bigbad met ages ago in Broken Tooth Caves when they were both hiding from the police. Uncle had the idea to stay out of sight in Frettnin Forest and start a school for bad beasts. He promised Mister Twister that if he worked hard, teaching the naughty pupils everything he knew, he would soon be rich. Mister Twister said, “My boy, it was dreadful. The pupils never gave me a moment’s peace! They were most awfully sly and squirmy, all those little skunks and stoats and rattlesnakes and cubs! How they got on my nerves, those spoilt little brutes! And what a fuss their horrid parents made, always wanting to know when their ghastly offspring would be getting their BAD badges! They quite wore me out. But when I asked your uncle for some money, just enough to allow me to take a short holiday, he threatened to eat me!” I said, “What did he say?” Mister Twister said, “He told me to get out and he said that if I ever put a paw in his school again, he would boil my bones and serve me up as soup.” I said, “Oo-er!” The fox said, “So you see, your uncle is a miser and a cheat. He has bags of money hidden away but he will not part with a penny of it. You would be unwise, my boy, to leave Borderlands Market. What is more, Frettnin Forest is a SHOCKING place, dismal, dark and lonely. Your Uncle Bigbad is dangerous. He has a terrible temper. In short, he is Mister Mean. My strong advice to you, my boy, is STAY AWAY FROM CUNNING COLLEGE!” I said, “Yikes, you have got a point!” Yours having a good think, Still Day 8 I am a bit confused and bothered. Mister Twister wants me to stay with him for ever and be his dresser-upper. Sometimes I think Oh yes, nice idea because one day I could have a stall of my own. Next thing, I think Yes, but what about learning the 9 Rules of Badness? If I do not, how will I get a BAD badge and keep up the good name of Wolf? But Mister Twister has got me worried about Uncle. I mean, about boiling him up as soup. If he is going to make soup out of his large friend, what will he make out of a small nephew he has never met? Will I be his special pupil or just a sausage in a sandwich? Yours nervously, Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/ian-whybrow/little-wolf-s-book-of-badness/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.