RUPERT AND THE ICE-FLOWERS No 24

To order the Rupert annual for 2019 (no.83) at £9.99, please call 01872 562315, send a cheque/PO to Rupert Bear Shop, PO Box 200, Falmouth, TR11 4WJ or at www.classicrupertbearshop.com UK delivery is free.

With the dim greenish light helping him, Rupert slowly picks his way forward among masses of dried bracken. All at once something seems to move under his feet and he topples forward. At the same moment there is a rustling sound and from under the bracken appears the top half of an old man yawning and rubbing his eyes. “Oh, dear, who was that tripping over my legs? And what month is it? And…Good gracious, it’s a little bear! How did you get here?” he growls.

He trips! An old man starts to rise, “Who woke me up?” he loudly cries.

His footsteps do not make a sound Upon the bracken spread around.