Hurley Burley Chapter 1

Ninety million years ago, the morning sunshine filtered through the trees of the primeval swamp, it sparkled on the water, and dappled shadows across the back of a very large brontosaurus, who was eating his breakfast. He heard the distant hooting of a Pteranadon, from the cliffs high above the swamp, it sounded loud but musical. The brontosaurus turned to his wife,

“Listen Clara” he said, “Sophie is singing.”

“Yes,” Clara replied, “She has a very promising voice. I was speaking to her Dad yesterday, and he told me that she would be coming down to the next Hurly Burly, it will be her first one. I think it would be a good idea, Bron, to ask herto come early. Then she could come and join us in the choir practice before the Hurly Burly begins.”

“Yes I will send a messenger up to the cliffs,” Bron said.

Sophie lived with her Dad and Mum, whose names were Boy and Lady, her sister Suzy, and twin brothers, Terror and Don, on the high cliffs overlooking the swamp. She was very excited when the message was bought by a smart pteranadon it was marked, “Urgent for Boy and Lady.” it said.

Dear Boy and Lady,

Would it be possible for Sophie to come to the Hurly Burly a little early? The choir is having a practice at 10.30 am. And as we have often heard Sophie singing on the cliffs, and think that she has a very promising voice, we would like herto join us.

Yours Sincerely,

Bron T. Saurus 

(Choir master.)

Boy and Lady discussed the message, and decided that if Terror and Don went with her, Sophie could go. Sophie was a bit nervous, she had never flown so far before. Lady said to her.

“Your wings have grown at least two inches in the last week, and Terror and Don will see that you get there safely, Then Uncle Bron will look after you.” Bron T Saurus was always called Uncle Bron by the Prehistoric Animal Brigade, of which he was the choirmaster. Lady said,

“Suzy and I will be preparing grapes with peanut butter stuffing and crunchy beetle and banana balls for the Hurly Burly and Dad will help us carry them to the swamp.”

“Yummy.” said Sophie.

The day of the Hurly Burly was fine and clear and after Sophie had finished breakfast and preened her self carefully she set off from the cliff with Terror and Don flying with her. They could see Uncle Bron from miles away standing on the edge of the swamp surrounded by members of the choir.

“Welcome Sophie.” he said as they arrived, “Thank you Terror and Don for bringing her safely, you can go now and play with your friends, I see they are all beginning to arrive.” Terror and Don said good bye to Uncle Bron and Sophie was soon playing swamp ball with the other Pteranadons.

Uncle Bron introduced Sophie to the other members of the choir and showed her where to sit on the front row with two very young Pteranadons, Sonya and Sybilla. Behind them sat the stegosaurus. Uncle Bron stood with twenty other brontosaurus on the back row. They had the most powerful and deep voices in the brigade. Uncle Bron told them all the songs they were going to sing and went through the difficult bits, Sophie began to enjoy it. 

The swamp was soon crowded with excited animals and the Hurly Burly began. The choir began to sing about the brave deeds of their ancestors long ago. All the animals knew the songs, which they are taught by their mothers and fathers when they are very small. Then they sang about the great hero Julius Brontus and how he crossed the swamp, and after many adventures returned home to the swamp, and was killed by his treacherous friends. At the end of that song there was not a dry eye in the swamp. Then they sang a song about how lovely the swamp looks in the moonlight. Sophie knew the words to all these, and sang them beautifully. The band played dance music then, and the animals began to tap their feet. Soon they were all dancing. They danced the Slow Swamp Shuffle, the Dashing White Dinosaur, the Pterodactyl Fling, and other favourites. Rex the Tyrannosaurus and his partner won the prize for flinging the pterodactyl furthest. When Sophie, Sonya and Sybilla sat down for a little rest, Uncle Bron came to speak to them.

“Singing and dancing make me thirsty shall we have an orange squash?” He said and squashed some oranges for them. They all drank the delicious juice and Uncle Bron told them how pleased he was with their singing, and that they were now members of the choir. They went to their families to tell them the good news. Sonya's mother was cooking frogburgers for them, and Suzy had saved them some crunchy beetle and banana balls and stuffed grapes. When the sun set, Boy said

“It's time we went home, I'll piggy back you Sophie, you have had such a long exciting day.” Sophie climbed onto her Dad's back.

“I'm not a bit tired.” she said and fell fast asleep.