About the Author

Sue Ellis has been working in the world of education

for over 30 years as a teacher and adviser. She has a
wide experience of childrens issues, views and
frustrations from the pupils she has taught and her
own two children. Sue was born in Liverpool and
spent her early years in Crosby. She has lived in York
with her husband and family for over 30 years.

Dedication
These books are dedicated to:
All the Behaviour Team past and present at North
Yorkshire from whom I have learnt so much.
Quinn and Alex Scott, Albert and James Snow,
Louise Cole, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Sylvia Klays and
pupils at St. Aelreds School in York who all gave me
important advice and feedback on my books.
Last, but most definitely not least, my wonderful
husband, David, my marvellous children Katie and
Robert and my inspirational parents Anita and Geoff
Farrell all of whom continue to be the wind beneath
my wings.

Sue Ellis

GORGEOUS GWENDOLEN
GOOSE
AND

OTHER STORIES

Copyright Sue Ellis (2015)

The right of Sue Ellis to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by her in accordance with
section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in
relation to this publication may be liable to criminal
prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from
the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 78455 571 9 (paperback)
978 1 78455 572 6 (hardback)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2015)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
8

Printed and bound in Great Britain

Gorgeous Gwendolen Goose

Once upon a time,
there was a goose called Gwendolen.
She lived in the little town of Coniston on the
shores of Coniston Water in the Lake District,
in the wonderful county of Cumbria,
in the beautiful country called England.
Gwendolen lived with other geese and ducks in a
yard next to a little cottage near the steel blue waters
of Coniston. The family, who lived in the cottage,
were very kind to all the ducks and geese and they laid
eggs for the family every day. A little girl called Katie
lived in the cottage and she fed the ducks and geese
every day before she went to school.
Gorgeous Gwendolen had lived with them ever
since she was a little fluffy gosling. She was a bossy,
sassy goose with attitude. She always chattered away
with her fellow geese when they were roaming the
yard or going down to the lakeside looking for food.
As she grew up she always seemed to be the leader of
the gaggle of geese.
Every afternoon when Katie came home from
school she would check on the geese and ducks and
would always have a kind word to say to Gwendolen,
her favourite.

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Gwendolen grew up to be a gorgeous snow white

goose with a bright orange bill, big orange webbed
feet and ocean blue eyes. Every day Katie would chat
away to her.
Gwendolen would honk back to her.
Youre my Gorgeous Gwendolen Goose! Katie
would exclaim to her every day and hug her round her
long graceful neck.
Gwendolen would give Katie a big wink with her
gorgeous blue eyes and waddle off to join the other
geese.
One Saturday, Katie and her mummy decided to
go for a walk up the mountain nearby, called the Old
Man of Coniston. The whole family often went for
walks up this mountain and Katie knew the track well.
She put on her blue coat and her best red boots and
they started the ascent to the top. The sun was high in
the diamond blue sky. The different colours of green
and brown of the grass and the trees, bushes and ferns
shimmered in the sunlight and sunbeams bounced off
the white cottages and slate grey roofs of Coniston.
Wisps of smoke from the wood burners drifted from
the chimneys. Pretty soon, as they climbed up high,
they started to see the sea and Windermere
shimmering in the distance.
Katie and her mummy were tip-toeing across the
stepping stones in a tiny river when, suddenly, Katies
mummy slipped and fell. She screamed in agony as
she landed at the side of the river.
Mummy, Mummy! Are you alright? shouted
Katie.

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Katies Mummy was crying in pain! I think I have

broken my leg, she whimpered.
Katies Mummy patted her pockets to find her
mobile phone and realised she had left it on the
window ledge at home. What were they going to do?
Katie shouted for help but there was no-one
around. She needed to get a message to the Mountain
Rescue.
Suddenly she had an idea. She cupped her hands to
her mouth and in the biggest voice she could muster
she shouted in the direction of Coniston Help! Help!
Help!
Down in the town in Katies backyard, Gorgeous
Gwendolen Goose heard her cries carried on the wind.
She listened very closely and she could hear the fear
and urgency in her voice.
Oh dear! she thought. Katies in trouble. I must
repay her for all the kind things she does for me!
She called her goose friends together and quickly
they soared into the sky in the direction of Katies
voice.
Within minutes they arrived at Katies side out of
the blue sky. Gorgeous Gwendolen Goose! cried
Katie, please help my Mummy! She has hurt her leg
really badly. We need the Mountain Rescue!

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Gwendolen understood the problem immediately

as she was a very clever goose. Together with her
friends, she set off for Coniston to raise the alarm.
The team of geese flew in a V-formation with
Gwendolen leading from the front. Katie knew from
her lessons in school that flying in a V-formation
meant that the geese could fly quicker from the uplift
caused by the flapping of the goose in front.

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Please be quick! shouted Katie, Mummy isnt

well at all! Katie watched them as they flew into the
distance.
The geese at the back honked their encouragement
to the geese at the front to keep going. When
Gwendolen got tired she took her place further back in
the V-shape until she got her energy back. If any of the
geese flew out of line they realised how much harder
it was to fly on alone and they quickly got back into
formation.
All of a sudden, one of the geese flew down to the
ground. Two other geese dropped back to help their
friend. Katie knew that the geese who stopped to help
would stay with the injured goose until she was well
enough to fly again.
Gwendolen and her friends flew onwards down
into town.
They arrived at the Mountain Rescue station; the
staff knew from Gwendolens frantic honking that
their help was needed.
Gwendolen and her friends set off and the
Mountain Rescue followed their path until they
arrived at the river where Katie and her mummy sat
waiting patiently. The Mountain Rescue team knew
they had to get Mummy to hospital in Kendal as soon
as possible. Katie got to sit in the Land Rover all the
way to the hospital with Mummy and everybody
marvelled at how fantastic Gorgeous Gwendolen
Goose and her friends had been in raising the alarm.
The good news of Gorgeous Gwendolens brave
deed spread through the town. On Monday when Katie
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was back at school, she told the class about her

exciting adventures and all that Gorgeous Gwendolen
Goose and her friends had done.
The geese did what it says in the books to help me
and my mummy: they stuck together to get the job
done more quickly; they stayed together and helped
each other; they took it in turns to do the most difficult
tasks; they honked encouragingly to keep going and
they looked after each other in good times and in bad.
Every time you see geese flying in the sky, think about
what difficulties they are about to face and how well
they are going to work together, explained Katie.
When Katie got home from school she went out to
feed the geese. She gave Gorgeous Gwendolen Goose
an extra hug for the wonderful deed she had done. I
am so glad you helped save my mummy, Gorgeous
Gwendolen, she whispered. Team work really does
make the dream work, doesnt it?
Gorgeous Gwendolen Goose pushed out her chest
with pride, shook her tail feathers, fluttered her ocean
blue eyes and smiled her gorgeous goosy grin.
Didnt it feel fantastic to be Gorgeous Gwendolen
Goose!

17

Youre My Hero, Dougal Eagle!

Once upon a time,
there was a young eagle called Dougal.
He lived at the top of a big mountain,
on the wonderful Isle of Arran,
in the beautiful country called Scotland.
Dougal Eagle was a golden eagle with roasted nut
brown feathers and a regal golden head. Indeed he was
a regal eagle! Every day as he hunted for prey, other
smaller birds would come and mob him, squawking
loudly at him and trying to bite him to warn him off
their young. This upset Dougal Eagle as he could not
help the way he was born to hunt for food.
One evening he returned to the big sturdy nest sat
on a rocky ledge at the top of the mountain. His
mother Mabel and father Fergal were both there. He
snuggled next to Mummy Mabel and she covered him
over with her big feathery wing.
Why do other birds hate me, Mummy? asked
Dougal. Why cant I be like other smaller birds and
feed on nuts and seeds?

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You arent like other birds Dougal, replied

Mummy Mabel, You are the king of the birds - a regal
eagle! You fly over the land looking far and wide at all
below. You see the people below; the children, like
little tiny ants, going to school; the cars; the animals;
the wonderful scenery; the sun rising in the east in the
morning and setting in the west at night. Every bird
and animal on earth has their role to play and you are
big enough and strong enough to have a view over all
you survey. You always see the bigger picture.
But how am I going to make friends? Whats
going to become of me all on my own? asked Dougal.
You arent alone Dougal, comforted Mummy
Mabel, because you will always have your family and
other eagle friends. Always try to do the right and
honest thing and you will never go wrong. Look at all
the good things about you, learn to use them well and
be proud of who you are. Just be the best version of
yourself and learn to fly higher and faster than the
other birds and you will be very happy.
Dougal Eagle fell asleep under Mummy Mabels
wing and dreamed of soaring high in a diamond blue
sky watching the world span far into the distance.
The next day Dougal was flying over the
mountains, hills and dales of the island. He glided on
the wind, enjoying the ride while he looked at
everything and everybody below going about their
business.

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He noticed a little boy called Robert getting on and

off the school bus every day. He noticed him because
he always dawdled home and to the bus in his own
little world, humming his own little tunes. One day as
he saw Robert getting off the school bus, he noticed a
smart, red sports car driving far too fast round the
country roads.
I hope he has got good brakes! thought Dougal.
You never know what is round the next bend.
Dougal spotted Robert start to cross the road very
slowly in his own little world. He also saw the sports
car zooming round the corner. He knew he had to act
fast otherwise there would be a very nasty accident.
I cant be a feeble eagle! thought Dougal. I have
to be brave and clever. So he plucked up all his
courage and swooped down in front of the red sports
car. The driver was forced to brake just as he came
round the corner to where Robert was still crossing the
road.
Robert looked up suddenly and was relieved to see
the car come to a stop just in front of him. The driver
rushed out of the car to check that Robert was safe.
Both Robert and the driver saw Dougal and smiled.
Dougal had averted a terrible disaster by keeping his
eagle eye on the world below.
Thank you so much Mr. Eagle! stuttered a shaken
but relieved Robert.
Call me Dougal! stated Dougal Eagle, proud that
somebody thought he was an able eagle, not a feeble
eagle.
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You saved my life! Youre my hero, Dougal

Eagle! exclaimed Robert.

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