Tumble and the Bell: story transcript
Page 1
Tumble and the Bell
Page 2
The playroom was almost tidy. Tumble had tucked the blocks away, nestled the red truck in its corner, and settled the stuffed parrot in the basket. He pulled his purple sleep mask down over his eyes, ready for bed. Then—ting!—something small and silver tumbled between his scales.
Page 3
A tiny bell. Tumble wiggled. The bell jingled. He shook his head left, then right. Ting-ting-ting! He hopped on one foot, then the other. The bell bounced and chimed with every bounce.
Page 4
"I'll spin," thought Tumble. He spun fast, faster, fastest—and the bell rang like a tiny alarm. His oversized teal pajamas flapped around him. He got dizzy and stopped, but the bell kept jingling.
Page 5
The wooden crate rattled. A block tumbled out and rolled across the floor. Ting-ting-ting-ting! The bell danced between Tumble's scales with every shake and shimmy.
Page 6
"I'll jump!" Tumble bounced high. The bell bonged. He landed soft, then hard. The toy chest by the window creaked open. A blanket slid out, trailing across the playroom floor. Still the bell jingled.
Page 7
Tumble curled into a ball—his favorite trick when things felt tricky. He rolled gently across the room. The bell chimed like a tiny music box, round and round. The parrot tumbled from its basket, bouncing along behind him.
Page 8
He uncurled, dizzy and floppy. The bell was still there. Still jingling. Tumble sat very still. He closed his eyes. He breathed in slow and deep. His scales relaxed, one by one.
Page 9
Slowly, gently, Tumble curled his whole body into a smooth, tight ball. Then, slowly, he uncurled, stretching long and easy. The bell loosened. He uncurled again, breathing soft and steady. The bell slipped free.
Page 10
There, on the playroom floor, lay the silver bell. Tumble picked it up and walked to the toy chest. Tucked in the corner was a small stuffed rabbit, gray and patient. Tumble gently placed the bell in its paw.
Page 11
He looked around the playroom. The night-light glowed soft and warm. The scattered toys seemed to settle, to rest. Tumble yawned. The rabbit held the bell. And together, they waited for sleep.
Page 12
Click. The night-light dimmed. In the quiet darkness, one last sound: a single, perfect ting—as soft as a sigh, as gentle as a dream.
