3rd Accrington St Paul's

Here is the Brownie story. This is told to all Brownies before they take their promise.

The Brownie Story

"What I am going to do?" their mother sighed. "I cannot keep the cottage tidy on my own. If only we had a Brownie!"

"What's a Brownie, Mother ?" asked Betty.

"The Wise Owl in the wood might know, I suppose," her mother said.

Later that night, Tommy and Betty crept out of the cottage into the wood. It was cold and dark and full of shadows.  "We cannot go back. We've got to find the Wise Owl," said Betty firmly, even though she was scared.

'My mum always tells me not to go out alone after dark, Granny Betty,' Sunita said. 'How come Betty and Tommy were allowed?' 'You are right,' Granny Betty replied. 'Things were very different then, but this is only a story. Come on, let us get back to the tale in the dark wood...'

"T'witt-t'woo. How do you do?" a voice hooted at the children from a nearby tree.

"The Wise Owl!" Tommy hugged Betty in relief. 

Soon the children were seated on a branch snuggling close to the big bird's feathers. They explained they were trying to find a Brownie.

"Do you know where we could find one?" asked Betty.

"Indeed I do hooted the Wise Owl and, placing her beak close to Betty's ear, she explained.

"Tommy!" exclaimed Betty.

"There's a Brownie in that pool over there. I've got to go to the pool over there. I've got to turn round three times and say:

"Who? Who? Who?" hooted the Wise Owl. "Look into the water and you'll find your Brownie looking back at you. Her name will finish the rhyme.

The children raced over to the pool. Betty did exactly as the Owl had said:

Betty looked into the pool. "Well, can you see it? Can you see a Brownie?" cried Tommy. "No," said Betty, "all I can see is my own reflection."

Tommy and Betty were so tired and disappointed that by the time they reached the tree again, they were in tears.

"Boo, hoo, hoo. What's the matter with you two?" hooted the Wise Owl. "

We did not find a Brownie," sniffed Betty. "I saw no one in the water but myself."

"Well, well, well" said the Owl. "Let's see if that fits the rhyme."

"Twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the water and there saw…"

"Myself!" finished Betty. "But I am not a Brownie!"

"Too true, too true," hooted the Wise Owl. "But you could act like one for a change and so could Tommy. It might even be fun."

Betty and Tommy had a lot to think about on the way back to the cottage. By the time they got home, they had made their decision.

If you had passed the cottage early next morning, you might have seen a light at the window and two figures busily rushing about inside.

When their mother came down for breakfast, she could barely believe her eyes! There were no toys in sight, the washing up was done and the clothes had been put away.  Everything was clean and tidy.

"Well, it certainly looks as though a Brownies has been here. How wonderful!" she cried. Betty winked at her brother and grinned.

Since then the cottage has been like a different place. Betty and her brother have been like different children. They are never bored now, they are much too busy planning their secret Good Turns!

When Granny Betty had turned off the light, Katie and Sunita whispered about the story they had heard and about the fun they could have pretending to be Brownies. 'We have been a bit lazy too, Sunita,' said Katie. 'Shall we get up early tomorrow and really try to be more helpful? We can lend a hand at home, but not say why!' Before everyone else woke up, Katie and Sunita crept downstairs, tidied away all their things and laid the table for breakfast. They each promised to be good Brownies from then on.