John opened the dressing-up box.
A crown bounced out.
A velvet cloak followed.
Then a small green dragon poked his head from a striped sock.
"This is not my hat," he said.
"Who are you?" asked Julia.
"Tumble. And I need an adventure."Inside the box stood a little stage with a little doorway.
Two toy rabbits waited in tiny chairs.
"I've promised them a show," said Tumble.
"What are you going to be?" asked John.
Tumble stood tall.
"Magnificent."
John set the crown between his horns.
"A king?"Tumble marched towards the doorway.
CLONK.
The crown hit the top.
"Your Majesty is stuck," said Julia.
Tumble took off the crown.
"Perhaps something swishy."Julia tied the velvet cloak loosely round his shoulders.
Tumble swished left.
He swished right.
His tail landed on the trailing hem.
He tried to march.
The cloak kept him stopped.
"I appear to be a rug," said Tumble.
John unfastened the cloak."How about these?" asked John.
He held up two silver cardboard wings.
Tumble tried them on.
He filled the doorway from side to side.
He filled a little more than that.
"A splendid cupboard," said Julia.
Tumble took them off.
"No."He looked at the crown.
He looked at the cloak.
He looked at the rabbits.
"Wait. Don't dress ME. Dress my adventure!"
Tumble turned the crown upside down.
"A boat."
He spread out the cloak.
"A sea."
He rolled up the striped sock.
"An island."Julia hung the silver wings above the stage.
"Storm clouds," said Tumble.
John put both rabbits in the crown boat.
"Who will you be?" he asked.
Tumble curled his tail.
"You'll see."
Then he stepped through the doorway.
Nothing went clonk."Two rabbits sailed across the sea," began Tumble.
John slid the boat over the cloak.
Julia lifted one velvet wave.
Tumble fluttered his own little wings.
"A storm blew up!"
Julia lifted a bigger wave.
The crown boat rocked.One rabbit tumbled onto the velvet sea.
The other peered over the crown.
"Rabbit overboard!" cried Tumble.
He ran to the edge of the stage.
John stopped the boat.
Julia stopped the wave.
Tumble grinned.
"Now we need a dragon.""Hold the sea still, please."
Julia held it still.
Tumble stepped onto the velvet.
He scooped up the rabbit.
He climbed onto the sock island.
"Safe!"
The rabbit sat between his feet.
"A little damp," said Tumble. "With velvet.""Bring the boat!"
John slid the crown beside the island.
Tumble lifted the rabbit aboard.
Two rabbits again.
Julia lowered the waves.
"And they sailed safely home," said Tumble.
John slid the boat back through the doorway.
Tumble waved from the island.The rabbits clapped.
John clapped. Julia clapped.
Tumble took a magnificent bow.
"And what was your costume?" asked Julia.
"Tumble," said Tumble.
He spread his own little wings.
"Perfect fit."
