“Of course I’m excited!” cried Mirror-Belle. “It’s not every day you catch a crook red-handed. Look! He’s even got a false beard!” She reached out and tried to tug it, but Father Christmas dodged out of the way.
“Now now, I’m beginning to wonder if you really are a good little girl,” he said. “Maybe I’d better fill your stocking with coal instead of presents?”
Mirror-Belle looked horrified. “You’re not filling any of my stockings with anything!” she said. “In fact, if you come anywhere near the palace I’ll set my dog, Prince Precious Paws, on you. And you’d better not try going down my friend Ellen’s chimney either.”
“Of course I’ll go down Ellen’s chimney; she’s a good girl, and I’ve got a little something for her here,” said Father Christmas, beckoning to Ellen.
Ellen came up to receive her present. “Do calm down, Mirror-Belle,” she pleaded.
“I know!” said Katy. “We’re going to play hide-and-seek next. Why don’t you go and hide now, Mirror-Belle? I bet you’ll find a really good place.”
Mirror-Belle sighed. “Very well, since no one here will listen to reason,” she said, and she flounced out of the room.
Later, when all the presents had been given out and Father Christmas had said goodbye, the other children went to look for Mirror-Belle. Ellen was not surprised when they couldn’t find her.
“It’s all right,” she told Katy’s mum. “I think she must have gone home. She quite often does that.” She didn’t add that the way Mirror-Belle went home was through a mirror.
Ellen thought she would never get to sleep. Christmas Eve was always like that. Her empty stocking (really one of Dad’s thick mountain-climbing socks) lay limply on the bottom of her bed. In the morning it would be fat and knobbly with presents, and this was just one of the exciting thoughts that was keeping her awake.
“But I did get to sleep all the other years, so I will tonight,” she told herself, and in the end she must have drifted off.
A rapping sound woke her and she sat up in bed. The room was dark. It was still night.
She wriggled her toes. Yes! From the lovely heaviness on top of them she knew that her stocking was full. But why was her heart thumping so hard? It didn’t feel just like nice Christmassy excitement. That noise had scared her. What was it?
Mum and Dad liked Ellen to take her stocking into their room, so that they could watch her open it. This year she had decided to take them in a cup of tea as well. But somehow she knew it was too early for that. She switched on her lamp and looked at the clock beside her bed. Only four thirty.
Suddenly she heard another rap. It was coming from the skylight window. Ellen wished now that Mirror-Belle hadn’t gone on about burglars so much, because that was the first thing she thought of. It sounded as if someone was trying to break into her bedroom.
“Ellen! Let me in!”
That hoarse whisper didn’t belong to a burglar. It was Princess Mirror-Belle.
For once Ellen was relieved to see her face, which was pressed against the skylight window.
“I’m coming!” she said and got out of bed.
The window was in the sloping part of Ellen’s ceiling, where it came down so low that grown-ups couldn’t stand up properly. Ellen didn’t even need to climb on a chair to open it.
Princess Mirror-Belle landed on the floor with a thump. She didn’t look much like Sleeping Beauty any more. Her face was dirty, her hair wild and her nightdress torn. In one hand she clutched the now grubby veil.
“Mirror-Belle! I thought you’d gone back through one of Katy’s mirrors!”
“What, and leave you unprotected? Is that the kind of friend you think I am?”
“I don’t know what you mean. Oh, Mirror-Belle, you’re shivering! Why don’t you get into my bed?”
“That’s a good idea.”
When the two girls were sitting up in bed together, snugly covered by Ellen’s duvet, Ellen said, “What were you doing on the roof? And how did you get there?”
“I climbed up that creeper at the side of your house. Very useful things, creepers. I’m sure my friend Rapunzel wishes that there had been one growing up the tower that horrible witch locked her up in for all those years. Then the prince could have climbed up that instead of up her hair. I must say, I wouldn’t let any old prince climb up my hair, even if it was long enough. A lot of Rapunzel’s hair fell out after that, you know, and it’s never been the same since.”
“Oh, Mirror-Belle, do stop going on about Rapunzel and tell me what you’ve been up to.”
“This,” said Mirror-Belle, and she spread out the grubby veil which she had been clutching. Something was written on it in big black letters.
“I had to use a lump of coal for the writing, but it looks quite good, I think. Don’t you?”
Ellen had become an expert at reading Mirror-Belle’s writing so she didn’t need to hold it up to the mirror to see that it said, “Go Away, Father Christmas.”
“I spread it out on the roof and sat on the chimney pot all night,” said Mirror-Belle triumphantly. “I’m pretty sure that’s done the trick. I don’t think he’ll come now.”
“Er . . .” Ellen couldn’t help glancing down at the bulgy stocking on her bed, and Mirror-Belle spotted it too.
“Good heavens! He’s craftier than I thought. How on earth did he get in? You’d better check all your belongings immediately, Ellen, and see what he’s stolen.”
“I’m sure he hasn’t stolen anything,” said Ellen.
Mirror-Belle glanced round the room suspiciously and then at the stocking again.
“I notice there isn’t one for me,” she said. “That’s a relief,” she added, though in fact she sounded rather disappointed.
Ellen thought quickly and then said, “I’ve got something for you, Mirror-Belle. Close your eyes a minute.”
Mirror-Belle looked pleased, and Ellen hastily wrapped up the present that Father Christmas had given her at Katy’s party.
“You can open them again now.”
Mirror-Belle unwrapped the present, and gazed in delight at the little glass dome with a forest scene of deer and trees inside it.
“Give it a shake,” said Ellen. Mirror-Belle shook it, and snowflakes rose up and whirled around.
“This is just what I’ve always wanted,” she said. Ellen had never heard her sound so happy about anything before and felt glad she had thought of giving her the snowstorm, even though she really liked it herself.
After a few more shakes and smiles, Mirror-Belle started eyeing Ellen’s stocking again. “I hope it isn’t full of coal,” she said.
“I’m sure it’s not.”
“Let’s just check.”
“But I usually open it in Mum and Dad’s room, and it’s too early to wake them.”
“I still think we have a duty to investigate,” said Mirror-Belle grandly.
“Well . . .” Ellen was beginning to waver. After all, it was so hard to wait. “I know, let’s just open one thing each and then wrap them up again.”
She gave Mirror-Belle a cube-shaped parcel and unwrapped a long thin one herself.
“Cool! It’s a fan. What’s in yours?”
“It’s a little box.” Mirror-Belle opened it and inside was a brooch shaped like a Scottie dog. “Hmm, not a patch on any of my own jewellery, but quite amusing all the same,” she said. “Would you like me to fasten it on to your pyjama top?”
“Yes, please,” said Ellen.
Suddenly Mirror-Belle gave a little scream.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’ve pricked my finger!”
“Oh dear.” Ellen looked at the finger which was sticking out of a hole in the dirty white glove. She couldn’t see any blood or even a pinprick. “I’m sure you’ll be all right,” she said.
“No, I won’t. I feel sleepy already.”
“Oh help! Is there anything I can do?”
“No, nothing at all, but don’t worry. It’s quite a nic
e feeling actually. In fact, I think I probably need a three-hundred-year sleep after all the adventures I’ve had recently.”
Mirror-Belle gave a huge yawn and lay down in Ellen’s bed.
“No! You can’t go to sleep here!”
But Mirror-Belle’s eyes were already closed, and she began to snore gently.
“Wake up, Mirror-Belle!” Ellen was shouting now.
“Ellen! What’s going on!” she heard her mother’s voice call.
Ellen looked at the clock. It was half past five – still a bit earlier than her parents liked to be disturbed, but it seemed that she had woken them up already.
Well, she decided, at least now she could prove to them once and for all that Mirror-Belle really existed. If she was going to stay asleep in Ellen’s bed for three hundred years there could be no doubt about that.
“Happy Christmas,” said Mum sleepily, and then, “Oh, how lovely,” when she saw that Ellen had brought her and Dad a cup of tea.
“Where’s your stocking?” asked Dad.
“It’s upstairs still, and so is Mirror-Belle! You’ve got to come and see her.”
Mum sighed. “Honestly, Ellen, can’t we even get a break from Mirror-Belle on Christmas Day?”
“But she’s asleep in my bed! Please, Mum – please come!”
Mum yawned. “Let us drink our tea first,” she said. “You go back up and we’ll come in a couple of minutes.”
“All right.” After all, Ellen thought, there was no hurry.
But when she got back to her bedroom she found that Mirror-Belle was no longer in the bed. She was walking slowly across the room with her arms stretched out in front of her.
“Mirror-Belle! Have you woken up already?”
“No, of course not, silly. I’m sleepwalking,” said Mirror-Belle. Ellen noticed that she was grasping the snowstorm in her right hand. She had reached the wardrobe now.
“Goodbye, Ellen,” she said in a strange calm voice and disappeared into the mirror.
“Mirror-Belle! Come back!” Ellen called into the mirror, but it was her own reflection and not Mirror-Belle that she saw there.
“All right then, where’s this sleeping princess?” said Dad, coming into the room with Mum.
“You’ve just missed her,” said Ellen. “She’s sleepwalked into the mirror.”
“Well, well, what a surprise,” said Mum. Then she glanced at the wrapping paper on the bed. “I see you couldn’t wait to start opening your stocking.”
“That was Mirror-Belle’s idea,” said Ellen.
Mum smiled. “Of course,” she said.
Ellen knew that Mum and Dad didn’t believe her. It was annoying, but she didn’t really blame them. There were quite a few things about Mirror-Belle that she wasn’t sure if she believed herself. For instance, had she really gone to sleep for three hundred years? If so, Ellen would never see her again – unless she did some more sleepwalking, that is.
“Well,” said Mum, “are you going to bring your stocking downstairs now?”
“Yes,” said Ellen. Suddenly she felt excited all over again.
Mirror-Belle had gone, but Christmas Day had only just begun.
Christmas Snowstorm
You will need
A screw-top jar
A small plastic toy – you could use some Christmas-cake decorations
Glycerine
Glue – not water-soluble . . .
and the special ingredient – some glitter!
1. Fill your jar with water and screw the lid on.
2. Now shake it about to make sure there aren’t any leaks.
3. Empty the jar and refill it, using two parts water and one part glycerine. (The glycerine thickens the water so that your glitter snow will fall slowly.) Now sprinkle in the glitter and give it a good stir.
4. Finally, glue your toy to the inside of the lid and put the lid on tightly. Get shaking – and admire your winter wonderland!
Salt-Dough Tree Decorations
Your Christmas tree will look great covered with these non-edible decorations.
You will need
300g plain flour
300g salt
200ml water
1 teaspoon cooking oil
A rolling pin
A baking tray
A selection of festive cutters
1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl, mix them all together, then roll them into a ball.
2. Roll the dough out flat. Then cut out shapes, like stars and snowmen, with a cutter – and make a little hole in each one so that they can be hung on the tree when they’re cooked.
3. Place them on the greased baking tray and ask an adult to pop them in the oven at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes.
4. When they’ve cooled, you can paint them bright colours and add some sparkly string.
Christmas Biscuits
You will need
250g plain flour
125g butter
60g caster sugar
A rolling pin
A baking tray
A selection of festive cutters
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and then slowly knead them together to make a ball.
2. Roll out this pastry until it is about 1cm thick, and then use the festive cookie cutters to cut out angels, stars, Christmas trees and so on.
3. Place them on the greased baking tray and ask an adult to put them in the oven to cook for 10–15 minutes at 160°C/Gas Mark 3.
4. Let them cool – and enjoy!
Potato-Print Wrapping Paper
Potato-print wrapping paper adds a personal touch to your present-giving – and it’s lots of messy fun to make too! You need a shaped cookie cutter and a large potato, or you can press your hands into the paint and use them to make patterns.
1. Cut out a slice from the middle of the potato and press the cookie cutter into it.
2. Then push out the shape you have cut, and dip it into some paint – any colour you like.
3. Press the shape on to a piece of paper, and then repeat to make the coolest wrapping paper around!
4. You can also place your hands in the paint and then press them against the paper.
Christmas-Tree Paperchain
An easy-to-make decoration to take pride of place in your house.
1. Lay out two pieces of paper, and join them together with some tape.
2. Then fold the paper in half, and then back on itself again so that the paper makes a zigzag shape, like this:
3. Draw a Christmas tree on the first face of the paper, making sure that one set of branches touches both sides of the paper. This will be the link between the sheets.
4. Then cut out the Christmas-tree shape, taking care not to cut along the folds of the paper.
5. Open out the shape, and you should have a dancing string of trees – which you can decorate with different colours and glitter.
Christmas Hat
Making a festive hat is simple: take a piece of coloured paper, and roll it into a cone shape.
Secure this with tape, and then get decorating – you can use glitter, streamers, and pencils and paint to make it really festive.
Gift Calendar
A perfect present for any family member – you’ll need to buy a plain, tear-off calendar.
Stick this to the bottom of a sturdy piece of paper or cardboard, and decorate the background.
You could stick on a photo, or paint handprints, or write a poem and draw pictures around it.
Use some ribbon or string to make a loop to hang it up with.
About the Author
Julia Donaldson is one of the UK’s most popular children’s writers. Her award-winning books include What the Ladybird Heard, The Snail and the Whale and The Gruffalo. She has also written many children’s plays and songs, and her sell-out shows based on her books and songs are a huge success. She was the Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013, campaigning for libraries and for deaf children, and creating a website for teac
hers called picturebookplays.co.uk.
Julia and her husband Malcolm divide their time between Sussex and Edinburgh.
You can find out more about Julia at www.juliadonaldson.co.uk.
About the Illustrator
Lydia Monks studied Illustration at Kingston University, graduating in 1994 with a first-class degree. She is a former winner of the Smarties Bronze Award for I Wish I Were a Dog and has illustrated many books by Julia Donaldson. Her illustrations have been widely admired.
You can find out more about Lydia at www.lydiamonks.com.
Books by Julia Donaldson
The Princess Mirror-Belle series illustrated by Lydia Monks
Princess Mirror-Belle
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Party Hoppers
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Magic Shoes
Princess Mirror-Belle and Prince Precious Paws
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Flying Horse
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Sea Monster’s Cave
Poetry
Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum
Wriggle and Roar
Shuffle and Squelch
Poems to Perform (anthology)
Plays
Play Time
Plays to Read (a series for schools)
Picture books with Lydia Monks
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Dragon Pox
The Rhyming Rabbit
Sharing a Shell
The Singing Mermaid
Sugarlump and the Unicorn
What the Ladybird Heard
What the Ladybird Heard Next
‘The Sleepwalking Beauty’ first published 2006 in Princess Mirror-Belle
and the Flying Horse by Macmillan Children’s Books
This edition published 2016 by Macmillan Children’s Books
This electronic edition published 2016 by Macmillan Children’s Books