Kitabı oxu: «Paddington 2: The Story of the Movie: Movie tie-in»

A LONG TIME ago and a long way away in the Amazon jungle, two elderly bears were sitting on a rope bridge enjoying their tea. They were looking out over the spectacular valley beneath them where the fast-flowing Amazon River had burst its banks. Water cascaded from all sides, filling the land with roaring flood waters that rushed towards a magnificent waterfall.

“Our last rainy season,” said Pastuzo with a sigh. He took a sip of his tea as he gazed at the landscape.

Lucy nodded and handed her husband a marmalade sandwich. “Just think, Pastuzo. This time next month, we’ll be in London!”

“Where the rivers run with marmalade and the streets are paved with bread,” he replied.

Lucy shot him a quizzical look. “Did you read that book about London?” she asked.

Pastuzo shrugged. “I skimmed it,” he said carelessly.

Lucy shook her head. “Oh, Pastuzo!” she scolded him gently.

“Well, reading makes me sleepy,” Pastuzo replied awkwardly. “But any city that comes up with this –” he lifted the remains of his marmalade sandwich – “is all right with me.”

Lucy opened her mouth to reply, but stopped. She gasped and pointed at something she had spotted in the river below. “Oh, look, Pastuzo!”

Pastuzo grabbed a pair of binoculars from beside him and peered through them. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “It’s a … it’s a cub!” he said.

Sure enough, far below the rope bridge there was a tiny baby bear struggling to stay afloat in the fast-flowing river. He was clinging desperately to a bit of driftwood. And the river was pulling him closer and closer to some rocks …

Pastuzo lowered his binoculars. He turned to speak to his wife only to see she had left her place on the bridge and was already climbing down a trailing vine towards the waters beneath!

“Lucy!” Pastuzo shouted.

“Lower me down,” said Lucy firmly.

Pastuzo could see there was no point in arguing with her. “All right. But be careful!” he cried.

His heart in his mouth, he untied the vine and began lowering Lucy towards the torrent that raged below. The cub was struggling harder than ever to stay on the branch, but he lost his grip and slipped into the water. Lucy was still a few metres above him as the little cub managed to reach out and grasp the branch again.

“Lower, Pastuzo! Lower!” Lucy called up to her husband.

The cub raised his eyes to see Lucy coming towards him on the vine, reaching out her paw to him. He stretched to take hold of her, but slipped and sank beneath the water.

Lucy grabbed the little cub as he surfaced and swiftly pulled him from the swirling waters. But above her Pastuzo lost his balance on the bridge. His hat flew off as he toppled … He closed his eyes and flailed around with his paws, grabbing on to the bridge and catching hold of it just in time to stop himself from falling.

He opened one eye, hardly daring to look at the scene unfolding below. To his huge relief he saw Lucy still clinging on to the vine. She had his hat, and something else too.

“Lucy? Lucy!” Pastuzo cried.

Lucy smiled up at him. “I’m afraid we’re not going to London after all,” she said.

Pastuzo frowned. “Why not?”

Lucy looked down at the soaking-wet little bundle in her arms. Her eyes filled with love as she took in the tiny face of the bear cub, partly covered by Pastuzo’s hat. “We’ve got a cub to raise,” she said.

Pastuzo peered at the little bear. “What’s he like?”

“Rather small …” said Lucy. The cub sneezed, and the hat fell over his face. “And rather sneezy!” said Lucy with a laugh.

She lifted the hat to see that the cub had found one of Pastuzo’s emergency marmalade sandwiches and was tucking in with relish.

“He likes his marmalade,” said Lucy.

“That’s a good sign,” said Pastuzo, smiling.

“Oh yes, Pastuzo,” said Lucy. “If we look after this bear, I have a feeling he’ll go far.”