Once or twice upon a teatime, not so very long ago, there lived a little girl named Samphire Cobbs.
She lived in a nice thatched cottage, just outside the village of Grendelfell.
Samphire, or “Sammy” as everyone called her, had a best friend.
And Sammy’s best friend was a doll, named Elsie.
Sammy loved to play with Elsie.
They were inseperable.
They had parties together.
And read books to each other, even though Sammy wasn’t yet very good at reading.
But Elsie helped.
They liked to play games & tricks.
Sammy really enjoyed playing the games the doll suggested & Elsie was very good at tricking her.
One day Elsie hinted to Sammy that she would like to be baptised.
This surprised the little girl, as Sammy had no idea that her doll was religious.
But she was happy to please her little porcelain friend.
So Sammy went to the old library and found a big dusty book that contained the words for a baptismal ceremony.
But that wasn’t quite enough.
Elsie, in her silent, dolllike way, told Sammy that as well as the book, they would also need a bell and a candle.
That night, Elsie woke Sammy just before midnight.
The sleepy girl nodded. She was tired but didn’t mind baptising her doll, if that’s what she really wanted.
Sally lit the candle & tried to read the words in the book, but it was very hard.
“Don’t worry,” said the doll.
“It is only difficult because you are trying to read them the wrong way round.”
Sammy was puzzled.
“It will work better if you read the words backwards” whispered Elsie, quietly, inside Sammy’s mind.
“Say the words. Then we can be together forever.”
“I’ll be inside you.
And you will be inside me.
Always and forever and ever .”
Sammy did as the doll asked.
And that was that.
Now this, dear children, is why you must never forget:
DO NOT listen to dolls that whisper words at midnight.
Or else.
Or…
…Elsie.
