He was only four years old but so very brave, I was the constant companion of Teddy, well his name was Edward really but he liked Teddy instead. That was what Nanny called him. I had been with human Teddy ever since his mummy gave me to him when he was born. That meant the house had two teddies, one with fur and a black nose, that's me, and a human one with no fur and a pink freckled nose. We were easy to tell apart in other ways. I was only eight inches high and furry and Teddy was nearly two feet tall and no fur except on his head.
War is never a good thing and the United Kingdom had declared war on Germany a year ago. Because of all the bombing in London we two Teddies were sent to stay with Nanny in the countryside of Sussex. We had both been here now for six months. We both enjoyed talking to the cows and pigs. We visited the dairy where we saw the cows being milked by a man with a stool and a bucket. We saw the miracle of milk changing to butter. We had to be careful of the big bull with a ring through its nose as nanny said it was dangerous
The ducks all quacked around us and the geese scared us with their squawky noises. We collected eggs together with Nanny from the hens, great big brown ones that they sometimes had for breakfast. We played cowboys and Indians among the sheaths of corn at harvest time with all the other non furry people. We watched the farmer shoot the rabbits when the reapers got to the middle of a field of wheat. Nanny made a lovely stew with one, I didn't have any though as furry teddies don't eat. One day we both slipped and fell into the smelly silo at the back of the cow shed and we both had to have a bath. I didn't like it because I had to hang on the line to dry out, but human Teddy was soon alright.
Nanny took us both picking mushrooms early in the mornings and in late summer we picked blackberries from the hedgerows. The man who owned the farm was a kind man who bought the human Teddy a wooden fort for Christmas with some lead soldiers.
War is a nasty business, people get killed and houses get bombed and destroyed. Sussex, although so much safer than London, had had some bombs dropped in the countryside, mostly from German bombers ejecting unused bombs on their way back to their bases in Germany.
That was what happened to Nannies' house on the night of July the ninth 1941. The bomber didn't care where his bombs dropped, it was extra weight he could do without on the trip back home, so he dropped it.
Now Nanny was as bright as a button and had made up a very special bed for us two teddies in the cupboard under the stairs. We used to sleep in there every night all nice and warm and cosy, just the two of us cuddling each other. So we were this night when the bomb hit the house. We were both awakened by the explosion and so much noise as the house came crashing down around us. We held each other so tight. Human Teddy was so scared but I spoke to him in a very soft voice and calmed him down. Finally the crashing stopped and all was still. We Teddies couldn't hear anything. Human Teddy called out for nanny but there was no reply. He started to cry but I used my paw to wipe away the tears and human Teddy became calm again. We talked to each other for a long time, then, suddenly, people were calling out for Nanny. There wasn't any reply but human Teddy shouted out as loud as he could. The people heard him and asked if he was alright. He called back yes that we both were. Then there were sounds of digging started and stuff being moved around. Non furry Teddy told me to be brave now. They heard someone shout. "We've found Nanny. She is OK just knocked out." Clever nanny had her bed under the kitchen table with a screen round it. Human Teddy spoke to me. "Nanny's alright Teddy," and cried with relief. It took a long time to get to the little cupboard where we were, and when the people did, it still took more time for the rescuers to open the door. Finally the door opened and hands reached in to get us. There were hugs and kisses from all over. People were so happy that we were safe and well, if a bit dusty.
Nanny recovered quickly and didn't need to go to hospital or the doctors. Everyone rallied round and rescued what they could from the house, the Farmer man gave us two big rooms in his house. Finally, after many years, human Teddy got a lot bigger but we still went everywhere together, the war ended, everyone had parties and then mummy came and took Teddy and me home again. Daddy came home from the war and human Teddy told him all about our exploits in the war. He said we were very, very brave.
I never forgot how brave human Teddy had been that night and how we helped each other. Of course, years have passed now and he is an old man. Pardon! You asked what happened to me. Sadly Nanny has gone, so has mummy and daddy. Human Teddy has grown old and a bit deaf, but me? Ah, I am still here on human Teddy's pillows, he reads me his stories for my approval; I am now one-eyed and less furry but still loved. His great-grandson Timmy wants me when human Teddy goes to meet with Nanny, mummy and daddy.
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