Sally did not want to go to school.

“You can have fun painting,” said her mum.

“It will make me messy,” said Sally.

“You’ll meet some new friends,” said her dad.

“I don’t need new friends,” said Sally.

“You can listen to lots of stories,” said her brother Oscar.

“No one tells stories better than dad,” moaned Sally.

“Come on Sally. Get your school bag,” said mum.

“Don’t you know the teacher is an ogre? She will most probably eat me. I am positively not going anywhere and I am certain I want to stay at home today. Thank you very much.” said Sally.


She thought what it would be like to be eaten by the ogre. She expected Mrs Ogre was a great towering giant with horrid chomping iron teeth. She would tuck an enormous bib into her collar and then roar at the children to stand in line while she gobbled them up one by one.

Of course it wouldn’t be all bad. Perhaps scary Mrs Ogre would eat up that awful Maisie Marvin too. Sally did not like Maisie Marvin. That girl liked pulling Sally’s hair far too much and she always had garlic breath.

Then she thought some more…

What if she was next in line to Maisie? She’d be eaten up while having her hair tugged and all mushed up together with Maisie into one great garlicky mess.

“Yuck. No thank you very much.” Sally certainly wasn’t going to risk that.

“Sally I won’t tell you again. Hurry up for school,” said her mum.

If she absolutely had to go Sally was going to make sure she was ready to meet the great ogre. Thank you very much.

First she ran to Oscar’s bedroom. Then she dashed to her own room. Finally she went rummaging in the garden.

At last she was ready. What a sight she looked. She was wearing Oscar’s suit of armour. She was holding a magic wand from her fairy outfit in one hand and in the other hand a great big bunch of parsley.

“What on earth are you doing Sally?” laughed mum.

“Well, I certainly do not want to be eaten by an ogre today, “said Sally. “I am wearing Oscar’s armour because it will be very difficult for Mrs Ogre to crunch through the metal. I have my wand so that I can turn Mrs Ogre into a slimy slug and she will never bother anyone again. I am not too sure it’s magic powers are very good though and I don’t know if the armour will actually work. So just in case I do get eaten, I’ve got some parsley. I’ve heard parsley takes away the smell of garlic and I most definitely don’t want to be munched into one garlicky mess with that horrid Maisie Marvin.

“Oh Sally. You are a noodle,” said Mum as Sally clunked her way into the car.

Soon they arrived at school. Sally looked all around for the monstrous Mrs Ogre but all she could see was a little old lady with a kind face and glasses on her nose.

“Hello you must be Sally,” said the lady. ”What a nice outfit you are wearing. I’m your new teacher, Mrs O’Gelly.”

”Mrs O’Gelly?” said a very surprised Sally. “I thought your name was Mrs Ogre. “

“Well they do sound a little similar,” laughed Mrs O’Gelly, “but I promise I’m not an ogre and I certainly won’t eat you.”

“Thank goodness for that,” said Sally. “I really do not feel like being eaten by an ogre today. Thank you very much.”

With that, Sally clunked and clanked her way into the schoolroom. Mrs O’Gelly seemed very nice and not like a fierce ogre at all.

Sally thought she would keep the suit of armour on just in case though.