Patches Saves Christmas

• Kiara Pitigala, Grade 2, Pascoe Vale Primary School
• Short Story
• 2018

3rd in the 'Time To Write 2018/2019' competition

Once there was a dog named Patches who lived in Sunny View Farm with the Trickleburn family. Farmer Trickleburn died a long time ago when Patches was just a pup. Before he died, they had a really good life. The farmhouse was a really good place and Patches got great food to eat. Farmer Trickleburn used to teach Patches lots of tricks like playing dead, roll over, catch, shake hand and much more. But now, the farmhouse is just an old building with a few old sheep and chickens. Mrs. Trickleburn has to do twice the work she used to do to run the family with four children.
It was getting near the Christmas holidays but it was not a holiday for Mrs. Trickleburn. She had to keep working for her family. “She does work an awful lot and ever since farmer Trickleburn died, there was not enough money for the family,” thought Patches sadly. “Maybe I could do something to help her,” he thought as his face lit up. So he went out of the farmhouse into the village square. Then he barked a few times to get people’s attention. He started doing all the tricks that farmer Trickleburn had taught him. There was only a small crowd at first but as he did more tricks, the crowd grew bigger and bigger. When he finished his show, a loud eruption of applause came from the audience and people started giving him money and treats.
Every day, he did the same thing and he got more money each day he did his tricks until finally it was Christmas Eve. Mrs. Trickleburn looked very stressed and tired. So when Patches gave her all the money he earned, she was so happy and surprised. “Oh.. Patches! Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’ve got us as much money as we had when farmer Trickleburn was alive.” Then Patches, Mrs Trickleburn and all her four children had a very, very merry, merry Christmas!