Page 53 - The Black Deer and Charlie Rabbit

The Black Deer and Charlie Rabbit 51
Paris and Fay scrubbed the doll with soapy suds and cut off the grimy black hair whilst Sadie and Jessica washed the long tresses of Cyril’s horsehair and curled it by wrapping wet strands around small twigs.
‘Can I put these on top of the kiln to dry please, Mrs Fox?’ asked Jessica.
The fox nodded as she took down a large pizza box from a shelf. ‘Look at these, girls,’ she said.
Inside, lay a delicate red and blue short jacket and a flowing pale pink skirt. Jessica lifted the skirt out and floated it around her shoulders.
‘Wow! This is fabulous. It’s as light as a feather, Paris, feel it. I’d be scared to wear it.’
The doll was ready to be dressed. Fay held it whilst Sadie and Paris twisted and turned the jacket over the body pinning it at the back to fit. Jessica popped one leg in the skirt and pulled it up to the waistline.
‘It’s baggy, Mrs Fox. We need something to secure the skirt around the waist,’ said Jessica.
Fay went into the studio and returned with a length of string. ‘Will this do?’
The rabbit bound the string around the skirt and stuffed the excess fabric up inside the jacket. ‘There you are. It looks good, doesn’t it, Paris?’
‘Here, don’t forget the slippers. Where’s the other leg, Sadie?’ asked Fay.
‘Oh! I left it outside. Alfie carved it this afternoon.’