Texts for Translation 2006:
  Maureen Montgomery

Mary’s
Magical
Mysterious
Map

The next day was a school day so Mary had to get up and eat her breakfast before walking to school. Her favourite breakfast was rice crispies. She had a bowl of them everyday before she went to school. Mary’s school was ten minutes away so her mum walked with her to school and back home again when she finished at 3 o’clock. “Time to go Mary!” mum called. Mary was up in her room, getting her schoolbag. Mary’s mum stood at the school gate and watched Mary walk to the line of children. The teacher, Mrs Young, was telling the children to line up in front of the door. The children were talking to the other kids. Soon they were in the classroom. The first lesson that Mary’s class had was maths. Mary didn’t like maths very much, she liked drawing better. Soon school was finished. Mary put her books in her school bag and walked out to the play-ground. She saw her mum waiting for her. Mary ran to give her mum a big hug. “How was school?” her mum asked. “Good, we talked about places where it would snow,” Mary said. “Did you?” “Yes mum, do you think it will snow here?” “It might, its cold enough, but can you tell me where else it might snow?” Mary told her mum of places where it might snow. “It might snow when Santa comes soon” Mary’s mum said. “We have a Christmas tree in our classroom,” Mary said, skipping alongside her mum. “Is it a big tree?” her mum asked her. “Very big mum, and we are having a party tomorrow, we have to take a present.” “I know what to do, I’ll go to the supermarket when you are in the bath,” Mary’s mum said. “Will I be in the house all by myself?” asked Mary. “No, your dad will be there, he doesn’t have to go to work tonight,” replied her mum. Mary was excited about Christmas. Her Aunt Maura was taking her to Disneyland in Paris. Maura was a famous singer and she was going to sing at Disneyland. Maura’s boyfriend, Ben Unwin, was going too. Ben was on telly. Disneyland was having Christmas events, like a concert. Maura and her band, Red, were doing a concert. When Mary and her mum got home, Mary said, “I wish it was time to go to Disneyland now!” “But then you would miss your party tomorrow at school wouldn’t you?” her mum replied. “Yes, but I can’t wait mum.” “We better start putting your things in your bag,” mum said. “I want to take snuggles.” Mary said. Snuggles was a bear that Mary’s aunt Maura gave her when she was a baby. Later that night, Mary’s mum went to the shops to get the shopping. When she came back, Mary was in her PJ’s, watching telly and drinking milk. “Do you want you see what I got you for your party?” asked her mum. “Yes please mum,” Mary replied. Mary’s mum took out a cute pink teddy. “That’s nice mum, but how will teacher know if it’s for a boy or for a girl?” Mary asked. “This is how your teacher will know,” Mary’s mum said, holding up pink wrapping paper. “Oh I wish it was tomorrow now!” Mary said excitedly. “Well, you better go to bed and then tomorrow will come quicker,” Mary’s dad said. “O.K, goodnight,” Mary said. She gave her mum and dad a kiss goodnight and went up the stairs to her room. Her mum came to tuck her in. Her mum saw snuggles on the floor and picked him up. Mary cuddled him and lay down. “I’ll get your prettiest dress all ready for you to wear to your party,” Mary’s mum said. “I’m so excited,” Mary said. “I know you are, now go to sleep. Goodnight, Love you,” Her mum said. “Love you too mum,” she replied. Mary’s mum kissed her again, then turned the light out, and left the room. Mary cuddled snuggles and soon fell asleep. The next day, Mary got up early. She was very excited about the party. When she was putting her clothes on, she said to her mum, “we’re getting cakes and we’ve got jelly and ice-cream.” “What else will you have?” Mary’s mum asked, putting some of Mary’s clothes into a bag. “We’ve got hats, and balloons, and blowers, and crackers and streamers,” Mary told her mum. “It sounds great, can I come? asked Mary’s mum. “You’re too big, and you don’t go to my school,” laughed Mary. “It’s been a very long time since I was at school,” Replied Mary’s mum, smiling. “That’s because you’re old,” Mary said. “Cheeky Madame!” and with that, Mary’s mum grabbed Mary and tickled her. Soon Mary was ready for school. “You look very pretty,” Mary’s dad said to her. She had a red dress on. Mary enjoyed her party. She got a doll for her present. School finished early, at 1 o’clock, because it was 5 days before Christmas and the start of the Christmas holidays. Mary’s mum picked her up from school. She went in to see the Christmas tree that was in Mary’s class. Mary held her hand and said, “My teacher had to get a ladder to put the star on top.” “Did she?” her mum asked. “And look,” Mary showed her mum the doll. “She’s very pretty, what are you going to call her?” Mary’s mum asked her. “Annie,” Mary replied. “That’s nice, are you ready to go home?” “Yes. Soon I’ll be on holiday, and I’m going to take Annie with me.” “I think she would like that.” Mary’s mum told her.

Later, Maura came to Mary’s house, she wanted to make sure that everything was okay to go to Disneyland. “Are you all ready to go?” Maura asked Mary. “Yes, I’m so excited,” replied Mary. “I am too,” Maura said.

The next day, Mary got up early. She was so excited, she couldn’t wait. She was jumping up and down with excitement. Her mum and dad were taking her to the airport where Mary would meet her aunt Maura. Before Mary went into the big plane, her mum and dad hugged her and told her to be a good girl for her aunt.

Soon they were in Disneyland. Mary was so excited; she was hopping up and down. Mary had her own room just nest door to Maura and Ben. There was a door to Maura’s room. Maura met her friends in the band and they practised the songs that they going to play. Mary danced along when Maura was singing.

The next day, Mary, Maura and Ben went to the café to get breakfast. It was a funny breakfast, Mary thought. There was cheese and slices of ham. But there also some cereal, so Mary had some of that. After breakfast, Mary, Maura and Ben went into Disneyland Park and went on some rides. They went on one called the big thunder mountain. It was a sort of rollercoaster. They had their picture taken when they were on it. Mary was having such a good time.

After dinner, there was a parade. The people in the parade had lights on them and the animals in the parade were made of lights and it was very magical. Mary was dancing with the music as it passed her. After the parade, Maura and her band played their songs on a special Christmas stage that had lights all over it. Maura sang Santa Claus is coming to town. Mary was with Ben and she was dancing with the music. Maura sang some Disney songs as well as Christmas songs.

Mary had a good time in Disneyland. She didn’t want to go home. The day after Mary came back home was Christmas day and Mary got up very early to see what Santa had brought her. He had brought lots of toys. Mary was very happy. She said to her mum and dad as they watched her open her presents, “This is the best Christmas ever!!”

The end.

Maureen Montgomery: Glasgow, Scotland, Contributor to Reflections of Paris

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