Ruff’s bathroom was an absolute mess! Soap, face cloths and toothpaste littered the sink and the floor. The bath was full of cold dirty water and there were toothpaste splatters all over the mirror. But there in the middle of it all stood a polished and clean, not-a-hair-out-of-place Ruff.

You see today was a very important day as today was the day Ruff would meet the Queen.

“Ruff the Limousine is here!” called Rufus, his brother, from downstairs. Ruff did feel a little out of place, as he always did things with his brother, and today he would be on his own. Ruff was clumsy at the best of times and had promised himself and his brother he would be swave and dashing today.

There was great excitement in the air as Rufus and Ruff had opened the gold guilded envelope bearing Ruff’s name. He had been invited by the Queen personally to join her for lunch at the palace. Ruff was ready for the challenge. He stumbled nervously down the stairs.

“Well don’t you look smashing then?” smiled Rufus.

Ruff smiled brightly.

“You’ve got to do better than that!” encouraged Rufus.

Ruff stood on tippy-toes and grinned his toothiest grin. A beam of sunlight streaming in from the window reflected off of Ruff’s freshly brushed teeth, bathing him in a glow of white light, which made him look like royalty.

“There that’s better! Now have a good time Scamp!” smiled Rufus as he slapped his brother on the back, sending him toward the waiting limousine.

At the palace everything looked larger than life! So dramatic and built on a grand scale.

A Loopie in an orange and green striped tie came out to meet Ruff.

“My name is Tim, I’ll be your palace guide and take you to see the Queen.” He explained.

Ruff grinned and walked with Tim into the emence Entrance Hall. Ruff starred, so much artwork and shiny golden statues decorated the room. Ruff decided to act as casually as possible and stroll around the room admiring the beautiful decorations.

He stopped at a nearby statue and looked at his reflection in it. He carefully polished his teeth with his tongue and grinned at himself to check that his teeth were still clean. They where, and as pearly white as ever!

“Would you please welcome her royal highness. The Queen!” boomed a palace guard, standing at the top of the stairs leading down to where Ruff stood.

Ruff startled a little by the booming announcement stepped back and bumped straight into a suit of shiny armour. Clatter! Ruff jumped and checked to see if he hadn’t dislodged anything. Tim smiled, he had stopped it from falling. Phew!

Ruff looked up at the Queen who was making her way down the stairs and toward him. He was a bit nervous and all he could do at that moment was grin. He then thought back to what Rufus had said earlier, “You can do better than that!” he heard his brother say. Ruff grinned harder.

And as he did a ray of sunlight coming in from one of the high windows shone directly onto Ruff’s teeth and reflected off of them, but with such intensity, the Queen was momentarily blinded and tripped! She rolled straight down the stairs and landed in a heap at Ruff’s feet. Tim rushed to her aid, while all Ruff could do was stare at the clumsy Queen. The palace guards rushed in too to help the Queen to her feet, but looking headlong into the glare coming from Ruff’s shiny teeth, they too tripped and fell to the floor in a heap.

“Um,” stammered the Queen, which was very unlike her as Queen’s don’t stammer!

“I thought we could eat lunch out in the garden today.” she said as Tim helped her to her feet.

The Queen straightened her hair and led Ruff out into the garden. The garden was just as grand as the palace! Huge green lawns rolled on for as far as Ruff could see. The lunch table was decked with every tasty treat imaginable!  There were, cupcakes, pancakes, sausage rolls, jam pastries, salads, drumsticks and even battered prawns! Ruff’s mouth watered.

“After you.” smiled the Queen as she motioned for Ruff to sit down. Ruff sat awaiting his culinary adventure. The Queen smiled at Ruff as she took her seat, Ruff grinned back, again summoning another shaft of light from the heavens, which again blinded the Queen.

“Oh noooo!” she shrieked. She tried desparately to find her napkin to hold it up and stop the glare, but she knocked over her soup and pulled the battered prawns onto her lap! The little tiered display holding the meatballs was the next thing to come cascading down! The Queen was still shrieking while being pelted with tumbling meatballs. Ruff was so shocked and surprised he didn’t know what to do, so he just continued grinning!

One of the nearby waiters rushed to the Queen’s aid. But as soon as he got close to Ruff, he too became blinded by the glare from Ruff’s shiny teeth. He slipped on a meatball and came crashing into the rest of the lunch. The punch bowl wobbled and tilted, baptizing the Queen and the waiter in purple liquid. The Queen spluttered and wiped a jam pastry from her eye.

“I do apologise.” said the Queen, trying to avoid looking directly at Ruff, who was still grinning.

After lunch, Tim led Ruff out to the limosine which took him back home to an eagerly awaiting Rufus.

“So?” asked Rufus.

“How was lunch?”

“You’ll never believe it Rufus!” replied Ruff.

“But the Queen is just as clumsy as me.” He declared triumphantly.

Rufus shook his head in disbelief. A clumsy Queen? Now who could have ever imagined that?

© 2010 Ingrid Holtshausen. All rights reserved.

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