The Amazing Adventures Of Captain Tobias Johnsson
Stories for children (young and old), by Richard Steele-Taylor.
Dedicated to Tomas James.
When a father and a child read stories together, it is magical for both. You see, every daddy was once a little boy with hopes, fears, and dreams he longed to fulfil. Every daddy also has an imagination, as every Mummy will confirm. And so it is, that with just a little effort, dreams can still come true.
One night at bedtime, Tomas James (who was a little boy just like you), asked his Daddy to read him a story. “But I just lay down on the bed,” said Daddy, “ and your books are on the other side of the room.” Daddy’s can be the idlest of creatures at times, as every Mummy will agree. So instead of fetching a storybook, Daddy propped himself up on one elbow, gently stroked Tomas’ head, sighed, and started to tell the very first tale of Captain Tobias Johnsson…
THE TOOTH TROLLS These are the tales of Tobias Johnsson, who is a little boy just like you. Every night, when he had tidied his toys away, put on his pyjamas, kissed his Mummy goodnight, brushed his teeth and said his prayers, Papa tells Tobias a bedtime story.
They are called bedtime stories because they often include a horrible Tooth Troll called Herbert Knocker and he is the captain of a big ship called ‘Bedtime’. The name was carefully chosen to scare, for as you know, all children hate bedtime.
Herbert Knocker and his naughty Tooth Trolls patrol the night in search of children who forget to brush their teeth or say their prayers. During the day they live in the garden under piles of old leaves or in the compost heap with the wiggly worms, wood lice, earwigs and centipedes.
Sometimes they have big battles with their archenemies, the Tooth Fairies. On these occasions, they carry horse-chestnut husks as shields, take hawthorns for swords and ware acorn cups on their heads for helmets. Some of them fly around on magpies hurling mud balls. They are very ugly, very hairy, very small and very, very naughty.
Tooth Trolls like to eat sweet, sticky things and drink fizzy pop. When nighttime comes and they find children who have not brushed their teeth, they turn the teeth black or steal them before the tooth fairy can help. And if ever they eat wobbly jelly (and if they can walk straight), they go especially crazy. They find the nearest children and give them the hiccups.
If ever you hear names in the night like Monty Grappa, Cuthbert Clang, Tickle-Me William, Chocky Loo-Lah, Pumpkin Face or Pooey Louis, you know you are in the company of the Tooth Trolls. The only thing to do is to brush your teeth, say your prayers, wish for the Tooth Fairy – or perhaps mention Captain Tobias Johnsson and see if they run away.