The idea for this came to me at 3am this morning so I jotted down the first verse and then went back to sleep. I finished it a little while ago but first a little bit of background.

Young children in French schools are allowed to take a favourite soft toy with them for when they have an afternoon nap. Teddy Polar Bear (as some of you will know) is my grandson's "nounours" who goes everywhere with him. This year the school has a new teacher who introduced a mascot in the shape of a glove puppet. Each child takes turn to look after him and share in his care and well-being. Yesterday evening not only did I collect two grandchildren and one teddy polar bear from school but "Gaston" came along for a sleepover.

Teddy Polar Bear has a Friend

Gaston’s a hedgehog puppet
We see at school each day
It seemed a very good idea
That he should come and stay

Teacher put him in his little sac
Of blue which had his name
He didn’t seem to mind you see
He thought it was a game

We brought him home together
We sat him down to tea
And when it came to bedtime
Louis put him next to me

We’d found him some pyjamas
In a bag of dolly’s clothes
He smiled and he was happy
He looked so cute in those

And then when it was morning
His stay was soon to end
For we had to take him back to school
For Gaston’s everybody’s friend

©Marian Barker