The Pass on the Love Picnic, a modern fairy story

A bloodcurdling scream whooshed through the tunnels of Castle Alexander. The King glanced up from angry birds, the princess paused her DS, and the little prince even dropped smelly bear.

'Enough' screamed the Queen as she came flying down the corridor on a toy car.  'Time to tidy up. This castle is a deathtrap.'

'Absolutely,' mumbled the King.

'Well, do something!' screeched the Queen.

At that moment there was a knock at the door, and as if by magic, there appeared a box. 

'Presents!'  shouted the prince.

'Toys!' shouted the princess.

'I bloomin hope not!' said the Queen.

'Well, shall we open it?' said the King.

Inside the box was a letter from Persil, and a Pass the Love Picnic Kit.  The Persil Godmother has spoken,' announced the Queen. 'We're having a picnic, we must wash your old clothes and toys in this', the Queen held up a gleaming bottle of purple liquid marked Persil and Comfort 2 in 1, 'and pass them on to other children in this', she waved a green Oxfam collection bag.

The prince and princess looked nervously at the green bag.  The little prince's bottom lip began to wobble.

'Never fear,' said the Queen. 'You may choose what to put in it, but anything that is not put away properly, goes in the green bag.  

So while the King made sandwiches, the Queen helped the prince and princess fill the washing machine with old soft toys and clothes.  The little prince even agreed to let smelly bear have a much needed bath, on the understanding he was not to go in the green bag.

The toys and clothes dried on the washing line.  The sun shone, the wind blew and filled the castle with the calming aroma of passionflowers.

The prince and princess ate their lavish picnic of jam sandwiches, hula hoops, quavers, fruit salad and ice cream in the castle gardens.

Meanwhile, panic was spreading amongst the castle animals.

'I hear some animals are going to the charity shop,' whispered the bluebird.

'They don't want us anymore,' sniffed the squirrel.

'The time comes', said the wise old polar bear, 'to pass on the love to another child. And to make some money for charity on the way.'

'What's charity?' asked fox.

'Some children don't have any toys,' said Polar bear.

'I wouldn't mind belonging to a child who didn't have any toys,' said badger.  'I might get played with more often.'

'True' said Polar bear, 'very true my friend.'

And so the green bag was filled with sweet smelling animals and other long forgotten toys, placed in the back of the royal chariot, and delivered to Oxfam.

Peace descended on the castle once more.  The little prince was reunited with passionflower smelling bear and curled up on the softest picnic blanket ever known, to finish the last of the quavers.

Persil Pass on the Love picnics encourage the recycling of old toys, either to other children, or to Oxfam, after a good wash in Persil and Comfort 2 in 1. Oxfam urgently need your support right now, after the worst food crisis of the century has left 10 million people in desperate need of food and water in East Africa.   Fill a bag, make a donation and if you are at Camp Bestival this summer look out for the Persil huge Pass the Love picnic.  Or why not organise your own picnic?  You can claim a picnic pack here.

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