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A story created by children from P6a at Granton Primary School in 2021 with support from Anim8s.

Once upon a time, on an island far away lived the king and queen of the gulls. They lived in a gigantic castle, with towers so high they touched the clouds. On the inside the hall was littered with horrifying, centuries-old salmon bones, old rotting crab shells and the reeking smell of a shrimp feast from a thousand years ago...The island that it sat on was miles away from dry, safe land. Storm clouds surrounded it in the middle of the unforgiving sea.One day, the King and Queen of the Gulls made an announcement: if anyone could get over to the island they would receive a prize of the greatest story ever told.All the gulls were sent out far and wide to spread the word… many explorers tried to find it but all of them failed and never made it home…

At Granton Primary school, the P6a teacher Mrs McSeveny was setting the homework…“So, class, it’s simple,” she beamed, “I want you to bring me the Greatest Story Ever Told… I’m sure you’ll find it!” The bell rang and the class ZOOMED out of the school for break time. In the playground there were three kids named Charlie, Max and Alex. They were talking about what to do after school when all of a sudden, a large gull landed beside them, and it was looking Charlie dead in the eye. Max tried shooing it away but the gull kept walking towards them so Charlie shouted, “Go away! Shoo!”

But the seagull kept walking. When it got close to the three friends it cleared its throat and stated talking…“The King and Queen of the Gulls have a quest: you need to travel to the Island of the Gulls. Whoever does this will be given the greatest story ever told!”Then the gull flew away.

The friends’ mouths dropped open like a red carpet for the Queen of England.“How are we going to do this?” shouted Alex.“We can swim over to the island!” beamed Max.“Don’t be so silly!” Charley said.“Oy! Don’t be so rude!” they both said.“Wait a minute,” bawled Max, “look over there, that bus!”“We’re not going to town!” Charley laughed.“No silly, we can make a bus that goes over land and sea!”“YES!” said Alex, “Charlie’s got the best ideas, let’s do it!”“After school we can go to the scrap yard” said Max.They finished school and walked along the road, past Javits and down the hill towards the scrap yard. When they they were so excited!Max squeezed through a little gap in the fence and the others followed. A worker almost caught them, making them jump…. Danger over, they ran excitedly around…“Come on, let’s get some stuff together to make this bus!” said Charlie in a hushed voice.

They picked up all kinds of weird and wonderful junk; old wheels, engine parts, tubes, head lamps and the like, but try as they did, there was no way of making the bus… “HEY! YOU LOT! WHAT ARE YE UP TAE?” an annoyed voice called.The children froze, glanced up and saw a scrapyard worker glaring at them.

Immediately Alex lied, “Erm, ma Mum dropped her diamond ring in here and we’re looking for it…”The worker shook his head.Charlie lied too. “Er…Ma Dad dropped his credit card here…?”Again, the worker shook his head.

Max stepped forward, “We’re trying to build a bus that can travel over land and sea, but we don’t know how…”The scrapyard worker smiled, “Ahh! The TRUTH! In that case, let me help!”

The worker gathered parts; tires, glass, doors, weird shaped angular pieces of metal. Once all the materials were in a huge pile, the worker got their drill and got to work! They battered and drilled, sawed and welded and…. In no time the bus was built! A bus to travel over land and sea!“Well, what are you waiting for?” the worker smiled. “On you go!”The three friends shouted, “THANK YOUUUUUUUU!!!” at the top of their lungs then jumped aboard the strange looking bus.The bus made a strange chugging noise, the engine spluttered then it ROAAAARRRED! Up into the air it lifted and away over the top of the scrapyard fence.Below Granton looked tiny!The bus traveled on, past Ainsley Park where there was a ginormous giant was drinking the pool water.“HEY! WE’RE TRYING TO SWIM HERE!” a mum shouted.“LET ME OUT OF HERE!” a furious child exclaimed.“Oh sorry!” the giant said while spitting out the child from their mouth.Max thought for a second… “HEY YOU! THE BIG GUY! COME WITH US!” he shouted from the top of the bus. The giant hopped on the bus.

“Uh, why exactly am I here?” the giant questioned.“You’ll see!” Alex answered.“Uhhhhhhh… Okay then!” the giant said.And with that, the giant on they were off, the bus lifting into the air once more.Next, they went past Javits, where they saw exhausted staff shoveling great big buckets of food such as pizza, chips and kababs into the mouth of a second giant… you name it, the giant ate it!

As the staff were now half asleep with exhaustion, the giant shouted, “HEY! What are you doing here?! Is it breakfast time?”“Well, we’re trying to go on a journey, and we were wondering if you could help us?” Alex asked hesitantly.“And why should I help you?” the giant asked.“Well, whh…” Max was thinking of something to say.

“We’ll give you free snacks forever!” Charlie finished off Max’s sentence.“Sounds like an idea to me!” the giant said.So off they went with two giants.They had explored practically the whole of Granton when the Lighthouse came into sight. They saw a third giant lifting it up! “That’s our friend!’ the two giants said in unison.“Then go and get them here! We’ll probably need them for something!” Charlie said.The two giants went over to the third giant.

“Hello, what are you doing lifting up the lighthouse? Giant number 1 asked.“The light is SOOO bright and it’s bothering me!” Giant number 3 answered.Max stepped out of the bus.“Hey! Come on our journey, we’ll have perfect lighting!” he said with confidence.“Hmmmm… if you say so…” Giant number 3 said.Everyone was surprised that it was so easy to convince them! They all hopped on the bus and went off up into the sky…

And so Charlie, Max, Alex and the three giants sailed across the land and sea. They sailed out over Wardie Bay and Granton Harbour, out over shiny rocks, broken boats, seashells, coral, seaweed (and a lot of litter!) They sailed and sailed and sailed (and Charlie started to feel a little seasick…) until they eventually got to the open ocean. There, magical flying boats and pirate ships crossed their path. The children stared in wonder, pointing at the incredible vessels in wonder. They chatted excitedly about where the other travelers were going, but soon they concentrated once again on their own quest to find the Island of the Gulls…They continued their ride to the Island of the Gulls and the castle of the Gull King and Queen.The castle was on a warm and beautiful island with bright blue sky and no clouds to be seen. Flowers were everywhere, but there were gulls everywhere too, because that was the Island of the Gulls of course! And there stood two gulls bigger than any gull alive… the KING and QUEEN!The kids arrived outside the castle and in they went. The Queen and King Gulls greeted them inside. The King Gull opened his big beak and spoke, “You have come to our island – many have failed, yet you have succeeded!” he exclaimed.“Yes! But before you get the Greatest Story, you must complete some other challenges for us! If you don’t complete them, then no prize!” announced the Gull Queen.

“Yes, three other tasks, the first one being… wait I should make it more dramatic,” the gull King coughed, “Cough-cough… YOUR FIRST TASK IS! CLEAR UP THE OIL THAT HAS SPILLED FROM BOATS, SPOILING OUR BEATIFUL BEACHES!” he proclaimed.“That seems a fitting task!” announced the Gull Queen.“Now off you go! Clean up that oil!” ordered the Gull King.

And off set Alex, Charlie, Max and the giants. The shore was so far away they were walking for hours. By the time they got there Charlie had already complained four times that they were tired.Alex turned to the first giant, “ Um, hi, can you clear up that oil please?”“OF COURSE I CAN!!!” boomed the first giant. He bent down onto his knees and dunked his head under the churning water and drank…. SHLURRRRRRRRPPPP!!!He drank and drank and drank… Everyone stared.“WOW!” said Charlie. “He’s drinking so much more than the oil, he’s drinking the water, more water than he did at Ainsley Park!” exclaimed Max.

“You’re right Max, he’s drinking a whole lot more!” announced Alex in awe.“WOW!” said giants 2 and 3 in unison.SLUUUUUUUUURRRRRRPPPPP!!!GAGGGG!!!“WHALE IN MY THROAT!” squeaked the first giant.“OH NO!” shrieked Max.“IF THE FIRST GIANT HAS A WHALE IN HIS THROAT HE CAN’T DRINK AND WE’LL NEVER GET OUR STORY!” yelled Charlie in panic.“I’ll help!” announced the third Giant smacking giant number 1 on the back. The whale came flying out of the first giant’s mouth… and back under the water with a mighty splash!“Phew,” exhaled Max.The First Giant thanked the Third Giant and began to drink again…SLUUUUUUUUURRRRRRPPPPP!!!BURRRRRRRRPPPPP!!!“WOW! The First Giant’s done already!” said an alarmed Max, “All the oil’s gone!”

“One task down, two to go!” announced Max.“We’ll go back to the King and Queen now for our next task!” exclaimed Charlie.Alex turned and agreed, “Yes, we should get back now…”They turned and headed back across the island.“CONGRATULATIONS YOUNG TRAVELERS!” the King squawked on their return, “Your first task is done!”The Queen stepped forward and peered down at the children…“YOUR SECOND TASK: RID OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF THE RUBBISH AND LITTER THAT YOU HUMANS HAVE ALLOWED TO WASH UP ON ITS SHORES!” she cried…Charlie looked at the second giant, “You know how you don’t mind eating junk food? Well how about just eating some junk?” he winkedAn hour or so later they were down on the shore with litter pickers, sacks and shovels…. Up and down the shore all day they went, gathering poly bags, crisp packets, plastic bottles and all types of things that had been thrown or blown into the sea and then washed up on the island. They piled it all into a mountain of rubbish and then the second giant sat down with a bed sheet tied round their neck like an enormous napkin…Then he set to work guzzling the lot! Max held up a half empty bottle of ketchup. “Sauce with that?” he laughed.

“Don’t be saucy!” chimed Charlie.The giant paid no attention to the jokes, he just continued shoveling great handfuls of rubbish into his mouth… and munching. As long as he was eating, he was happy!With the rubbish cleared from the beaches they group set off back towards the castle. But halfway back, suddenly the ground fell away and there loomed a massive pit, deeper than the Eiffel Tower is tall…Max almost toppled headfirst into the gaping hole but one of the quick-thinking giants grabbed him just in the nick of time.“This wasn’t here before!” yelled Max.

“It’s a sinkhole!” announced Charlie.“How will we get across?” puzzled Alex.The third giant stepped forward.“I know, I’ll throw you across!” he bellowed.Alex sized up the hole. “You know, that might actually work…”Charlie almost fell over in shock, “THAT’S CRAZY! NO WAY!”But it was too late as the Third giant was already grabbing all three of them and then he hurled through the air…“AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH……….”They screamed in unison as they flew over the massive hole and landed safely in a heap on the other side.Then the giants leaped excitedly over the hole, their laughter booming like thunder.As he landed, the ground shook like an earthquake. “Again! Again!” yelled the giants.“We don’t have time!” Charlie scolded. “C’mon, let’s get back…”. Grumbling the giants set off in the direction of the castle.

Hours later they made it back to the castle. They entered the throne room and kneeled before the royals.“We have completed your second task!” exclaimed Max.“Well done brave adventurers! Very impressive!” exclaimed the Gull Queen.“Yes,” continued the King, “Your final task is…”“Move our island close to the land of humans where they can enjoy it too… but you must promise to show them how to look after it and keep it clear of pollution and litter!”Max, Charlie and Alex nodded solemnly and with that they turned to the third Giant. “Over to you!” the three beamed together.In a single great leap, the third giant plunged into the ocean, then scooping his mighty hands like two great shovels under the island he hoisted the whole island high above his head. Then he strode off through the ocean, waves crashing about his knees.And with Granton once again in sight he made his way closed to the shore. There he plunged the island back into the water, not too far from the beach at Cramond. And so, from that day on the island was known as Cramond Island,Then like building with Lego blocks, the Giant constructed a walkway of stone from the island to the shore…“Job done!” he smiled.

The King and Queen glared at the Children for a minute and then their eyes went wide, they started to screech and they waddled like gigantic penguins, out of their throne room and into the sea.Moments later, the gulls came back, the King with a book of iron in his beak. Then he presently dropped the book on the floor. “Do not open the book until you are back in Granton,” ordered the QueenThe kids picked it up, bowed low and as one said, “Your Majesties…”With that they jumped back aboard the bus.

As the bus skimmed the waves the children laughed and then cheered as Granton came back into view.“There’s the gas tank!” shouted Charlie…“Look Pilton Park!” shouted Max…“IT’S-IT’S-IT’S… MY HOUSE!!!” yelled Alex at the top of his lungs.Then all three cried out together, “THE SCHOOL!!!”When they arrived at the school, they leaped off the bus and waved farewell to the giants.

“Thank you pals!” said Charlie. “No drinking swimming pools!” joked Alex. “And leave us some chips at Javits!” winked Max.And with that, up to the class they ran, the book in Charlies hands. “Right!” said Mrs McSeveney, “Let’s see who has found the greatest story!” First up was Group Number 1. They had a story about secret zombie ninja vampire evil skeleton spies…Then Group Number 2., they had done a story about angry crocodiles that want guacamole…And finally, Group Number 3., Max, Charlie and Alex. They had a quick peek at the story before they handed it in…and they were amazed to see that the story that the gulls gave them was the one of their own adventure, the one you are reading right now…THE END

A huge thanks to all who worked on the ‘Gulls over Granton’ project.Everyone at Granton Primary School, including teachers Fergus McNicol and Ali McSeveney.Fergus McNicol and Ron Fairweather for bringing their storymaking and writing skills to the project.Michael Begg, sound artist and composer. You can see his website at https://michaelbegg.studioMartin Ayres from Anim8s.And last but not least, to everyone in Class P6a without whose brilliant ideas, drawings and acting the project would not have been possible!!!