by, Morna Sullivan

Itch, itch, twitch.

“Oooooooohh,” said Toby.

“It’s not easy being a tortoise when you’re tickly.”

“Maybe I can help you,” said Wilbur the rabbit.

Scratch, scratch, scritch.

“Ooooooohh,” said Toby, trying to scratch his back.

What’s tickling Toby? thought Wilbur. He began to scratch his head.

Tickle, tickle, wiggle.

“Have you been eating something different?” asked Wilbur.

“No, just the same lettuce leaves as usual today.”

Twitch, twitch, itch.

“Funny, I ate it too, but I’m not itchy. Have you been sniffing different flowers?”

“No, just the same daisies and buttercups on the grass as usual today,” said Toby.

Scritch, scritch, scratch.

“Funny, I sniffed them too, but I’m not itchy. Have you been drinking something different?”

“No, just the same water in the puddle as usual today.”

Wiggle, wiggle, tickle.

“Funny, I drank it too, but I’m not itchy.”

What’s tickling Toby? thought Wilbur.

“I know what it is!” shouted Wilbur.

“What? Please put me out of my misery.”

“You must have a tickle bug!” said Wilbur.

“A tickle bug! What’s a tickle bug?”

“Sometimes when I’m itchy it’s because I’ve got a tickle bug.”

Tickle, tickle, wiggle.

“Oh!! I wish it would stop soon,” cried Toby.

What’s tickling Toby? thought Wilbur

“Have you got a bee in your bonnet?” asked Wilbur.

“I don’t think so but can you check and see?”  

Wilbur lifted Toby’s red and white striped woolly hat and peered inside. 

“No. I don’t see a bee.”

Itch, itch, twitch.

“Have you got a flea in your ear?” asked Wilbur.

“I don’t have fleas! And I can hear very well, so I don’t have them in my ears.”

“Let me check.” Wilbur lifted Toby’s red and white striped woolly hat. “No…I don’t see a flea.”

Scratch, scratch, scritch.

“I know what it is. Have you got ants in your pants?”

“I don’t think so but I’ll look.” Toby checked his purple and green spotty pants. “No sign of ants.”

Wiggle, wiggle, tickle.

What’s tickling Toby? thought Wilbur.

Wilbur scratched his head.

“Have you got my tickle bug now too? Is it spreading?” asked Toby.

“No. I’m thinking. Those are all the tickle bugs, I know. I’ll have to look at you closely and see if I can catch it.”

Scritch, scritch, scratch.

“Ooooooohh. Please hurry up. It’s driving me mad.”

Wilbur looked under Toby’s shell. 

There was no sign of a tickle bug there. He checked between his toes and up his nose. He knew that tickle bugs like to hide in those sorts of places. He looked behind his knees and under his tongue.

“Aha! Gotcha.”

“You found it?” asked Toby.

“Yes!” Wilbur held the tickle bug in his paw and stroked it carefully. “It’s beautiful.” Then it flew away.

“Oh Wilbur! Thank you for finding my tickle bug. It’s such a relief. Now I’m not scratchy, or itchy or tickly anymore.”

THE END

About the Author

Morna Sullivan is a writer from Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. She’s always had a love of stories and has been reading and writing stories and poems since she could read and write.

She has won a number of writing competitions and has had several stories and poems published. She’s a member of Coney Island Writers Group and SCBWI, Belfast. Her children’s ebook about St David was recently published.’

You can find out more about her writing via social media. https://www.facebook.com/mornawriter/ http://mornawriter.blogspot.co.uk/  https://twitter.com/mornawriter