Cowboy

Calum and
the Big
Secret
Written by Patty Beecham
There was once a boy
called Calum, and Calum
was his name, and he
spent his day riding
horses, and brushing their
long mane.
Calum was a cowboy and
a good one at that; he
could gallop with the cattle
and wore a fancy hat.
(Do you know a boy
named Calum who likes to
ride horses!
Calum rode them in the
morning; he rode them
late at night.
"e rode them around the
garden, holding the reins
#ery tight.
$ll day long he would
shout% &'iddy up( 'iddy
up( 'iddy up() until his
#oice was *uite hoarse.
"is mother smiled.
"is daddy smiled.
"is dog didn+t smile too
much.
,ne day, Calum, for that
was his name, called his
little dog o#er to him.
&Come here boy, let+s play
cowboys.)
But the little dog hid
beneath the bed.
Calum looked high and
low, but he couldn+t see his
little dog anywhere.
,n another day, Calum, for
that was his name, called
his little dog o#er to him.
&Come here boy, let+s play
cowboys.)
Then the little dog hid
under the table.
Calum looked high and
low, but he couldn+t see his
little dog anywhere.
,n another day, Calum,
for that was his name,
called his little dog o#er to
him.
&Come here boy, let+s play
cowboys.)
Then the little dog hid
behind a tree.
Can you see him -o, .
can+t either.
Calum called to his little
dog again, in a big, grown
up sort of #oice.
&Come here boy, let+s play
cowboys()
The little dog came o#er to
Calum, and licked his
hand.
Calum smiled.

&'iddy up( 'iddy up(
'iddy up() he said, until
his #oice was *uite hoarse.
&.+m bucking( .+m
bucking,) he shouted, and
he threw his hat into the
air, with a yeeha and a
wahoo(
&.+m bucking( .+m
bucking,) he e/claimed,
and he threw his hat into
the air, with a yeeha and a
wahoo(
"is little horse (which was
really his dog! lifted his
rear legs and stomped the
ground with all his might.
Calum held on tight. .t
ga#e him a fright but he
held on 0 1ust right.
Calum realised that
although he was ha#ing
fun being a cowboy, what
he really wanted was a
cowgirl. $ friend to share
the good times with, high
on the saddle.
"e looked at his baby
sister 2illian.
"e imagined the day they
would play together, he on
his horse (which was really
his little dog! and 2illian
on her horse, beside him.
This was his Big Secret.
,ne day, 2illian would
grow up to be his little
sister and a cowgirl.
"e couldn+t wait.
$ll day long he would
shout% &'iddy up( 'iddy
up( 'iddy up() until his
#oice was *uite hoarse.