But the little one said:

"Don't be scared! My name is Cuddles and I live here, this is my bed.

You looked so pretty asleep there, I didn't want to wake you"



Spring White apologised and asked where she was.

Cuddles went on to tell her that he lived in the house with his six brothers and called them all out, as he introduced them.

"Outside, there's Soggy"

"...and Muddy"

"This one is Bouncy, but you are quite safe, he isn't allowed to bounce in the house. It was costing us too much for all the breakages!"

"This one, snoring at my feet is Sleepy"

"Hold your nose, the one tied up awaiting his bath is Smelly!"



"which just leaves..."

"... the one in the garden ignoring us! That's Wilful!"



Everyone was so lovely that Spring White burst into tears and told Cuddles all about the Wicked Queen and her trip out with the Huntsman.

"Please don't cry!"





"We work the hedges all day then come home to eat dinner and sleep and then go out to work again. We don't have time to keep house. If you will cook and clean and tidy for us then you can live here for as long as you want to!"

Spring White agreed and smiled for the first time in days.

She cooked and cleaned for the pups and they all lived happily together,




until one day......

..... the Wicked Queen was once more sat in front of her mirror.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Am I the fairest of them all?"




But the mirror replied

"Mirror says Nah!"

The Queen was outraged her Huntsman MUST have lied to her!

She stripped him of his posh uniform and made him beg for forgiveness!

"Tell me where she is", snarled the Wicked Queen.



But her huntsman really didn't know!

The Queen finally believed him and summoned Cedric her Spy!

Cedric searched everywhere he could think of......



.... and a place or two he hadn't thought of!


Finally he had enough information to go back and report to the Queen!

The Wicked Queen immediately knew what she was going to do and dressed up as a poor old lady selling tennis balls!



She knocked at the door of the Pups house. Spring White answered and took pity on the poor old dear and bought a ball to play with.