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00:00Not very long ago, when George had his birthday, Mr. Wienerschnitzel and the people of Humplemunchen
00:10had given him a trumpet, and it was George's most prized possession.
00:15He longed to play it in the Humplemunchen Mass Brass Band, so for weeks he practiced
00:20hard until he could play the trumpet voluntary without even looking at the music, and many
00:25other things as well.
00:27When he thought he was really good enough, he went to see Mr. Irvig van Glockenspiel,
00:33the conductor of the band, and asked to join.
00:37But Mr. Glockenspiel wouldn't hear of it.
00:40He thought of the dignity of his band and how out of place it would be to have a dragon
00:45playing the trumpet.
00:46I am afraid not, George, absolutely out of the question.
00:51Even if you can play the trumpet voluntary without looking at the music, the answer is
00:55still no.
00:57However, he did allow George to come along to the rehearsal room where they practiced
01:02what they were going to play for the Pfefferberg Music Festival, and after each rehearsal,
01:07George was to clean the instruments.
01:09Now, George was so keen that not only did he clean them after each rehearsal, but he
01:15would go along every other day as well, and soon all the instruments were clean and shining
01:20like new.
01:23Now, Mr. Glockenspiel was not a hard man, and when he saw how well George worked cleaning
01:29the instruments, he had an idea.
01:31He would allow George to play the triangle, and if he did make a mistake, it wouldn't
01:36be too noticeable.
01:39George was overjoyed as Mr. Glockenspiel gave him the triangle, and he took it home to practice.
01:45He tried holding the triangle in many different positions to see which way suited him best.
01:51Head, left-handed, standing on his tail, and finally lying on his tummy and striking
01:57it with his tail.
01:59When he found the right one, he practiced for days.
02:02He only had to strike the triangle four times, but he was determined that those four notes
02:09would be the best that any triangle player had ever played.
02:14At last, the day of the Pfefferberg Music Festival came, and all the players got on
02:19the bus.
02:20It was quite a squeeze with their instruments as well, and poor George had to sit on the
02:25roof rack.
02:26He didn't mind, and secretly, Mr. Knickerbrot, the tuba player, was very pleased.
02:32He didn't approve of dragons, friendly or not, playing with the town band, and certainly
02:37not driving in the bus.
02:39When they got to Pfefferberg, all the musicians went to the band room and unpacked their instruments.
02:45George was just about to go in, but Mr. Glockenspiel stopped him.
02:50I'm afraid you'll have to wait outside, George, he said.
02:53He knew if he allowed George into the band room, Mr. Knickerbrot, the tuba player, would
02:58throw a temperament.
02:59He was very artistic and given to throwing temperaments, but a temperament was the last
03:05thing he could cope with now, just before the concert, so George had to wait outside.
03:11Even when the other players went off to see the town, poor George was still not allowed
03:15in the band room.
03:17Instead, he had to sit outside and practice his triangle there.
03:22Just then, the horse and cart from the Strenchburg Wine Company came along with the beer for
03:26the players and the band.
03:29Where shall I put this?
03:30the man said to George.
03:32I'm sure I don't know, replied George, who wasn't interested in beer himself.
03:36He preferred orange juice.
03:38I should put it somewhere in the band room.
03:42The man carried the heavy cask into the band room.
03:44A few seconds later, he reappeared, rolling the empty cask.
03:48It's all right, he said.
03:50I managed to find a big gold cup, so I poured the beer into that.
03:55George didn't remember seeing a big gold cup anywhere, but he supposed there must have
03:59been one.
04:01The band returned.
04:02It was nearly their time to compete in the music festival.
04:05All the bandsmen started to get ready, putting on their uniforms, tuning their instruments
04:10and cleaning them, combing their hair, and making sure that everything was perfect.
04:16My instrument feels a lot heavier than usual, said Mr. Nicoprot, lifting his tuba.
04:21Very heavy indeed.
04:22There seems to be something washing about inside it.
04:27Nonsense, said Mr. Glockenspiel, the conductor.
04:30It's just your imagination.
04:32He thought Mr. Nicoprot was having another of his temperaments.
04:37At last, the band was ready on the platform.
04:40Mr. Glockenspiel lifted his baton, tapped three times, and the band started.
04:47But a terrible thing happened.
04:49As soon as the tuba player started, he covered the whole band in beer, which came out of
04:55the horn of his tuba.
04:56So that's where the man put the beer, thought George.
05:00The whole band was soaked, and no one could play a note until they and their instruments
05:05had dried out.
05:06What are we to do?
05:07What are we to do? said Mr. Glockenspiel.
05:10For the honour and glory of Humboldt Munchen, something must be done.
05:14Sir, said George, let me play my trumpet.
05:19Mr. Glockenspiel thought for a moment, and then he decided that even George and his trumpet
05:24would be better than nothing, so he allowed George to play.
05:28George played the trumpet voluntary, without looking at any music, and when he'd finished,
05:34the applause was tremendous, and believe it or not, he won first prize.
05:40But even better than the first prize was Mr. Glockenspiel's promise that he could play
05:45in the town band, not the triangle, but the trumpet, which he'd always wanted to.
06:04It was the first day of spring, the 21st of March.
06:14George woke to find the sun shining through his bedroom window.
06:17His first job every morning was to light the baker's oven, so George washed and put on
06:22his chain of office, and then set off for the baker's house.
06:26He went up to the door and tried to open it, but to his surprise, he found it locked, so
06:32he pulled the bell-rope.
06:33Who is it?
06:35called the baker.
06:36It's me, George, replied the little dragon.
06:40I've come to light your oven.
06:43Wait a moment, Mr. Spicerbrot shouted.
06:45You can't come in yet.
06:48And he took a big cake that he was icing and put it away in a cupboard, and then he opened
06:53the door and let George in.
06:55You may come in now, said the baker.
06:58Why couldn't I come in before?
07:01asked George.
07:02Well, you see, oh, no reason really, it was nothing, nothing at all, stammered the baker.
07:10Now hurry and light the oven, George, I've got a lot of work to do today.
07:14George lit the oven and then sat down, hoping to have his usual cup of tea with Mr. Spicerbrot.
07:21The baker saw him sitting down.
07:23Oh, George, he said, you can't stop for tea today, I'm afraid, I'm very busy, there's
07:28so much to do, and I just haven't the time to make tea, run along now.
07:34George was a trifle disappointed.
07:37He enjoyed his tea and the few minutes chatted with Mr. Spicerbrot.
07:41Never mind, he thought, I'll go and see Mr. Wienerschnitzel, the burger master, and take
07:46his morning papers.
07:47He may have some jobs for me to do.
07:50The little dragon trotted up to the burger master's door and knocked.
07:54Who is it?
07:56called Mr. Wienerschnitzel.
07:58It's George, replied the dragon.
08:00Wait a minute, the burger master called back, you can't come in yet.
08:07And he put a strange-looking parcel away in the cupboard and carefully locked the cupboard
08:12door.
08:13Then he let George in.
08:14I'm sorry you couldn't come in before, he said, I was a trifle busy, important matters
08:23of state, you know.
08:24Now then, George, what can I do for you?
08:28George gave him the morning's papers.
08:30Oh, I just wondered if there was anything I could do for you, if perhaps you had any
08:34jobs for me.
08:36You see, the baker was too busy to have tea this morning, so I've nothing to do for
08:40half an hour.
08:42Mr. Wienerschnitzel gave a knowing look.
08:45Ah, he said, so the baker was busy.
08:48I think I understand, he nodded his head.
08:52Well, George, he went on, I'm afraid I'm also very busy today.
08:58I have some serious business to attend to, and I haven't any jobs for you to do, so
09:03run along.
09:04George left the burger master's house.
09:07He was very worried.
09:08Oh, I wonder why no one wants to talk to me today, he thought.
09:13Perhaps they don't like me anymore.
09:16He tried to think if he'd done anything to offend the people of Humble Muncheon, whom
09:20he loves so much, but he could think of nothing.
09:23I know, he cried, I'll go and see the children.
09:27They're always pleased to see me.
09:29I can take them for rides on my back.
09:31He could hear the children playing in the village hall.
09:34Who wants a ride on my back, he called when he got outside the hall.
09:38There was no answer.
09:40Oh dear, perhaps they didn't hear, thought George, and he called again.
09:45It's George!
09:46Who wants a ride on my back?
09:49This time, the children answered.
09:51We don't want to ride on your back today, George, they shouted.
09:55We're all busy in here.
09:57Well, let me come in and help you, pleaded George.
10:00No, shouted the children.
10:02You can't come in here.
10:04You aren't allowed.
10:05Go away, George.
10:07George was very unhappy.
10:09He knew something must be wrong.
10:12There's no doubt, he thought.
10:14The people of Humble Muncheon don't like me anymore.
10:17They won't talk to me.
10:18They won't let me do any jobs for them.
10:21I shall have to go away and find a job in another town.
10:25And two big tears ran down his face and fell off the end of his nose.
10:31The sad little dragon went back to his house and started to pack his things.
10:35It took quite a long time,
10:37because he was crying so much he couldn't see very well.
10:41When all his things were in his suitcase,
10:43he took off his chain of office, of which he'd been so proud,
10:47and gave it one last polish.
10:50Oh, I suppose I shall have to give this back to the Burgermaster, he sighed.
10:55Just then, there was a sharp rap at his door.
10:59Who could it be? thought George as he went down to answer the door.
11:03He opened the door.
11:05And what do you think he saw?
11:07There, to his astonishment, was the Burgermaster and all the village people.
11:12And as George opened the door, they all cheered and shouted,
11:15Happy birthday, George!
11:19But it isn't my birthday, stammered George.
11:22I don't know when my birthday is.
11:25We didn't know either, said Mr. Wienerschnitzel.
11:28But today, you have been in Humperlmanschen for one year.
11:32It is the anniversary of your arrival in this little town,
11:36so we will call it your birthday.
11:39And all the people cheered again.
11:41George beamed with pleasure.
11:44I'm so happy, he cried.
11:46Just to think that this morning, when everyone was too busy to talk to me,
11:50I thought you didn't like me anymore.
11:52Ah, yes, said the Burgermaster.
11:56They were all too busy preparing for your party.
11:59When you called this morning, the baker was icing your birthday cake,
12:03and the children were getting the town hall ready for your party.
12:06And I was wrapping up your birthday present, and here it is.
12:11Happy birthday, George!
12:15He gave George the parcel.
12:16George could feel himself blushing whilst he opened it.
12:20He carefully took off all the wrappings, and there he found, to his delight,
12:24a beautiful silver trumpet and a note which said,
12:29To George, with love from the people of Humperlmanschen.
12:33Oh, thank you, thank you, he said.
12:36It's a lovely present.
12:37Now I shall be able to play in the village band.
12:41All the village people took George through the streets,
12:44carrying him on their shoulders,
12:45and you could hear them singing and cheering for George,
12:48miles and miles and miles away.