Pip’s Smallest Whistle
Pip is too small to play with the big kids, but has the loudest whistle in town.
Pip the frog loved football more than anything. But he was much, much too small to play against the big players. ‘You’ll get squashed!’ they said kindly.
One day, Pip’s neighbour gave him a whistle shaped like a bird. Pip blew it. PHWEEEE! It was so loud that a bird fell off a branch and said a very rude word. Pip giggled.
‘I know!’ said Pip. ‘I can be the referee!’ The big players looked at each other. A referee that small? They shrugged. ‘Okay, we’ll give it a go.’
Halfway through the game, Holly gave Bella a great big shove. Pip gulped. The players were so big and he was so small. Everyone waited to see what Pip would do.
Pip took the deepest breath he had ever taken. ‘STOP!’ he shouted, and blew the whistle with all his might. PHWEEEEEEEE! The whole park froze.
‘That was a foul,’ said Pip. Holly looked down at the tiny referee and, to everyone’s surprise, said, ‘You’re right. Sorry, Bella.’ And the game went on.
At the end, both teams clapped for Pip. ‘Best referee ever,’ said Bella. Pip stood very tall, and for a moment he felt as big as the biggest player in the park.
The little lesson
Being small doesn’t stop you from doing something big and brave.
Let’s talk about it
- Why do we need referees in games?
- Have you ever had to say something that was hard to say?
Finish stories to collect Pip as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
More Football stories
Daisy Learns to Kick
Daisy the deer has never kicked a ball before. Today is the big day!
Hattie’s Woodland Football Match
The forest animals hold a football cup, but nobody can agree on the rules!
Vera Takes the Penalty
The cup final comes down to penalties, and Vera is the very last kicker.
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