The Whistling Contest
Part 1
Grim smelled dinner cooking when he took Peaches back downstairs after giving the warthog his bath. Peaches had to take his bath inside because his outdoor tub was broken. Hildy had just bought a tub from the store.
"MMMM, smells delicious!" Grim said about dinner.
"Thanks." Hildy thanked her husband after she kissed him. "You know, I just bought a new tub for him." Grim then saw the new wooden tub in the corner.
"Oh, I'll use that next time. I'll take Peaches outside now, then I'll join you in the kitchen."
"Sounds good!" Grim pulled on Peaches's leash.
"Come on, Peaches." Peaches didn't budge. "Peaches?" Grim looked and saw that the warthog's eyes were getting drowsy. The warthog bumped into the wall, making Hildy's broom fall. "Whoa Peaches; you can't go to sleep now. We're almost outside, you can sleep there."
But Peaches was so tired, that he laid on the broom on the floor. The broom broke under his weight. Grim went over to him.
"Come on, Peaches." He said. "Let's get you to the pen." Peaches opened his eyes and stood on all fours. Hildy noticed the broken broom and screamed. Grim was leading Peaches to the door when he heard his wife scream. He looked at her.
"What it is, my sugar pie?" Hildy showed him the broom. She was steaming mad. "Oh, your broom broke. Wonder how that happened." Hildy pointed a mean finger at the warthog.
"Your filthy beast sat on it!" Grim looked at Peaches.
"Peaches?"
"Yes!"
"Well, I'm sure he didn't mean to."
"Whether he did or not, it's still broke and I'm mad."
"Oh, okay, let me take Peaches back into his pen, lull him to sleep, and then after dinner, we can go broom shopping."
"Hurry up then! The sooner you get that done, the sooner we can eat and shop for my broom. I need my broom, Grim. A witch can't survive without her broom." Grim broke out laughing.
"That's silly! You don't need a broom to…" Hildy shot a look at him and he got the message. He laughed nervously.
"Okay, I'm going to put Peaches back in his pen now." And with that, Grim led his pet outside while Hildy set the table.
"So, did we get any mail?" Hildy asked when they finished dinner. Grim did a face palm. He looked at her and laughed nervously.
"Sorry Hildy dear, I forgot. But don't worry; I'll go do that now." He stood up. "Then we'll go shopping for a new broom for you. We'll take Peaches." HIldy groaned.
"Must we?" She wanted to know. "He's so slow. It'll take forever until we get there. Didn't you lull him to sleep?"
"Well, yes, but I'll wake him up again."
"Oh, you don't want to do that. I can fly with you on your broom."
"No, I can wake him. He won't mind." Hildy sighed.
"Fine; we'll take him."
"That's my Hildy!" He then left.
He went to the mailbox and opened it up. It was mostly bills, but the first thing caught his eye. It was a flyer for the 78th annual Jollywood Whistling Contest.
"Ooh!" He said to himself. "It's the Jollywood's Whistling Contest again, how nice." He shut the mailbox, woke up Peaches, and went inside.
"Hildy!" He said to his wife, waving the mail in the air. "Here's the mail." He took the flyer for the whistling contest, and showed it to her. "And look! It's time for the whistling contest again; isn't that exciting?"
"You can throw that away." She just said. "It's not that interesting. Besides, we don't whistle that well."
"Well actually Hildy I…" But Hildy didn't let him finish for what she saw made her squeal with joy. It was the grand prize this year: A broom. Grim looked confused.
"Um, Hildy? Why did you squeal like that? It's just a contest." She grabbed the flyer and showed it to her husband.
"Look, Grim! The grand prize is a broom! We were just discussing this and lo and behold, we can now get it!"
"Yeah, but weren't we going to shop for one at the store?"
"Yeah, but things changed. We'll win it instead."
"But what about Peaches? I just woke him up."
"Put him back to sleep. We won't be needing him anymore." Grim sighed.
"Okay, but he won't like being woken up for nothing." He then thought of something else. "Hildy, you know the 7D donates whatever…"
"Now, Grim!"
"Okay, okay." He went outside to put Peaches back to sleep as Hildy thought about a way of how they could cheat.
Grumpy plugged his ears. He and the other dwarfs were working in the mine. Dopey was whistling again and Grumpy had just about enough.
"Can you knock off with all of whistling, Dopey? You've been whistling all week. I know you're practicing for the contest, but do you have to whistle all the time? It's not for a few more weeks you know."
"Practice makes perfect, Grumpy!" Happy told him. Dopey nodded while whistling,
"Yeah, but we all know that he's going to win." Bashful put in.
"Yeah." Sneezy added. "Dopey's the…the…" He let out a sneeze before continuing. "best whistler in all of Jollywood. Everybody knows."
"He'll win just like last year and the time before that and the time before that," Sleepy said and yawned. "and the time before that and the time before that and all those other times." He yawned again. "He'll win for sure." Dopey nodded again with a whistle.
"Don't forget men," Doc reminded all of his fellow dwarves. "we don't know that for sure. Winning isn't everything."
"Yeah!" Happy chimed in. "It's all about having fun!"
"True," Sneezy said. "But it's more fun when you win."
"Well, whatever happens," Happy began. "We'll be proud of Dopey and be there for him."
"Yeah!" All of the dwarves agreed. Dopey just whistled.
"Okay," Doc said. "If we talk the whole time we won't get anything done. High-ho, gentlemen." All of the dwarves held their pickaxes above them.
"High-ho!" They chanted and continued mining. Grumpy groaned when Dopey whistled, but didn't say anything. He just worked.
It was the day of the Jollywood Fair. The contest wasn't until five, but the dwarves arrived at nine so that they could enjoy the fair. They did go to registraration first though. Sitting at the registration table was Queen Delightful and Lord Starchbottom. Squire Peckington was perched in the queen's crown, and Sir Yipsalot was on Queen Delightful's lap. When he saw the 7D approaching, he yipped excitedly, tail wagging.
"Hello, 7D." The queen greeted them.
"Hello, hello!" The parrot squawked. Queen Delightful continued.
"Are you here to enter the whistling contest?"
"You know it!" Sneezy said and then sneezed.
"And are you going to keep the grand prize, or donate it?"
"Donate it of course." Doc replied. The 7D didn't really need the prizes, so whatever prize Dopey had won for them in the past, they donated them all to charity.
"Let me guess," Starchbottom said. "Dopey is going to win again?" Dopey nodded with a whistle.
"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions." Doc stated. "Dopey's not here to win. If he wins, he wins. If he doesn't win, he's doesn't. He's just here to have fun just like he does every year, right Dopey?" Dopey nodded (and whistled).
"So are you here to enjoy the fair, too?" Queen Delightful asked. Doc nodded as Dopey signed up for the contest.
"Oh, yes." He said. "We plan to do as much as possible before the contest starts and stay until the fair ends and after the fireworks."
"Dopey likes the contest and we all like the fair." Happy said. "It's just so fun; that's why we come every year."
"Glad to hear it!" Delightful said. "That's why we come every year too, isn't it Lord Starchbottom?"
"That's usually the case." He responded.
"Quite true," Delightful agreed. Sir Yipsalot agreed with a yip. The 7D then left. Queen Delightful waved after them.
"Enjoy the fair!"
"Enjoy the fair, enjoy the fair!" Peckington called. Sir. Yipsalot yipped after them.
"Oh don't worry, we will!" Happy called back.
The Glooms approached the table next. They were in disguise so that nobody could recognize them. Grim wore a trench coat and had a fake black mustache and Hildy had made her look like a little girl with purple pigtails.
"Can I help you?" Queen Delightful wanted to know.
"I'm here to enter my dear daughter, Samantha, in the whistling contest. "
"Well you're in the right place."
"That's why they came here." Starchbottom reminded the queen.
"Oh, I'm sure it is." She moved the paper closer to Hildy so she could sign it. She signed 'Samantha Glee' and put the quill back into the ink.
"Enjoy the fair." The queen called as they left. Sir. Yipsalot yipped.
"Enjoy the fair, enjoy the fair!" Squire Peckington added.
The 7D kept busy at the fair eating and having fun. When it came near the contest, they went to where the contest was being held. The Glooms and the other contestants were there too. So were the judges and Queen Delightful and Lord Starchbottom.
"Gosh," Bashful observed, looking at the audience. "There are sure a lot of people here. It seems like there are more people coming to watch the contest every year."
"Sure there is!" Happy said. "This contest is popular. People tell their friends about it and they tell their friends about it. Everybody came for a grand show." Doc looked at Dopey.
"Are you ready for this, Dopey?" Dopey nodded, whistling. Grumpy grumbled to himself.
"Be proud of Dopey, Grumpy." Happy told Grumpy. "This only comes once a year."
"Just wait, after the contest, Dopey will start practicing for the next year."
"Well, practice makes…"
"I know, I know, practice makes perfect."
Queen Delightful then came onstage, talking into the mike.
"Welcome to the…now let's see, what number is this?"
"Psst! Queen Delightful!" Lord Starchbottom whispered to her. The queen was puzzled.
"Who's whispering to me?" She asked. "It sounds like Lord Starchbottom."
"It is my lady." The queen looked at him.
"Oh."
"It's the 78th."
"Oh, yes. Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 78th annual whistling contest!" Everyone cheered and applauded. Dopey whistled as well. "We have a lot of whistlers here today, but as always, only one will win. Who will it be? Let the whistling contest begin!" Everyone cheered and Dopey (you know.)
"Now entering for the…" He looked at Starchbottom. "What year is this?"
"It's his tenth year, my queen." He told her. Delightful nodded.
"Right." She talked into her mike again. "Entering for his tenth year in a row, our champion, Dopey from the 7D!" Everyone applauded as Dopey went on the stage, going towards the mike.
"Good luck!" Doc called.
"Dopey doesn't need luck." Sneezy said. "He'll get his tenth win."
"Everybody needs luck Sneezy. Even if they're crazy good."
Dopey cleared his throat and did his best whistle into the mike. Everyone cheered as the dwarf exited the stage.
"Once again," Queen Delightful spoke into the mike. "Dopey had wowed us with his astounding whistle. Now, let's see what the judges think." Everyone looked at the judges and all at once, the judges held up their whiteboards saying '9.9'. "And it looks like 9.9!" Cheers again. "Who can top that? We have one more contestant, new contestant: Samantha Glee!" Cheers came from all around.
"Good luck out there, Hildy." Grim told the disguised eight-year old.
"I don't need luck, Grim. You know what to do."
"Yeah I know, but you know we don't have to do this. I…" But looking at his wife told Grim that she wasn't interested. She went on stage. He sighed and went to the gramophone and as soon as Hildy opened her mouth, pressed the 'play' button, and an amazing whistling played on the gramophone.
Everyone gave the disguised Hildy a standing ovation when she was finished. Even Dopey and the rest of the 7D cheered. The witch pretended to be shocked. She curtseyed to the audience.
"Why thank you, thank you!" She thanked them. "You're too kind."
"Gosh, that little girl's good." Bashful said.
"Yeah." Sleepy agreed with a yawn. "But we all know who's going to win." The judges all gave Hildy a 10. Queen Delightful took the envelope from the judges and went onstage. She talked into the mike. "And our winner is…" Bashful looked at Dopey.
"Here it comes, Dopey." He told him. Dopey whistled. Queen Delightful pulled out the letter in the envelope and spoke into the mike again.
"Samantha Glee!" Everyone cheered again. All of the 7Ds' mouth gaped, all but Happy and Doc.
"Yes!" Grim cheered to himself backstage, pumping his fist in the air. Squire Peckington flew out of the queen's crown and flew above the winner.
"Winner, winner!" The parrot chirped. "Squawk!"
"What?" Sneezy questioned. "I thought for sure that Dopey was going to win."
"Yeah!" Bashful added. "What happened?"
"That Samantha girl was better." Grumpy explained. "That is what
happened." Happy nudged Dopey.
"You can't win them all, right Dopey? Better luck next time."
Poor Dopey lowered his head in shame. He walked away.
"Dopey?" Bashful asked. "Are you okay, Dopey?" But the poor dwarf wasn't okay; he just walked away sadly.