Big & Small

Big wakes up one morning and thinks: something is missing from my house. While he is looking for this something there's a knock at the door. And in walks Small. Big's first ever visitor; looking to have fun. Big, excited to have a guest, shows Small the garden swing that's hanging from the apple tree. But zooming through the air on a big swing isn't a lot of fun for a Small, especially when he ends up with a smushed nose. What is fun, however, is a small model car that Big brings out of his tool shed. Fun, you see, comes in different sizes. And watching Small race around the room makes Big realize that's what is missing from the house. A Small and a friend. A best friend. And Small, too, has found his best friend and a home. Big decides to help Small by building him a teeny tiny itsy bitsy front door. Big is confused when Small tells him rather huffily that he likes the big door, that the big door is A-OK. Big sighs about not knowing what he's done wrong and looks through the small door with regret at apparently upsetting his friend. Uh oh. Big finds himself stuck in this narrow opening and has to call out for help. Big realizes that this is the first time he has ever asked Small for help and that he should, of course, have asked Small if he wanted help with the front door before just going ahead. Small leaps to the occasion and, with judicious use of butter and pulleys, yanks Big free. Small admits that he knows Big only had good intentions with the door and they decide to celebrate their friendship by going off to tickle the frogs.

Small sees a fish in the garden pond and immediately wants to put it in a bowl for a house pet. Big, who's busy building a boat, thinks that fishes are better off left where they are, in the water. Small, however, just knows that this fish will be the best pet ever and early one morning creeps down to the pond on a mission to bring him back to the house. Small finds the fish but is suddenly dragged and yanked through the water by what is one ferocious aquatic animal! Small staggers back to the house, wondering if a worm would make a better pet. / Big thinks that Small is creating a mess all over the house and invents a machine which tidies away all of Small's debris. Small, shocked, tells Big that the pile of dirty socks Big has just sucked into his machine is actually a scientific experiment and that the old red jelly lid is a model of the planet Mars! Small decides to walk away and find some place else to live in and discovers, through a mouse hole, a neat little room where he builds a fort from a sofa and bounces on the bed. "What is going on in here!" cries Ruby, the pink mouse, whose home it is. She is not impressed with the fort. Big intervenes to calm her down and decides that the best thing to do is build Small a space of his own where he can be well, where he can be Small! Big and Small introduce themselves properly to Ruby.

When Big is building his latest invention, a Sunshine Catcher, he loses the doohickey that is integral to the machine's operation. He sinks into a deep funk and lay on his bed fiddling with the pieces of a puzzle. Unknown to Big, Small had put the doohickey into his collecting bag of bright, shining objects, totally unaware that it was the actual, important doohickey. Small endeavours to cheer up Big by trying hugs and pulling funny faces and doing some cool dancing. Nothing works. Small then hits on the idea of making Big a cheer-up cake. He's sure that will work. When the cake is baked and iced Small thinks it needs a finishing touch: and he uses the shining doohickey from his collection. When Big sees the cake he sees the missing item and leaps happily from the bed. Result! / Small wants the glorious apple that's hanging from the tree, even though Big tells him it's not yet ripe. But Small looks so sad that Big puts friendship above his knowledge of apples and picks the fruit. But "Yuck! That's not an apple, that's a lemon!" is Small's reaction to the first bite. Big takes a bite himself to see if it really is that sour and recoils with horror when a voice speaks to him from inside his mouth! He has swallowed something that lived in the apple! Small reaches in to free the trapped creature who turns out to be a sassy but warm-hearted worm. She doesn't have a name but suggest they call her Twiba: The Worm In Big's Apple. And now Big and Small have a new friend out in the garden.

Big's number one favorite possession is his T-Rex: a beautiful, bashed up toy. Small, however, finds T-Rex terrifying with his pointy teeth and long tail. One morning T-Rex accidentally tumbles into a hole in the garden and Small sort-of-accidentally buries him. Big is so upset when he can't find T-Rex that all he can do is mope around the house and sing about how he misses his saur. Eventually, Small admits what happened. Big is shocked: how could Small do such a thing? But when Big finds out that Small is actually frightened of the toy, he understands and forgives. And Small admits that he knows he really shouldn't have buried his best friend's toy and won't do it again. / Twiba tells Small that a thunderstorm is coming she can tell because the leaves in her tree are starting to shake. Small has never heard thunder or seen lightning and is really excited. Big, however, appears worried by the prospect of a storm and decides to sit it out in a closet under the stairs, taking a pie with him for comfort). When Small hears the first loud cracks of thunder he is startled not excited and runs into the house calling out for Big and eventually joining him under the stairs. Neither admits they are scared of the storm, however, they just say that they just prefer to remain indoors. But then they hear Ruby calling for help and have to venture out of the closet. It turns out that Ruby has only dropped some cheese and needs help carrying it back to her hole. Ruby can't believe Big and Small seem to be scared of the storm: it's only loud weather. But Big and Small agree that it's perfectly OK to admit you don't like thunder or lightning and that it's sometimes better to be in a closet with a friend, eating a freshly baked cherry pie.

It's the day of the month when Big walks off to collect the mail and so the day that Small can be the boss of the house. But before Big leaves he hands Small a long, long list of things Small Shouldn't Do. These start off sounding reasonable (don't dance on top of the sink) but quickly become extreme: no music and no games. No fun! complains Small. Left alone, Small decides to tear up the list and have fun instead (which includes dancing on top of the sink). However, it's no fun having fun on your own and Small very quickly misses Big and wants him to come home. When Big does arrive back at the house he sees a sad-looking Small and realizes that his list was far too strict. Small should be having a good time in the house. / Big and Small hear a strange sound one night and, when they investigate, discover it's Ruby practicing a new song she has written about how lovely the moon is that night. Big thinks the song should be softer and invents a Twanger to help out Ruby. Small thinks soft is, well, soft: she should have LOUD! Loud as in a trolley of ribbiting frogs. Enough! calls out Ruby as she dodges flying Twangers and over-excited amphibians. It's her song do Big and Small really want to help her or do they really want to do their own thing? Put like that Big and Small join with Ruby to sing her song, her way, and they agree it's not too loud and not too soft, yup, it just sounds good.

Big is annoyed when Small cuts up his hosepipe to use as a rope in his rodeo show. To make amends, Small tries to help Big water the garden. Things don't go well, however and so Small thinks that what they need to do is to ask the clouds very nicely if they would drift over and rain on the garden. Which they do. Is it because of the rain dance? Who knows for sure? But Big and Small do know that the flowers are now watered and will carry on growing. Small makes a new pet out of an old sock and pieces of macaroni. Big, not realizing that this object is Fang rather than a dirty piece of footwear, puts it into the washing machine. Small is horrified: his beloved Fang has gone! Poor Ol Fang! Big feels guilty and manages after much trial and error to remake the pet. When he's finished, Small makes Big take Fang for a walk in the garden. At first Big is embarrassed, but when Ruby expresses surprises at them for walking around with a sock, he realizes what Fang means to Small and stands up for his friend and the new family pet. He corrects Ruby: Fang is not a sock. Fang is Fang, their new pet, and Big is happy to show him around the garden.

Big takes Small into the garden one evening to look at the stars, which he thinks are beautiful and magical. Small agrees at first, but after a minute or two doesn't find watching stars terribly exciting: don't they do anything? Big decides to count the stars, because he thinks that sounds like fun. Small agrees reluctantly to help him, but he keeps falling asleep and losing track of what number they're on. Big gets so frustrated at having to keep going back to one that he decides never to look at another star again let alone count them. But then the sky fills up with shooting stars and a breathtaking meteor shower. Both Big and Small are amazed by the sight. Small can see, now, that stars can be totally not boring and Big realizes that you don't need to count the stars to see that they are just how brilliant they are. Big is working hard on his latest invention: a Good Luck Machine. Meanwhile, Small's plans for a picnic are ruined by an empty fridge, no food, and then torrential rain. He thinks that Big has actually made a Bad Luck Machine. And when Small knocks into a ball that ricochets off a wall and hits a skateboard that scoops him up and dumps him into the vacuum cleaner he gives Big an ultimatum: you either get rid of the machine or I move out. Big decides to put friendship first and puts the machine he worked so hard on outside near the bins. However, Small suddenly finds his luck changing he discovers his emergency supply of pickles and ripe apples fall from the tree into his hands. Big thinks his machine is responsible, but perhaps luck is mysterious you can make your own but sometimes it just happens!

Big has a cold a really, bad stay-in-bed-and-sneeze-the-paintings-off-the-wall cold. Small gallantly offers to nurse Big although he is not one of life's natural carers. And Big is a demanding patient, too. When Big does a big blubbery sneeze into a handkerchief that Small is still holding Small cries out in dismay. Ruby steps in to stop the friends from arguing and ends up nursing Big herself. Small, feeling totally unappreciated, announces that he is going to pack his case and leave but as he marches towards the door he stubs his toe and cries out with the pain. It's the worst pain anyone's ever felt, ever, he tells Big. Big leaps out of bed to help Small and decides to nurse his little mate instead. Harmony is restored to the house. / Big accidentally whacks a ball into The Mysterious Woods at the bottom of the garden. Small is fascinated by these woods so they load up their truck to explore this unknown part of the garden and retrieve the ball. Small finds the trees scary, especially when Big wanders away to pick up the missing ball and leaves him alone in a clearing. Small hears birds cawing in the trees and, imagining monsters, hides in the truck where he promptly falls asleep. Big returns and doesn't realize that Small is dozing in the truck. He thinks his friend's probably wandered home and so he tows the truck back to the house. Later, however, Big wonders where Small has gone, hoping he's not lost and is shocked when Small suddenly appears from inside the truck asking where are they! They decide to stay indoors for the rest of the day and play a board game. Sometimes indoor fun can be as much fun as playing outdoors.

Big is working on a surprise for Small. Small is so impatient to find out what Big is planning that he talks without thinking and accidentally tells Big he has a surprise for him! Small now has to make a surprise for Big while simultaneously trying to discover what Big is doing. Small tries to persuade Twiba to get inside a box he hides in the garden she will then spring out, singing: a real surprise! But it takes so long for Big to find the box that Twiba has given up and gone home. Although later on she gets to sing her song about how worms are the best at giving surprises. It's finally revealed that Big's surprise is a bubble-filled umbrella. This invention is intended to float Small above the clouds so he won't get wet when it rains. All the bubbles burst, however, and the umbrella and Small remain earth-bound. But the bubbles do manage to build up and burst the roof off the shed which is a surprise for everyone! / Big always sleeps with his beloved stuffed T-Rex and sings it a song at bedtime. Small is jealous of the attention that Big shows the toy and tries to make Big jealous by wanting a sleep-toy-thingie of his own. But what's that going to be? Big makes him a toy octopus but it doesn't hit the spot. Small tries a Frog but he just jumps back into the garden. He fills the bed with objects but none of them work because none of them make Big remotely jealous: all they do is keep Big awake! Eventually, Big realizes what's really happening. He assures Small that T-Rex is only a toy. Small shouldn't be jealous because Small is more than a toy: he's Big's best friend. And with that Small relaxes and they can both go to sleep.

Big's prize tomato has finally ripened it's big and red and beautiful and, Small thinks, will taste really great. Big, however, is shocked at Small saying that they should eat the tomato he thinks his tomato is far too lovely to be eaten and should be kept in a jar in the shed with last year's tomato, and the year before that, and the year before. His collection of beautiful tomatoes: The Tomato Hall of Fame. When Big is moving the tomato into the shed, however, it falls from the mechanical grip and smashes. Big wants to put the smushed remains into the ground, saying a few words of farewell, but while doing this he accidentally has a taste of the fruit and realizes that Small was right: tomatoes taste good! Spaghetti sauce. Big accidentally knocks two holes in the living room wall two of many holes in the wall that have been covered up by paintings. They need to paint another picture but what to paint? Big and Small decide to paint a portrait of Ruby, who happens to be quietly sitting and reading in the garden. Big and Small have very different styles of painting Small's hurls himself and the paint at the canvas while Big takes precise measurements and makes careful drawings. At the end of a day being an artist, Small has a picture which is all sky and garden but no Ruby. Big, however, has a tiny picture of Ruby but no sky or garden. But when they put the paintings together it's a perfect picture and perfect for covering up both of the holes in the wall.

Twiba heard a magpie boast about all the treasure it has hidden in the garden. She persuades Big and Small to help her dig for her in the garden although the only treasure they find are bits of metal and sparkly paper that Twiba thinks are rubbish. When the garden is more hole than grass Big has a thought, one he should have had earlier, that if it's a magpie's treasure wouldn't it be in a nest rather than buried in the ground? It doesn't take them long to find the nest and all the shining objects the bird has collected in his travels. They can't disturb a nest, of course, and so resign themselves to having no treasure until Big and Small decide to use what they have found to make some lovely wind chimes for Twiba so it's not rubbish at all! / Big and Ruby are trying to write a poem about a sweet little song bird but Small keeps interrupting so they send him into the kitchen where he finds and puts on a pair of clogs. Small has never seen clogs before and he thinks they are absolutely brilliant. Loud shoes! He just can't stop clogging all over the house and making a terrific noise. Big and Ruby try to write their poem but they can't concentrate at all. And when Small says he's going to clog away forever because it's so much fun Big and Ruby decide the need to take action. They put on their own hastily-made clogs and there's a big clogging show down until Small is exhausted and realizes that everyone needs a break from the sound of clogs. Although in one final flourish Big and Ruby ask Small to join him in writing a poem about a noisy woodpecker!

Big and Small watch with amazement as a butterfly hatches from a chrysalis. Small is confused about the difference between a worm and a caterpillar, however, and tells Twiba that one day she will turn into a butterfly. Twiba is excited by the idea of flying off to see the deserts and the ocean and Small gives her a list of presents to bring back. But Twiba doesn't seem to be growing wings. She tries scratching and wriggling but they will not appear. Finally, Small makes some lovely paper wings and Twiba is about to launch herself from her branch when Big appears he stops her falling and explains that Twiba is a worm and worms don't fly well, not unless Big carries Twiba high up in his hand and swoops her around the garden. Twiba's happy as if she's traveling around the world. / Big and Small are snowed into the house. Big is happy to stay indoors and read a book, do a puzzle, or play his piano. Small, however, really wanted to play outside and is frustrated at being stuck in the house. To keep himself amused he tries to read the book along with Big, to help Big with his puzzle, to join Big at the piano. This is somewhat irritating for Big, of course until he realizes that Small's musical contribution is actually helpful for his latest composition. And they find themselves writing a really great song together. They can play in the show tomorrow.

Big and Small are really excited because it snowed overnight and settled; deep and crisp. Big knows what would be the best fun in the cold weather: bringing out his sled Daffodil and tobogganing down the hill! Small thinks they should ride together but Big insists that the sled would travel too slowly with both of them sitting on board, so he climbs up on his own. He is supposed to take a five-minute turn with Small, but Small is impatient for his five minutes and wants to join in the fun more quickly. However, when Small finally gets to sit on the sled he stares down the hill in front of him and is terrified: what looks like a gentle, fun slope to a big Big is a dizzyingly steep drop for a small Small. Small hesitates. Big sees that Small is afraid and realizes that perhaps they should, after all, ride down the slope together and so they do: and it's great fun for both of them. / Small's favorite night time story book is about the mischievous Gwelf, who sneaks in gardens and eats turnip sandwiches. One evening they hear a whomp, whomp, whomp outside and Small is convinced it's the Gwelf even though Big assures him that the Gwelf doesn't exist: he is only in stories. But Small still decides to go out and investigate and Big goes along, too. After creeping around in the moonlight, bumping into each other and into trees, Big and Small finally capture the Gwelf in a sack. Only it's not a sack, it's a ball that was caught up in a tree and hitting the roof with a whomp, whomp, whomp. Small looks disappointed until he realizes that just because the Gwelf isn't in their garden, it doesn't mean he's not in another gardens. And Big can only agree.