King Doodle Bum's Chocolate Dilemma

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a sideways golden crown, chocolate smudges on his cheeks, a purple velvet cape, and a big grin, stands in the courtyard of his candy-colored castle with his arms spread wide. In the background, tall mismatched stone towers in pink, yellow, and spotted colors rise above a courtyard full of wild sunflowers under a bright blue sky.

King Doodle Bum lived in a candy-colored castle perched high on a hilltop. The tall towers were made of mismatched stones — some pink, some yellow, some spotted like eggs. A courtyard full of wild sunflowers swayed in the breeze, and beyond the castle walls, rolling green hills and a tiny village stretched out under a bright blue sky. King Doodle Bum was not like other kings. He wore his crown sideways, kept chocolate in every pocket, and spent most of his time in his favorite place: the cozy royal workshop in the basement.

Buzzywhirl, a giant insect with shimmering green wings, tiny round goggles pushed up on her head, and six clever legs each holding a different tool, tightens a bolt on a wobbly contraption at a cluttered worktable. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement is filled with gears, springs, and half-built inventions covering every table.

Down in the workshop, gears, springs, and half-built inventions covered every table. And right in the middle of it all, tinkering with a wobbly contraption, was King Doodle Bum's best friend — a giant insect named Buzzywhirl. Buzzywhirl had shimmering green wings, tiny round goggles pushed up on her head, and six clever legs that could hold six tools at once. "Hand me that wrench, Your Silliness!" Buzzywhirl called out, tightening a bolt with one leg and waving with another. King Doodle Bum tossed it over with a laugh. Life in the castle was perfectly wonderful.

A golden scroll, unrolled on a worktable among gears and springs, with fancy curly writing and a red wax seal at the bottom, next to a dropped chocolate bar. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement glows warmly with half-built inventions on cluttered tables.

One sunny morning, a royal messenger marched into the workshop with a golden scroll. "Big news, Your Majesty!" the messenger announced. "A baby sister is coming to the castle!" King Doodle Bum's chocolate bar slipped right out of his hand. "A baby?" he whispered. "Here? In MY castle?" His tummy did a flip. His crown slid even more sideways than usual. He looked over at Buzzywhirl, who was already bouncing with excitement. But King Doodle Bum did not feel excited at all. He felt something big and uncomfortable sitting right on his chest, like a stone.

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a sideways golden crown and a purple velvet cape pulled up to his chin, sits on a tall royal bed looking up at the ceiling with wide, worried eyes. In the background, a dark royal bedroom with a tall window showing a moonlit sky and rolling green hills.

That night, King Doodle Bum sat on his bed and stared at the ceiling. What if the baby took his chocolate stash? What if the baby got to go on all the adventures? What if Buzzywhirl liked the baby MORE than him? "What if nobody needs me anymore?" he said quietly to the dark room. The worries swirled around his head like leaves in a storm. He pulled his purple velvet cape up to his chin and tried to sleep, but the worries would not stop spinning.

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a sideways golden crown, a purple velvet cape, and chocolate smudges on his cheeks, stands with his arms waving wide and his chest puffed out, eyes bright with determination. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement with gears, springs, and half-built inventions covering every table.

The next morning, King Doodle Bum stomped down to the workshop. "Buzzywhirl!" he declared, puffing out his chest. "I have a plan. We are going to build the most AMAZING Welcome Baby invention ever! It will prove that I am still the most important person in this castle." Buzzywhirl tilted her head and adjusted her tiny round goggles. "Hmm," she said thoughtfully. "What kind of invention?" "A giant machine that does EVERYTHING!" King Doodle Bum said, waving his arms. "It will rock the baby, sing lullabies, AND deliver chocolate — all at the same time!"

A tall, wacky invention made of bronze gears, copper springs, a small rocking cradle on top, a music box in the middle, and a chocolate-tossing mechanical arm on the side, mid-collapse with parts flying in all directions and a chocolate bar sailing through the air. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement with scattered tools and half-built inventions on cluttered tables.

They worked all day long. Buzzywhirl used her six clever legs to twist bolts, thread wires, and glue pieces together while King Doodle Bum handed her springs and gears. The machine grew taller and taller. It had a rocking cradle on top, a music box in the middle, and a chocolate-tossing arm on the side. "Ready?" King Doodle Bum asked, bouncing on his toes. He pulled the big red lever. CLANG! SPROING! SPLAT! The machine shook, rattled, and launched a chocolate bar straight into King Doodle Bum's face. Then the whole thing toppled over with a tremendous crash.

Buzzywhirl, a giant insect with shimmering green wings and tiny round goggles pushed up on her head, sits gently beside a chocolate-covered king on a workshop floor, with one of her six legs resting on his shoulder. In the background, broken gears, scattered springs, and pieces of the collapsed wacky invention litter the workshop floor.

King Doodle Bum sat on the workshop floor, covered in chocolate and surrounded by broken gears. His lip wobbled. "It's no use," he said, pulling a spring out of his hair. "I can't even build something right. The baby is going to come, and nobody will care about me." Buzzywhirl fluttered down beside him and gently placed one of her six legs on his shoulder. "Can I tell you something, Your Silliness?" she asked softly. "When something feels really big and scary, sometimes the bravest thing you can do is talk about it."

A single broken bronze cog lying on a stone workshop floor next to a small scattered pile of copper springs and a dropped chocolate bar, lit by warm lantern light. In the background, the stone walls of the cozy royal workshop basement glow with warm golden light from hanging lanterns.

King Doodle Bum sniffled. "I'm scared," he admitted. "I'm scared the baby will take everything away." It felt strange to say the words out loud, but also — lighter. Like he had set down a heavy bag he'd been carrying. Buzzywhirl nodded slowly. "Feelings are like gears," she said, tapping a broken cog on the floor. "If you keep them stuck inside, nothing works right. But when you let them out and look at them, you can figure out what to do." King Doodle Bum wiped his eyes with his purple velvet cape. "So... my feelings aren't silly?" "Never," Buzzywhirl said firmly. "Big changes bring big feelings, and that is perfectly okay."

Buzzywhirl, a giant insect with shimmering green wings and tiny round goggles now pulled down over her eyes, hovers in the air with all six clever legs gesturing enthusiastically, wings buzzing in a blur. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement with warm lantern light and gears decorating the stone walls.

Buzzywhirl tapped her goggles with a thoughtful leg. "Here is the thing, Your Silliness. You don't need a big machine to prove you matter. You just need to be YOU." King Doodle Bum blinked. "Me?" "Yes! Think about it," Buzzywhirl said, her wings buzzing with excitement. "Who knows every hill in the kingdom? You! Who knows the best chocolate hiding spots? You! Who can make anyone laugh by wearing a crown sideways? YOU! A new baby won't take those things away. You get to SHARE them. You get to be a big brother, and that is the most special job of all."

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a sideways golden crown, a purple velvet cape, and a big warm grin, carefully paints a small wooden music box shaped like a crown with gold paint, using a tiny brush. In the background, the cozy royal workshop basement worktable cleared of clutter, with warm lantern light glowing on the stone walls.

Something warm bloomed inside King Doodle Bum's chest — not a stone this time, but something soft, like sunlight. "I could show the baby the sunflower courtyard!" he said, sitting up straighter. "And the view from the tallest tower!" "Now you're thinking!" Buzzywhirl cheered. "And I could share my chocolate — well, maybe just a TINY piece," he added with a grin. Together, they didn't build a giant machine. Instead, they made something small and simple: a little wooden music box shaped like a crown, painted gold, that played a sweet, tinkling lullaby when you turned the tiny crank.

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a sideways golden crown and a purple velvet cape, leans in close, holding a small golden music box shaped like a crown, peering with wide amazed eyes at a tiny baby wrapped in a soft white blanket. In the background, a bright and sunny castle room with tall arched windows letting in golden light and wild sunflowers in a vase on a table.

The day finally came. A tiny baby wrapped in a soft blanket was carried into the castle. King Doodle Bum's heart thumped hard. He peeked into the blanket and saw the smallest face he had ever seen — round cheeks, a button nose, and two little hands curled into fists. "She's so small," he whispered. He held out the little golden music box and turned the tiny crank. The sweet, tinkling lullaby filled the room. The baby's eyes opened wide. Then — she smiled. Right at him. "She likes it!" King Doodle Bum gasped. "She likes ME!" Buzzywhirl wiped a happy tear from behind her goggles.

King Doodle Bum, a curious and mischievous king with a slightly-less-sideways golden crown, a purple velvet cape, and a chocolate bar in one hand, stands in a courtyard full of tall wild sunflowers, looking out toward the horizon with a peaceful, hopeful expression. In the background, rolling green hills, a tiny village with colorful rooftops, and a glowing sunset stretching across a wide sky.

That evening, King Doodle Bum stood in the sunflower courtyard, looking out at the rolling green hills and the tiny village below. Everything looked the same — but it also looked different somehow, like the colors were a little brighter and the sky was a little bigger. He still had his chocolate. He still had his adventures. He still had Buzzywhirl. And now, he had something new, too — a little sister to share it all with. "Being a big brother is going to be a lot of work," he said to Buzzywhirl, nibbling a chocolate bar. Buzzywhirl grinned. "Good thing you've got me to help." King Doodle Bum smiled and straightened his crown — just a little. "I wonder what I'll show her tomorrow."

King Doodle Bum's Chocolate Dilemma

Browse More Stories

from the Fable Public Library