In the toy department of a large, bustling department store lived a small teddy bear dressed in bright green corduroy overalls. He was named Corduroy, and for a long time, he had waited on a shelf with many other toys, hoping that someone would come and take him home. His world was one of bright lights, the distant chime of the elevator, and the happy chatter of children passing by, yet he remained, waiting patiently for a friend of his own.
One day, a little girl with bright, curious eyes stopped right in front of his shelf. “Oh, Mommy!” she exclaimed, “Look! A teddy bear! He’s the one I’ve always wanted.”
Her mother smiled down at her but then noticed something. “He’s a lovely bear,” she said gently, “but look, he’s lost one of the buttons on his overalls.”
The little girl, whose name was Lisa, looked closely and saw the empty thread where a button should have been. “Oh,” she said, her voice filled with a little sadness. Her mother added, “And I’ve spent all my money for today. We can come back another time.”
As they walked away, Corduroy the bear watched them go, his little heart sinking. He hadn’t realized he was missing a button. “Tonight,” he decided with quiet determination, “I will go and find it myself.”
That evening, after the shoppers had all gone home and the store doors were locked, a deep hush fell over the building. As soon as the lights dimmed, Corduroy carefully climbed down from his shelf. His adventure had begun. He first encountered a strange moving staircase and, full of wonder, he stepped onto it. It carried him upwards, past mannequins and counters, to a completely new floor.
He found himself in the furniture department, a vast landscape of towering beds, enormous armchairs, and canyons made of sofas. It was here, perched atop a tall mattress, that he saw something that made his heart leap: a small, round tuft that looked exactly like his lost button. With a surge of hope, he began to climb the tall mattress. It was a mountain to a bear of his size, but he was determined.
When he finally reached the top, he grabbed the mattress tuft and pulled with all his might. He tugged and he strained, but it wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, he lost his footing and tumbled backward, knocking over a tall floor lamp with a tremendous CRASH!
The noise echoed through the silent store. A night watchman, making his rounds, heard the sound and came to investigate with his flashlight. The beam of light danced across the room and finally landed on a small, startled bear sitting on the floor. “Well, now,” the watchman said kindly. “How did you get down here?” He gently picked Corduroy up and carried him back downstairs, placing him safely on his shelf in the toy department.
The next morning, just as the doors opened, the first person to enter the toy department was Lisa, the little girl from the day before. She ran straight to Corduroy’s shelf, clutching a handful of coins from her piggy bank. This time, she was able to take him home.
In her cozy room, Lisa sat Corduroy on her bed and opened her sewing box. She had found a new button that perfectly matched his overalls. With careful stitches, she sewed it securely in place. The little bear looked down at his mended overalls and then up at the smiling girl. He had found something much more important than a button.
“You must be a friend,” he thought to himself. “I’ve always wanted a friend.”
Lisa gave him a warm hug and said, “Me too!” And from that day on, Corduroy had found his forever home.
If you enjoyed Corduroy the Bear, discover more inspiring adventures in our collection of Bedtime stories for kids
