This is one of more than 40 stories that make up the "Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Storybook" published by NATT+. It is a result of the National Storytelling competition run as part of Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month 2009.
Key Stage 2 (lower) Second Place
JayJay’s Story
By Jean from Cambridge
Once upon a time there was an Irish Traveller called JayJay. He was a lovely man with coal black hair and he was a real bragger, always bragging. He was always bragging, “I’m not afraid of no-one.” He was always bragging to his friends in the pub.
JayJay sold crystals, elastics and diamonds but one day he had a break and he went to the pub with his friends. He was telling his friends, “I’m not afraid of no-one.” On the way home, JayJay was feeling a bit tipsy and walking along with his hands in his back pockets and singing away to himself. It was really, really dark. Suddenly, he heard a noise. He stopped to listen: clip clop clip clop. He just shook. JayJay didn’t know what it was! As the milkman pulled up next to him he froze and then he roared and ran all the way to his trailer.
When he got home his wife, Katherine, gave him a cup of tea and he went to bed and covered his head. In the morning, he was brushing his teeth and washing his face when he looked up in the mirror. He just shook, because the whole front of his hair had turned white. When he went to the pub with his white hair everyone knew that he was frightened of things.
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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Storybook is a 48 page, full-colour paperback book contains more than 40 short stories. Many are illustrated by the authors.