Lars Mæhle Lars Rudebjer

The Egg

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DINOSAURS:

The dinosaurs are the biggest animals to ever walk the land. They lived on our planet for more than 150 million years. That’s a very long time. Human beings have only been on Earth about two or three million years. You can see how big the difference is here:

© 2019 Kagge Forlag AS

Omslagsdesign og layout: Lars RudebjerOmslagsillustrasjon: Lars RudebjerPapir: Arctic Volume White 150 gBoka er satt med Adobe Garamond Pro.Trykk og innbinding: Livonia Print SIA

ISBN: 978-82-489-2332-9

Kagge Forlag ASTordenskiolds gate 20160 Oslo

www.kagge.no

All of Earth’s dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago. We can’t be sure of the reason. It might have been caused by a giant volcano, or by a comet crashing into the earth.

Jurassic period The Cretaceous

200 million years ago

150 100 50 0

The Tyrannosaurus Family:

The Dinosaur Bunch:

Reggie Rex

Robin Rex

Daddy Rex

Mummy Rex

Grandma Rex

Reggie Rex

Sammy ShastasaurusTobias Triceratops

Abbie AnkylosaurusMary Microraptor

– Get up, Reggie!

Reggie was very tired,but now, slowly, he was waking up.Two big eyes were staring at him.

It was Timmy Troodon.

– What are you doing here, so early?asked Reggie

– It’s finally happening! Timmy shouted.– Ssh! Reggie hissed.– You’ll wake Grandma.

Grandma Rex was fast asleep in the corner as usual.

– But I’m so excited! Timmy said.– Any moment now …

… mum’s egg is hatching.I’m finally going to get a brother!

– It could be a sister, Reggie said.

Timmy shuddered.– Oh no. Yuck!

Then he started to wave his arms.

– Hurry up, Reggie!We have to see the egg hatch!

– Ok. I just have to go to thebathroom.

But by the time Reggie got back,he noticed something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

Grandma Rex was still snoring away innocently in the corner.Reggie stomped over to her.

– Grandma!

Grandma Rex pretended to wake up.

– Uhm? What? she mumbled.

– You can’t fool me, grandma. You have eaten Tim. Again.Spit him out! Right now!

Grandma Rex sighed.She lent forward,opened her mouth and then…

Timmy was gone.

Had he left already?Without telling him?

… SPLAT! Timmy fell to the ground.

– Say you’re sorry, grandma! Reggie said.

Grandma Rex looked down.– I’m sorry, she whispered.

Timmy wiped the slime off his feathers.– No problem. Hey ho - let’s go!

They ran out of the cave and hurried past the cycad tree,where Daddy Rex stood scratching his head. For three days he had tried to put up a hammock. With little success.

– Where are you heading, boys? Daddy Rex said.

– To my place! Timmy shouted.– My mum’s egg is hatching.

– Don’t take the shortcut through the boggy forest!Daddy Rex said.– Someone saw big scary monster there today.Mum is out hunting him now.

– We’ll take the Long Way Round, Reggie said.

Guess what Timmy said right afterwards?

The boggy forest was a whopping great swamp.It was full of ferns, grass and thickets.And of course, plenty of water too.

– Let’s take the shortcut through the boggy forest!

Reggie shook his head.

– No, that is NOT very smart.

– I thought you were a super-tough Tyrannosaurus?Timmy said.

Reggie tried to laugh. But to be honest, his tummy was doing butterflies.

Danger was lurking everywhere.

First of all, you might sink right into the marsh. Especially if you left the path.

Second, there were all kinds of scary dinosaurs in there.Dinosaurs that swum, flew and snuck.

– Shouldn’t we take the Long Way Round instead? asked Reggie.

– No, we’ll be too late, replied Timmy.– Come on!

Timmy hurtled along the path. The moss gurgled under his feet.

Suddenly Reggie noticed a shadow.

– Watch out, Reggie! Timmy called. – There`s something right behind you!

– But what is it?

it is …– It is …

… A SCARY SLEDGETAIL!

The ground trembled.

Reggie leapt into the air.He clung to Tim.

– But who’s this?asked Reggie, shivering.

– Why, it’s …

Reggie pinched his nose.– Yuck!

– But we’re in a hurry, Timmy said.– My mum’s egg is hatching. I’m going to get a brother!

– Or a sister, Reggie said.

– No time to cry! Bye-bye! Timmy said.

Then the two friends went …

… ABBIE ANKYLOSAURUS. Timmy said.

– Oh, you really scared us, Abbie,Reggie said.– But what are you doing in the boggy forest so early?

Abbie munched on some plants.– I have to eat a lot the whole day through.Or else I won’t get enough food.

And then she farted.

… even deeper into the boggy forest.

The forest grew thicker. They had to push thickets and branches aside. It was really hard to walk in the swamp.

After a while, Reggie heard a mysterious sound.Wosh-wosh, it said.

– Watch out, Reggie! Timmy shouted.– Something is right above you!

– But what is it?

– It is … it is …

Timmy and Reggie ducked into the grass.The flying dinosaur crash-landed with a splash.Right next to them.

– But who’s this? Reggie said.

– Why, it’s …

… A SUPERFAST FLYING DINOSAUR!

Wings flapped.Then a flying dinosaur swooped down towards them.

Timmy hopped from foot to foot.

– My mum’s egg is hatching. I’m going to get a brother!

– Or a sister, Reggie said.

– No time to cry. Bye-bye! Timmy said.

Then the two friends went …

Mary brushed the dirt from her feathers.

– I heard there was a giant predator in the boggy forest today.I thought it might have caught an animal for breakfast. And that there could be leftovers.But I haven’t seen anything yet. No giant. No food.

… MARY MICRORAPTOR, Timmy said.– The smallest dinosaur in the world.

– Oh, you really scared us, Mary,Reggie said.– But what are you doing in the boggy forest so early?

When they got to the rest area half way through the boggy forest,Reggie had to take a break. He leant against a thick tree trunk. But …

– Watch out, Reggie! Timmy shouted.– That’s not a tree!

Reggie froze.

– But what is it?

– It is … it is …

… even deeper into the boggy forest.

Now they had reached the darkest part of the forest. They fought their way through the marshPlish-plash, it went as they walked.

– But who is it? Reggie asked, in a high-pitched voice.

Timmy shouted:

– Why, it’s …

… THE BIGGEST AND SCARIEST DINOSAUR I’VE EVER SEEN!

Timmy peeped up at Mummy Rex.

– My mum’s egg is hatching.I’m going to get a brother!

– Or a sister, Reggie said.

– Ok, fine, Mummy Rex said. – But now I’m going to take you all the way to Tim’s home.End of story!

Then they went all the way through the boggy forest.

But none of them noticedthe big shadow that was following them …

… your MUM.

– Oh, mum, Reggie laughed. – You really scared us.But what are you doing in the boggy forest so early?

Mummy Rex gave Reggie a stern look.

– I’m searching for a big and scary giant.But what are YOU two doing in the boggy forest so early?You’re not even allowed to be here.

When she came out again, she was holding something in her hands.

The egg.

Carefully, she placed it down on the ground.Reggie stared at it.

– Oh boy, that was one huge egg! Mummy Rex said.

– Super duper huge, said Reggie.

The egg reached almost up to Tim’s thigh. It was white with grey dots.

Then they heard a sound. Timmy sprinted towards the Troodon cave.

– Did the egg hatch, mum?

Tim’s mum peeped her head out.She was quite surprised when shesaw Reggie and Mummy Rex.

– Nope, she said, clearing her throat. – No hatching.But it’s about to.

Tim’s mum rushed back into the cave.

– My brother is coming! Timmy shouted.

– Or your sister, Reggie said.

They all went one step closer.Was it a brother?Or a sister?

The egg’s shell cracked. The crack got bigger.And bigger.

AND BIGGER.

Finally it went «creak» and «squeak» and «crackle».Until top of the egg shell lifted,and fell down to the ground.

– But holy macaroni! Timmy said.

– Why it’s …

At that very moment the ground began to shake. Noises rose from the woods,right behind them.

They all froze,as heavy stomps and mighty snorts got louder.A giant shadow grew.AND GREW.

A dark voice rumbled:

– Now listen up! If you have any sense at all...

Timmy looked at his mum, shocked.

– What is this?

– A little while ago, I found the egg in the boggy forest,whispered Tim’s mum.– It was lying there all by itself.No one was looking after it.I had to save the egg,before a predator dinosaur ate it.

– So it isn’t your egg? Timmy said.

The mum blushed and shook her head.

… A HYPSELOSAURUS BABY!

The Hypselosaurus-baby climbed out of the egg.It crawled on its unsteady feet all the way to its mum.Then it clung onto her big body.

Reggie smiled at Tim.– Aww, look how cute it is.

Mummy Rex cleared her throat.

– Were you in the boggy forest earlier today, Mrs. Hypselosaurus?

They all spun around at the same time.Reggie’s face went all white.

Behind them stood a Hypselosaurus. It was 15 metres long and weighed 7000 kilos.

It had to be the baby’s mum.

… you’ll hand that baby to me!

They all spun around at the same time.Reggie’s face went all white.

Mummy Rex walked over to the Hypselosaurus.

– This was all a bit awkward.But might I please make a suggestion?

Everyone looked at Mummy Rex with suspense.

– Let’s throw a proper…

The Hypselosaurus-mum looked at them, fiercely.

– Yes! I was looking for my egg. Who took it?

– I didn’t take it,Tim’s mum whispered.– I was only taking care of it.So that no mean dinosaurs should eat it.

Then she slipped away into the cave.And locked the door.Super fast.

– I’ll make a campfire! Timmy shouted.– I’ll grill some steaks! Mummy Rex cheered.– I’ll fix some salad! said the Hypselosaurus Mum. – I’ll blow up some balloons! said Reggie.

Then they ate and celebrated and partied untilthey got very, very, veeerryy tired.And all little dinosaurs had to crawl into their beds.Good night! Sleep tight!See you in the boggy forest tomorrow!

… DINOSAUR PARTY!To celebrate the birth of the baby!

And you know what:Everyone thought that was a splendid idea.

HOORAY!– Psst! Has theHypselosaurus

left yet?

THE DINOSAURS IN THE DINOSAUR BUNCH

Most of the dinosaurs in this book lived in the same place and area, in countries that today lies in North-America. But some «guestdinosaurs» from other time and places also do come and visit The Dinosaur Kingdom.

The dinosaurs were very different. Some were small, others real giants. Some were planteaters, other were predators. Some flew, some swam, some walked and ran on the ground. Everyone found their own, smart ways to survive. Here are some facts about the dinosaurs that appears in this book:

Tyrannosaurus The most famous dinosaur of them all. The Tyrannosaurus Rex could be 6 meters tall, 12 meters long, and it was heavier than an elephant. It had superhuge and sharp teeth! The teeth were as long as the largest packages of Lego!

Troodon This was a very small dinosaur. But it was fast and could run quicker than the fastest man in the world. It had either fur or a thick layer of feathers. For this reason, the troodon could live far up north, in really cold places. And it had big, yellow eyes that could see in the dark – and therefore it could go hunting at night.

Microraptor One of the tiniest of all dinosaurs. The microraptor was no larger than a goose! But since it was light, it was an excellent flyer. But it didn’t flap its wings, it slid in the air.

Ankylosaurus The ankylosaurus ate plants and leaves. It was covered by spikes and plates, and that worked as a shield against predator dinosaurs. In addition it had a «sledgetail» that could hit really hard. It also had a very large stomach, that produced an enormous amount of fart! The ankylosaurus was low, but anyway almost as large as a bus.

Hypselosaurus A very large dinosaur. It laid the biggest eggs of all dinosaurs. The Hypselosaurus egg was the same size as 73 hen eggs!