Finn and the Pirate Bell

A free pirate bedtime story, written for ages 6-8 and ready to read aloud in about 3 minutes. Tonight's hero is Finn.

Finn stood on the deck of the Starling, wearing a paper pirate hat. Captain Nella had given it to him that morning. Today, Finn was her map reader. Across the water, people set up tables for the island fair. The pirates had promised to bring the old brass bell. One ring would start the music. There was just one problem. Nobody had found the bell yet.

Captain Nella spread a worn map across a barrel. Her grandfather, a pirate, had hidden the bell years ago. Nella had found his map only yesterday. “Start at the carved crab,” she read. “Follow the painted arrows to a crooked pine.” Finn pointed to a tiny anchor drawn beside the pine. “What's that for?” he asked. “We'll find out,” said Nella.

The Starling reached the island dock. Bram, the ship's cook, brought an empty sack for the bell. Finn found a crab carved into a dock post. From there, a path led past three flat stones. At the third stone, the path split. Red arrows pointed left. “That was quick,” said Bram. He hurried after the arrows, with Finn and Nella close behind.

Around the bend stood a table piled with apple pies. A sign above it said PIE TREASURE. Bram stopped so fast his sack swung forward. “Not the treasure we came for,” said Nella, smiling. Music floated over from the fair, but the bell had not rung. Finn looked back toward the fork. “The map says painted arrows,” he said. “Those red ones are made of paper.”

They returned to the third stone. Finn walked around it, looking low. A few dry leaves had caught against one side. He brushed them away. Underneath was a small blue arrow, painted right on the stone. It pointed down the other path. “There you are!” said Nella. Bram folded a slice of pie in a cloth and followed them.

The blue arrows led up a grassy hill. At the top stood two crooked pines. Finn checked the map, then looked at both trunks. The first pine had a low branch. The second had a little anchor cut into its bark. “This one!” Finn called. Nella held the branch aside while he looked near the roots.

A wooden box sat in a hollow beneath the tree. Bram set down his pie and opened the sack. Nella eased the box forward with her walking stick. Finn and Bram lifted it together. Inside lay a brass bell with a smooth wooden handle. Finn gave it one small shake. Ding! The sound carried all the way down the hill.

They took the bell back to the dock. People gathered as Finn climbed onto the Starling's deck. Captain Nella held up the map for everyone to see. “Our map reader found it,” she said. Finn rang the bell, loud and clear. The island music began. Bram passed around his pie, and Finn kept his paper pirate hat on for the whole fair.