On a village green, in southern England, two children linger, in the warmth of the sun. In 'Lily's Place', the village green is deserted, except for the children, and the collie dog, who sleeps among the beer barrels, outside The Crown, the sole public house in the village. As they press on the heat blistered paintwork of the sweetshop window, Lily the owner beckons them in, to run an errand, which goes incredibly wrong, leaving both girls changed, mentally, forever. In the second story, Miss Godall twirls and poses, as she shows off her fur coat, a gift from the beret wearing Frenchman, who cycles from France, monthly, to sell strings of golden onions, in the village. Phillipe loves Miss Goodall, but the villagers resent Phillipe's visits to the green. Miss Goodall acuses the villagers of 'wheting their talons, on her love. When Phillipe is killed, she turns to the children.

In the final story, on a winter's night, the two girls, Clara and Fleur are told stories which shock an scare them, by a soldier, returned from prisoner of war camp, in Africa. Terrified, they run for help, but their unexpected distress leaves him in despair. he promices to make each of them a toy, a jumping jack, which will perform wonderous tricks. But when the girls go to his house on the following morning, they are in despair, on finding the old soldier.....