( a small introductory tale).In the darkest part of the forest, down deep in the tangle of ancient roots, there lives a little man.he lives alone happy and content.His little house was under a dark oak root, snug and cosy against the wind and rain. In the corner of his one and only room, sat a barrel.within this barrel sloshed cider ,freshly made. A fire was happy and glowing, its heatboiling a kettle of water for tea.To one side of the fire there stood a little chair, with two comfy cushions and a little table fashioned from old wood, stood ready and waiting.Today the sun shone on the dark wood sending shafts of light to the darkest areas of the tangled roots. The little man who lived alone ateHe sat down in the sunshine to a meal of apples ,nuts ,berries and wild saladall washed down with home brewed cider.He ate alone savouring the flavours and the day.Bees buzzed, butterflies fluttered and grasshoppers fiddled in the undergrowth.Occasionally a thrush would come by, on his back a fairy rider bringing newsfrom wherever it came.The little man was never too fussed, he just did not care enough about the world outside his hidden corner of the forest.The season turned from summer to the time of falling leaves, berries burst out and the forest became rich with life and food.Creatures ran hither and yonder collecting nuts, berries ,fungi and leaves. To fatten them up for the long sleep of the cold months, and to line nests and underground holes.The little man at this time spent his time indoors venturing out only when absolutely required. This was the quiet time when the leaves began to fall and cover the ground With a carpet of orange and brown.Occasionally he wandered out , making sure leaves were where they should becovering early shoots and to pick fresh mushrooms.He was a self appointed guardian and gardener for this corner of the woods.Everything that happened, he knew about it.The sun hung low in the sky, chestnuts fell with quiet thuds on springy moss and slowly drying leaves.Red berries , black brambles all came into fruit, full of juice and lusciousnessThe little man gathered plenty and turned them into jam and jellies.With the buzzing bees permission he collected honey to store, crab apples for cider he kept in a cold dark place in the basement of his little house.Once while out and about an acorn hit him on his head, he looked around and saw no one but heard a chuckle in the branches of the trees.He hid behind the trunk of an old chestnut tree and watched to see what he would see.Leaving an acorn sitting out on a stone, he held his breath and waited.In no time a reddish coloured , bushy tailed, tree climber came into view and began to sneak up on the waiting nut.Slowly bushy-tail did approach cautiously at first then thinking he was safe jumped on ihe acorn sweet.Springing out the little man jumped from his hiding spot, giving fright to bushy-tail.So much so , he leapt in the air in fright.The little man, by name of Worgleschnortzkopf, laughed and laughed and laughed .So much so that he fell onto his back, kicking leaves all around.“You are a wicked little man,” said a passing Robin, as Worgleschnortzkopf chuckled to himself as he gathered up mushrooms and nuts.He didn’t care what Robins thought or Bushy-tails for that matter, he lived on his own and that suited him just fine.One morning he awoke to frosted windows and breath that turned to vapourHe shivered as he left his bed, at the back of the room.The fire was out, no spark to warm and clear,quickly he gathered kindling and a little spark jumped from his flint to make a fire warm and cosy.Wiping ice from his window , in shock he recoiled, for nothing he could see, all was buried white.He ran to get a chair, climbed upon it and pulled a latch set in his roof, down dropped a ladder , and he began to climb.Running helter pelter up the carved wooden steps that he cut into the tree years ago for such an emergency as this.Up and up his little legs whirred like wings of a fly, breath came quick and his heart pounded.At last he came to a little round window cut into the bark, he blew off the dust and creaked it open.Cold air rushed in and caught his breath forcing him to gasp. All around as far as he could see was white like a sea of frozen water.Lumps and bumps looking a little like waves covered the land between trees and bushes and red berried shrubs.The woods were quiet no sounds could be heard except the occasional drip of snow off branch.Astonished he sat down and began to let thoughts run, what to do, what to do, now that the snow has come.Early it was come without warning and settled on his wood this morning.Again, he looked from his aerial view point and couldn’t see his garden and the bottom of the tree.Realizing that this snow fall was deep, hoping that his store in his larder would last.From out the snow he saw a little wisp of smoke as his fire took hold, he shut the window and went down for breakfast as his tum began to thrum and gurgle.Wild oat porridge, toasted bread and tea of camomile hot and soothing a breakfast no finer in all the world he thought.No sooner had he finished when he heard the sound, low and baleful rushing through the woods .The few birds that were about whirred off to hide away, bushy-tails, and whisker faces also kept hidden away.Again that baleful sound was heard and Worgleshnortzkopf shivered in his little seat despite the warmth in his hose and tummy.He knew what was making that horrible sound, deep and sonorous as it was.The horn of Dymock the Bogle donated by a anxious ram, blown by the evil mouth of Dymock ,s son the hated Borri ,the son of Dymocks loins.Borri would not be alone as Bogles rarely were for henchmen stood around him.No doubt it would be Mangi the Mink and Fursty the Ferret too.Swiftly Worgle raced to his window high and looked out across the vale in which his forest dwelt.There he saw them , the black hearted three, trudging through the snow, spreading horror and fear.Mangi it was who blew the horn, Fursty looked about with little black beady eyes, nothing and no one escaped his intense scrutiny.Worgle felt his heart thump almost bursting from his chest, wondering what these malevolent three wanted deep in his forest sweet.Maybe they will pass on by, never heading his humble home but then he thought nothing escapes the Fursty gaze.Slowly they made their way towards Worgles oak tree home, which now stood out as the snow filled gullies and covered other shrubs which masked his little home.“Worgleschnortzkopf , Worgleschnortzkopf we know that you are in there, come out ,come out, we need to speak, I have a proposal for you”, Borris’ voice rasped out the command.“W-what do you want from me” stammered the little man in fear.“Come hither and I will explain, I promise you no harm” at that Mangi and Fursty giggled ,like only cowards can.The little man stood back from his window small, what to do ,what to do, his thoughts in his brain ran. At the window a deep breath he took and offered his reply.“ Because of all this snow I can not come down, tell me what you propose and I Will consider it then”.Borri laughed deep and raspy slapping his thigh heavily and long.“All right “, he bellowed, “for your audacity then ,…I will”.He then told a tale that amazed poor Worgle,s ears, a tale of treasure stolen from Borri,s ancestral lair. A most precious possession that had been in his family for centuries and he wanted it back…..or else the consequences would be dire.Worgle resisted the desire to ask what consequences they might be and asked,“Why do you need me, I am just a simple little gnaome who lives under this tree, how can I who has never ventured far be of use to you?”Again Borri laughed aloud, “ As you say just a little gnaome without muchsignificance, so you,ll do fine for what I have in mind.”Worgleschnortskopf did not like the sound of this and started to shake again.“What if I say nay ,go and leave me alone, I am so small and insignificant of no use would I be.”Borri growled and stamped his foot sending snow flying wild,“Refusal is not an option ,little man.You will do as I command or Ill burn this forest down.It means nothing to me so you know I would do it.” Borri smiled.Some time of silence passed at that time as Worgleschnortzkopf thought about what to do. His reply caught Borri by surprise.“Go ahead ,” squeaked the little man, “Burn it all down, but I will not be bullied by the likes of you”.Borri fumed and bellowed with rage , his minions quivered and quaked, fearful at what their boss would do.“You two , get out the flints. Fire he wants ,fire he gets,” and he laughed a hideous laugh.Mangi and Fursty produced flints from their packs and looked around for somekindling wood. As all the forest was covered in deep deeep snow, none could be sought. The two argued between themselves and soon they both fought.With exasperated grunt Borri the Bogle roared at them and stormed off in a huff.“Wait till spring time little man and then I will be back.” and he turned and stumped off through the snow, back to his hate filled lair.“Hurry back dark shadow, I,ll be waiting here .” and at that Worgleschnortzkopf laughed to himself and shut his window tight.An owl, old and wise , that lived in nearby trees. Flew off into the wild with tales to tell and knowledge to impart.The end.
