Philip's Army is now available in Paperback and Kindle formats.
ISBN-10: 1479242624
ISBN-13: 978-1479242627
Somewhere
in England, there is a beautiful forest that flows like a green wave
over the countryside. Its branches form intricate patterns against
the sky and its leaves, enjoying pure air, jostle to absorb the sun.
This forest is a happy place, no motorways with foul-smelling cars
pass close to it. No hideous fences corset and restrict its freedom
and for thousands of years it has lived in peace.
To
the birds, animals and insects this forest is a mother. They shelter
beneath her swaying petticoats and feel safe from the outside world.
Sadly this woodland, one of the few remaining in England, is now at
risk, her survival threatened by the most destructive of all the
animals: MAN.
The
sun, the rain and the rich earth provide the forest and her children
with nourishment. However, unknown to man, overall control is in the
hands of: 'The Witch of the Forest'.
Close
to the forest stands a solitary, oak-beamed, modernised cottage.
This is the home of Philip and his younger sister Becky, who live
with their parents Fred and Betty Shoesmith. Fred is a blacksmith
whose forge adjoins the house and mummy is a cheery countrywoman, of
chubby proportions, who has a cow called Daisy and lots of hens that
wander around laying eggs wherever they choose. In front of the
house a bumpy road snakes two miles to the village of Andelbar. The
childrens' school is In Andelbar and because of its distance they
each have a pony. Philip's is called Inky because he is as black as
ink and Becky's is named Snowy because she is completely white.
Philip is a sturdy boy, with a head full of dreams, whereas Becky is
practical and feminine, but never the less a tomboy. The forest is
the childrens' favourite playground and they know most of the trails
close to their home. Philip always invents the games they play.
It
is the Summer holidays and the youngsters are free to enjoy
themselves and today, as usual, they play in the forest. Becky flees
from her brother, she is a wild mustang and he is a cowboy on his
horse, trying to lasso and capture her. Becky, in her striped
gingham dress, tires and stops running. The plaits in her hair cease
to bob and out of puff, she seats herself on the yielding grass of a
forest clearing.
"Philip,
I am tired, let's rest for a minute or two."
Philip
jumps from his pretend horse and swaggers towards his sister, tugs at
the knees of his blue jeans and squats, cowboy style, beside her.
"Becky,
you are hopeless, you always let me win."
Becky
is not listening, she has spotted a raspberry bush, its canes sagging
with ripe berries. Tiredness forgotten, she runs to the bush.
"Look,
Philip, loads and loads of berries, let's eat some."
The
cowboy shakes his head, "No Becky! Mummy warned us never to eat
wild berries, they might make us sick."
"Silly,
stupid, old Philip, mummy has lots of these berries in her kitchen,
they are safe to eat."
The
cowboy hesitates and the naughty Becky, taking advantage, wilfully
crams the fruit into her mouth, squelching red juice all over her
face and on to the white parts of her dress.
"You
are a bad girl; mummy will blame me if you have a tummy ache."
"Yummy,
yum, yum, they taste like sweeties. Come on scary pants, try one."
Philip
was no longer a cowboy he was a schoolboy tempted.
"I
suppose trying one will not make much difference."
Joining
his sister he popped a raspberry into his mouth. The succulent
berry tasted delicious and soon they both stuffed the forbidden fruit
into their mouths.
Minute's
later, Philip's world starts to spin. Trees, Sky and Clouds, Trees,
Sky and Clouds, the inside of his head reverberated
with demoniacal laughter, causing him to clutch his head in
anguish.
Becky
whimpered, "A voice screams in my head. Why is everything
turning round and round? It's making me dizzy."
Trying
to be coherent, Philip gasped, "It must have been the berries."
Trees,
Sky and Clouds, good! they revolved slower now and the horrible
laughter had stopped. Philip's world steadied and he placed a
comforting arm around Becky, who clung to him, her stained face
perplexed, her hazel eyes bewildered. They heard a noise, a rhythmic
beating sound.
"Philip,
what makes that drumming sound?"
"I
don't know Becky, I don't understand anything that is happening to
us. Don't worry yourself, everything will be all right."
A
second's silence and there was a loud thump. A brown rabbit, with a
white furry chest, landed in front of them, the rabbit was the same
size as they were. Pounding the ground, with a long rear foot, it
sang in a rasping voice,
"Strangers
around on our ground
Strangers
around on our ground."
A
startled Becky sniffled and Philip gave her his handkerchief.
"No
need for you to cry, I am not scared of any rabbit, even if it is as
big as we are."
The
boy clapped his hands, hoping the rabbit would run away. However,
instead of running, the rabbit hopped closer, bared its teeth and
snarled,
"Did
you snare my furry friend?
If
you did it was his end."
"We
would never, ever, do such a nasty thing," Becky cried, "we
love all the animals in the world."
Rabbit
scrutinised them, twitching his whiskers,
"Humph,
Humph, we will see, we will see.
Are
you friend or are you foe?
I
must know before we go."
"Go
where?" asked Philip.
"Humph,
Humph, you have not yet been informed, even I can see that you are in
ignorance."
Philip
pinched his bare arm to make sure he was awake and not dreaming.
Rabbit, waggling his nose, watched them.
"Are
you friend or are you foe?"
Philip
interrupted, "We are friends, I give you my word as an Indian
chief."
"Will
you come with me to the meeting?"
"What
meeting? Rabbit you talk in riddles, my sister and I do not
understand you. Must I ask you umpteen times? What meeting?"
Rabbit
looked amazed, "To the meeting of the 'War Council', where else?
Will you come?"
"Becky
and I will attend this meeting; will you show us the way?"
"The
honour is mine
The
day is fine
I'll
show you the way
This
sunny day."
Rabbit,
apparently satisfied that the children were friends, bobbed away
singing,
"Follow
my tail along the trail
Follow
my tail along the trail
We
must go to the old oak tree
And
ask the council to agree."
Philip
took his sister's hand and they followed Rabbit who led them through
a maze of undergrowth until they reached an empty clearing by a
stream. A gnarled oak dominated the scene and appeared to welcome
them with outstretched branches.
On
arrival Becky was quite out of breath. Rabbit bobbed quickly and her
legs found it difficult to keep up. Puzzled, she looked around the
deserted clearing.
"This
is silly, there is nobody here but us."
Rabbit
pointed his paw.
"Well
now you're here, sit down, sit down.
The
others will join you on the ground."
The
small girl pouted with crimson lips, "I don't like it here I
want to go home, this ground makes my bottom cold."
Rabbit,
wanting to be friendly, spoke gently to Becky, "I know where you
live."
Becky
brightened, "Do you really know Rabbit?"
"Yes,
you live in the timber house on the edge of the forest."
Becky
smiled and with one hand brushed away a tear from her flushed face.
"You
are correct, I do live there."
Rabbit
placed a paw on Becky's shoulder, "Your mummy is a kind woman.
One of my children wandered off and tangled itself in your wire
fence, your mummy found my bunny and set it free."
"Good
for mummy," Becky shrieked, "I told you that we all love
animals. Philip, my legs are turning blue with the cold, I want
to go home now."
Clenching
his fists, Philip struck the ground and effortlessly sprang to his
feet. Adopting the proud stance of a Red Indian chief, he glowered
through his freckles, "Rabbit I am bored, I am leaving and
taking my squaw with me. Playing cowboys and Indians is more
fun than this tommy rot."
A
wind sighed through Oak's branches and the wrinkled face of an old
man appeared on its trunk.
Wearily,
a voice complained, "It would be rude of you to leave, after all
you were invited."
"Why
are we here?" demanded Philip, rubbing his close-cropped hair,
"stop messing about, Becky and I are fed-up with all this
nonsense."
"It
is by no means nonsense, you cheeky boy, show some respect for your
elders," Oak spoke with authority like the village
schoolmaster.
Philip,
stunned into silence, could think of nothing to say.
Oak
continued, "The others will be here soon, once they explain, you
will understand."
Philip,
remembering to show respect, pleaded, "Please tell us now sir."
"Impatient
boy, we are here to talk over important matters."
"What
means impo'-impor-tant?" Becky did not understand the word.
Oak
moaned and in a tired voice explained, "It means things that
matter."
The
bushes rattled.
"Listen,
the Chair Bird approaches, Chair Bird will tell you everything. Just
wait and see."
"Very
good Oak," said Philip, "We will wait and see."
Chair
Bird positioned himself, in a prominent position, on one of Oak's
branches. The children recognised him because he was the Barn Owl
that lived in the loft above their daddy's forge. Barn Owl was
also as big as they were.
"Tut-Tut-Whoo,"
uttered Barn Owl yawning and turning his head in a semi circle with
jerky movements.
"Tut-Tut-Whoo
are the others not here yet? I am sure I called this meeting for sun
high above the Oak. If I did not, I meant to, I am so tired, I
usually sleep during the day."
"I
have brought the children as ordered," boasted Rabbit, "I
do hope they can help us."
"Tut-Tut-Whoo,
I know these two. They are Philip and Becky, I often see them tucked
up in their beds when I hunt in the moonlight."
Overcoming
her shyness, Becky spoke, "Please Mr. Chair Bird, can I ask an
impor, an impor-tant question?"
In
a nice way, Rabbit displayed his teeth,
"Of
course you can
Of
course you can
That
is part of our plan."
Fingering
the hem of her dress, with red smudged fingers, Becky asked, "It's
im- portant for me to know. Why have you Rabbit and you Barn Owl,
grown as big as we are?"
Some
Field Mice that had just arrived, tittered, "He-He."
"Tut-Tut
quiet you silly mice," ordered Barn Owl, "The question is a
sensible one. Rabbit tell our friends about the witch and her
raspberries."
Rabbit
cleared his throat and sang,
"There
is a witch lives in the forest
Who
can't be seen
She
can't be seen
She
has a sack upon her back
Upon
her back she has a sack
Her
sack holds spells and magic dust
Real
magic dust, her magic dust
She
sprayed it on a berry tree
Ripe
berry tree, your berry tree
And
if a berry one does eat
And
you did eat yes you did eat
It
makes a person very small
And
you are small, so very small."
Philip
grinned, "Now I understand, we have grown smaller, not you
bigger."
Impatiently,
Barn Owl droned, "Yes of course, you have grown smaller.
Tut-Tut-Whoo we have things to do."
Many
animals had now arrived and clustered around Oak. Most were larger
than Philip and Becky and frightening when close to them. The
exceptions were the Field Mice, who were small to begin with.
Barn
Owl yawned and addressed the assembly, "Welcome comrades.
Rabbit, take the roll call, but hurry before I fall asleep. I
usually have a nap in the daytime."
Producing
a slice of bark with names written on it and using a twig as a
marker, Rabbit was ready.
"Listen
everyone, say I'm here when I call your name."
"How
can we call I'm here, if we're not?" squeaked a cheeky Field
Mouse.
"Silence
Mouse," thundered Barn Owl, "please continue Rabbit."
Rabbit
called, "Barn Owl?"
"Idiot,
you know that I'm here."
"Rabbit?
Well I know that I am here, children?"
"Here,"
chorused Philip and Becky who were now enjoying themselves.
"Field
Mice?"
"Tee
He," twittered the Field Mice.
"Fox?"
"Present,"
harked Fox.
"Wild
Bore?"
"Grunt,
Grunt," snorted Wild Bore.
"Blackbird?"
"Kwatch,
Kwatch! I'm here to represent all the birds."
"Very
well. Tut-Tut-Whoo is that everyone?"
A
Red Squirrel, who held a nut in his paws, grumbled, "You forgot
me."
"And
me," complained an Otter, slithering out of the stream and
cascading water over the assembly.
Rabbit
declared, "I have not called Doleful Trout but he is a misery."
"Tut-Tut
call him Rabbit."
Doleful
Trout performed an arc from the stream.
SPLASH!
"I have something” SPLASH! “to say." SPLASH!
"Trout
talks in snatches as he leaps from the water," explained Otter.
Barn
Owl announced, "As everyone is accounted for we will proceed
with the meeting.
Tut-Tut-Whoo,
we will begin with questions.
Has
anyone any questions?"
Philip
had a problem, so he enquired, "Barn Owls eat mice and foxes
devour rabbits. Why are you all friends today?"
Owl
assumed a solemn expression, "We have life and death matters to
discuss, we need each others help to resolve the mutual, impending
disaster that concerns us all. Otherwise, I would gladly consume a
fat field mouse."
"Unfair,"
peeped a Field Mouse, "remember our agreement."
Owl
nodded, "Remind everyone why we are here, Rabbit."
Stamping
the earth Rabbit sang,
"There
are humans in our forest cutting down our trees and as we all love
the forest we're not very pleased."
Rabbit
hollered, "Who needs the forest?"
A
variety of voices shouted, "We need the forest."
Philip
joined in the clamour, "Becky and I play in the forest. It's
our Summer holidays and we are here every single day. Becky picks
flowers, I climb trees and we invent war games. My daddy told me
that the trees clean the air we breathe. We all need the forest."
"Quite
correct," said Barn Owl, "Then it's unanimous, now we must
between us plan how to stop these confounded tree cutters."
The
creatures remained silent the task seemed impossible.
SPLASH!
"you will not," SPLASH! "stop them," spluttered
Doleful Trout.
Philip,
who despite his previous attitude, now found the discussion
interesting, asked, "Why not Trout?"
"A
long way from here," SPLASH! "Men built a factory, they put
dirt in the stream," SPLASH! “Fish all die,"
SPLASH!.
Otter
confirmed, "It's true, my cousins had a Holt there, they all had
to move upstream. Nothing exists in the stream below the factory,
even the flowers on the banks withered and died. Trout is correct,
we animals can do nothing to stop the humans."
Fox
remarked, "Well, we have to do something, otherwise we will not
have a home any more."
Suspicious,
Fox stared at the children, "Can we trust these two? How do we
know they are not enemy spies?"
Owl
retorted, "How dare you, I know these two and their parents, I
live with them, they all love the forest and its wild life."
"If
you say so," whined Fox, "I vote that we all return home
and try to find a way to stop these criminals."
Chair
Bird agreed and declared the meeting over; thus ending the first
gathering of The War Council. Barn Owl called the second
meeting for two days time when the sun was over the Oak.
The
creatures dispersed and the children were left with Rabbit.
Oak
mumbled, "Goodbye" and his face vanished from the trunk.
"Can
we go home now Philip?" Becky asked.
"Yes
but I don't know the way."
Rabbit
offered, "Don"t worry, I will be delighted to escort you
home."
Becky
had grown fond of Rabbit, who was obviously doing his best to be
friendly.
The
girl replied, "Thank you, Rabbit, it is very kind of you."
As
before, Rabbit hopped away from them singing,
"Follow
my tail along the trail
Follow
my tail along the trail."
Rabbit
led them back to the raspberry bush and instructed them to eat more
fruit. The children did this and soon they were even smaller than
before. Rabbit now appeared as a large animal towering above their
heads.
Rabbit
invited, "Climb on to my back and hold my hairs tightly."
With
difficulty they climbed up Rabbit's hind leg and on to his back.
Philip gripped the hairs behind Rabbit's neck and Becky wrapped her
arms around Philip's waist. Rabbit scurried, taking short cuts,
until they reached the edge of the forest behind their house. Rabbit
tilted his back and the children slithered to the ground.
Rabbit
gave them a gracious bow, "Your house I believe comrades."
Returning
the bow Philip answered, "Thank you for the lift, but we cannot
return home as small as this."
"Mummy
would be shocked," declared Becky.
Rabbit
thought for a few seconds, "I know the magic words that work
with animals; you could try saying them."
Philip
pleaded, "Tell us at once, the magic words, before someone spots
us."
"Alright,
say,
MAGIC
BERRIES MAGIC BERRIES, MAKE US TALL.
MAGIC
BERRIES, MAGIC BERRIES, MAKE US TALL."
Philip
took hold of Becky's hands and they repeated the magic rhyme and
before you could say treacle tarts they were back to their normal
size again. Rabbit waved goodbye and was soon lost in the green of
the forest.
The
children entered the house where mummy, busy in her kitchen, greeted
them with a smile.
"You
two rascals have been eating wild berries."
A
surprised Becky asked, "How do you know that mummy?"
"Look
in the mirror pumpkin, run along the pair of you and wash your hands
and faces before tea."
That
night, Philip and Becky were far too excited to sleep; the unexpected
events of the day had been peculiar. When their mother poked her
head round their bedroom doors, both kept their eyes closed and
pretended to be asleep. Then when mummy joined daddy, in that
mysterious adult world which starts at children's bedtime, Becky
sneaked into her brother's bedroom to talk about their strange day.
To Becky her brother was a hero who was always the leader. The
good-natured girl was a willing and faithful companion, ready for any
escapade her brother led her into. As they chatted, neither had an
inkling of the real life adventure, which had started for them.
Although
forbidden, Becky scrambled on to the foot of Philip's bed, "Philip,
what shall we do to help Rabbit and his friends?"
"Don't
know. Becky, but I will think of something, you must not worry about
that."
They
talked until their eyes grew heavy and they fell asleep. Neither of
them saw Barn Owl flit past the window, peek in at them and with a
Tut-Tut-Whoo continue his flight through the darkness.
Later,
checking on his offspring, the burly blacksmith lifted his sleeping
daughter from Philip's bed, kissed her, soothed back her ginger hair
and tucked her up in her own bed.
Philip's Army is now available in Paperback and Kindle formats.
ISBN-10: 1479242624
ISBN-13: 978-1479242627
No comments:
Post a Comment