Wednesday, May 14, 2008
news flash new additions to The Badgers of Fingles Wood xxx
Well that was it, the hustle and bustle of arranging all the class rooms began. The lighting was finished. The cave walls had been decorated and one of Uncle Cled's nephews from the lower sett came and painted beautiful murals over the classroom walls, some of them on boards even, they looked so real.
(Would you like to see them? This one is outside, do you all like it?
Uncle Willowdown did it for us, aren't we lucky xxx Immy.)
Uncle Willowdown did it for us, aren't we lucky xxx Immy.)
Everything seemed to be going really well, Great Aunt Izzy made sure that Immy and Eddy were not overdoing things.
"I really can't think what we used to do all day before those two teenagers came here to live. Why even the youngest ones seem to be behaving themselves." She said to Mrs Clarissa Buck, "They just don't seem to get tired and yet I'm sure they talk half the night as well."
And so it was, always things to be done; paths to clear, the few odd trees to be felled to make access easier for the weasels and stoats who were coming to get through. It had taken Eddy and Immy quite a while to persuade even one of them to attend the school but something happened the Thursday before the school was to open on the Monday.
It was rather a cold day, there had been quiet a heavy fall of rain and all the paths were very slippery in parts. To the left of the old church yard that had long since become a ruin there was a stairway that was carved out between two pieces of rock by the Elves of Fingles Wood, many years earlier. The "Big people" called it the "Devil's Stairway" when they found it, which made the Elves laugh, however they let the name stay because it kept the little ones from playing around them because they had become very unsafe at the bottom.
Eddy was busy helping Uncle Buck, William and Stephen to clear away some fallen rocks from the top of the rise above the old Huntsman's cottage. Suddenly they heard a loud yelp, followed by a lot of screaming. It sounded as if someone had got themselves caught in a trap. Within minutes the girls had bounded away through the undergrowth and there lying near the bottom of the Devil's Stairway was Wilhelmina Walls, the four year old daughter of the Wall Weasels, nothing was to be seen of her two brothers.
"Immy you say with her and I'll go down to the bottom and see if I can find a way up to her." And without furthermore ado, Eddy was climbing down the side of the rock face and inching her way towards the steps. The Elves were right the bottom three or four steps had become dislodged in the small gap and as Eddy placed her foot on the closest one to her, the one beneath it slipped. Wilhemina screamed, Immy let out a yell and eddy grabbed hold of a piece of ivy. It held fast to the ground and Eddy managed to regain her footing and pull herself onto the first safe step.
By this time the Brocks had arrived with some rope and a ladder, but it was no use there was no where for the ladder to stand safe.
"Uncle Buck, if you give me the rope I can throw it to Immy she can then take it over the top where the boys can tie it off and hold it steady." She smiled at her sister, "You ok Immy,"" Immy nodded her head she looked almost as worried as the little Wilhelmina, "I have a good idea Immy, why don't you teach Wilhelmina here a little song, one that we will be teaching in school." she winked at her sister. "I know just the one," Immy said smiling, be it a bit forced. "We shall sing Row, row, row your boat, do you know that one Wilhelmina darling?"
Willy shook her little head and gripped onto the rope that Immy placed in her paws. "Right, then I will sing it to you. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream.
Come on it's your turn now and as we sing the row, row, row bit we will both move up the rope, is that ok my darling," she whispered in the little ones ear. For the first time since they arrived at the steps the little one smiled and with Eddy behind her helping her up the stairs, Immy in front of her guiding her little paws over the rope, and the whole lot of them singing row, row your boat, they were up at the top in next to no time.
They were safe,
Whoops look at the time, Diddily must go to bed now. See you all soon . xxx Diddily dee dot of Seligor's Castle
