Olly, Olly, Oxen Frey

by Paul Manchester

  He was going to impress Sheela in the Acquisitions Department. Rip-One was going to catch the runaway boy himself.

  Chapter 29

  Jack’s Culinary

  Adventure

  After a lot of slithering and more scrapes and bruises than he cared to count, and three dark stairways designed for little feet, the tunnel ended in a stone chamber where Jack could finally stand up. Bilbe, Dilbe, and Lilbe were waiting for him. They sure were small. The siblings came up to his knee.

  Jack stood up and stretched, quickly grabbing his diaper to keep it from slipping. He cautiously unpinned it and snugged it tighter and re-clasped his diaper pin. “I’ve got to find some clothes,” he muttered.

  The room was smaller than the one they’d left. Hardly wider than his parents’ two-car garage. But the ceiling was high and the door... maybe twenty feet tall? There was dim light from a cocked transom over the door. Shelves and food filled the walls. It seemed to be a pantry. There was an old trap door in the corner to something below them. Jack peeked out the partially open door and looked down a stone corridor. The sound of cooking, the clanking of pots and pans, combined with rich smells suggested strongly that they were near the kitchens.

  The smell of food reminded him of how hungry he was. Just above him on a shelf was a basket of of fresh baked rolls under a towel. He climbed up a huge bag of flower and pulled a roll out of the basket. Still warm and a foot long.

  “Hungry?” he asked the worried kids standing below him. He pulled a flaky chunk off the end.

  “Jack,” Lilbe whispered. “Ya might not want ta be-”

  Jack took a bite. It was the best tasting bread that he’d ever tasted. It was glorious. The taste burrowed its way into every part of his body and his hunger was quickly appeased as he stuffed more and more of it into his mouth.

  After the initial ecstasy subsided, he looked down to the kids again. “You were saying?” He asked with his mouth full.

  “Oh... nothing,” mumbled Lilbe. “Jest, ya need ta be careful wi’ fairy food... bein’ a mortal an’ all.”

  The kids looked uncomfortably at each other.

  But Bilbe quickly added, “But you can toss some down to us. It won’t hurt us none.”

  He’d threw them a crescent roll as big as themselves, before the import of Bilbe’s words sunk in. Before he could ask for clarification, heavy steps sounded with guttural muttering in the hall.

  Jack dove behind the bag of flour when the huge door swung open. The cook’s quick eye soon loomed above his paltry hiding spot.

  “Mercy! Mercy! What’s a child be doin’ in me pantry?” exclaimed a giant long-necked silhouette blocking the light. The shadow suddenly took a sneaky look back down the hall and hushed her voice, “Darlin’, y’almost scared the poop outa me!”

  “Sorry, for startling you Mam,” Jack offered politely with his still full mouth. He was crazy scared but he’d learned to be polite when unsure of what to do. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the three fuzzballs running back into the tunnel they’d just come out of.

  Jack’s eyes began to adjust so he could see her better. The cook’s ostrich pink neck expanded into a wide teardrop of a stomach which at present was covered with a blood-stained, but once white apron. She was tall. Ten feet? Below the apron and closer to Jack were large pink, clawed feet. But, the face was not bird-like. Her long bulbous nose was also her upper lip and was squeezed between two pumpkin sized rosy cheeks. She had no chin to speak of. Her eyes were as large as dinner plates and above that was a scattering of red plumage escaping beneath a big white chef’s hat. Her clawed hands were two fingered with a thumb, and her arms were swathed in red and pink feathers like flightless wings.

  The large cook stepped inside the pantry quickly and shut the door. She whispered, “Oh, darlin’. Ye don’t need ta worry none ‘bout me! Ya’r the one who be runnin’ about and not where yer supposed ta be. I’ll not tell.” The horrifying creature grinned conspiratorially.

  Jack decided to just lay it all out there. “Can you help me escape the castle?”

  “Well, yer a bold one, I’ll say! First let’s fatten ya up a bit. Ye look half starved! Then we’ll talk.” She eyed the bit of bread in his hand. “Was that tasty?”

  “Yes, ma’am. It’s the best bread I’ve ever eaten,” Jack replied quite honestly.

  “Aren’t ya the wee flatt’erer,” she laughed.

  She gave a funny excited squawk, opened the door and whispered, “Come along! And mind ye don’t let no one see ya. Ye can call me Doritte.”

  She spun rather quickly for a creature so large and waddled down the hallway. “Come along! Don’t dawdle,” she hissed quietly when Jack didn’t move. He hesitated to leave the three little ones behind. He stepped into the corridor hoping they’d find a way to follow.

  Jack trailed carefully behind Doritte. She had a large, red, feathery, big-plumed butt on her. It wiggled from side to side as she walked.

  As the corridor passed an arch into the kitchens, he snuck a peak before he raced across the opening. The workers were small. Smaller than Jack. And they all looked like woodland animals – rabbits, badgers, frogs, and mice – but wearing clothes and standing up like humans. Even a quick glance told him that they were slaves. There was no Snow White whistling while you work here. Beatrix Potter by way of Dickens.

  Jack’s eyes connected for a moment with the eyes of a two foot tall chipmunk. They were the saddest eyes that Jack had ever seen. He’d never seen a sad chipmunk before. Dogs – yes. Cats – kind of. Chipmunks? Not so much. It had to be really bad in that kitchen.

  Jack surreptitiously followed Doritte through a maze of hallways. He regularly took peeks back to see if the fluffballs were following, but he saw no sign of them. Several times he had to duck behind large barrels as palace servants traversed the halls at the same time, but after many twists and turns, and down one flight of steps, Jack found himself in a dark stone hallway. Doritte stood at the end of the corridor next to a huge wooden door that she had cracked open.

  “Darlin’,” she whispered in her husky voice. “In here. I’ll hide ya till it’s time.”

  Jack ran from his hiding spot to the door. Inside looked like a classic dungeon cell from a fairy tale. There was a high barred window in the back wall which revealed an overcast sky beyond.

  “Darlin’, in ya go.” she giggled. “Ye’ll be safe here. I’ll bring ye a spot of tasty food in a bit.”

  Jack didn’t want to go in that room, but she unceremoniously kicked him through the door and slammed it behind him. He heard a key turn in the latch.

  “Prob’bly not a good idea fer ye ta be here, but I reckon’ it couldna be helped,” said a voice to his right.

  Jack jumped.

  There to his left, sitting on a wooden bench that was built into the wall, was a man. A human! He looked to be about thirty-something years old, dressed in rags. There was a strange metal collar about his neck.

  “Ya know she’s put ya here so she can fatten ya up. She’s gonna eat ya,” he sighed. “Doritte’s been a wishin’ for a taste o’ human child for a long time.”

  Chapter 30

  The Isle

  of Plants

  The storm-tossed pirate ship was tightly wedged into the reef. Sharp rocks had broken through the hull in two small spots. Water was leaking in slowly, but for now the intrusive rocks mostly plugged the holes. Even Papy could see through the rails that if the ship moved too much, the under-decks would be flooded.

  Captain Billy Blind assured Papy that they had supplies to repair the holes but they’d need low tide to give the crew time to work. That was still several hours away.

  The storm had washed away the purple on Jenny’s skin. She heard bits and pieces of what was going on from where she sat. The Captain hadn’t seemed too concerned about the disappearance of the phooka. Whet
her the creature was lost during the storm or had left early to explore the island on his own was of little importance. If the phooka was gone, it just meant greater profits when they turned over the cargo.

  Jenny had mixed feelings about the phooka. On one hand, he’d betrayed them and was willing to give her to the Blue Queen, but she didn’t wish him any harm. But, because of his duplicity the Wishermans might not be able to rescue their children. And she might die! She shouldn’t be worrying about him. But...

  The Captain strode on deck and called out to his crew:

  “Avast ye dogs! We’ve stuff ta do!

  No time fer’a soft an’ lazy crew!

  He pointed to five brownies on his right:

  Ye five start prep to patch the holes!”

  Then gathered eight brownies on his left:

  “Let’s take a boat across these shoals

  with any luck we’ll find a vill’ge

  which we might then rob and pill’ge!

  Luck will change if in them woods

  we find ourselves a source for goods!

  From their place tied up on the forecastle, Jenny and the Wishermans noticed that the brownie crew seemed unenthusiastic about the looting and pillaging. But they were definitely hankering to go ashore.

  After various bits of metered muttering, the miniature long boat was lowered over the side. The shore crew climbed down and took their seats. Captain Billy Blind posed heroically at the prow of the longboat as they rowed towards the beach. Gibbie was left to mind the prisoners.

  The morning sun was hot. Jenny wished she was wearing her hat, but her pirate hat was down below with the Wishermans’ basket of wishes and other belongings.

  * * * *

  Jenny could feel a sunburn on her nose and cheeks. Gibbie had finally gone down below to get her silver bowl and crystal canteen when she explained that she had to have special food. Gibbie also pulled together a meal for the Wishermans – which Mamy admitted was not too bad. Gibbie was not a bad sort at all. He untied the prisoners so that they could eat, and never quite got around to tying them up again.

  The morning stretched into afternoon with the sounds of pounding and sawing coming from below. The afternoon stretched into evening. The landing party did not return.

  Jenny had never really considered the whole pillaging part of being a pirate. Johnny Depp and Disney had made being a pirate sound exciting. But she had to admit that it might not be as much fun at the other end of the pillaging. She hoped the pirates weren’t hurting anyone while they were ashore.

  The holes in the boat had been tolerably patched by the time the tide changed in the late afternoon. With high tide and the repaired holes, Gibbie and the five crew members successfully maneuvered the ship away from the dangerous bits of reef, and into the more placid lagoon where they dropped anchor.

  By the time the stars came out and the moon peeked out of the clouds, the crew began to worry about the missing shore party. They gathered at the side rail and looked across the water at the dark jungle beyond the beach. Jenny thought they looked like a bunch of sheep. None of them were making a move to do anything about their missing friends.

  A cold breeze came up so Papy retrieved Jenny’s hat and cloak. She bundled up in its warmth. Jenny was impatient to do something.

  “What are we waiting for?” shouted Pirate Jenny. “They might need our help!”

  When the brownies looked up, they saw a giant pirate standing above them on the forecastle in the moonlight. What a transformation! With her pirate hat and billowing cloak, Jenny cut a dramatic figure and it took them all by surprise. Even the Wishermans felt a shiver go down their backs.

  Four of the brownies just looked at her with awe, but Gibbie spoke up:

  “The girl be right! It’s time to act!

  Fer now the boat’s no longer cracked!

  Drop a boat! We’ll trust to fates!

  Its time to search and find our mates!

  Jenny ran to the side of the ship where the dory was being dropped. “Mamy and Papy, mind the ship while we’re gone!”

  “But, Jenny-girl, the Cap’n’s not our friend!” cried Papy.

  But Jenny didn’t hear him, or she chose not to hear him.

  Not one of the crew said anything about her being a prisoner. Five little sailors jumped into the boat after her.

  Once they were all squeezed on the boat, Jenny grabbed the oars and rowed them to the shore.

  When they ran aground near the beach, they dragged the dory up near the abandoned long boat. The seven brownies looked up at the girl with the pirate hat and the dashing cloak – she was twice their height. It seemed like they were waiting for something.

  “Let’s go!” she whispered. Jenny plunged into the jungle with the crew at her heels.

  Fortunately it was a bright moonlit night. The footprints of the morning’s buccaneers were obvious for a bit, but as the vegetation grew thicker, the trail became less apparent.

  As Jenny slowly grew accustomed to the sounds of the jungle - which were pretty creepy – she had the sense that they were not alone. It was peculiar. There was movement around them – but it was invisible.

  “Stop!” she whispered. She held up a hand.

  Jenny listened.

  “Hello?” she asked the darkness. “Is there anyone there?”

  Silence.

  Pirate Jenny tried again, “Can I help you?”

  There was no wind, but vines and branches swayed around them. A moth came fluttering by in a spotlight created by the moon. Jenny watched it flitter past a plant, till curly fat leaves snapped shut around it and literally gulped it down. She could see the lump going down the stem till the plant uttered a loud belch.

  The brownies all hugged Jenny’s knees at that – and she felt like a mother duck with ducklings to protect.

  “Hello?” she tried to push down her fear of the unknown.

  “She seems nicer than that other one.” came a whispy voice like the wind itself.

  “I don’t know,” came another voice. “She’s wearing a similar thing on her head.”

  “My hat?” Jenny quickly pulled it off. “It’s just a hat! See?” She waved it in the air.

  “She sways nicely.”

  “And, she is polite. I think we should take her to Mother.”

  With that, a tangle of vines dropped around the little group and lifted them screaming into the air.

  Jenny clamped her mouth shut and tried very hard not to panic. She shushed the brownies and whispered, “Be brave.”

  Their small copse of trees began to move inland. The tree roots didn’t exactly lift when they walked. More like snakes swimming through mud - even though it wasn’t muddy. She counted about eight trees in their group, plus assorted bushes which ambled around the trees’ trunks much like happy hunting dogs dance around the feet of their masters.

  The vines were not tight, and once Jenny and her brownies got used to the rolling movement, the pirates relaxed somewhat and waited to see what was in store.

  “Are all the trees out there in the forest alive like you? Or are you special?” Jenny inquired - curious. She’d never thought about trees and bushes moving before.

  “All trees are special. And of course all trees are alive. Those trees are just sleeping. We all need our rest, don’t we?” whispered a friendly voice to Jenny’s right.

  “I sometimes take naps,” Jenny confessed. “even though I am seven.”

  “Naps are good for you.” said the tree.

  “Ah love ta take naps!” said Gibbie.

  “Ah take naps too!” shared another brownie. Jenny thought his name was Nibs.

  Soon there was a general hubbub as all the brownies confessed that they took naps when the captain allowed it.

  “Why aren’t you all talking in poetry?” Jenny exclaimed.
<
br />   There was a beat of silence.

  “Oh! Ah! Don’t know!” gasped Gibbie, pausing to see if another would be forced to add a bit of meter. But there was silence!

  “The curse be broken!” shouted Gibbie.

  “But how?” asked Jenny.

  Gibbie laughed. “Ah canna say, me lovely Jenny. ‘Tis a mys’try to be sure. But, ‘tis a joy to me heart. To all our hearts!”

  The brownies cheered. The six little pirates chattered non-stop after that with not a bit of poesy about them.

  The cheering and friendly chatter didn’t bother their captors any. The willowy shapes seemed amused with all the excitement in their branches.

  About twenty minutes later, they entered a small valley where trees ringed the sides upward in neat naturally terraced circles. In the center of the valley was the largest tree that Jenny had ever seen. Her roots spread out in every direction. This created a wide rippling clear area about her base. Jenny didn’t have to be told that this was Mother.

  As they got closer, Jenny could see the missing crew imprisoned in a cage of living roots from the mother tree. The brownies all clutched the wooden bars and looked out at Jenny in silent terror.

  Jenny quickly counted the prisoners. Everyone was there except for –

  “Where’s the Captain?” burst out Jenny.

  “I ate him,” answered the creaking voice of the matronly old tree.

  Chapter 31

  The Ruins

  of Frit

  The giant figure that descended the steps with a fishing pole was like no creature that Finn had ever seen before. The being was tall as a house and seemed like a cross between a T-Rex and an old man. Each step sounded like the thump of a boxed refrigerator falling over on its side. (Finn unfortunately knew what this sounded like, much to his foster parents’ consternation.)