Lizzi Bizzi and the Red Witch

by Stefano Pastor

  Tom Thumb, as always, stayed last.

  Eventually I reached him to see what he was doing. Well, you will never believe it, that poor boy was leaving stones behind him.

  «Idiot!», I slapped him. «You moron! They’re rocks! Do you expect them to grow? That they become trees of… stones! Fool!».

  And I continued slapping him for the whole trip, but he did not resist, throwing his stupid stones everywhere. In the end I couldn’t do much, and I let him continue.

  When we reached a clearing, dad began cutting wood as usual, while mom was helping him, and asked us to pick up frets around. We went at different directions, and I worked so hard to get back to my parents on time and to bring more frets.

  On my return, there was an unexpected surprise: the twins, who had finished before me, were all in tears. I tried to understand what was happening and they told me they could no longer find mom and dad, who had suddenly disappeared. I started looking for them everywhere around and yelled their names. My brothers also helped me, expect for one.

  Tom Thumb remained silent, sitting aside. He knew that if he had only said a word, I would beat him again, so he was silent.

  When my brothers understood what was happening, they got frightened. «The wolves will come when it gets dark!», they said. «They will eat us!».

  But I did not want to hear any excuse. «If we go away, dad and mom will never find us. We have to stay here and wait for them».

  Suddenly, Tom Thumb replied: «I know how to get back home», he said. «If you follow me, I’ll take you there». And before I could give him a lesson, he added: «We can follow the stones!».

  I stopped because I remembered what he was doing all the way, throwing those stupid white rocks everywhere.

  «I can do it», he insisted, «I’m sure I can do it».

  And while I was disturbed and did not say anything, my brothers took his words with relief. «Yes, Tom Thumb, do it! Bring us home, we will follow you!».

  Tom Thumb started immediately after they asked, and the stones were all where he had left them. In short, it became a game for my brothers.

  We arrived home after four hours of walking, but when we were few steps before the door, Tom Thumb stopped us.

  «Wait», he said. «They do not want us to come back, they have abandoned us!».

  Stupid odious baby! I slapped him, then I went on and came triumphant. «We are here! We’re back!».

  Mom and dad were happy when they saw us. My father took me in his arms, raised me high, and I suddenly forgot all those horrible things that Tom Thumb said.

  Then I saw the table and stood with my mouth open. The table was full with all the goods God gave us: roasted meat, salami, cheese, things we have never seen.

  Mom noticed. «Pierrot, how lucky we are today! The gentleman from the village sent the ten shields he owed. Look how many good things we’ve bought!».

  Dad added: «You just arrived in time, there are still a few leftovers!».

  So we all sat on the table and we sat there. Tom Thumb stayed in the corner, silent, and we all forgot about him.

  Only after few days things got back to normal. One night, while we were preparing to go to bed, my brother said, «They want to do it again, tomorrow they will bring us into the woods and will leave us there. They do not want to hear about us anymore». And then he ran away quickly, before I could catch him.

  Why does he behave so badly? I thought. Mom was always good with him. Was he jealous? Is that why he is saying all of these awful things, he is jealous of me because I am their favorite?

  I struggled to sleep, because his word disturbed me a lot, and in the morning I got up before everyone did. I closed the door with two seats and hid he key. I noticed that Tom Thumb awoke few minutes later, and tried to get out. When I saw him desperate, I fell asleep. He deserved that kind of a wreck!

  Later, at breakfast, father suggested to accompany him in the wood again and help him, Tom Thumb gave me a significant look.

  I have to fix his mind! How can he have so ugly thoughts on daddy! I did not want to hear tit anymore, I did not even want to think about it.

  I saw him slip half a loaf into his pocket, but I did not pay too much attention to it. I could tell this to mom, and make her scold him, but for the moment I left things as they are.

  Later, along the road, as we followed dad and mom in the thickest and darkest of the forest, I noticed that Tom Thumb was still tired and took every excuse to stay behind.

  I tried to find out what he was doing, and I found him with the loaf in his hand. «Excuse me», he said. «I was hungry.

  I let myself run away this time too.

  I hate to say it but, to that point, the events were too similar to those of a few days before. Again, when I came back from my duties, I found the twins in tears. Again our parents had disappeared. Again all eyes were pinned on Tom Thumb. But he was silent.

  I did not know what to say, but I was still persuaded not to believe his words: Dad and Mom are not like this, it was not possible that they would have abandoned us.

  It was my brothers who asked him: «Tom Thumb, you know the way, bring us back. Please ask for it!».

  And he generously nodded.

  We went to the woods, Tom Thumb walked up in the front and us behind him. There was no stones to follow this time, and I knew it well. I wondered how he could bring us home.

  He walked without hesitation, for some time. Then, he seemed confused, too.

  «Are you lost?», I asked.

  And he said: «I do not see them anymore».

  «What do not you see?».

  «The bits of bread I had thrown to mark the way!».

  I was shocked, but I came back to myself very fast. «You were throwing bread, you stupid? Do you know that birds fly low? They have eaten the bread, stupid! They have eaten them all!».

  And in front of all of us he widened his arms desperately, as to admit that he can’t help any longer.

  We were in trouble, now, and in a big one: we had abandoned the camp and dad would not be able to find us, we were lost somewhere in the heart of the woods, and soon it was going to get dark. Brothers asked me what to do, ignoring Tom Thumb, who had disappointed them.

  So we went to the venture, hoping to find a shelter. We walked and walked, through the complete darkness. Then a wind stared, a terrible wind. And you could hear the sound of the wolves all around, who were looking for us. We were tired, exhausted, too scared to talk. Finally there was a thunderstorm, which made it more difficult for all of us. The soil became muddy, and it was getting harder to walk without slipping.

  At the end we fell exhausted, all of us.

  Except Tom Thumb. I noticed he was trying to climb a tree. «Did you not have enough?», I shouted. «Is it time for you to play?».

  And he said: «I climb up to see if I see a country!».

  I let him do it, because I was too tired even to slap him.

  When he came back he told us he had seen a distant light in the night, and pointed us to the direction.

  It was again touching me. Even my brothers did not trust him anymore, but did we have much to lose? I had no idea where to lead them. So we started walking in the direction indicated by Tom Thumb.

  Once again the journey seemed infinite; we have crossed the whole forest. My brothers were already giving Tom Thumb a bad look when we hit a plain. There was a big house in front of us.

  Once again, we let him come forward because he was so small and fragile that we hoped to move the inhabitants of that house to compassion.

  In fact it was so. Tom Thumb told our sad story to the woman who opened the door, told her that we were in the forest and we were tired and hungry.

  The woman looked at us with sweetness, but with so much sadness. «Poor kids!», she said. «How unlucky you are! Don’t you know that this is the House of the Orc?».

  None of us had any idea what an Orc was; I imagined it was some noble title, like Count or Duke.

  But To
m Thumb insisted, he spoke of the wolves who wanted to kill us, and in the end he succeeded. The good woman asked us to come in, all of us, and let us warm ourselves around the fire.

  She was cooking lamb for her husband, and the smell of the meet reminded us of how hungry we were. We were about to ask for a bite when we heard three dry shots at the door.

  «My husband!», said the woman. «You must get out of here!».

  She took us by the hand and hastily led us to a room where she hid us under a great bed. She left us there, ordering us to be quit.

  We heard her husband, the Orc, come in, and she welcomed him thoughtfully.

  «Is dinner ready, wife?», asked the big man with a thick black beard.

  The woman hurried to serve the dinner. But soon afterwards, as the flesh dripped, the Orc began to smell the air. «What is this smell? Has anyone been here?».

  The woman denied with vigor. «No, my husband, absolutely not!».

  «This is a living flesh!», said the Orc. «It is the smell of living flesh!».

  «No, no», she insisted. «Must be the calf I brought a little while ago! Here, I just washed my hands».

  But he did not take her for granted, he smelled the air, and came straight to us. He walked into the room and pulled off the mattress without much thought, pointing out at us.

  «Ah! You wanted to deceive me, witch!».

  We all stayed paralyzed with terror. But before the Orc could do anything, the woman came to him. «Not now, dear! Calm down! Dinner is waiting for you! We need to talk. They are only poor children who have been in the storm. They do not know where they should go, so they cannot leave now».

  And using her cleverness he managed to get him out of the room.

  Unfortunately, it was too late when I noticed that Tom Thumb had snuck out of the bed and was going behind them. I tried to stop him, but unnecessarily. I saw him slide passing though the small opening of the door and he disappeared. I did not have the courage to follow him.

  The twins were crying, all of them, but I tried to comfort them. «Do not be afraid, I’m sure that the good woman will convince him and he will allow us to stay here tonight».

  It took a long time before they made a decision. We heard them talk, behind the door, but in a too low voice – we could not understand their words.

  Then suddenly Tom Thumb returned, and hid under the bed together with us. He looked excited, and he spoke so quickly that we almost could not understand him. «The husband is an Orc! Orcs eat children! He wants to eat us all! He wanted to kill us immediately, to have a banquet, but the woman convinced him to do it in the morning! We have to get away right now!».

  I thought he had gone out of his mind. What we already face was not normal, but that information was too much! Eating children? Where have you ever heard such a thing?

  I did not have time to do anything, even to teach him a lesson, since someone has opened the door: there was the Orc and his consort.

  «Come on, kids», said the woman. «Come and eat with us!».

  Tom Thumb was shaking his head, but I had no hesitation. I did it, and my brothers came after me.

  The man looked at us smiling, pleased. He came forward and observed us one at a time, tested my muscles and seemed satisfied. When he saw Tom Thumb, the last one in the row, he just threw a quick glance at him and grimaced.

  «Come on, come on, kids, there’s a roasted meat waiting for you».

  So we went out, all in a row, and only after few steps we opened our mouths. At the table there were seven beautiful girls. The Orc presented them: «These are my daughters».

  They accommodated us in front of them. Tom Thumb, before going to his place, whispered to me. «Do not eat! He wants to make us fat!».

  What a nonsense, as if I had weight problems! I could eat the whole ship, that’s how hungry I was.

  The woman served us so abundant portions that overflowed the dishes. But when the eating time came, I stopped.

  The little girl in front of me was beautiful, and she looked at me with unenergetic eyes. I blushed. «I’m Pierrot», I introduced myself.

  She, who was probably my age, and was the oldest of her sisters, lowered her head with shyness. «Brigitte», she mumbled.

  There were no other words among us, but we could not close our eyes. She was perfect and s beautiful, her golden hair was decorated with a crown, just like all her sisters. I complimented her; I told her that the tiara made her even more beautiful.

  «Oh», she scoffed. «It’s dad that has given us the tiara, he wants us to wear it always».

  Then she told me that I looked so good, and I blushed with pride.

  «Eat, kids!», the Orc interrupted us. «I want you to clean your plates, there is more food waiting for you».

  When the dinner was over, we all felt overloaded, and we had to loosen our belts. The Orc drank wine during the lunch, without a pause, and eventually fell asleep on his armchair and snorted.

  «Come with me», said the woman, and took us to her daughter’s room. There were two large beds in the room. «The beds might be a bit small for all of you», she admitted. «But it’s just for one night». And she put the girls in one bed, and to us in the other one.

  I was very embarrassed at the idea of sleeping so close to Brigitte, but she was giggling and seemed happy.

  «Let her lose!», Tom Thumb murmured to my ear. «Don’t you see that they would like to eat you?».

  That time, he took two blankets that he would hardly have forgotten.

  «In bed, kids, up», said the woman, lowering the light.

  The little girls obeyed immediately, and we did too. We were in fact very tight, everyone sleeping on that one bed, especially after the dinner we just did.

  I fell asleep smiling and started dreaming of Brigitte, of our lives together, of the children we would have had, of the palace where we would live.

  And then a sudden awakening interrupted that dream. «What?», I whimpered.

  «Sttt! Be silent, please!».

  It was Tom Thumb’s voice. «What did you put on my head?», I asked.

  «Do not touch it! Do not move! Do not say one word!

  What else has he invented? I passed my hand though my hair and recognized Brigitte’s crown. «But…».

  Tom Thumb hugged me, blocking me completely. «Be silent, please! He is coming!».

  Before I could do anything I heard the door. The darkness in the room was total, even the light had switched off. I could not even see Tom Thumb standing in front of me. He kept on keeping me tight.

  I heard heavy steps and felt a strong smell of wine. I recognized the Orc, that could be no one else. I paralyzed, thinking of the crown on my head. What would he think, seeing it? That I was a thief, of course, and he would punish me. Was that Tom Thumb’s revenge for all the times I have beaten him? But I did it for his own good!

  The bed made a sound and bent, and realized that the Orc had sat on the edge right next to us. I felt his hand. He touched my arm, then went up to my shoulder. Then I felt on the neck something cool and cold touching my throat. Then the hand went on, moving through my hair, touching the gold crown.

  I heard a hiccup, and a confusing voice, like that of a drunk. «Heavens, what was I going to do? My daughters! They are my daughters!».

  His hand has gently touched my hair, then the smell of wine became stronger and I felt a kiss on my forehead. «Sleep, little girls, stay quiet».

  I did not dare to whine. I had escaped, and it was better this way, Tom Thumb’s plan failed. I was planning to give him a lesson just the Orc will leave.

  I felt that he sit on the edge of the bed in front of us. Tom Thumb put a hand on my mouth. «Sttt».

  A few minutes passed before we heard him stand and walk out of the room. When the steps stopped, in the distance, Tom Thumb jumped out of bed before I could attack him. «We have to run!», he said. «There is little time left!».

  I did not have the slightest intention of doing so! But then I realized
that my brothers were getting up and they also had a golden crown on their heads. «What have you done?», I asked Tom Thumb, with my heart in my throat.

  «There is no time to talk», he said. «We have to go!».

  He had stolen something, I was sure! That’s why he wanted us to run away! He was putting us in trouble! Should I go and tell that what Tom Thumb did, but will the good man and wife believe my innocence?

  Tom Thumb pulled me by the arm, impatiently. «Move!».

  I was getting more and more confused and took off my crown. «What did you do?», I asked again.

  «I will explain later», he insisted. «Let’s go away».

  I looked at the girls’ bed, but I couldn’t see them in the darkness. «I must salute Brigitte», I murmured. «I cannot leave her like this».

  Tom Thumb’s face was illuminated by the light coming from the door which Orc left open, and I will hardly ever forget her expression. «There is no time now», he said. «You will greet her another time».

  He pushed us out of the room, and I noticed that my brothers were shaking. I could not understand what was happening.

  We found Orc asleep in a chair, holding an empty bottle of wine. We passed through the room before he noticed us. Then we left the house and started running.

  When we got far away from the house, I stopped to ask, «What did you do? What happened? Why did you steal those crowns?».

  But Tom Thumb did not stop, ran and ran without stopping. «Later!», he answered fast.

  After hours and hours we crushed completely devastated, but he insisted on finding a shelter. It was intolerable for him to command us, especially to command me, but I still felt too confused to make any decision. I had to find out what had happened in that house before doing anything.

  We found a cave and we hid inside. When we were all safe I could not wait any longer. «What have you done? What did you do this time?».

  But he said again: «I will explain later!».

  I did not understand his fear, but I started to feel it as well. Soon we heard a loud voice not too far away. «Where are you, damn it! I’ll find you, I swear I’ll find you!».