by Michael Tod
Marguerite waited as it ran across the surface and lifted into the air. She watched it circle above her and flay westwards, the sound of its wing-beats fading into the distance. Only then did she hop over to look at the plant the swan had brought; it was not familiar to her. It had glossy green leaves and hard round buds, one of which showed a trace of yellow where the sepals were just beginning to open.
Each day she made a point of visiting the marsh, and on the day when the humans were celebrating their Spring Sun-day, Marguerite found the gift-plant covered in a mass of gleaming golden flowers, brighter and more beautiful by far than the metal disc that Chip had spent so much effort in bringing to Ourland.
She would declare this day to be the squirrels’ Spring Sun-day too. She went to find Burdock, the News-squirrel; her daughter would enjoy spreading the word.
As she passed The Wall the sound of happy young squirrel voices reached her ears. Marguerite climbed the crumbling brickwork until she could see, at the far end, her grandson Hickory, son of her son Oak and his life-mate Bluebell. Young Hickory was playing the part of Leaper in the Wall Game. He saw Marguerite and waved a paw, then greeted her shyly.
‘Hello, Marguerite-Ma-Ma.’ Then he turned away and started the chant:
I honour birch-bark
The Island Screen. Flies stinging
A piece of the sun
Marguerite smiled to herself. Some things never change, she thought.
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About the author:
Novelist, poet and philosopher Michael Tod was born in Dorset in 1937. He lived near Weymouth until his family moved to a hill farm in Wales when he was eleven. His childhood experiences on the Dorset coast and in the Welsh mountains gave him a deep love and a knowledge of wild creatures and wild places, which is reflected in his poetry and novels.
Married with three children and three grandchildren, he still lives, works and walks in his beloved Welsh hills but visits Dorset whenever he can.
Michael Tod’s latest non-fiction book 'The Ferryboat - Finding a Credible God' is due for publication in early 2011.
Visit michaeltod.co.uk where you can find out more about Michael Tod, his background, his books and his poetry.
