The Oak Lord
Page 19
I noticed some of the extra information he’s started to include related to our adventures and I thought it might be something you’d be interested in… so… here are a few of the pages I’ve reproduced with a copying spell I learned from Jack.
When you’ve read the Spriggan page you’ll know that the next time you hear noises coming from way inside a tunnel, it won’t be the Spriggans’ knees knocking together!
I also had to have a chuckle when I got to the end of the page about Judd. Of course, I’m not going to tell Jack I know his little secret!
After these pages I’ve written some additional information for my glossary from my fifth adventure. Although Catherine Cooper has compiled this book, all the comments in brackets are my own.
WHO’S WHO
Alindyne Brenin – One of Jack’s ancestors.
Arin – A Wood Elf who lives in Newton Gill Forest and is a friend of Twink, a Fairy from the Meadow Mound. (For their size, Wood Elves have very loud voices.)
Chiddock – A retired racing beetle. (Depending on its size, a beetle can live as long as seven years but once they’ve eaten Fair Folk food, their lifespan is greatly increased. However, racing beetles usually retire from racing after only three summers.)
Derradin – An ancient Druid and Guardian of the Westwood Portal, now sleeping in the Caves of Eternal Rest.
Finnik the Delve -A chronicler and collector of ancient stories, rhymes, folklore and traditions. He was the compiler of The Book of Dragon Lore, The Legend of Howling Hill, The Glasruhen Giant and The Book of Ancient Lore. (There are too many books to mention here, but most of them can be found in the library at Falconrock. He was always on the lookout for feather quills.)
The Goslings – Gerda and Medric hatched ten goslings.
(There were six boy goslings and four girl goslings… None of them are any good at Beak Ball.)
Hennawin – One of the new Hamadryads planted in Steaple Lacy Wood. (Hennawin’s full title is Ancient Protector of the Wood, Most Wise and Kind. She’s a bit of a know-it-all. Always has an answer for everything. She also has very good hearing.)
WHAT’S WHAT
Beak Ball – A version of bird football played with a ping-pong ball, or something smaller, depending on the size of the birds. (It was christened ‘beak ball’ by a pigeon who watched the first ever game Jack and I played in Nora’s garden. He misunderstood the game but told all the other birds about it anyway. Since then, beak ball has become a favourite sport of all kinds of birds in the summer months. There are now different leagues for large, medium and small birds. A word of warning, though – never let a pigeon referee the game, as they are partial to eating the dried pea inside the whistle.)
Bug Races – Annual summer events held in most of the woods in and around Glasruhen. Wood Elves mainly use beetles as their mounts for the races. Bareback bug racing is quite a skill. (Beetles are no good at stunt flying but are quite good at cornering at speed.)
The Oak Lord – The Guardian of the Oaks, he also tends the Hamadryads and protects the Dryads that dwell within the forests. (When the troubles began and the portals were sealed Nora and Elan took over the jobs he would have done and of course I did a lot to help.)
Magic – There are many different kinds of magic.
Green Magic – The powerful force that Arrana transferred into Jack’s acorn, which enabled him to make the hazel tree grow and bear fruit in Elidon.
Crystal Magic – A power Jack is able to summon from the crystal he acquired inside the Labyrinth at Falconrock. It comes to his aid when he’s in need. (This is the most powerful kind of magic. It can’t be controlled by anyone and it’s got a life of its own… You don’t mess with crystal magic.)
Words of Power – Words from the Book of Spells by which magic can be performed. Some need the aid of a wand and some don’t. (I’ve got my own wand now and have learned quite a few words of power.)
Wood Elves – very similar to Fairies and belonging to the Fair Folk but they are unable to fly and so rely on small insects to transport them around the woods.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’d like to express my thanks to everyone at Infinite Ideas for all their help and support, to my family, friends and followers who’ve travelled every step of this journey with me. I want to thank my wonderful husband, a true friend, valued critic and constant source of inspiration.
With special thanks to Chris Lack for her support, and to Julie Burroughs, in appreciation of her time, specialist knowledge and consultations; and to the Friends of Apley Woods for their much-valued assistance, especially in providing the location for the ‘safe haven’.