|
~ Collect - a - Book! ~
from
~ Glory Bound Books ~
Your source for
FREE
children's stories,
fables, short fairy tales, children's literature,
and educational and homeschool resources for reading!
It's children's literature at its best!
***
Glory Bound Books
presents
~ Once Upon A Twisted Tale ~
BOOK TWO
Chaos In The Clouds
by
Leah Berry and Cindy Knowlton
~ Storytellers for THE KING! ~
Copyright © 2002
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
***
CHAPTER NINE
~ The Agony Of de Feet! ~
***
...A mystery...
All morning Pierre searched The French Forest... but in vain, for Bernard The Bee was no where to be found! And there was something very odd about this, because no one had seen any of the bees from The French Forest Hive today... not a worker or a drone!
Pierre's antennas began to twitch and his eyes to shine... how he loved a good mystery! Often, late at night when everyone else was fast asleep, he and his middle child, little Marie - who was named after Jaques' wife, Marie - would sit up beside the candlestick on the mantel, listening to Jaques read aloud from his large collection of mystery books. How exciting it was when the old man raised or lowered his voice, dramatizing the story and creating different accents for each of the characters! And now there was a real mystery for Pierre to solve!
...But, where to begin?...
Well, thought Pierre, it is always best to begin at the beginning! Surely there is someone at the hive who could tell me where Bernard is. Of course, it will be dangerous... those bees guarding the Queen attack anything that comes too close to the hive! So, I - Pierre - will be the tricky one and disquise myself while I wait in the shadows for a friendly little worker bee to come and chat with me!
...So that is what he did...
Pierre looked about the forest floor and found scattered bits of long red pine needles. These he strapped all around himself. Then he tied a pair of fallen leaves to his feet. Nearby was a large stone with a small pool of water nestled in a rock pocket. Pierre peered into the surface and was pleased to see what looked like nothing more than a bunch of pine needles. Oui... now he was ready!
...The agony of de feet...
The French Forest Hive was located at the northern edge of The Great Meadow, surrounded on the northern and western fronts by a line of low lying hills. To the east was a small lake where families of quacking, splashing ducks made their home. The Great Meadow lay to the south, vast and lush with the flowers of Fall.
But all of this was far, far away from the small cottage where Pierre lived. After the first hour his feet began to blister from the friction of the leaf veining against the bottoms of his feet. By the second hour, the blisters had burst, causing a burning pain. It was during the third hour, when they began to bleed, that the hive came into sight.
...Could it be?...
Cautiously Pierre approached the hive. But, NO! All was abandoned... not a bee to be found! This could not be! Spying a bespectacled woolly caterpillar busily knitting his winter sweater, Pierre called, "You there, fuzzy bug! What has happened here? Where are the bees? Where is the Queen? Why is no one at home?"
"Eh? What is that? Who is there?" asked the caterpillar, peering through the glasses on the end of his nose... but finding no other creature about.
"What do you mean, who is there? It is I, Pierre The Cricket, who demands answers of you!" exclaimed Pierre, casting aside the pine needles and removing the tortuous leaves from his bloodied feet.
"Oh... there you are! But I did not see you there, with your little coat of needles!" cried the caterpillar.
"Well, here I am! Now... what has happened here? Where are the bees?" demanded Pierre.
...A call for help...
"It was most crazy! A pushy little Lady Bug flew all the way from the mountain of THE KING... can you believe it?!? She was all excited... shouting about lost treasure! Almost every bug around here took off with her... very fast! But, what about you? Don't you want to go, too? The other crickets are going!" said the caterpillar.
"Don't be ridiculous! Of course I will go to help THE KING!" cried Pierre as he turned to go.
THE KING... thought Pierre. THE KING! I must get back! Lisette can bind my feet and I will be ready to leave with the others. And so Pierre hurried home, so excited that he could barely feel the pain. No longer did he resent the separation from his family. A chance to help THE KING... the chance of a lifetime!
~ And the jealousy of the wind grew stronger ~
***
~ The Tale Continues ~
CHAPTER TEN
~ A Surprise In Disguise ~
***
CLICK HERE
to sign up at page bottom for
The News Flash Email Newsletter!
We'll send you an email
when each new chapter is ready!
***
~ Glory Bound Books ~
Your source for
FREE
children's stories,
fables, short fairy tales, children's literature,
and educational and homeschool resources for reading!
It's children's literature at its best!
***
Thanks for stopping by! Come again soon ~
And don't forget to turn the page!
| 
