Tales of the Animals on a Borrowed Farm
As I sat at my writing desk, my pen poised in the air, I wondered how to begin my farm tales. One couldn't just plunge right into the middle of the action, for then no one would know who was who or what was going on!
All kinds of thoughts flitted in and out my sleepy brain like those slow-motioned dust specks swirling in the sun, and then an idea hit me. I would start with something I had already written, something about animals on a farm, something that was more or less ready, something that also gave me the perfect chance to present my first completed booklet: Tales of the Animals on a Borrowed Farm. This is the true story of how my family and I were drawn to farming and animals long ago, and yes, the true beginning of our farming experience occurred on a "borrowed farm".
On the side, I would like to note that the illustrations were done by my sister, who, at the moment, wishes to remain inconspicuous and unnamed. Since one can hardly acknowledge an anonymous person, the best I can do is stick in a note. 😊
There are seven parts to the Tales of the Animals on a Borrowed Farm, or rather, I shall present it in seven parts.
...And thus the story begins...
Once upon a time,
There lived a family of seven. This family was a very curious one, and if you didn’t know them personally, you would have thought them very strange indeed.
There is one important thing that you should know about this family. Each person had an interesting nickname. The father was known as Bear because he growled grumpily when he was angry or hungry. The mother was called Swan because she was a patient and sweet-tempered woman. And she did love to swim!
Bear and Swan had five children.
The eldest was a girl named Parrot. She loved to make friends and, she loved to talk. Well, that’s why her name was Parrot. She believed that people should express their ideas, feelings, and opinions, just as she did. She stood straight and tall for what she believed to be right, and she wished that everyone in the world was just and kind.
The next one was Vampire. She was given this name because she was as pale as a ghost and as thin as a bamboo stick. Her family seldom saw her eating a proper meal, and they often wondered, secretly of course, if she flitted around at night to hunt for food.
And you know what? She disliked garlic! She said that she hated the smell, but I think that she only told a half-truth. I believe that she was afraid that it would take her breath away.
The third child was a boy. He was known as the Great Jungle-Bee. The Great Jungle-Bee was a great jumper, and he often played at scaring his imaginary enemies by taking huge leaps at them. This boy was tall and strong, and if you got him angry, you were sure to be in for a good fight, a fight you would probably lose. The Great Jungle-Bee was known to be a proud protector.
The Great-Jungle Bee’s little brother was named Rooster. From his name, you may guess that he was very loud and very noisy. Rooster was also very naughty, and he taught his elder brother a great many naughty things. If you were to ever visit, you might catch a peep of Rooster and his brother walking in the fields, talking in low whispers. And let me tell you, they would probably be planning something very naughty.
The youngest child was called Pickle. Yes, she was a pickle, and she always loved getting herself into a big pickle. Pickle loved Bear and Swan very much, but to her siblings, she was a complete tickle. You may say that Pickle was a spoilt child, but nevertheless, she did have a good heart, as every child has.
Yes, that includes you too, dear child.
Bear and his family loved animals. Every time I visited them, there was always some kitten or rabbit or bird in the house. The one sad thing was that Bear and his family did not have a farm. So they had only small animals.
But Bear’s dearest wish was to have some sheep and goats. He thought, and thought, and thought about it, but he could not come up with any ideas. Then one day while a friend was visiting, Bear happened to mention his dear wish to have some sheep and goats of his own. The friend graciously offered Bear the use of his farm.
“I own a farm not far from your place. You may borrow it if you wish, as I am not using it right now. And, I will absolutely not accept any rent.”
Bear was very touched. “You are very kind, dear friend, very kind. I cannot thank you enough.” And he shook his friend’s hand warmly.
“Enjoy it, dear Bear. You may use it for as long as you like. There is one thing, however. My children may visit the farm time to time, but I hope that they will not, in any way, disturb you.”
Bear was only too happy. He remarked that he did not mind any visitors, and he thanked his friend again, with a beaming face and a sparkle in his eyes.
The very next day, just after sunrise, Bear took his family to explore the old farm. The cool morning air was a little chilly, but it was fresh, and the blue sky was clear and bright. Everything was peaceful and calm.
The children frolicked in the warm sunshine and poked their little noses into every nook and cranny on that old farm.
The farm was big and quite interesting. It was not just a flat piece of land. There were grassy knolls, large rocks, and trees of all types and sizes bunched together in patches all over the farm.
Some of these patches were so large that the children called them forests, but there was nothing to be afraid of, and soon enough, they were playing hide-and-seek from behind the tall trees.
Bear found a small stream that ran through the land and this made him very happy because he knew that this would be the drinking place for the sheep and goats. The water gurgled loudly as it rushed by, and it was a very pleasant sound. Bear took a deep breath and smiled; he was very content. He sat down on a big boulder nearby and waited patiently for his family. He knew that they would sooner or later hear the sound of water and find him.
In a little while, Swan and the children came running up to where Bear was sitting. As they were rather hungry, Swan suggested that they eat breakfast.
The children had seen their mother packing the neat little baskets in the morning, and they were impatient to see what tidbits she had brought.
As soon as they had spread an old sheet on the ground, the children eagerly helped carry the baskets from the car and squirmed anxiously as their mother opened the baskets and laid out the breakfast.
There were fresh bread and butter, strawberry jam tarts, boiled eggs, beef sausages, and apple pie. After a delightful breakfast, Bear and his family started to explore the barns and animal paddocks further out on the farm.
There were two barns on the farm. The small barn farthest away from the road was actually for keeping horses, and the big one closest to the road was for keeping sheep and goats.
The big barn was red on the outside, and I’m sure it must have been a striking figure in its day when it was new, but now the colour was dull, the paint chipped and faded. Nevertheless, it looked very inviting, to the eye of a farm-lover, as it sat there on this warm, sunny day.
The barn had a huge double-door made of solid wood, which creaked loudly as Bear opened it. Inside on the right, there was a flight of stairs leading to the loft, where all the bales of hay were kept. On the left, there was a door that led to the animal pens.
The pens were large and spacious, and the feeding troughs were all in good order. At the back, there was a door that led to a closed yard where the animals could be let loose to graze without fear of them being attacked by coyotes.
“Oh, this is just perfect!” exclaimed Bear. “Everything is already set up.”
The children were ecstatic. “Let’s go buy some sheep and goats now, Dad.”
Bear laughed and replied that they would start the next day. Today they would clean up the odds and ends lying about, and make the place ready.
By the time Bear and his family got home, it was late in the afternoon. They were very tired, so after a light lunch, everyone went to take naps.
Later that evening, Bear told his family that he found a farm nearby where they were selling goats for a good price.
“We will visit it tomorrow. If we see anything we like, we’ll buy it”.
“So quickly!” exclaimed Swan. “Shouldn’t we take our time?”
“But why, my dear, why?” replied Bear. “There is nothing to worry about. And we should start as soon as possible.” He smiled, and that was the beginning of the family’s exciting life as farmers.
Your well-known acquaintance,
Ellen Hamilton 💖
Comments
Post a Comment