ONCE THERE WAS A DOG PROWLING DOWN THE STREETS OF THE VILLAGE OF PATALIPUR CAN.
HOO—TOOT TOOT TOOT, HOOT HOOTHOOT
ALL THE OWLS SING ABOVE THE TALL TREE’S ROOT
SCRATCH SCRATCH SCRATCH, SCREECH SCREECHSCREECH
ALL THE OWLS SING UPON THE OLD OLD BEECH.
VERY RUDELY WOKEN UP FROM HIS SLEEP CLIFF SHOUTED AT THE OWL WHO WAS SINGING. ‘SHUT UP BLIMEY BIRDS. I’M NOT HERE TO HEAR YOU TOOT AND HOOT AND SCRATCH AND SCREECH ALL NIGHT. NOW IF YOU WILL LET A POOR OLD DOG SLEEP.’ UP IN THE BEECH TREE THIS SPEECH WAS RECEIVED WITH MUCH ASTONISHMENT BY THE SINGING OWLS. QUICKLY THE OWLS HUDDLED TOGETHER IN DEEP DISCUSSION. A SMALL TAWNEY OWL HOOTED, ‘CHIEF HILLCOCK. THAT COULDN’T HAVE BEEN A DOG WE HEARD COULD IT. HOW CAN DOGS UNDERSTAND THE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED RUNES OF THE OWLS? THERE IS NO WAY US
‘I’M SURE I HEARD IT PROPERLY; IT WAS A DOG, PIPCANOLIUS. I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. WE MUST TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THE CREATURE IN CASE HE IS ONE BENEATH THE ROBES OF ANOTHER MAYBE POSSESSED BODY.’ SAID A HANDSOME CHESTNET BROWN OWL.
‘RIGHT YOU ARE KILLIUS. WHAT DO YOU SAY CHIEF HILLCOCK?’ SAID PIPCANOLIUS THE TAWNEY OWL. ‘CHIEF HILLCOCK? WHERE HAS HE GONE?’
SUDDENLY A LARGE BARN OWL WITH BROWN FRECKLES ACROSS HIS CHEST AND VERY ANCIENT WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE BUNCH OF OWLS. FROM THE WAY THE OTHER OWLS MADE WAY FOR HIM, AND THE HUSHED SILENCE AT HIS PRESENCE ANYONE COULD KNOW THAT THE BARN OWL WAS A POWERFUL AND RESPECTED HEAD OF THE OWLS. A SMALL NEW BORN OWL SPOTTED SOMETHING ON THE ANCIENT BARN OWL’S FACE AND TUGGED HIS MOTHER’S WINGS. ‘MAMA,’HE HOOTED. ‘WHAT’S THAT ON THAT BIG OWL’S FACE,’ HE SAID POINTING TO VERY WEIRD EYES THAT THE BARN OWL HAD. THEY WERE NOT THE GREEN EYES OF AN ORDINARY OWL AT ALL. THEY WERE CURVED AND LONG AND BEAUTIFUL AND WERE STARTINGLY BLUE LIKE A HALCYON AND GLINTED BRIGHTLY IN THE NIGHT. BUT THEN THE OWL DIDN’T LOOK AS IF IT WAS SEEING WITH IT AT ALL. ITS FACE HAD A BLANK DREAMY EXPRESSION. THE MOTHER OF THE NEWBORN OWL WHO HAD ASKED THE QUESTION, QUICKLY SHUSHED HIM AND THEN WHISPERED, ‘POOPOO, IT’S JUST THE MAGICAL EYES THAT A GREAT WITCH PRESENTED TO CHIEF HILLCOCK WHEN HE LOST HIS EYES IN TRYING TO SAVE THE GREAT LADY’S LIFE. THEY CAN SEE THROUGH PEOPLE HELP HIM READ MINDS, AND SEE THROUGH THEM TOO. BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT CANNOT SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE BUT ONLY WHAT IT ORIGINALLY LOOKS LIKE. NOW BE QUIET POOPOO. CHIEF HILLCOCK’S GOING TO MAKE A SPEECH I THINK. ALL RIGHT I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE STORIES OF HILLCOCK’S ADVENTURE WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO SLEEP ABOUT TOMORROW AT DAWN. SHH! LISTEN.’
HILLCOCK FIXED HIS GREAT UNBLINKING EYES ON PIPCANOLIUS WHO TWITCHED HIS TAWNEY FEATHERS UNCERTAINLY KNOWING THAT HIS MIND WAS BEING READ BY THE BIG OWL. ‘WHAT IS GOING ON PIPCANOLIUS?’ HE HOOTED SOFTLY THOUGH EVERYONE WAS CERTAIN THAT HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
‘UM MY CHIEF... UM IT’S JUST THAT, WHEN WE WERE CAROLLING OUR MOONLIGHT SONG AS
HILLCOCK SMILED SERENELY AND SOFTLY HOOTED. ‘CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY THE PAD-PAWED CREATURE BELOW SAID?’
CHIEF HILLCOCK, SIR, MY LORD, MY DAWN OF SHINING LIGHT, THE DOG, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID SIR. HE SAID “SHUT UP BLIMEY BIRDS. I’M NOT HERE TO HEAR YOU TOOT AND HOOT AND SCRATCH AND SCREECH ALL NIGHT. NOW IF YOU WILL LET A POOR OLD DOG SLEEP...”.’ POOPOO QUOTED AS IF HE HAD LEARNT THEM BY HEART AND EARNED MANY AFFECTIONAL EAR-NIBBLES FROM HIS DELIGHTED AND PROUD MOTHER.
‘AH, SO HE DID SAY IT LIKE THAT DID HE,’ SAID CHIEF HILLCOCK QUIETLY. ‘BUT THEN WE DON’T HAVE ANY PROOF THAT THE DOG UNDERSTOOD THE CAROL. DEAR, POOR PIPCANOLIUS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MORE SANE THAN THIS IF YOU WANT TO BECOME THE CHIEF AFTER ME. FROM WHAT LITTLE MASTER POOPOO SAYS THE DOG JUST TOLD US TO STOP SCREECHING WHICH IS WHAT I ASSUME ALL OTHER ANIMALS HUMAN LUMPS AND DOGS ALIKE HEAR WHEN WE DO OUR MIDNIGHT SCALES. THAT MUST SOLVE THE LITTLE PROBLEM MUSN’T IT. WELL I AM GOING BACK TO MEDITATING IN THE SACRED MULBERRY BUSH AND I DO NOT WISH TO BE INTERRUPTED SO OFTEN LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN DOING, PIPCANOLIUS. NOW I BID YOU FAREWELL’
POMPOUSLY HILLCOCK BUSTLED OFF AND FLEW OFF FAR BELOW DISAPPEARING IN THE MISTY DARKNESS. PIPCANOLIUS HOWEVER WAS BLUSHING SO ANGRILY THAT SOME RED COULD BE DECIPHERED EVEN THROUGH HIS TAWNEY COAT. BUT HIS AMBER EYES WERE FIXED ON CLIFF WHO WAS PEACEFULLY SNORING BELOW. AFTER ALL THE OWLS HAD DECIDED IT WAS MEALTIME TO TRY AND HUNT FOR FOOD, HE SWOOPED DOWN TO THE MULBERRY BUSH TO SEE IF HILLCOCK WAS THERE. MUCH TO HIS SURPRISE HE WASN’T THERE AND A GRASSHOPPER INFORMED PIPCANOLIUS, ‘OH THAT BIG OWL. HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR SOMETHING AND THEN FLEW TOWARDS THE OWL PROWL HOME JUST ABOUT TEN SECONDS AGO. YOU’LL FIND HIM THERE I SUPPOSE.’
‘I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MOMENTARY REPORT DEAR FELLOW OF THE TIME OF BEWITCHING DARKNESS. I EXPECT THE CHIEF HAS GONE TO SEEK THE TRUTH ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENINGS THAT HE HAS BEEN PRETENDING NOT TO BELIEVE WHEN HE WAS REALLY A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE. I MUST SEE WHAT THE “LORDSHIP” IS ACTING ON NOW. I BETTER SEE. WELL I MUST BID YOU FAREWELL LITTLE GRASSHOPPER.’ PIPCANOLIUS SAID FINALLY SATISFIED THAT HE HAD SOMETHING AGAINST THE CHIEF HILLCOCK. HE HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HILLCOCK WAS A BIT OF A LUNATIC WHO WAS VERY POMPOUS FROM THE DAY HE HAD JOINED THE OWL PROWL HOME WHEN HE HAD RUN AWAY FROM AN OWLERY DUE TO MISTREATMENT. BUT PIPCANOLIUS ALWAYS DID WHAT THE OTHERS DID AND SAYING AGAINST THE CHIEF OWL OF THE OWL PROWL HOME WHEN THEY HAD SO KINDLY ACCEPTED HIM TO STAY EVEN WHEN IN THE DANGER THAT THE OWLERY PEOPLE MIGHT COME LOOKING FOR HIM AND MIGHT DESTROY THE WHOLE OF OWL PROWL HOME WAS VERY BETRAYING AND UNPOLITE. THIS WAS WHY HE HAD KEPT QUITE FOR THE TWO YEARS SINCE HE HAD JOINED IN THE OWL PROWL HOME.
‘BUT’ HE THOUGHT ‘HILLCOCK IS PARTIALLY RIGHT. AFTER ALL THE DOG HAD JUST SAID THAT WE WERE SCREECHING AND SCRATCHING AND HOOTING. IT IS WHAT EVERYONE IS SUPPOSED TO HEAR WHEN WE CAROL. THE DOG DIDN’T PICK OUT ANY WORDS FROM THE SONG WHICH WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN DISTINGUISHABLE TO OWLS. LIKE TREE ROOTS AND LIKE A BEECH TREE.’ PIPCANOLIUS WAS A REASONABLE OWL AND THOUGHT THAT HE HAD BETTER MEET THE DOG INCASE HE IS UNDER THE TREE TO BE SURE THAT HE IS REALLY NOT AN INTRUDER. WHEN HE GOT BACK TO THE FOOT OF THE BEECH TREE IN WHICH LAY THE OWL PROWL HOME, HE SAW CHIEF HILLCOCK CLUTCHING HIS HEART SPEECHLESSLY STARING AT CLIFF WHO WAS STILL ASLEEP PEACEFULLY HIS HEAD ON HIS PAWS. HE WAS AS IF HE WAS CHOKING AND PIPCANOLIUS WHO WAS UNABLE TO RESIST HIS CURIOUSITY STEPPED FORWARD AND WHEN HILLCOCK SAW HIM EMERGING FROM HIS COVER OF BUSHES THE BARN OWL WENT PALER THAN EVER. ‘YOU HEARD EVERYTHING YOU KNOW EVERYTHING,’ SPLUTTERED HILLCOCK. AND BEFORE PIPCANOLIUS HAD TIME TO BE SURPRISED, WITH GREAT EFFORT HILLCOCK ROSE TWO FEET OF THE GROUND AND TRIED TO FLY AWAY FROM PIPCANOLIUS BUT WRITHING WITH PAIN AFTER HE HAD BARELY FLOWN ONE YARD HILLCOCK DROPPED TO THE GROUND. PIPCANOLIUS HURRIED TOWARDS HIS GREAT HEAVING FORM AND HIS FEELING TO BE DESCRIBED AS ASTONISHED WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
HE TRIED TO SOOTH HILLCOCK BUT HILLCOCK WAS SCREECHING LIKE A MADOWL AND WAS STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF HIS REACH. HE WAS BLEEDING A LITTLE FROM THE FALL.
‘CHIEF, HILLCOCK SIR PLEASE CALM DOWN AND LET’S GO TO THE ROADSIDE HOSPITAL COCOA
‘NO’ SHRIEKED HILLCOCK ‘PLEASE DON’T TELL ANYONE PLEASE DON’T TELL ANYONE I’M SORRY ABOUT MY INSULTING YOU PLEASE DON’T TELL. MY DIGNITY, MY NAME IT WILL ALL BE GONE PIPCANOLIUS PLEASE.’
PIPCANOLIUS STOOD THERE WITH HIS MOUTH OPEN BUT NO WORDS CAME OUT. HE STOOD TRANSFIXED ON THE GROUND NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY BUT BEFORE HE COULD WORK OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, HILLCOCK GASPED ‘PLEASE. I’LL DO ANYTHING.’ AND THEN THE POOR OLD OWL DROPPED DEAD.
PIPCANOLIUS FELT LIKE FAINTING AT THE SIGHT OF THE NUMB AND LIFELESS BODY OF THE FRECKLED BARN OWL. HE HAD NEVER KNOWN THAT HILLCOCK COULD SPEAK SO HYSTERICALLY. NEVER ONCE IN HIS TWO YEAR STAY IN THE OWL PROWL HOME HAD HE SEEN HILLCOCK LOOK ANYTHING BUT SERENE, CALM AND WISE. HE FELT DAZED AND UNSTEADY.
BUT THEN THERE ALSO REMAINED THE QUERY AS TO WHY HAD HE DIED. HE WAS SURE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE DOG. THERE WAS SOMETHING ODD UNIQUE PECULIAR DISTINCT ABOUT THAT DOG, HE KNEW IT AND WAS WONDERING WHY...
HE FELT THAT HE HAD TO TRACK THE DOG’S MOVES EVERY WHERE IT WENT. HE THOUGHT IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE AN ORDINARY DOG. HE DECIDED TO LEAVE A NOTE TO THE OTHER OWLS THAT HE WAS LEAVING AND THEN CLOSELY FOLLOW THE DOG. SO HE LEFT A PATTERN OF HIS DROPPINGS ON THE TRUNK OF THE TREE SAYING THAT HILLCOCK DIED DUE TO A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN YESTERDAY AND THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FIND WHAT CAUSED THE MURDER.
OWL DROPPING PATTERNS WERE AN EXCELLENT WAY OF COMMUNICATING FOR THE OWLS. BEING THE WISEST CREATURES THE OWLS OF COURSE KNEW HOW TO WRITE AND SPEAK ENGLISH OR ANY OF THE HUMAN LUMP LANGUAGE BUT THEY PREFERED NOT TO DO SO INCASE THE MESSAGES WERE INTERCEPTED BY HUMAN LUMPS SO THEY ORGANISED A PATTERN OF DROPPINGS LANGUAGE OR WRITING. BUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE BUT THEY SHRUGGED OFF THE POSIBILITY AS THEY FELT THAT IF THEY HAD TO REALLY GET OUT DROPPINGS THEN THE MESSAGE MIGHT BE SPOILT. BUT WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW IS THAT OWLS BEING THE WISEST OF ALL CREATURES, CAN EMIT OR DISPOSE OFF THEIR WASTE WITH THE HELP OF SINCERE MEDITATION WHICH THEY DO WHILE CONCENTRATING EVEN WHEN THEY ARE SLEEPING. THE WASTE IN THEIR BODY SIMPLY EVAPORATES INTO THIN AIR.
SO LOSING NO TIME IN PACKING PIPCANOLIUS STUFFED HIS EXTRA PAIR OF AMBER EYES TO CHANGE THEM WHEN THE ONES HE WERE WEARING GOT TIRED BEHIND HIS EARS. HE ALSO PEELED OFF HILLCOCK’S MAGICAL EYES AND KEPT THEM SNUGLY UNDER HIS WINGS. HE SAT THERE AND SAW UNTIL GROGGY EYED BUT LOOKING CONTENDED CLIFF WOKE UP BLINKING HIS HAZEL BROWN EYES AT THE BRIGHT SUN. CLIFF STILL NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GO THOUGHT THAT HE SHOULD TRY AND FIND A HOME SOMEPLACE. SO HE PADDED OFF OUT OF THE FIELD UNAWARE THAT EVERY MOVE HE TOOK WAS BEING WATCHED.
AS HE WENT DOWN THE STREET PIPCANOLIUS THOUGHT THAT HE’D BETTER CHECK IF THE DOG COULD REALLY UNDERSTAND THEIR LANGUAGE OR NOT. SO HE FLEW UP A FEW YARDS AND WHEN CLIFF WAS PASSING BY SAT ON A TREE AND STARTED TO SING-
HOW I LOVE WHEN IT’S NIGHT
WHEN THERE’S FRIENDLY GHOSTS ALL AROUND
HOW I LOVE WHEN IT’S MIDNIGHT
WHERE GOD MAGNIFIES HAPPINESS AND SOUND.
CLIFF RAISED HIS EYEBROWS THOUGH HE REALLY DIDN’T HAVE ANY AND PIPCANOLIUS WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR HIM MUTTER (WITH THE USE OF HIS VERY VERY SHARP EARS) ‘NUTTERS OWLS MUST BE LIKING NIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE GHOSTS LURKING AROUND. AND THEY CALL THEMSELVES WISEST TOO.’
PIPCANOLIUS WAS REALLY NOT EXPECTING THAT WOULD HAPPEN—THAT CLIFF COULD REALLY DECIPHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE OWLS. THIS PROVED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. DID THE LITTLE DOG WANTEDLY LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE OWLS? THAT MUST BE IT FOR IF HE DIDN’T, HE IS SHOWING NO SURPRISE THAT HE CAN UNEARTH THE MEANING OF THE CAROL OF OWLS.
MEANWHILE CLIFF WAS AT DESPAIR AT WHERE TO GO. HE WASN’T AS EXPERIENCED AS THE OTHER STREET DOGS TO TRY AND NICK FOOD FROM OPEN ROADSIDE SHOPS AND HE THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD DIE OF HUNGER WHEN. . .
A GIRL WITH SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR AND GREEN EYES WHO WAS RIDING ON A BICYCLE LOOKING EAGER AND EXCITED WAS RIDING HIS WAY. IT WAS THE SAME GIRL WHO HE HAD MET WHEN HE WAS WITH THE BLACK DOG THE PREVIOUS DAY.
WHEN SHE SAW CLIFF, SHE SKIDDED TO A STOP JUMPED DOWN FROM HER LADYBUG BICYCLE AND TURNED TO SKIP TOWARDS CLIFF. ‘WOW,’ CLIFF THOUGHT. ‘HOW SMOOTH THE MOVEMENT OF THE LADYBUG IS. IF I WAS A HUMAN LUMP THEN I WOULD LIKE TO RIDE A BICYCLE FIRST THING. I WONDER IF I’LL BE ABLE TO SIT ON IT FOR LONG. IT LOOKS AS IF IT WOULD FALL UNLESS IT WAS LEANING ON SOMETHING. MAYBE IT WAS MAGIC THAT THE HUMAN LUMPS HAVE CREATED I DUNNO . . .
THE GIRL WITH GREEN EYES WAS CALLING TO HIM: ‘HEY PUP, COME HERE I HAVE SOME CRUMBS FOR YOU. I THINK YOU’LL LIKE THIS. ITS BLACK CURRENT CAKE LEFT OVERS. COME AND GET IT.’ AT THE SIGHT OF THE BLUE BLACK CRUMBS ON HER HAND, CLIFF SPRANG TOWARDS THE GIRL AND LAPPED UP THE CRUMBS BARELY LISTENING TO HER SAYING, ‘OH POOR THING, YOU SURE ARE HUNGRY,’ UNTIL SHE CAME TO THE PART WHEN SHE SAID ‘OK DON’T WORRY, I’LL TAKE YOU HOME AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THINKING OF EATING,’ CLIFF WAS SO HAPPY AND THANKFUL THAT HE GOT A HOME TO GO TO THAT HE DIDN’T KNOW THAT HIS TAIL WAS WAGGING MADLY AND HE PUT HIS PAWS ON THE GIRL’S SHOULDER MEANING TO HUG HER THANKFULLY WHEN HE HEARD A HEAVY FLAPPING OF WINGS. PIPCANOLIUS HAD FALLEN OFF THE TREE IN SHOCKED ASTONISHMENT WHEN CLIFF HAD MADE TO HUG THE GIRL. HIS MIND WAS OVERFLOWING SO MUCH WITH THOUGHTS THAT HE COULDN’T THINK CLEARLY. DOGS DON’T KNOW TO HUG, THEN HOW COULD HE? STREET DOG TOO HE WAS, AND VERY YOUNG TO BE TRAINED BY ANYONE AND EVEN IF HE WAS, THERE WOULD BE A COLLAR ON HIS LIGHT BROWN NECK. HOW COULD HE? HIS ACTIONS ARE BECOMING MORE STRANGER AS THE TIME GOES. HE, PIPCANOLIUS HOOFIS REGARDE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
CLIFF ATTEMPTED A FIST PUMP BUT WENT ROLLING BACK AND THE GIRL ASKED IN SURPRISE, ‘WOW, PUP. YOU SURE KNOW SOME TRICKS. I WONDER WHERE YOU LEARNT THEM. YOU LOOK LIKE A TRAINED CIRCUS DOG TO ME. BUT DON’T WORRY; I WON’T LET THEM GET YOU. I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN HARD FOR YOU IF YOU RAN AWAY. COME TO MY HOUSE AND I’LL GIVE YOU LOTS TO EAT, OK?
CLIFF NODDED HAPPILY AND RAN OVER TO THE BICYCLE. THE GIRL WAS SAYING THOUGHTFULLY, ‘WELL YOU LOOK LIKE A BISCUIT CRUMB TO ME, SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE YOUR NAME—CRUMB. WELL COME ON CRUMB, YOU WANT TO SIT INSIDE MY BICYCLE BASKET OR DO YOU WANT TO RUN? MAYBE YOU CAN RUN, THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE USED TO ANYWAY.’
CLIFF THOUGHT SO TOO AS THEN HE COULD OBSERVE THE MOVEMENT OF THE LADYBUG BETTER AND NODDED HIS AGREEMENT. THE GIRL OPENED HER GREEN EYES WIDE AND SAID, ‘WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT! YOU COULD BE WORTH A LOT OF MONEY PUP. I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW YOU TO MUM. I THINK YOUR TRICKS WILL CONVINCE HER ANYWAY. COME ON LET’S GO.’
AS CLIFF TROTTED ALONGSIDE THE PURPLE LADYBUG HE SAW OTHER DOGS LURKING AROUND BINS THEIR TONGUES HANGING OUT AND THEIR BLACK NOSES TWITCHING AS THEY SMELLED IN THE GARBAGE FOR FOOD. CLIFF WAS FEELING A BIT IRRITATED AT THE SIGHT OF SO MANY RED TONGUES HANGING OUT OF REEKING MOUTHS. WHY DO THEY LET THEIR TONGUES LOL OUT LIKE THAT? DON’T THEY KNOW IT LOOKS INDECENT? AND CLIFF SAW THROUGH A CRACK IN THE FENCE OF SOME HOUSE A SMALL FLUFFY DOG LICKING A BOY. IS THE BOY MADE OF CAKE, WONDERED CLIFF. BUT NO, THE BOY WAS MOVING. ‘WHY CAN’T I REMEMBER WHAT I WAS, WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, WHERE I CAME FROM AND WHY I CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING?’ MUTTERED CLIFF EXASPERATEDLY. ‘ARE THESE THE HABITS OF DOGS THAT I FORGOT?’
SUDDENLY THE GIRL STOPPED IN FRONT OF A GATE THAT SEEMED VAGUELY FAMILIAR. ON IT A NAME PLATE READ-
STEVAN
‘MAGNOLIA, IS THAT YOU?’ CALLED A VOICE FROM INSIDE THE TEAK DOOR THAT BARRED THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE. ‘YES MUM, IT’S ME,’ CALLED BACK THE GREEN EYED MAGNOLIA. ‘COME OUT QUICK, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.’
‘YES YES, I’M COMING MAGNOLIA. WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TO SHOW ME?’ ASKED A PLEASANT LOOKING WOMAN WITH HER HAIR A SHADE OF LIGHT BROWN WHOM CLIFF KNEW MUST BE MRS STEVAN. SHE WAS WEARING AN APRON AND SHE TOO LOOKED A LITTLE FAMILIAR. AS SHE CAME OUT OF THE DOOR, SHE SPOTTED CLIFF OR CRUMB AS MAGNOLIA CALLED HIM.
‘MUM, THIS IS CRUMB AND I FOUND HIM—’ BUT MRS STEVAN CUT HER SHORT IMPATIENTLY. ‘WHY, NOT THIS AGAIN. WHY DO YOU PICK UP STRAYS AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM THE ROAD, MAGNOLIA? DON’T YOU KNOW THAT THAT DOG COULD HAVE FLEES? JUST PUT HIM BACK WHERE HE CAME FROM; I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR LOOKING AFTER DOGS.’ BUT BEFORE SHE TURNED BACK TO THE KITCHEN, CLIFF WHO HAD BEEN AGHAST THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE A HOME TO LIVE IN AFTER ALL, BENT HIS HIND LEGS, AND HOLDING UP HIS FRONT LEGS HE BEGAN TO SAY THOUGH HE KNEW ONLY HIS WHINES WOULD BE HEARD, ‘PLEASE PLEASE, I’LL BE GOOD. I WON’T CAUSE YOU ANY TROUBLE MRS STEVAN AND I’LL CLEAN UP AFTER MYSELF TOO. JUST GIVE ME SOME FOOD. I DON’T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO. PLEASE JUST HOUSE ME AND I’LL BE AS CLEAN AS ANYTHING.’ DESPARATELY HE FELL AT HER LEGS. MRS STEVAN WAS LOOKING AMUSED, ‘WOW THIS LOOKS LIKE A TRAINED DOG TO ME. WHERE DID YOU GET HIM? YOUR BROTHER IS GOING TO LOVE HIM.’
‘WHEN IS CLIFFORD GOING TO BE BACK MUM? YOU’RE RIGHT; HE IS GOING TO LIKE CRUMBS. ANYWAY I GOT HIM IN THE STREET. HE SEEMED VERY HAPPY WHEN HE SAW THE FOOD I TOOK HIM, SO I CALLED HIM HOME AND HE CAME WITH ME.’
BUT MRS STEVAN SAID STERNLY, ‘MAGNOLIA, THIS DOG MAY BELONG TO SOMEONE. YOU SHOULD PUT FOUND NOTICES AROUND THE STREET, OK?’ MAGNOLIA LOOKED APPALLED AT THE THOUGHT. SHE CRIED OUT LOOKING VERY DISAPPROVING OF THE IDEA, ‘BUT MUM. I THINK HE RAN AWAY FROM SOME CIRCUS AND IF HE RAN AWAY IT MEANS THAT HE DOESN’T WANT TO GO BACK. AND IF HE DOESN’T WANT TO GO BACK THEN WE ARE DOING HIM UNKINDNESS BY SENDING HIM.’ ‘I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT MAGNOLIA.’ MRS STEVAN SAID. ‘I CARE MORE ABOUT THE FEELINGS OF THE OWNER NOT ABOUT THE FEELINGS OF A DOG LIKE YOU DO.’
‘BUT MUM,’ WHINED MAGNOLIA PLEADINGLY AND HER FACE BRIGHTENED A LITTLE WHEN SHE SAID, ‘WELL, CAN WE JUST WAIT UNTIL CLIFFORD COMES BACK AND SHOW HIM CRUMBS.
HE MADE AN INVENTION THAT CONCERNS DOGS DIDN’T HE? HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO TEST IT ON CRUMBS.’
‘WELL,’ SAID MRS STEVAN A LITTLE APPREHENSIVELY. ‘ALL RIGHT. HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DOG I EXPECT AND IT’S A MATTER OF ONE OR TWO DAYS TILL HE GETS BACK. ALL RIGHT, YOU WON THE ARGUMENT. DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BROTHER IS STAYING IN A FIVE STAR HOTEL WITH THE APPROVAL MINISTER? I AM SO PROUD OF HIM. AND HIS INVENTION...’
BUT CLIFF OR AS HE WAS GOING TO BE CALLED, CRUMBS WAS NO LONGER LISTENING TO THEIR CONVERSATION. HIS ATTENTION WAS CAUGHT IN A FAMILIAR LOOKING DOG NEXT DOOR. IT WAS PURE BLACK IN COLOUR AND IT LOOKED EVERY BIT LIKE THE BLACK DOG WHOM HE HAD MET EXCEPT THAT IT WAS SMALLER IN SIZE. CLIFF HAD AN URGE TO QUESTION HIM BUT HE SAW THAT THE NEXT DOOR PEOPLE WERE HEAVING OUT THEIR TRUNKS AND SUITCASES. HE REALIZED THAT THEY MUST BE LEAVING THE HOUSE. WHEN THE SMALL BLACK DOG SAW THAT CLIFF WAS WATCHING HIM, IT EXCLAIMED, ‘HEY AREN’T YOU THAT MAD DOG WHO MY FATHER SAW YESTERDAY?’ THE SMALL BLACK DOG SNIFFED WITH INTEREST AT CRUMBS.’ FUNNY BUT YOU SMELL FAMILIAR. HAVE WE EVER MET BEFORE?’ CRUMBS WRINKLED HIS NOSE A LITTLE AND SAID, ‘I DON’T KNOW IF WE HAVE. I THINK I’VE GOT AMNAESIA.’ THE BLACK DOG LOOKED A LITTLE CONFUSED AND ASKED ‘UM—WHAT IS AMNAESIA.’ ‘DON’T YOU KNOW? ITS SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS.’ SAID CRUMBS SURPRISED. ‘WELL THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO? WHERE DID YOU LEARN THAT WORD ANYWAY. DOES IT EVEN EXIST?’ SHOT THE SMALL BLACK DOG EMBARESSED AT CRUMBS. ‘OF COURSE IT EXISTS.’ SAID CRUMBS OFFENDED.
‘WELL I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT. DAD WAS RIGHT. WIERDO YOU ARE.’ SAID THE SMALL BLACK DOG LOOKING DOWN HIS NOSE AT THE PUZZLED CRUMBS.
MAGNOLIA PICKED UP CRUMBS AND THEY ENTERED THE HALL OF THE HOUSE. THERE FRAMED AND TAKING UP ALMOST A QUARTER OF THE WALL WAS A FAMILY PICTURE OF THE STEVANS. THERE WAS MAGNOLIA, ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD AND THERE WAS MRS STEVAN WEARING A BLUE DRESS AND NO APRON. THEN THERE WAS A MAN WHO WAS MEDIUM HEIGHT AND WEARING GLASSES. AND THEN THERE WAS A BOY WITH LIGHT BROWN HAIR JUST LIKE CRUMB’S FUR AND MRS STEVAN’S HAIR WITH A JOVIAL FACE LOOKING ABOUT TWELVE WEARING JEANS AND YELLOW T-SHIRT.
THE SOFAS WERE NEAT AND CUSHIONED AND THERE WAS A T.V NOT VERY BIG STANDING ON A TEAK TABLE. AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO A PICTURE OF THE SAME BOY HOLDING SOME SORT OF STEEL CONTRAPTION HIGH IN HIS HANDS ALONG WITH A MAN WITH A WALRUS MOUSTACHE, VERY PORTLY AND CHUNKY WEARING A LAB COAT. THE BOY WAS ALSO WEARING A LAB COAT. CRUMBS SUPPOSED THAT THIS WAS THE INVENTION THAT MRS STEVAN AND MAGNOLIA WERE TALKING ABOUT.
CRUMB WAS SUDDENLY DRAGGED TOWARDS A DOOR ON THE WALL. MAGNOLIA WITH HER FINGERS CLOSED AROUND CLIFF’S NECK WAS TELLING ANIMATEDLY, ‘GO ON AND EXPLORE THE HOUSE CRUMBS, SNIFF AROUND ‘COZ THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR TEMPERORY HOME.’ SHE PUSHED HIM INTO A ROOM BEYOND THE DOOR WHICH WAS A WIDE STAIRCASE. BUT CRUMBS WAS WONDERING, WHY DID MAGNOLIA TELL HIM TO SNIFF. IS IT WHAT THOSE STREET DOGS WERE DOING, SNIFFING AT THINGS. HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP HIM IN ANY WAY? DOGS HAVE PECULIAR HABITS THOUGH. WAS IT HABITS HE FORGOT BECAUSE OF HIS BOUT OF AMNAESIA? CRUMBS WAS A VERY BEFUDDLED DOG INDEED AT THAT TIME AND FELT VERY SILLY NOT EVEN KNOWING WHAT HE WAS DOING IN THIS PLACE.
HE SNIFFED BUT ONLY THE SMELL OF DRIED PAINT CAME TO HIS NOSE. ‘IS THIS WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO SMELL?’ HE THOUGHT INCREDULOUSLY. WHY DID MAGNOLIA ASK HIM TO SMELL AROUND HERE IF THERE WAS ONLY DRIED PAINT TO SMELL? MAYBE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT SMELL TO LEARN.
THAT MUST BE IT. THIS MUST BE A SACRED SMELL OR SOMETHING FOR THE HUMAN LUMPS...
CLIFF RESTED HIS LIGHT BROWN HEAD ON AN OVERTURNED BUCKET BEMUSED. BUT HE HAD LESS TIME TO THINK FOR AFTER A MILLISECOND MAGNOLIA CAME TO TAKE CLIFF FOR SOME FOOD.
‘HERE’S YOU’RE FOOD CRUMBS. YOU’RE PEDIGREE DOG FOOD, READY TO BE SERVED,’ MAGNOLIA GRINNED AND BROUGHT OUT FROM A DUSTY CUPBOARD, A BOX WITH THE PICTURE OF A GREAT DANE RUNNING ON THE OUTER COVER AND EMPTIED IT ONTO A BLACK DOGGY FEED BOWL. WRITTEN ON IT WERE THESE FADED WORDS: DARKWHIRL. DARKWHIRL, DARKWHIRL... THIS WORD SEEMED TO STIR A LITTLE BIT OF CRUMB’S CONFUSED THOUGHTS. IT SEEMED TO JOG HIS MEMORY. HE CLOSED HIS EYES. NOW ALL HE NEEDED WAS MEDITATION TO RECOLLECT HIS THOUGHTS. BUT THE BLASTED GIRL MAGNOLIA WAS NUDGING HIM TOWARDS THE BOWL OF DOG FOOD. WHAT WAS IN THIS FOOD ANYWAY? THOUGHT CLIFF A LITTLE INQUISTIVE. HE TROTTED OVER TO THE CARDBOARD BOX AND READ THE INGREDIENTS LIST. IT SAID, ‘INSECT LARVE MIXED WITH SMASHED UP BONES AND ADDED TO SOUR MILK’. ‘OH, MY GOSH.’ SAID CRUMBS PUTTING HIS TONGUE OUT IN DISGUST. ‘MAGNOLIA, LET ME GET THIS CLEAR, OK? I –CAN’T –EAT-THIS –IDIOTIC-STUFF. SO DON’T MAKE ME TO. DO YOU THINK IF YOU WERE A DOG, YOU WOULD EAT INSECT LARVE AND SOUR MILK? LOGIC.’ CRUMBS SPLUTTERED QUICKLY BACKING AWAY FROM THE DOGGY FEED BOWL. YET AGAIN HIS SPEECH WAS FOLLOWED BY A WHOOSH WHOOSH SOUND AND HE SAW A BROWN BIRD TAKING OFF FROM THE BRANCH NEXT TO THE ROOM WINDOW AND BOARDING IT AGAIN. ‘WEIRD.’ THOUGHT CLIFF NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT AND BEGAN TO WORRY ABOUT EATING THAT GARBAGE FOOD AGAIN. FINALLY, NOT ABLE TO FIGHT THROUGH CRUMBS’S RESISTANCE MAGNOLIA FINALLY GAVE UP AND GAVE HIM SOME PLUM CAKE CRUMBS.
GRADUALLY, AFTER A DAY OR TWO CRUMBS STARTED GETTING USED TO LIVING WITH THE STEVAN FAMILY. ALWAYS THERE WAS TALK ABOUT THE AWARD WINNING SON CLIFFORD WHOM MRS STEVANS CALLED CLIFF FOR SHORT. IT SEEMED THAT THIS BOY HAD MADE A CONTRAPTION TO MAKE SOMEONE INTO ANY ANIMAL SO THAT THEY KNOW THE LANGUAGE AND CAN ASK THEM TO MAKE PEACE AND SETTLE MATTERS BETWEEN THEMSELVES. HE HAD GONE WITH UNCLE PHINEAS STERBIL TO THE INTERNATIONAL INVENTION CONVENTION. CRUMBS REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF TALKING PEACE WITH OTHER ANIMALS. HE WONDERED REPROACHFULLY WHY HE HADN’T THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE. AFTER A DAY OR TWO THERE WAS GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE STEVAN HOUSEHOLD. MRS STEVAN STARTED MAKING SWEETS OF EACH AND EVERY KIND. THE SMELL WAFTED THROUGH KEYHOLES AND CRACKS AND TICKLED THROUGH CRUMBS’ NOSE. WHEN HE SMELT THE CAPTIVATING ODOUR OF JILEBI, HE FELT PULLED TOWARDS THE SOURCE. HE TROTTED INSIDE THE KITCHEN AND LOOKED PLEADINGLY AT MRS STEVANS HIS NOSE TWITCHING TOWARDS THE BOWL OF JELABIS. BUT MRS STEVANS SHOOK HER HEAD AND TOLD CRUMBS, ‘NOT TODAY CRUMBS. TODAY’S THE DAY THAT CLIFFORD IS COMING HOME WITH MR STERBIL. IT’S HIS FAVOURITE DISH.’ JUST THEN MAGNOLIA CAME INSIDE THE ROOM. WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT HER MUM WAS TALKING ABOUT PHINEAS STERBIL, SHE STARTED TO EXPLAIN HOW THE STEVAN FAMILY CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HIM.
‘LISTEN CRUMBS,’ SAID MAGNOLIA. ‘ONE DAY WHEN I WAS JUST FIVE YEARS OLD, I WENT OUT TO PLAY IN THE PARK. MUM HAD GONE SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUYING CLIFF SOME ICECREAM OR SOMETHING. ON TOP OF A BROAD BANYAN TREE I SAW THE CUTEST BABY SQUIRREL YOU WOULD HAVE EVER SEEN. SO I TRIED TO CLIMB UP THE TREE AND GOT ONTO THE FIRST BROAD BRANCH. THEN SEEING ME THE SQUIRREL CLIMBED UP AND UP THE TREE OUT OF MY REACH. FINALLY I WAS ON THE TOPMOST BRANCH OF THE BANYAN TREE WHEN THE SQUIRREL JUST HOPPED ONTO ANOTHER TREE. AND I COULDN’T GET DOWN! I WAS STUCK IN THE TREE! IT WAS 7:00 PM SO NOBODY WAS THERE IN THE PARK. I WAS LIKE SO SCARED THAT I DIDN’T EVEN CARE TO SCREAM. WELL THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT UNCLE PHINEAS HAPPENED TO BE PASSING BY. HE WORKED BEFORE IN A CIRCUS, YOU SEE, AS A TRAPEZE ARTIST SO HE WAS DEFINITELY NOT AFRAID OF HEIGHTS. HE WAS WALKING HIS PET MONKEY BOBO. IT SEEMS BOBO REALLY LIKES KIDS OR ANY OTHER PEOPLE. SO HE SAW ME. HE CAME TO ME. UNCLE PHINEAS FOLLOWED HIM. HE ALSO SAW ME. HE RESCUED ME AFTER THINKING A LITTLE BIT AT FIRST. ACTUALLY HE IS VERY BRAINY TOO. THE ICE CREAM PARLOUR WHERE CLIFF WAS BUYING ICECREAM WAS ON THE NEXT BLOCK. AS IT WAS A WARM NIGHT MANY PEOPLE AND CHILDREN WERE THERE TO BUY ICE CREAM. BUT SEEING MY FACE OR “FACIAL FEATURES” AS HE CALLS IT, HE MATCHED ME UP WITH MUM. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW GRATEFUL SHE BECAME AT THAT SPOT, CRUMBS,” MRS STEVANS’ FACE BECAME PURPLE.
‘MAGNOLIAAA...’ SHE SAID IN A DANGEROUSLY LOW VOICE. MAGNOLIA COWERED AND GRABBING CLIFF RAN OUT OF THE ROOM. CLIFF ENVISIONED A SIX YEAR OLD MAGNOLIA WITH MRS STEVANS MERCILESSLY CHASING HER WITH A BROOMSTICK AND HITTING HER SOMETIMES ON THE BACK. HE GUFFAWED AT THE THOUGHT.
THAT EVENING CAME THE ARRIVAL OF MR PHINEAS STERBIL. HE WAS IN REALITY AN ENORMOUS MAN WITH HIS BELLY BULGING OUT AND HAD A THICK WALRUS MOUSTACHE AND SMALL BLACK EYES. IN SPITE OF HIS COLOSSAL SIZE HIS VOICE WAS SMOOTH AND slick LIKE AN EEL. HE STOMPED INTO THE HOUSE AS IF HE OWNED IT AND SAID, ‘AH, GOOD TO BE HERE AGAIN.’ WHEN MAGNOLIA CAME RUNNING TO HIM TO SAY HELLO HE PICKED HER UP AS IF SHE WAS A FEATHER AND SAT HER ON HIS BROAD SHOULDERS. CRUMBS CASUALLY TIPTOED INTO THE ROOM AND OBSERVED UNCLE PHINEAS’S APPEARANCE. AS CRUMBS WONDERED ABOUT UNCLE PHINEAS’S SIZE MAGNOLIA WAS INTRODUCING UNCLE PHINEAS TO HIM.
FINALLY WHEN EVERYONE SETTLED DOWN, …
TO BE CONTINUED...