Niblet was excited. Today was his birthday, and he was going to be allowed to go to the town for the first time, and on his own!
It wasn’t that he had never left the forest before. He had on several occasions gone into the farmlands surrounding his home. He had enjoyed those outings, many of them with his brothers, as they rounded up sheep or cattle and taken them back to their woodland home.
This was different, however. Now he was twelve, and able to adventure on his own.
“Remember what you have been taught,” his mother reminded him. “Be careful, and stay away from the castle, the Duke doesn’t like it when we visit the town, so don’t provoke him.”
“Yes Mama,” Niblet replied.
“And don’t forget to say thank you.”
“I will, Mama.”
With that Niblet headed out of the wood and headed through the fields towards the town. He made his way to the main street and to the market. The watchmen stopped and stared as he stood in the midst of the market stalls, and others gave him a wide berth.
There before him was what he had been looking for, a wagon-load of cakes and pies. Niblet picked the wagon up and put it under his left arm and said, “Thank you,” to the petrified vendor.
He then turned and headed home as the church bells rang and people ran in panic shouting, “Giant!”
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 