seldom left it, only to visit his vegetable plot to get something for his dinner. Food was something else that he really enjoyed, and his thoughts would then drift to all of the sumptuous meals that he could have been eating.
As you can see, Roggie spent so much time thinking, that there was just not enough time left to do any of the wonderful things that he had been thinking about!
He left his thoughts for a moment, as he could see some people walking about outside his window, no doubt busy with their daily chores, and chores were something else which Roggie seldom did. However, occasionally, he was known to offer his help, although that was very rare, and only if he really wanted something in return. But Roggie was contented with all he had, or should I say, the thoughts of all he wished to have!
He lived a very simple life, one which as you have probably gathered, usually involved his warm comfortable bed. This day was no exception, as he had plenty of food on his vegetable plot, and his burrow was always lovely and warm, thanks to the underground spring.
The spring emerged under the village from deep within the earth, where it was heated by the remains of an ancient volcano that had not murmured for generations. Some people thought that the Spirit of the Mountain was asleep, and feared waking it, whilst others believed that the Spirit watched over them. Not since the days of the great battle had anyone heard it rumble, and everyone was glad that it had stayed silent ever since!
Maybe that was the real reason why the village remained so quiet, as no one wanted to wake the Spirit, although Roggie had thought about that too!
Maybe one day, he would find out a little more about it?
The only really important thing however, was the fact that it heated the underground water, which flowed beneath the floor of his burrow, before emerging out into a pond situated in the centre of the village. From there, it flowed down along the valley floor, meeting another stream before cascading down a waterfall into the mighty river far below.
Roggie felt so comfortable in his bed, that he let any thoughts about the other villagers drift away to be replaced by those of the Spirit of the Mountain, and how he would go about speaking to it?
That was quite a thought, and if he did manage to speak to it, then what was he going to say?
These were fascinating questions, and would take a considerable time to answer. Roggie had plenty of time, and as he lay there in contemplation, he suddenly heard a rumble. However, it was not the rumble of the mountain, but the rumble of his stomach. Roggie had been so busy thinking, that he had not noticed the fact that he not eaten anything all day.
The warm underground stream meant that there was always a ready supply of fresh food, which just grew all by itself. His vegetable plot was no exception, and it was going to be easy enough to just walk outside and pick something fresh for his dinner. That was, if he could drag himself away from his thoughts!
Life was good, and Roggie intended to make the most of it!
Just a few minutes more, he said to himself, as he had done for most of the day. He was just too comfortable to get up yet!
Raising an eye, he looked out of his window again, wondering what everyone else was up to. There seemed to be a gathering by the side of the pond, as he lazily considered getting up to have a closer look. Most of the people in the village seemed to be there, and his curiosity got the better of him. He thought that maybe, he ought to find out what it was all about, although maybe he should wait just a few more minutes!
Reluctantly, Roggie eventually struggled out from between the thick warm sheets, moving his quilted blanket to one side. For a moment, he almost pulled them back over himself again, and lay there wondering if it was worth the effort of getting out of bed. He had made a start, and so whilst he had the momentum, he decided to get fully out of bed.
His outdoor clothes lay neatly folded on his chair, as the one thing that you could never say about Roggie, was that he was untidy. The fact that he seldom did anything to make a mess, was besides the point!
Slipping out of his pyjamas, he donned his shirt and trousers, pulling on his jerkin. It was sleeveless and padded, with a hood, and was just enough to keep him warm. The village was never really cold, and it did not call for a coat. His jerkin fitted snugly, but not quite as snugly as his sheets and padded blanket!
Folding his pyjamas and placing them on his chair, he returned to his bed - not to sleep, but to neatly make it ready for his return, and when he had finished, he lazily ambled towards his front door.
The large round door knob turned in his hand, and the hinges creaked as it swung open sending the bright sunlight flooding in. Roggie had to shield his eyes and began to rub them, as they adjusted to the brightness. He sleepily stood there, leaning against the doorpost yawning, wondering whether he should have just stayed in bed.
The air was warm and fresh, with a hint of perfume from the roses which grew up the front of his burrow. They were in bloom which was not unusual, as they grew in profusion flowering for most of the year within the village. Today however, their scent was particularly strong, and very pleasant on his nose making him twitch his whiskers.
Normally, he would have stood there for quite a while breathing in the sweet scent, but there seemed to be quite a commotion, which was very unusual, as the village was almost as sleepy as he was!
Everyone had gathered around the village pond, and voices were raised. Voices were never raised in the village, apart that was, from when there was a fair, and even then, everyone was calm and relaxed for the most part. Roggie could not understand it as the village fair was days away, and whatever it was, he could feel a distinct tension in the air, which was something he seldom felt. The village folk were a contented bunch, although not quite as contented as he was!
Watching from the sidelines, Roggie thought that at the centre of the gathering he could see what appeared to be some strangers. That was quite unusual, as no one ever came here, apart from the odd distant relative paying an unexpected visit. What made this all the more unusual, was that the strangers appeared to be Men. Men seldom ventured into The Land of Moors and Woods, and none had ever ventured as far as the village.
There also seemed to be a lot of shouting going on, which broke the usual quiet. What had brought them here was a bit of a mystery, and Roggie leisurely strolled towards them to find out what all the fuss was about.
At the centre of the commotion stood a Friar, or at least Roggie thought that it was a Friar, as he resembled the description given to him by one of the village elders. Apparently, Friars wore long brown gowns, tied around the waist with a white cord. Roggie could not quite remember the full story, as the village elder told of many things, when they were gathered around the nightly fire in the village. Roggie had always loved to sit and warm himself, and listen to the tales that he told.
Roggie liked tales, as it gave him something else to think about. Often, he could imagine himself taking part, striding off into battle, or venturing on a journey to a distant land. That prospect was just as distant as the tales, as he loved his burrow, but not as much as his warm comfortable bed!
The tales were very old, and passed down from generation to generation, with no one really knowing how old they actually were. They told of the ancient kingdom of Elphamia, its wisdom, culture and of the Great King who ruled over it. That was before it had all been destroyed in a terrible battle, and what remained was just a few sleepy villages, just like his own.
The Men’s voices were raised, and the sound of them shouting could be heard echoing around the burrows, which circled the fire in the centre. It was nothing more than a pile of ash at the moment, as there was no need for a fire in the middle of the day.
“We have been sent by your new King - The Self Appointed One!”
Roggie had a very puzzled look on his face, as there had not been a King since the terrible battle all those years ago. There was no need to have one, as there was nothing much to rule over.
“He is the only one who can protect you from the Dragons
!”
Everyone lived a quiet tranquil life, and did not need protecting from anything, and as for Dragons, there had never been any mention of them as far as he could remember. It was something which most people did not even know existed, and those that did, only got a brief description from the village tales. Dragons were mythical creatures, and something most people thought had been invented, just to give the tales an added twist.
“The Self Appointed One demands that you all pay a Dragon Tax for his protection!”
The whole village looked stunned, and everyone had a look of total bewilderment on their faces. There were not taxes here, as everyone shared everything, and worked together - well that was apart from Roggie, who seldom worked at all!
“Dragons are terrible creatures that can suddenly appear from nowhere breathing fire and destroying everything in their path. They could destroy this entire village in a matter of seconds, and everyone within it. It is only The Self Appointed One who can protect you from these cruel and vicious creatures.”
There was a groan from the villagers as the Friar continued.
“They can roast you alive, or tear you limb from limb, and never show any mercy. They are wicked creatures and destroy things just for pleasure, you do not want that to happen to you, do you?”
There was a shaking of heads.
“I want three gold coins off each of you, otherwise you will be sent to work in the gold mines.”
The village was very isolated and the people did not even know that there were any gold mines either. There were some gold coins within the village, but they had not been used for generations. Most people just worked for themselves, and when they needed something that they could not produce themselves, they just traded one thing for another.
“The gold mines are terrible places, and the work is hard. Most people only last a few months and by the look of you, I doubt whether any of you would last for more than a week!”
This was all very strange, and the villagers had no concept of being forced to do anything. There was no need, as the rich luscious soil, and warm natural spring provided them with everything that they needed.
Roggie was equally as confused, and could not make any sense of it. Even if there were any Dragons, then why would they come here, as there was nothing much to destroy?
There was some jostling, as the Friar’s men started to push the villagers around. Violence was something else that they were not used to, and Roggie could not really comprehend what was actually going on. It was only when one of the villagers was struck, falling to the ground that he decided to do something.
He had heard enough, and began to creep slowly back towards his burrow. He had no money, and did not like the sound of the gold mines, or Dragons come to that!
Hopefully, if he closed his door, and got back under his quilted blanket, then they would just go away, but somehow, he knew that there was little prospect of that happening.
What was he going to do, and where could he hide until the Men had gone away?
He looked around at the little burrows, all covered in turf with an adornment of brightly coloured flowers. There was nowhere that he could see which would make any sort of a hiding place.
With the sun at his back, his shadow pointed in the direction of the distant mountain, although that place looked equally as uninviting. It was swathed in thick trees, and no one had been there for generations, and the thought of being up there on his own, did not sound very appealing to him either.
Nevertheless, he did manage to creep back to his burrow, which offered him some temporary relief. It was warm and comfortable inside and he longed to stay, but could already see the men ushering everyone back to their homes.
What was he going to do?
The Men started to move from burrow to burrow, collecting their gold coins, and it looked as though they were putting a mark on the door of those who had paid, and anyone unfortunate enough not to have any coins, had their hands bound and were tied in a line, ready to be marched off to the gold mines!
Roggie stuffed some food into his bag along with anything else that he thought would be of use. He had to get away from here, although where he was going to go, he had no idea!
Picking up his spear, he looked out of his window, and when he thought that the coast was clear, he slipped out of his front door.
Walking as quietly as he could, he crept past his vegetable plot towards the nearest burrow. It was not a moment too soon, as the men walked up his little path, banging on his front door. When there was no answer, they forced their way inside, searching it thoroughly before emerging in a foul mood.
They were very angry, and the Friar did not seem at all pleased either. Roggie could hear their shouts as he scurried away, wishing to get as far away from them as he could.
Moving stealthily from the back of one burrow to the next, he made his way towards the path which led out of the village. It was his only means of escape, and as he entered it, he began to run.
The path led him towards the stream which flowed out from the village pond, and he could see the sunlight glisten off the water, as it meandered towards another stream which flowed down the valley. Where they met, the water grew much deeper as it passed under a wooden bridge. The path crossed it just after the waters merged, and he knew that if he was going to get away, then he had to cross it, and hope that the Men did not see him.
However, Roggie was not quick enough, for as he got half way towards it there was a shout.
“You there, halt!”
One of the Men spotted him, and pulled a bow out from behind his back. Roggie gave a quick look over his shoulder as he ran for his life.
The Man drew an arrow from his drawstring bag, loading the bow, and pulling back the tight bowstring. He aimed it at the fleeing Roggie, before letting go. The arrow shot through the air, and as Roggie neared the bridge, it hit him, sending him tumbling towards the water...
Two
A frantic cry filled the air, sending birds scattering from the nearby trees, breaking the normal tranquillity of the outskirts of the village. They, like the inhabitants, were used to a very slow pace of life.
Birds were respected, as all life was, which was considered sacred. Everything had a purpose, with its own character and spirit. Even the rocks and trees, the water, the sky above and the ground below. The inhabitants of the small valley lived in harmony with nature, and it lived in harmony with them.
Today, the harmony had been broken, as everything had been upset by the arrival of the Men.
The birds flew into the sky, as Roggie flew through the air, carried by the momentum of the arrow. For him, everything seemed to be going in slow motion, as he felt its impact, sending him off balance. He had been running as fast as he could, and now there was no path to run along, as his legs grasped at thin air, before he hit the water with a big splash.
Roggie took a deep breath, as the force of the impact sent water gushing up everywhere, as he descended below its surface, almost hitting the bottom. The water was much deeper here, than it had been upstream, and the wooden bridge, marked the point at which the streams merged into the beginnings of the river.
It has to be said that Elphin Rabbits, are quite good swimmers, and reasonably fond of water. Roggie was no exception, although that was in the village pond. His whole body went into shock, as he rose to the surface still clutching his spear tightly in his right hand, as he struggled to stay afloat. Fortunately, the water was quite warm, thanks to the lava, as he gasped for air, slipping below the surface again. He grasped the spear with both hands, kicking his legs as he rose to the surface again taking another deep breath, with the arrow sticking out of his back like a Shark’s fin. He was now bobbing up and down, as he tried to remain above the surface, not really knowing what he was doing.
It took Roggie several minutes to get accustomed to the water, and all the time the current was taking him further down stream. It was gentle at first, although the further down the valley it carried hi
m, the stronger it became. He could see the riverbank on both sides, as it swept him along, and he realised that he was gaining speed all of the time. The ground had begun to dip, as he headed further downstream past the luscious green vegetation of the upper part of the valley. It was quite dense, with thick grass and ferns dipping themselves into the waters edge.
The village lay in the upper part of the valley nestled beneath the hillsides, which afforded it some protection from the worst of the wind and rain. It was more open here, although there were several trees dotted about. Roggie could see that there were more of them up ahead, as they began to form the edge of a dense forest. It was not long before the trees began to line the riverbank, as the grass and ferns were replaced by barren looking rocks. The river began to widen, and he felt the current increase again, as he was carried further downstream.
The rocks were covered in a slimy green moss, and as he made a grab for one with his left hand, he lost his balance, descending below the surface, swallowing a mouthful of water as he went. Roggie managed to struggle back to the surface, coughing and spluttering, as he was swept past.
The shock of falling into the water had begun to wear off, as the enormity of his situation began to dawn on him. There was no way that he was going to be able to grab hold of any of the rocks, and there did not seem to be any other way of saving himself. It was also getting noisier, as the sound of the water crashing against them, sent a cloud of white spray out in all directions.
Roggie had never been so far downstream before, as he preferred not to go into the woods. In fact, he preferred not to venture out of his burrow at all, if he could help it!
He could do nothing apart from try and keep his head above water, as the current whipped him around another rock, as the water continued to gain momentum. It was just flowing faster and faster all of the time the further downstream he went, and just when he thought that he could get near to a rock, he was swept away from it.
Further and further down the valley he went, as the sound of the water increased to a deafening roar. He began to panic, as up ahead he could see a massive cloud of spray, and nothing but clear daylight beyond it.
In his mind, he could hear the voice of the village elder, telling a tale about a giant waterfall which flowed down into the valley below. His heart sank, as he realised that there was a lot of truth in the tale.
However, there was no hero in it, as it described the ancient kingdom, and at this moment in time, he wished there had been. It would have been comforting to know that someone else had survived its decent, although from the elders’ description, it was going to be a very long way down!
The water was now giving out a thunderous