Concerning Dungeons
Once upon a time there lived a Hamster. He lived in a small cottage at the edge of an ancient forest with his best pal Ginger Kitten and a forester named Old Petri. Hamster was fluffy, chubby and extremely cheerful fellow. He enjoyed apple pies, blue skies, rustle of autumn leaves and patches of sunshine on the kitchen floor. He was also known to be a great mischief maker - there was never a day when Hamster and Ginger Kitten did not have an adventure.
So on this particular autumn day - it was bright and sunny, but quite cool, so Hamster had a colorful scarf around his neck - two friends decided to go for a walk. Friendly Squirrel had told them the other day that Old Badger had discovered a mysterious burrow at the further end of the birch grove. And of course the very next day Hamster and Kitten set out in search of this burrow and discoveries it might bring.
“I recon, that burrow is an old troll cave”, proclaimed Ginger Kitten with great importance. “It is full of gold and other treasures - and once we’ve found it, we will never be short of money to buy apple pies and other tasty things…” Kitten had a sweet tooth and was always keen to have a snack.
“I don’t think so, Kitten, my pal”, Hamster replied. “No one ever heard of a troll in our forest - so why there would be a troll cave? It probably is just a hole in the ground full of worms and other creepy creatures…” And Hamster shuddered, imagining worm tails protruding from the earthen walls, spiders in the cobwebs and nasty slimy wood louses.
But Kitten was not going to give up so easily.
“OK then, not a troll cave - but definitely a dungeon full of treasures… Maybe… Maybe chest of gold was hidden there hundreds of years ago by some pirate captain. And now we are going to dig it up and live happily ever after, like in a fairy tale…”
That statement made Hamster laugh.
“We already live in a fairy tale, remember?! And in our fairy tale there is no sea and no pirates - just the old forest, squirrels, badgers, butterflies, fish in the lake, Old Petri and us!”
Kitten snored with laughter and threw a big cone at Hamster. “Don’t be such a spoil sport, pal! Anyway we are almost there, so in a minute we’ll see for ourselves”.
And indeed few minutes later they came to the edge of the birch grove - and there indeed was a big black hole in the side of the hill.
“Looks creepy,” said Kitten, sniffed the air and sneezed. “But I suppose it has to be creepy if you want to keep your treasures safe…” He did not sound very convincing. Hamster, on the other hand, was determined to explore the mysterious burrow. Even if it was only a hole in the ground full of worms and spiders! He took a torch out of his pocket - that’s right, a torch! You’d be surprised to know what stuff some hamsters keep in their pockets - and resolutely stepped inside.
To his surprise, burrow appeared to be dry and warm. And even somehow cozy - not exactly a dungeon full of treasures, but definitely a nice place to be. A short passage - full of dried apple garlands, bulky pumpkins and cinnamon smell- led them to a small room without windows, lit only by a tiny flickering candle. And there, in the corner, they saw…
“A mouse?!” You should have seen Hamster's and Kitten's faces!!
It was indeed a Mouse. Perched on a tiny wooden stool, Mouse was sewing something in the flickering light. Two moths were dancing merrily around the candle flame and Mouse, while sewing, was humming a song under his nose.
“Hello”, he said politely when he noticed his visitors. “Come in, be my guests!” And putting his needlework aside Mouse busied himself with taking tea cups out of the cupboard and biscuits out of the big tin.
“There’s your treasure chest,” Hamster pinched Kitten’s tail and nodded to the biscuit tin. “Perfect treasure in a nice cozy dungeon, huh?!” And they both started laughing.
Then they all gathered around the table and told Mouse their story. Mouse was delighted to hear that his newly occupied burrow - he only moved in last week - was of such interest and importance.
“You are always welcome to come and explore”, he said, offering friends another plate full of biscuits. “Who knows, maybe you will find your golden treasure in one of the remote corridors. I haven’t had time to explore them all - you see, I was very busy.”
“What are you busy with, Mouse?”
“I’m making myself a pair of wings. I’ve always wanted to fly… you know, I even have some distant relations that can fly. My Uncle Bat promised to give me a couple of lessons if I get myself a pair of wings.”
“But Mouse… surely you know that small rodents like you don’t fly!” Kitten sounded apologetic.
“Well… if one has a dream you never know what might come out of it,” said Mouse wisely. “Maybe a day will come when you will see me flying!”
And such a day indeed eventually came! But that, my friend, is another story…
All illustrations by marichcka
So on this particular autumn day - it was bright and sunny, but quite cool, so Hamster had a colorful scarf around his neck - two friends decided to go for a walk. Friendly Squirrel had told them the other day that Old Badger had discovered a mysterious burrow at the further end of the birch grove. And of course the very next day Hamster and Kitten set out in search of this burrow and discoveries it might bring.
“I recon, that burrow is an old troll cave”, proclaimed Ginger Kitten with great importance. “It is full of gold and other treasures - and once we’ve found it, we will never be short of money to buy apple pies and other tasty things…” Kitten had a sweet tooth and was always keen to have a snack.
“I don’t think so, Kitten, my pal”, Hamster replied. “No one ever heard of a troll in our forest - so why there would be a troll cave? It probably is just a hole in the ground full of worms and other creepy creatures…” And Hamster shuddered, imagining worm tails protruding from the earthen walls, spiders in the cobwebs and nasty slimy wood louses.
But Kitten was not going to give up so easily.
“OK then, not a troll cave - but definitely a dungeon full of treasures… Maybe… Maybe chest of gold was hidden there hundreds of years ago by some pirate captain. And now we are going to dig it up and live happily ever after, like in a fairy tale…”
That statement made Hamster laugh.
“We already live in a fairy tale, remember?! And in our fairy tale there is no sea and no pirates - just the old forest, squirrels, badgers, butterflies, fish in the lake, Old Petri and us!”
Kitten snored with laughter and threw a big cone at Hamster. “Don’t be such a spoil sport, pal! Anyway we are almost there, so in a minute we’ll see for ourselves”.
And indeed few minutes later they came to the edge of the birch grove - and there indeed was a big black hole in the side of the hill.
“Looks creepy,” said Kitten, sniffed the air and sneezed. “But I suppose it has to be creepy if you want to keep your treasures safe…” He did not sound very convincing. Hamster, on the other hand, was determined to explore the mysterious burrow. Even if it was only a hole in the ground full of worms and spiders! He took a torch out of his pocket - that’s right, a torch! You’d be surprised to know what stuff some hamsters keep in their pockets - and resolutely stepped inside.
To his surprise, burrow appeared to be dry and warm. And even somehow cozy - not exactly a dungeon full of treasures, but definitely a nice place to be. A short passage - full of dried apple garlands, bulky pumpkins and cinnamon smell- led them to a small room without windows, lit only by a tiny flickering candle. And there, in the corner, they saw…
“A mouse?!” You should have seen Hamster's and Kitten's faces!!
It was indeed a Mouse. Perched on a tiny wooden stool, Mouse was sewing something in the flickering light. Two moths were dancing merrily around the candle flame and Mouse, while sewing, was humming a song under his nose.
“Hello”, he said politely when he noticed his visitors. “Come in, be my guests!” And putting his needlework aside Mouse busied himself with taking tea cups out of the cupboard and biscuits out of the big tin.
“There’s your treasure chest,” Hamster pinched Kitten’s tail and nodded to the biscuit tin. “Perfect treasure in a nice cozy dungeon, huh?!” And they both started laughing.
Then they all gathered around the table and told Mouse their story. Mouse was delighted to hear that his newly occupied burrow - he only moved in last week - was of such interest and importance.
“You are always welcome to come and explore”, he said, offering friends another plate full of biscuits. “Who knows, maybe you will find your golden treasure in one of the remote corridors. I haven’t had time to explore them all - you see, I was very busy.”
“What are you busy with, Mouse?”
“I’m making myself a pair of wings. I’ve always wanted to fly… you know, I even have some distant relations that can fly. My Uncle Bat promised to give me a couple of lessons if I get myself a pair of wings.”
“But Mouse… surely you know that small rodents like you don’t fly!” Kitten sounded apologetic.
“Well… if one has a dream you never know what might come out of it,” said Mouse wisely. “Maybe a day will come when you will see me flying!”
And such a day indeed eventually came! But that, my friend, is another story…
All illustrations by marichcka