March 7, 2011
INSURRECTION

Mira stood up on the table in the middle of the room and carefully surveyed the crowd. Everyone she new was here plus their friends and relatives. A smile broke on her pudgy face as she sat back and raised her front foot. The uproar of talking slowly diminished until there was complete silence. She whistled sharply as a greeting and began her oration.

“As you all know, I have lived here all my life and have done my best to follow the rules, some of which I did not agree with, and the desires of poor old Norgal, whose age is beginning to catch up with him. His decisions are questionable. The mere fact of his meeting with the snark, Cezee,….. (an uproar appeared from the crowd and they fell silent again)….is a good demonstration of his failing lack of leadership.” She paused for a moment as the crowd murmured support. “and, as you all have observed, that little cheese addict, who has Norgal’s support, has overrun our very homes with pathways making privacy impossible.” Heads were shaking in agreement and whistles were raised as the crowd mulled.

“My friends, it is time for a change!” She waited for the uproar and was confronted with silence. The silence continued and slowly the whispering began as the older ones turned to others. Mira took a deep breath, lowered the pitch of her voice and very quietly said, “We will all soon have to move, find new homes, and endure new dangers. Our children will be in constant fear and food well be hard to find, some well starve. The cold will become so bad that many will freeze. Is this what you want? Will you let this happen?” She paused again and waited for some response. Finally, a voice from the center of the crowd boomed out.

“Not me. I want MIRA! We want change!” The crowd began to pick up the word “change” and soon it echoed over and over around the room.

Mira smiled as the crowd repeated “change” again and again. At last she raised her hand again and quieted the crowd. “Then let us have change. I will be your leader and soon I will be the leader of all with your support and WE will rule forever.” Her whistle was picked up around the room and the sound began to shake the room. Before long everyone was dancing and whistling and shaking the very ground on which they lived.

The crowd roared on as tiny feet raced into a narrow pathway.

February 25, 2010
REVOLATION

Ole Carl had just snoozed off when he felt someone crawling up his back.
“Damn” he whispered and waited to find out just who it was that was climbing over him. It never really worried him but it was kind of nerve racking. It took quite a while until he got a whiff of cheese and he sighed. It was that pesky mouse probably looking for more cheese.

“Hey ho” came so loud it almost knocked his ear cockeyed “and here ya are. It took me quite a time to find ya. Almost ran out of eats. Ya got any?” he didn’t wait but a moment and continued “how about that snow. Who expected it?” He paused for a small nibble while sitting on Ole Carl’s head.

The humph from Ole Carl almost knocked Visy off. “Look kid, it’s late and I’m trying to sleep and it’s a little chilly. The sun isn’t even up, come back when it warms up and I’m awake. OK.” He closed his one open eye and sighed again and hoped he heard Visy move off but instead he felt a rap on the top of his head. He was usually pretty easy to get along with and would tolerate about anything, but being hit on the head while he was trying to sleep made him a bit cranky. “Of course if you think it necessary…” and he licked his lips and snapped.

Visy was caught off guard and fell right in front of those powerful teeth. He had dropped the last little bit of cheese as he had landed on his magnificent tail. He stammered for a minute and got his bearings. “Now don’t get all riled up. I got orders ya know. He told me to find ya and bring ya back. Guess he wants to talk to ya. Don’t know about what but Mira is causing a big uproar and Cezee is ravaging the country. Caush wants to destroy everyone and everything, Flit is sleeping in with no thought of the country, and poor Norgal is having a nervous breakdown, but I don’t know nothing!!!

Ole Carl opened only one eye, “So!”

“You gotta come help the big guy handle all this, ya oaf. This could be the end of the world. Ya gotta come help.”

Ole Carl opened the other eye and said “No!”

February 21, 2011

BEFUDDLED

Norgal was so angry that steam was coming from his ears and nose, blinding him. He finally realized he still held his beloved reed pen and he was about to throw it across the room. What a catastrophe that would be. He laid the pen gently down on the hand carved desk and leaned back in his chair. Something had to be done and he needed help, someone with a cool head but very deliberate and forceful. Visy was out he was too cheesy and small. Caush was just to willing to get into a fight but would probably win. His new acquaintance, Cezee, was extremely dangerous, rather sleek looking but probably couldn’t be trusted. It would have to be Ole Carl! And something had to be done about the little piece of tail grabber.

“Visy“. He yelled at the top of his roar and pounded the hand carved desk with his fist “where are you, you little cheeseolic. You’ve got to find Ole Carl…..NOW.” He dropped his head onto the hand carved desk exhausted. He lay there for a few minutes until he started to feel better and a slight noise from little feet caused him to look up.

“Hi ya, boss. You don’t look to good. Ya been dealing with that old snark. What’s her name – ah ya, Weezel, Sneeze or something like that.” Visy made is way up the top of the hand carved desk and sat right down on the reed pen. A piece of cheese was stuck behind Visy’s left ear and he reached up and nibbled at it. “Hey, by the way, heard that fat old Mira is gunning for your job. Heard she had a rally yesterday, invited all her relatives plus a few more, must have been quite a noisy session with all them talking at once. Oh ya, ran across old what’s her name, ah ya, Cezee, heading home and you can’t guess what fell out of the air, ya got it, a little bell. Straight from heaven!!”. Visy stood up, moved off the reed pen, and scratched his rear end. “Am going to attach that little bell to her tail.”

“Oh ya, what you want with Ole Carl? Last I seen of him he was walking across the meadow, hum, it was the same meadow that Cezee was going around when heading home. She’s kinda scary.”

Norgal had left his mouth open from the beginning of Visy’s oration. “Find Ole Carl, you little cheesy muncher.” He yelled at the top of his angry howl. “And NOW!”

Visy took another bite of cheese, shrugged, and moved off to find Ole Carl.

Norgal heard him as he left. “Don’t know why you’re yelling. Ole Carl can probably hear ya.”

February 15, 2011
CONFUSION


CEZEE was a little confused. She had absent mindedly wandered into Norgal’s place, she wasn’t even a little afraid of him, and before she could leave that little bit of gristle had come in an made a fool of herself. She didn’t understand how that little morsel had gathered up such courage. Instinct almost made that tidbit her lunch but she was so astonished and surprised she just stood there. And Norgal introduced her! What was that about?

She had left as soon as she could but had noticed the little appetizer of a mouse hiding under the table and as she headed back home saw him scooting among the rocks. At the same time Old Carl was coming up behind her and the area was getting too crowded and it was getting snowy. Time to go home. Tomorrow was going to be a more prosperous day.

The sound of the humming bird over head caught her attention and she shook her head. That’s all she needed today. Here she was a fabulous hunter, would take on anything or anyone, any place and she was hiding in the trees from all these lousy creatures. She was tired, that was it, and it was getting colder.

Just who was that other creature with the sharp claws and mean looking face? She hadn’t met him but there was a story that he had ripped off the leg of a snark. Well, she wasn’t missing a leg so it hadn’t been her. Must have been somebody’s dream. No snark with any integrity would have lost to that old chunky.

Tomorrow would be a feast. She could almost taste each and every one of them and they would be so easy to catch. She decided to take on the “sharp claws and mean face” first because that would be the most fun and save the mouse for last as an after dinner treat. That ground squirrel would be a nice bit but there must be more of her family that Cezee new would be close.

She sighed and made her way toward home as a small tinkle fell from the sky.

February 7, 2011
TEMPERANT

Caush and Tandy had spread out on a large rock between their homes under the sun and gathered rays at a fantastic rate. Every little bit they would exchange a small groan of pleasure and close their eyes returning to a quiet snooze. Caush would sniff the air and catch the moisture coming, but little else was present which was as it should be. His tail was slack and spread out.

All of a sudden he felt a small tug on the end of his tail. He sprang to his feet and yelled with rage which brought Tandy upright growling. There, hanging on to his glorious tail, was poor little Mira destined to be the next King of ALL, or so she had said, and she was soaking wet.

Mira sputtered and spit, shook her whole body, spraying moisture every where, and let go of Caush’s tail and stood upright. “Excuse me sir but, you see, I need your help.” She hiccupped and spit out more water. “That old goat, Norgal, is no longer good enough to be King of ALL and I am going to take his place and what I would like…………..”

Caush let out a burst of laughter that rang across the rocks. “You’re all wet!!” and Tandy’s laughter joined Caush. “You’re all wet!” he repeated “in more ways than one, you little tail grabber. What makes you think YOU can be King of ALL, you piece of tail grabber. Your full of odorous hot air and well never be King of ALL and I think of you as a mere appetizer.” He was on a role and nothing could stop him now. “You’re not even big enough to use the chair or get up on the desk. The reed pen would knock you over with just its thought and you would get lost on the hand carved desk and the slightest breeze would blow you away. And you’re all wet too.” His laughter filled the air.

Mira straightened up, shook more water off her head, and looked him right in the eye. “I’m sure you’ve heard of Cezee the snark. Well….our friend…. Norgal is entertaining him at this minute and is promising him a run of the country if he will get rid of all of us who oppose him and I’ve heard you’ve had a run in with the snark. I thought, you of all, would not like another run in with a snark. Of course if you think you could win maybe you don’t mind, but me – I think it best to stop this right now. All I’m asking is your support for my taking control.”

Caush’s laughter dimmed.

January 11, 2011
Discriminate


Flit flew easily over the dead stocks of flowers, swinging his head from side to side searching for the small insects that were left and day dreaming of a huge field of bright yellow flowers. The weather was getting cold and he needed to rest. Flying was hard this time of year but he had heard that there was a bee hive near here and he was hoping that it would still hold a bit of honey. It may not be frozen yet and even then maybe he could break a little off to keep him going until he got home.

As he flew slowly, a black image moved silently across the ground and into the underbrush at the edge of the meadow. Its movement was sleek and easy and Flit knew it must be the snark, Cezee, but where was she going and rather swiftly and at this time of day. He flew over to watch but lost track of her in the coming darkness. He shook his head and returned to go home.

A barely heard sharp crack came from his right and Flit just barely made out Old Carl walking along the edge of the trees. He flew over and landed on Old Carl’s head exhausted.

“What ya doing?” Flit was out of breath and even his curiosity was waning.

“Tracking Ceeze but lost her in the dark, guess I’ll go home.” Carl turned and started across the meadow knocking Flit from his head.

Flit gained height and called back “have you heard, Mira tried to replace Norgal but failed dramatically”.

“Ya” and Old Carl moved away.

Flit sighed and flew on. He wondered where Ceeze had been headed and if she had anything to do with that episode with Norgal. But even more important was the situation that Mira had caused. Who would think that Mira could become King of ALL.

January 5, 2011
MISCHIEVIOUS

Visy almost choked to death in trying not to make any noise. He had snuck in right after Mira and hidden under the hand carved desk and waited for the confrontation. The juicy part of the yelling and screaming was not really what he looked forward to, although it would be exciting, but seeing Mira shot down was what delighted the little mouse but hearing Norgal’s remark “Mira, I would like you to meet Cezee” just shook Visy’s tail until it almost fell off. Not that he was afraid, Visy was never afraid of anything, but he guessed it was time to be gone and he walked quickly but silently out of the room and ran to his nearest hiding place.

Visy had heard that the snark, (Cezee), had returned and was very hungry but he never imagined seeing him so close and his size was monumental and kind of frightening but it was a nice looking bit of fur. He could almost wish he had fur like that but it was almost impossible to clean his tail as it was and with fur like that he would never see his tail again. Besides what do you expect of an ugly old snark. He felt better and his tail had stopped shaking.

Sitting still for a long time, helped him calm down and the thought came slowly to the surface. Flit would help him, if he could find him. Flit was never easy to find because he never landed anywhere and he was always on the move and he was above everything but Visy was sure he could find the object from above a lot easier than anyone else.

He peeked out from under the rock. Clouds were converging just to the west and the air was heavy with moisture. Flit would be looking for a large leaf to hide under from the coming storm and wouldn’t fly in the rain or snow. Besides he would need the glint of sunshine to find the small bell that Visy would need.

Visy’s next move would have to be calculated very carefully. The thought of getting close enough to Cezee to attach the little bell was almost to much to bare but Visy new he could do it. But how to find Cezee when he slept was a concern. This whole thing was getting too complicated and Visy was tired. Maybe a good night’s sleep would give him a better incite to the problem.

He leaned back into his little bed and slept.