Digigran

Inspired by Dr Kate' astonishingly good foray into the world of literature , but doubtful of my ability to emulate her brilliance in the campus novel, I have decided to begin my own alternative writing career much more simply, with a series of children's books, set in the little village in Derbyshire peak District where I live for half of the week. I shre my time between them rather t like the kidsin the Squid and the Whale. This is a most dreadful, but wonderful film, inspiring in me Aristotelian emotions of pity and fear. You must all see it and take note of it's stark message about the effect of adult bad behaviour i=on their children's lives. Oh that awful father/professor man, Bernard ( you must place accent on the last syllableof his name. Personally, I could find nothing much wrong with the mum except in her agreeing to his ludicrous plans re joint custody. Her choice of the tennis pro as new partner seemed eminently preferable to the frightful opinionated father. To follow what I'm on about see this review

Anyway, I have been intending to write short stories for Alexander ever since he was born but have lacked the courage to get started. Now, stimulated by Kate's work, which is truly brilliant,I am taking the plunge.
I want to write animal stories based on my dog, Edward's life without the tweeness or dressing up element of the stuff I read as a kid, Brabbits and Beatrix Potter, little grey rabbits and Alison Uttley, peruvian Bears and Michael Bond,and of course dear Edward Bear and Tigger and Rabbitin A.A. Milne etc. I intend to complete a series with an opening story which introduces me and Edward and the village , but as a little story from my own fieldwork is already in my head, I will begin there.
Here goes.

Edward and the Bold Bad Rat

Dear Little One, I recently told you how much Elaine and Edward enjoy their walks in the hills which surround Little Tor, the Derbyshire village where they live and how they often find adventures when they are out walking. They also like to make visits to friends in the morning, have a little something and take a look around a new place, so they were delighted when your other granny, Jules, said she and her dog, Suki, would like them to come for a walk with them.
Jules and Suki live in beautiful old farm house on a country estate. There is a large lake, a swiftly flowing stream and dark pine woods. Edward likes to walk there because there are so many wonderful places to poke his nose in and sniff out other creatures. He can smell lovely scents from the squirrels, rabbits, hares and pheasants who live there. Suki likes that too and is good at leading Edward to lots of special hiding places. Suki specially likes chasing the pheasants. The pheasants are being looked after very carefully so that the men with long guns can shoot them for fun. There are lots of them. But Jules warns that the gamekeeper might even shoot them if they doesn't do what Elaine says and keep close to her. Edward listens carefully to this. he knows what had happened to the sandy dog in Little Tor who had ran away from his owner when he was young to chase the sheep in the top field. He had had one eye shot out by the farmer and now only goes out on a lead. Edward would hate having to stay on his and he knowsknows he must never chase sheep.

When they arrived at Jules' house they found her looking a little worried.
"My dear," she said to Elaine, "I think that rats have moved into my
out house and are sneaking into the house at night. They have been nibbling through storage bags, gobbling up the corn kept for the pheasants and have made nests in the woodpile. There is a particularly big bold rat who runs on my work tops and steals from my vegetable baskets. Suki can smell him but is much too frightened to catch him and I do not know how to get him
out."
Edward's ears pricked up when he heard the word rats. He knew he was particularly clever at finding out the places where rats and mice like to hide and
hoped that Jules would let him chase them for her. He had been told by his
mother, when he was a very young puppy, all about his ancestor John Joiner.
John Joiner had saved naughty,Tom Kitten from the dreadful fate of being baked in a roly-poly pudding by Anna Maria and Samuel Whiskers. Edward hoped he could do something brave too. He had already chased a fierce old rat away from the compost heap at home in Little Tor and was sure he could be very helpful and get rid of Jules' unwanted visitor. He was very pleased when he heard Elaine say,
"That is very serious, Jules, you can't let rats live here. We must let Edward have a look when we come back from our walk. He is very good at sniffing rats out and has already caught two\of them who tried to live in my compost heap." Jules agreed.

First, they went for a lazy, long walk around the estate and through the village. The sort of walk Edward really likes with lots of time for exploring new places. He and Suki ran arounf d together playing chase in the fields and and hide and seek in the woods.They passed a field full of ewes with their new lambs and they were very careful not to chase them at all. Suki startled a hare in a field and Edward rushed round and round in a circle, trying to catch him for her, but the hare was much too quick and got away from both of them quite easily.
By another cottage, where two small dogs were yapping firercely, they came across a large group of pheasants and ran straight at them, just to watch them whirr up into the sky, making their crackling call, but both dogs came straight back to
Elaine and Jules when they called out crossly,"Come here you two, or you will be shot."

They climbed over stiles from field to woodland and crossed a fast flowing stream on a narrow, wooden plank to the village green. They watched as the ducks dabbled in the village pond or weed. Edward paddled in the shallows to get a better look at the frogs who were hiding in the reeds. In the village, Jules helped the post man find the right house to deliver a big parcel. Edward was disappointed because Jess, the cat, was not in his van. "A pity," thought Edward, "No one shoots dogs for chasing cats." He did find a large black and white cat on a shed roof to bark at, but it was not as good as chasing one.

Finally they got back to the house and Jules made some toast with lavender honey and a strong cup of tea. Perhaps you remember , my little one, that Edward particularly likes toast and honey. He likkes honey just as much as his namesake, Edward Bear, who you know better as the inimitable, Winnie the Pooh. Edward made sure he got his share of toast by sitting up straight and looking very longingly at Elaine, who finally gave him a little something. Suki was contented with her chicken and biscuits

After this little treat, they all went out into the yard. Edward felt a prickle of excitement as he began to catch the scent of small animals hiding there and when Jules opened the big wooden doors to the old barn he began to wag his tail from side to side in expectation. He rushed straight in. Suki followed him eagerly. A shaft of light illuminated the dark, musty place, full of cobwebs and spiders.In the gloom at the darkest end he found a large woodpile, smelling strongly of rats.
Now, my little one, you must not worry about what happens to the rats. Rats are horrible creatures. They sneak into your home and steal all manner of food stuffs. They hide their supplies in nooks and crannies. They are very dirty in their habits and leave a strong smell of decay around the place. There was a very strong, stale, musty smell in the barn.

Suki ran straight to the woodpile and sniffed intently, pointing with
her nose to where she thought rat might be. Edward followed her. He yelped and whined and sniffed and scratched at the logs. He pushed hiis nose into a hole in the pile and continued to scrabble, his bottom sticking up in the air, his tail wagging madly.
"That's a good sign there is rat's in there," said Elaine, "He always whines with excitement when he can smell something."
Jules lifted a big top branch from the pile and immediately a rat peered out and darted straight back in again. Edward dived after it and in a trice he came out with a huge, fat rat in his jaws. He shook it and shook it savagely, but it bit at his nose with its sharp yellow teeth and he dropped it from his mouth onto the dark, grainy floor. The rat seemed huge. It stood on it's back legs looking very fierce indeed.

Jules and Elaine were frightened as they knew rats can bite badly and it was trying to get Edward's throat. But Edward was not afraid. He pounced quickly on the rat again and grabbed it by its neck. He shook it and shook for what seemed along time until it went quite still. He dropped his prize at Jules' feet.
" Good boy," shouted Jules, "Well done!" and she picked the dead rat up with a spade that was hanging on the wall and carried it out to her bonfire in the garden.
" Now the other rats in there will gather all their little rats together and leave the out house, just like the rats did in theTale of Samuel Whiskers," said Elaine.
You may want to read this stroy, my little one. It was written by Beatrix Potter who is famous for telling us stories about Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck. They all lived in the country too.
" Next time Edward comes he can check all the sheds again to
make sure they have not come back," said Jules. Edward felt very important . He was a barn inspector now. What a responsible job for a young dog!


And that, my little one, is how a quiet morning visit to a friend turned into another big adventure for Edward. Elaine was proud of Edward and when they got home she gave him his favourite treat, crunchy pig's ear, for a job well done. Edward curled up in his basket with it and Elaine went back to her computer to write.


So that's the story
I will add the pictures next time. If there are any children out there who canread it and give me an opinion, I would be very happy to have your comments. There will be photos to go with the story soon.
And so to mark.