Dunreece is the main village on the Highlands . It has a large community of tern thousand people there and the main industry is tourism . Tinder Bird sits on the quiet side of Dunreece . Most of the tourists to the highlands never set foot in Tinder Bird . There is enough in Dunreece to keep them amused .
The few hundred people who live in Tinder Bird would dearly love to attract some of the passing tourists but have not ever managed to do so .
The community in Tinder Bird had built some interesting Log Cabins to accommodate visitors . But all their efforts to lure some tourists had failed .
Things were getting desperate in Tinder Bird and some of the people were moving out . Most of them were looking at Dunreece and others even had decided to leave the Highlands completely .
Dunreece had one big problem . A boy by the name of Billyo .
Down the street and along the pavement he would run as fast as the wind was he . Brushing past people before they could see him . Billyo was so fast that he had become dangerous .
Billyo's parents were issued an ultimatum by the people of Dunreece .
They had to control their boy or leave the town .
Billyo's Mother and Father were distracted and tried to keep him indoors but it was like trying to catch a shooting star .
One night after dinner his Dad said ,
"Billyo its time for bed ."
That was the cue for Billyo to begin another running game .
"Come and catch me first Dad "
Billyo said .
His Dad ran upstairs and downstairs and around and around the garden until eventually he laid his hands on his boy .
Out of breath and ready to loose his temper , Billyo's Dad said.
"Billyo . All this running around is going to have to stop .
"No !
Came the reply .
"All right then in that case I'm going to have to send you to Tinder Bird to live with your uncle Bobby .
Said Billyo's Dad
The reply came back.
"Oh goodie lets go Daddyo. "
"Right then go grab your school bag and some clothes, and I'll meet you at the front door . "
Billyo thought he was going on a holiday and never realised that he was being sent away from his family home in Dunreece to live with his relatives in Tinder Bird .
When Billyo walked up the road there was a tear in his fathers eye .
His Dad had no choice . It was the only solution possible .
He hoped that by sending his boy to live with his brother in Tinder Bird the people in Dunreece would adopt a better attitude towards him .
It was a long walk to Tinder Bird but not for Billyo who was there a long time before his father who eventually got there .
Billyo greeted his Dad at the entrance to Tinder Bird .
"What kept you slow coach ?
With a tear in his eye Billyo's Dad put his hand on his boys shoulder and said,
"Right son . Listen now . There is no escape and no way back to Dunreece until you learn to slow down . Until them you'll have to live with your Uncle Bobby and help him out around the place ."
There was stunned look on Billyo's face . He stood there like a statue .
After a few moments it sunk in and his Dad took him by the hand to his brothers house . He opened the front gate and walked up to the front door .
"Well if its not young Billyo . Hello how are things?"
Said Bobby who stood in front of the door with an apron on and his glasses perched at the end of his nose .
There was no response from Billyo .
"How's business Bobby ?
Billyos Dad asked breaking the silence ?
"As ever . I'm run off my feet ."
Billyos uncle Bobby was a special kind of man .
He was a cobbler and the only one in the Highlands who still made all his shoes by hand . Tinder Bird was a quiet place and ideal for him to set up his shoe making business .
"Have you the kettle on Bobby ?
Said Billyo's Dad .
"Sure Tommy come in . Don't stand out in the cold , come in .
Inside Bobby Mc Breezer's house were boxes and boxes of shoes .
There was a healthy smell of leather that clung on to the air .
A fire was burning in a fireplace and in front of the fire on the floor was a pair of pyjamas . Bobby McBreeze pointed to them and said ,
" Put those on Billyo while I get a cup of tea for your Dad ."
The two brothers left Billyo to put on the pyjamas . Suddenly there was a knock on the front door of the cottage .
Billyo answered it and in came a very small fairy like creature .
Woosh it went up the walls . Swoosh it went along the ceiling .
Zap it went like a bolt of lightening around the room .
Screech it came to a stop in front of Billyo .
The with a swish and a slap in fell in front of Billyo's feet .
" Wow ."
Said Billyo .
"Have you seen fiddles ?
Said the funny creature .
"Who ."
Billyo replied .
"Fiddles . I always loose her when I have a fit of fastness . It scares her and she runs away . The thing is I terrify her with my speed ."
"I have the same problem ."
Said Billy .
"Do you . I'm so sorry . I've lost lots of friends because I can't slow down .
But I do have another magic power and that is to remove speed from other people . If you can help me maybe I can help you ."
The fairy said .
'You mean you could slow me down ?
Said Billyo .
"Yes . If you help me find Fiddles ."
"What does fiddles look like ?
he asked .
"She's a kind of grey haired furry little creature ."
Came the reply .
"Well . I haven't seen it . So tell me who are you ?"
Asked Billyo .
"I'm the Fleetfooted fairy of the Highlands ."
"Really . How do you do Fleetfoot . What sort of a fairy is Fiddles ?
He said .
The fairy replied .
"Don't be silly Billy . Fiddles is a cat , not a fairy .
"Fiddles is a pussy cat?
Came the reply .
"Of course . We've been friends for ages ."
Said the little fairy .
"I can find fiddles for you just leave it to me ."
Billyo told Fleetfoot to hide while he called his Dad into the room .
"Dad could I have a cup of warm milk please ?
"Sure son ,that's easy . I'll get you one .
He returned to the room with a mug full of warm milk and handed it to Billyo who took a seat by the fire and put his feet up . After his Dad left the room Billyo placed the warm milk outside the front door and waited .
It didn't take too long and the sound of licking and purring was heard at the door . Billyo opened the door and lifted the cat into his arms .
"Fiddles . Its you .
Fleetfoot was so happy to have his friend back again .
He looked at Billyo and said ,
"I will keep the promise that I made and this very night you will be cured from the excessive speed and from now on you'll have no more problems at your feet "
That night a heavy storm fell all over the highlands which resulted in Billyo and his Dad staying overnight .
During the night as they all slept the fleetfoot fairy brought some magic leather to Bobbys workshop . Then he whispered instructions on how to make magic slow shoes for Billyo .
In the middle of the night Bobby sleep walked into his workshop and made the magic shoes for Billyo .
The storm was still around in the morning as Billyo awoke .
He found the new shoes with a note attatched .
As promised Billy . When you put on these shoes a change will begin . You will slow down and become like everyone else .
The storm raged outside while Billyo sat at the table for breakfast .
Billyos Dad couldn't understand what was going on . It was amazing .
Billyo was sitting still for once eating breakfast at the kitchen table .
At lunch it was the same . All day it continued .
Billyo showed his Dad the note and told him about what had happened .
Bobby was inspired and began to think big business .
The storm went on for a week which gave them time to think up some new plans for tourism in Tinder Bird .
All that week nothing changed . Billyo remained the same .
He walked around like normal people .
"It really must have been the shoes ."
Said Bobby .His sign above the front door said .
"Tinder Bird home of the magic shoemaker.
When the storm passed they both said goodbye to Bobby and returned to
Dunreece . Everyone who saw Billyo couldn't believe it was the same person .
Other people heard about what had happened to Billyo and before long rumours spread all over the country about the magic in Tinder Bird .
Buses were now arriving to Tinder Bird .
There was now new hope in Tinder Bird .
It was almost impossible to battle off the customers and tourists from Tinder Birds who put themselves on the map .
Everyone who had left the town now wanted to return .
Tinder Bird these days has a very successful tourism trade and people come from everywhere to experience a special kind of magic of the highlands .
By Paul Mc Cann
THE END
