THE ARRIVAL OF FREDERICK AND ARTHUR

Story 2
THE ARRIVAL OF FREDERICK AND ARTHUR.
Delta stretched and rolled over in her comfortable bed. As she opened
her eyes, she noticed the sun shinning through the window and the smell
of fresh breakfast filling the air. Delta lives in a pretty white
washed stable with a thatched roof, a bright green door and a window
that looks onto a farmyard.
She heard Don and Jane moving around and that meant breakfast would
arrive at any moment. Don and Jane and their baby daughter Anna, own
the farm were Delta and lots of her friends live.
Just then Don opened the door and came in with an armful of fresh hay
for Delta's breakfast. "Good morning Delta," he called as he put hay in
the rack. "What are you going to do today?"
"Well," said Delta, "Laura and I are going for a picnic." Don did not
understand what Delta said, but heard the neighing sound that all
humans hear when horses talk.
Until 3 months ago Laura had not understood what animals were saying.
One day her little cat Liner had an accident and Laura suddenly
discovered that she could hear her talking when she explained how she
had cut her paw so badly. Since then she had talked to all the animals
that she could find! Today was the first time that Laura and Delta were
allowed to go out without Jane or Don. Laura had woken Mum up early
that morning to help with her long hair. Laura hated having her hair
brushed but it always seemed to be tangled in the mornings.

Soon hair brushing forgotten, Laura was busy helping to get the picnic
lunch ready. "Now," said Mum, "have you got everything that you
need?"
"Yes," said Laura, "I've got some sandwiches, chicken - they're my
favourite, some crisps, an apple, I can share that with Delta, she
loves them and I've got a drink."
"You are organised," said Mum. "It's a nice day, you won't have to
worry about getting wet".
Just then there was a knock at the door. "That will be Delta," cried
Laura running along the passageway to the front door.
"Don't forget your lunch," called Mum. "Delta won't go without
you!"
Laura took her lunch, gave Mum a hug and clambered up onto Delta's
back. "I'm ready when you are, where are we going, who will we see? can
we go for a long time?"
"Whoa," said Delta, "one question at a time....We're going to Bishops
Wood behind the farm, I don't know who we'll see," she continued, "But
I have to be back for tea, what about you?"
"Yes," said Laura, "I forgot, Mum did say don't be late for
tea!"
It was eleven o'clock by now and the sun was shining strongly. They
took the short cut to the woods through the farm. As they went into the
farmyard that was rectangular in shape, they saw Jade and Toby the farm
dogs laying by the barn on the left of the gate.

"Well," said Jade, "you look as though you are going on safari!"
"No!" said Laura, "We're going to Bishops Wood".
"Why?" enquired Toby yawning and stretching. He had been asleep in the
sun.
"We're going to have a picnic" replied Laura. "That is why we've got
all this food with us."
"Do you think you'll eat ALL that!" asked Jade, secretly hoping that
they might ask her to go as well.
"We hope we'll see some of our friends." said Delta. "Otherwise we
would have asked you to come as well."
"Well I couldn't come," said Toby, "I'm having a bath this afternoon,
ready for the dog show tomorrow, had you forgotten?"
Laura scratched her head and looked at Toby with her head on one side.
"I hadn't forgotten," she said with a smile. "If I was the judge, I'd
give you first prize!"
It took them about half an hour to get to the woods. By the time they
got there Laura was beginning to feel hot and as they entered the woods
she said, "I'm glad we're out of the sun now, aren't you, Delta?"
Delta stopped and took a deep breath. "Mmmm," she said, "can you smell
that lovely fragrance Laura?"

Laura sniffed and her nose wrinkled. "It's a lovely smell, like pine
and earth," said Laura.
The wood was full of tall pine and old oak trees. The pine needles
made a lovely thick carpet beneath Delta's feet, leaving the air with a
soft scent of pine.
At the point the friends had now reached the trail went three ways,
one left, one right, and the other, which had pine trees on both sides,
went straight in front of them. "Which way shall we go?" asked Delta.
"It's your turn to choose".
"Let's go up the middle path, it goes to the pond and we can have our
picnic when we get there", said Laura, with enthusiasm.
Delta set off along the trail. As they got deeper into the woods the
sunlight fell in patches all over the ground and the smell of pine
became stronger. Laura looked around, noticing all the new trees
growing in the woods. Some of them were straight and the sun was
shining on them.
She noticed that the little trees that grew in the shade were much
smaller and did not grow straight. Laura wondered whether the little
animals that lived in them would mind the branches being crooked when
they got bigger.
There were still a small number of puddles lying on the ground from
the last rainfall, a few days before. Delta was walking along humming
her favourite tune when Laura suddenly realised that she was avoiding
all the puddles! "Why aren't you walking in the puddles Delta," said
Laura, "it's so hot it might help to keep your feet cool!"

Delta stopped humming and turned her head so that she could see Laura
out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, I never step in puddles Laura,
they're nearly always someone's home and I would hate it if my home was
damaged wouldn't you?".
Laura thought for a minute and then she said, "I hadn't thought about
that Delta, but you're right I suppose there could be water insects in
there".
They continued on their way along the trail. Delta was humming again
and Laura was watching the sunlight forming pretty patterns on the
floor of the woods where it shone through the branches of the
trees.
Suddenly Delta tossed her head in the air and snorted. Laura heard a
tiny tinkling voice. "I'm sorry," it said. "I wasn't looking where I
was going." As she looked towards the sound, she saw, sitting on a
blade of grass, the most beautiful butterfly she had ever seen.
The little butterfly had wings of the brightest blue, green and
yellow. "Well it's a jolly good job I wasn't a tree then", laughed
Delta, "What's your name? Do you often fly into things?"
"No," said the butterfly, "I hardly ever bump into things but today I
was watching my husband flying through the tops of the trees and I
didn't hear you because of the pine needles!"

By the way my name is Flylow. "That's a very unusual name, why
Flylow?" asked Laura.
"Well," said Flylow in a very quiet voice. "It's a bit embarrassing,
but when my Mum and Dad tried to teach me to fly high up in the trees I
got very dizzy so I had to fly low to the ground. That's how I got my
name.!!"
Delta and Laura laughed so much that they nearly cried. Delta said
"What is your husband's name we would love to meet him".
"O. K," said Flylow with a smile "but you'll find his name nearly as
funny as mine.....his name is Flyhigh, you see, if he flies too close
to the ground he bumps into EVERYTHING!"
"Well," said Delta. "I've heard some funny names but I think those are
the best I have EVER heard. Laura and I are going to have a picnic by
the pond at the top of this trail, would you both like to come and have
some food with us?"
"Thank you," said Flylow as she called Flyhigh who was watching from a
long way above them. "We'd love to, we have been flying for a long time
this morning and I am beginning to get a bit tired."
"Hop aboard," invited Delta, "we will soon be there." Flyhigh and
Flylow fluttered onto Delta's back and settled on either side of Laura
and they walked on until they reached the place where they had decided
to have their picnic.

The four friends sat on the ground and shared their picnic and talked
about all sorts of things that they had been doing. Delta told Flyhigh
and Flylow all about the farm and Don and Jane and their baby
Anna.
Laura talked about all her animal friends and her other sister Ellie,
who worked in a town, a long way away. "Something to do with Computers
and chips", said Laura, with pride.
Flyhigh and Flylow told them both all about the forest that they lived
in, not very far away.
Laura looked at her watch telling Delta the time. Delta told Flyhigh
and Flylow that they must start to go back to the farm or they would be
late for their tea. The four friends said goodbye, promising to meet
again soon. Laura and Delta set off along the trail.
The sun was not as bright now and the shadows in the woods were much
darker. The friends walked along faster than they had on their way to
the pond. As they walked the friends talked about the new friends they
had met.
Suddenly Laura heard a very faint, rather sad sound. "Can you hear
someone crying Delta?" she asked. Delta stood still and listened.
"Yes I can," she answered." But where is it coming from?" They both
stood still and listened very carefully "I think it is this way," said
Delta trotting off down a narrow path.
As they followed the path, the crying got louder, and after a few
minutes they found a little squirrel sitting on a very untidy pile of
sticks.

"Hello," said Laura, "what's the matter, why are you crying?" The
squirrel looked up and blew his nose for about the tenth time.
"Hello," he sniffed, "I'm crying because this pile of sticks that I am
sitting on is my house, it used to belong to me and my brother, but it
fell down this morning!!"
"Oh dear," said Delta with concern, "where is your brother now. Is he
all right?"
"Yes, he is fine," said the little squirrel. "He has gone to look
somewhere for us to sleep tonight. We have been trying to put our house
up all day, now night is coming and we have nowhere to go."
Laura jumped down off Delta's back and sat down beside the little
squirrel, who had great big tears dripping from the end of his nose.
"Here you are," said Laura. "Have this clean hanky of mine, please will
you tell me your name? I'm sure there must be something we can do to
help.
The little squirrel blew his nose again and looked at Laura "Well." he
said. "My name is Frederick and my brother's name is Arthur. He's
trying to find somewhere for us to sleep tonight and I am looking after
all our belongings".
Laura nodded as Frederick continued "I really don't think that we'll
be able to do ANYTHING with this pile of sticks. You see, they're all
broken."

Delta and Laura looked at each other, both having the same thought.
"Don't worry" said Delta "I am sure that we have the answer to all of
your problems. You see, on the Common in Three Saints there is a lovely
old oak tree that used to belong to some squirrel friends of ours. They
had to move away last month and so it is empty, I'm sure that it would
be just right for you and your brother. It has the most wonderful nut
cellar in the roots!!"
At that moment there was a soft thump as Arthur landed on the ground
beside Frederick. "Who are these people Fred," he asked. Frederick
introduced Laura and Delta to Arthur and told him all about their
idea.
Arthur thought about it for a bit and then said, "well, it sounds like
a lovely idea to us but there is only one problem".
"What's that?" asked Laura.
"All our belongings" said Frederick and Arthur together "How can we
get them there?"
"Oh that's no problem" laughed the friends. "We'll put your things in
the picnic basket and carry them on Delta's saddle". The four collected
up all the belongings and set off for the Common.
Frederick and Arthur where very happy with their new home, "This has a
much nicer view than our last house, Art," said Frederick. "When we are
settled in, can we have a party?"
At that moment two ducks came waddling across the common. The first
had the most beautiful green feathers on his head and neck. His body
was flecked brown and cream and on his wings he had a blue
stripe.

He was very handsome. He was closely followed by his wife. She was
very slim with lovely brown and cream feathers. Their names where Drake
and Webby.
"Hello," said Drake. "Are you going to be our new neighbours?" "We
live on the pond just over there" stated Webby with pride.
"Hello" greeted Frederick and Arthur together "Yes, we're moving into
this enormous oak tree, you see, our old house fell down."
Frederick and Arthur spent a few minutes talking to Drake and Webby
and then decided to start unpacking. Drake and Webby, Delta and Laura
all stayed and helped for a little while. Soon it was time for Laura
and Delta to go home.
"Tomorrow, when you have put all your things where you want them to be
you must both come up to the farm and meet all our other friends,"
invited Delta and Laura.
After agreeing to do that, they both said 'Goodnight' and went home to
have their tea.