The fire in four leaf wood

THE FIRE IN FOUR LEAF WOOD
RESUME
Michael Bellerby

In the dry summer heat a fire is the last thing the animals of Four
Leaf wood need, but a careless moment leads to heroics of the bravest
kind.

THE FIRE IN FOUR LEAF WOOD
Michael Bellerby

The story you are about to read is about careless people and brave
animals all of which live and play in Four Leaf wood.

The summer had been long and hot and it seemed to the animals of Four
Leaf wood that is had not rained for such a long time "Do you want to
play hide and seek" asked Runner the rabbit to his uninterested brother
Bertie "No I don't, it's too hot for silly games, and anyway I'm
resting" "Resting! All you ever do is rest," said a rather dejected
Runner "I'm going to play on my own then" said the little rabbit, his
outburst receiving nothing more than an idle shrug from his bigger
brother Bertie.

Runner passed the hollow oak that lay exactly at the centre of Four
Leaf wood and onto the stream at Finkle Bottom. The stream was little
more than a trickle in this long dry summer and it seemed quite easy to
cross something that Runner had never been able to do before he quickly
hopped across and went on deeper into the wood.

The sun beat down from above, the huge leaves on the trees acted like
huge umbrellas blocking out its glare but some how the forest floor
seemed even hotter.

A rustling sound up ahead made Runner stop, just behind a fallen tree
he could just about make out his hedgehog friends Spike and Prickles
and they were being closely watched by their mother. "Hi boys, do you
want to play with me" he asked the prickly pair hopefully "No I'm sorry
they can't Runner, we've found some worms to eat and if we don't eat
them someone else will" said the mother hedgehog struggling with a
rather large worm.

Runner left the hedgehogs and carried on deeper into the wood. He
hadn't gone very far when a loud cracking twig stopped him dead in his
tracks only one animal around here didn't seem to mind how much noise
they made and they were people.
The little rabbit had seen lots of people in the woods this summer some
were having picnics and some were just out walking. Just then he saw
the figures of two children skipping towards him, he kept very still
under a hawthorn bush and kept a close watch on them. "Tracy, John here
will do" a loud voice from behind a tree made the two children turn
around, two grown ups came along the path and laid a blanket on the
ground.

Runner generally stayed out of the way when people were around but this
time his curiosity and his inability to find anyone to play with was
getting the better of him.

The woman was getting food things from a large basket and passing them
around "Here John have a drink" she shouted after the boy who was half
way up a rather large tree. The boy hung on by his arms and dropped
down with ease he then ran over to where his drink was and began to
gulp it down quickly. Suddenly a loud smash made Runner cower even
further under his bush "Oh John", said the mother to a rather sheepish
looking boy the glass he had been drinking from had fallen from his
hand and smashed on to the floor.

"Never mind never mind no real harm done," said the boys father
carefully picking up the broken pieces "Now look
you two I'm putting the pieces over here out of harms way so please
don't play near here will you" the two children nodded and played
elsewhere.

Runner watched a while longer as the family ate and drank from their
picnic basket "Oh John there's a wasp buzzing round" said the woman to
her husband, her arm swinging wildly trying to swot the pesky pest "I
don't like them either" said the man "come on, we'll pack up and find
somewhere else" the rest of the family didn't need telling twice a
hurriedly packed basket and they were gone. Runner didn't mind wasps at
all in fact he didn't seem to mind anything really and the reason he
didn't mind anything was that he had become very very sleepy.

When Runner woke up he thought at first it was getting dark but then
his eyes began to water and he started to cough. Dense smoke was
billowing up from where the picnickers had been; the broken glass had
acted as a magnifying glass on the tinder dry grass.

As Runner quickly made his way back along the path a huge orange glow
illuminated the gloom the fire had well and truly started now. "Fire,
fire" he began to shout as loud as he could because all the animals
were rushing around not really knowing what to do.

As Runner approached the fallen tree three spiky balls blocked his
path, it was Spike, Prickles and their mother curled up tight as
hedgehogs do in threatening situations. "No, no Mrs. Hedgehog it's no
good curling up like a ball, this is a fire, you must all come with me
now" Runners words were strong and clear the three hedgehogs opened up
and followed Runner back along the path.

The crackling of the burning trees seemed to be right behind them, if
Runner panicked now all would be lost. "Hey you lot this way" a
familiar voice had Runner look up in amazement, it was his big brother
Bertie "Oh I am glad to see you Bertie, what shall we do" asked the
frightened little rabbit "If we can get across the stream we can all
take shelter in the hollow oak" came Bertie's reply.

The little group of animals had now been joined by Sammy the squirrel
and his brother Joey they too had been so frightened they had began to
panic that is until they had seen the rabbit brothers helping the
hedgehogs to safety.

Faced with the fire behind them the forth coming stream proved no
obstacle at all one by one all the animals made it safely across "right
head for the oak tree, we'll stand a better chance in there" ordered
Bertie.

The smoke seemed to filling the whole forest but there was also a new
darkness descending above the giant oak tree. "Bertie I want to tell
you somthing" said Runner safely helping the others into the hole in
the side of the tree. "Not now Bertie, get inside and make some room
for me". "But, but" Runner tried spluttering it out again. "move it"
ordered his angry big brother.

The animals cowered inside the mighty oak the smoke was thick and
choking and everybody's eyes were watering, the sound of the burning
forest outside was drowning out all their crying when Runner at last
got out what he wanted to say "Bertie it's raining, I felt it on my
nose as we came in" as the rest of the animals listened in disbelief a
clap of thunder as loud as dynamite rumbled through the skies
above.

The raindrops quickly doubled in size and become more frequent, the
hollow tree acted like a giant drum but the animals inside didn't mind
one bit, they danced around and hugged each other crying with joy.
Outside the skies opened and the rain poured down.

As the last of the flames disappeared under the greatest downpour ever
to fall on Four Leaf wood all the animals gave Runner and Bertie three
cheers, of course they were helped by mother nature of course but cool
calm heroics takes some beating.

Please remember if your visiting the countryside always bring your
rubbish home. You don't know what trouble it might cause.