Hello and Happy Boxing Day all you wonderful Hivers.
Do you believe in Witches and Wizards?
For me, I know some people possess certain powers and in times gone by, it saw them getting persecuted for being a witch or wizard. People get scared of what they don't understand, don't they? However some were revered and we are on the trail of one such revered Wizard today.
Yes we are going on a walk in my favourite Enchanted Park - the witches trail in Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy, The Kingdom of Fife in Scotland to be exact!
As I approached the Wizards Walk starting point I noticed that it was a wee bit overgrown, perhaps they don't want us going any further!
Well I for one, have never shirked a challenge, so I brushed the brambles aside and started walking.
The Wizard in question actually is a real person albeit from the late 1200s called Sir Michael Scott. His achievements are actually fascinating, he was one of the world's first renowned astrologers and he studied in Spain and Italy, he helped the Pope and he accomplished all sorts of other things.
About five minutes into the walk, the path split into two and I decided to take the high path, which meant walking up a steep incline. The path did level out after ten minutes of walking and I stopped when I saw a big tree which had fallen across the path. It seemed alive still and was growing new branches and leaves.
It was a very strange looking tree growing from the side of the hill at an odd angle.
I went up to it and took a closer look, marveling at how it seemed to have been thrown from the ground.
I leaned down and started to pat the tree trunk and the leaves started to rustle. How odd I thought, it was a beautiful winter's day and there was no wind, which was quite unusual for Scotland at this time of the year. Almost immediately, the leaves started to rustle and I heard this low pitched murmur.
"Heyyyy, get off me, how would you like it if I started rubbing you" said a voice from somewhere.
Of course, I spun round and searched for someone who could have said those words, but didn't see anyone, just this strange looking tree and many other trees and bushes.
"Yes you, I am talking to you!" said the voice again.
I was getting fed up with this nonsense, and so I replied "Stop hiding and show yourself!".
"Open your eyes, you silly person!" said the voice. The leaves were rustling again and now the branches were shaking. I swear the ground was even trembling now.
"It is I, Lush!" roared the voice, and this time the ground did shake.
Here we go again, if it is not talking animals, it is now talking trees I thought to myself.
"Well, I am very pleased to meet you Lush! I am Eddie, and I am on the trail of a Wizard. Have you always been a tree?" I replied to the tree named Lush.
"No, many centuries ago I was a local blacksmith. But business was so bad that I couldn't feed my family, so I started making weapons, and then that wizard Michael Bloody Scott found out that my weapons were being used for war. So he tried to harm me. I was clever though and ran away. I almost escaped, but as I was jumping across this path, he caught me. He used his magic and froze me. He then gave me a choice, either become a tree or become a stone statue. Well, I am not stupid, I wanted to live, so I said a tree. That is what he did, he turned me into a tree exactly the way I was running." replied Lush in a low sad voice.
"I see, well at least you are alive Lush, but I must be on my way, I am trying to find your wizard called Michael Scott." I replied.
"Don't be so silly, he is a dangerous wizard, he has gone mad in the head. Look what he did to TandPuff!" exclaimed a visibly upset Lush. "Turn back and go home I implore you."
"TandPuff who is that?" I asked Lush
"He was said to be a dragon that spat purple fire!" said Lush.
"Okay, well I am going Lush, perhaps TandPuff knows where to find Michael Scott, I will catch you another day" I said and walked under Lush and on along the path.
Now I was on a hunt for TandPuff.
I kept on walking and just saw trees, trees and more trees. In my head I kept thinking about TandPuff, was it really a dragon, here in Scotland. Nah that is rubbish, we don't have dragons do we? Well, we have talking ducks and squirrels and now talking trees so why not a dragon. This is just getting ridiculous. So as I was walking I opened up Google and did a search for TandPuff.
Surprise, surprise the was nothing. Computer says no. No mention of TandPuff, although I saw there was an ogre named Tand that is known for spitting fire that is purple. Perhaps they are related? That would be cool. Oh wake up I said to my self, before you fall down the side of the path.
Suddenly I caught movement in the side of my eye, all I could see were twigs, leaves and a common puffball.
"Halt who goes there?" came a voice from the ground.
"It is I, Eddie Wildlife on the trail of wizard Michael Scott" I replied.
The puffball seemed to turn red, before a puff of smoke erupted from the hole on it's top.
"Don't go near him Eddie, he is evil. My name is TandPuff and I was the most feared dragon in the land, until that evil Wizard Michael Scott turned me into a perpetual puffball. I am doomed to eternity to grow then wither and die then grow wither and die for ever and ever" replied a despondent TandPuff the Puffball.
"I can't believe he would do that to you TandPuff, surely there was a reason?" I asked innocently.
"Ach there was no reason at all. I mean you tell me is this a reason. We were all there having our annual barbeque in the woods, and of course, I did all the cooking, you know I am a good cook, I just pop open my mouth and blow out a wee flame, the longer the blow the hotter it is and that is the temperature control." said TandPuff.
"No that doesn't sound like a reason to me to turn you into a puffball" I answered.
"Oh silly, I am not finished yet. Well, we were having a grand old time, lots of music and dancing, laughing and of course eating. Then his wee nephew asked me to cook him some pig quickly. I said, sure son. Now I had had a few glasses of wine by then, so my aim was a wee bit off. The next thing I knew I stumbled and sent my flame to cook the pig, but I was a wee bit off, and instead of cooking the pig, I cooked Michael's pet COWFrogs. He was hopping mad and turned me into a puffball and cursed me to live for eternity like this. So I ask you was that a reason, just coz I cooked his wee COWfrogs." said TandPuff.
"Well, that was a stupid thing to do. What is a COWfrog, I have never heard of them?" I asked TandPuff.
"Ah well son, you probably haven't heard of them, they are the exotic cousin of the Bullfrogs, they were black with pretty wee white spots. But I cooked the last ones, so they are no more on this planet." answered TandPuff.
To which I replied "How careless of you, and yes you deserve to be a common puffball for that".
I had enough of feeling sorry for TandPuff and couldn't get the image out of my head of these cute wee black COWfrogs with white spots being roasted alive.
I had already spent an eventful 42 minutes on the trail of the wizard surely he was close by. I mean it is not a big Park, but then again going underneath Lush did feel like it was going through a porthole. Where on earth was I? Well wait a minute, is this even earth, perhaps this is some far far away place...
No, No, No enough with this nonsense I told myself, I am in a little park in the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. Have no fear, and keep walking, you have a date, a date with a wizard I muttered as I walked past this strange site.
What on earth! Suddenly a hole opened up in the forest foilage and here was a golf course in the middle of the wooded trail I was walking along. Now I felt like I was really dreaming. Onwards I walked, taking a drink of water, making sure I wasn't hallucinating, the sun does tricks to your brain I thought. But I was deep in the woods in the shade, there was no sun.
Then I stopped and smiled, I saw a familiar face!!!
"SAMMYYYY!!! My long lost friend"
"Eddie, you made it" shouted Sammy in his high pitched squeal (I mean how else would a squirrel sound!).
"Sammy my bro, how are you? And how did you know I was coming?" I asked Sammy the squirrel.
"Oh you are as crazy as ever" laughed Sammy "The wizard knows all in his kingdom, he has been watching your every step."
"Oh really, so where is this wizard then? Why didn't he come to meet me?" I was sounding impatient now.
"Oh behave yourself Eddie, I am to take you to Sir Michael, he doesn't feel too well today otherwise he would have come himself" replied Sammy
"Now follow me, it is only a five-minute walk from here" he told me.
Sure enough, after five minutes of gossiping about the animals in the park, we came to a stop.
"We are here" exclaimed Sammy.
Well I didn't see Sir Michael Scott, but I did see something in the distance.
Sammy said "Come on the wizard is waiting"
So we went a little further and then stopped in front of what I had seen in the distance.
It was a Wizard. A wizard called Sir Michael Scott.
I said to Sammy "It is a wooden statue"
Sammy looked at me and screeched "Eddie, talk softly, Sir Michael is having a rest, he had his COVID booster vaccination today, so he needs his rest, and when he sleeps he turns himself into a wooden statue so people don't disturb him."
Sammy continued "Before he had his jab, he told me to tell you to come back tomorrow, to hear the real story about TandPuff, Lush, and all the others that you haven't seen yet!"
"Okay Sammy, I am tired and need a coffee and a siesta anyway" I said.
"One final thing Eddie!" commented Sammy.
"Go back with me and I will show you the portal back out of the Enchanted Park to your home, follow me" insisted Sammy.
We went down the trail and through the portal and here I am writing this entry for the WE81 challenge from @galenkp My Day with Nature
Let's wish The wizard a healthy recovery after his covid booster vaccination!
THE WEEKEND community. this weeks competition is WE81 post topics: Design and create This entry is for Option 5 My day with natureThis is my entry for the weekly competition by @galenkp in
I am not very creative, but I do love nature and love to tell a story, so here was a day in my local park, where I combined both.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Scotland.
All images and ramblings are from this mad Scotsman unless otherwise stated.
©TengoLoTodo
I can also be found at
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Haste Ye Back!
If every a tale is woven into the fabric of nature, one like this is the most fun to read and enjoy taking you off on an adventure.
Descriptive and a grand story up in the Island of Fife a magical area, the wizard looks grand even when sleeping looking like a statue of stone.
!LUV
(3/10) gave you
@joanstewart
Thank you Joan, nature has so many tales to tell us.
I have written a few stories abput the wizard and the animals around him.
Fife is a pretty place and actually has many people with a surname of Stewart, including my maternal grandmother.
I appreciate you reading my wee tale and Merry Christmas:)
Did visit relatives in the region when visiting in 1978, loved the North-Eastern region, wildness on the coast, some wonderful beaches with lovely gentle areas inland. Also walked St Andrews golf course being there in Autumn no one around at the time.
Living close to woodlands must be fun to draw on the imagination, interwoven with folklore or tales told by Granny Stewart 😌when you were a little.
Good story of grand old wizard, played his part very well in story telling. Happy holidays and stay safe.
Hi @tengolotodo, Thank you for participating in the #teamuk curated tag. We have upvoted your quality content. For more information visit our discord https://discord.gg/8CVx2Am
Awesome story! This was very creative, actually. It's cool to imagine such things, isn't it? I enjoyed the humor in your writing. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, it is fun to be imaginative and look around us. There is creativity in all of us. Merry Christmas Eliza
Couldn't agree more.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Love your tale Tito Ed. Your day in the Wizard's lair and conversation with Sammy was beautifully crafted :)
Aww thank you CJ. Am now starting to get the hang of Hive, I can see why you and Coqui love it so much! Merry Christmas
Awesome! I'm sure you will love it too☺ Happy New Year!
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