I felt better when we talked about our stories, our books and our lives as compared to the political stuff that I feel helpless to influence.
Amazon limits the portions of stories that I can post on this message board. I cannot post the whole story as I used to do. But, that is ok.
I start today with what I can post without infringing on my Amazon agreement. I will start with the first story. I hope you like it.
Copyright Betty Fasig 2004
Published by Betty Fasig
Old Agnes
Wooffer had gone out early to visit the frogs in the ditch, but it was very hot and very humid and the frogs did not come out. He found a yellow lizard with a little top notch and chased it for a while, but it, too, went for shade and hid. The thing Wooffer does the best is rely on his nose when looking for excitement. He decided to go through the broom weeds, and all of a sudden he felt a quiver from nose to tail! His eyes began to shine and he became very intent. It was a smell he had nosed out once before in his life and now here it was again — an earthy, musky, salty smell.
He followed it first this way and then that. Then back over the first way and then again over the other until he raised his nose into the air and he KNEW which way to take! It was a winding trail to a little hole with a grass roof. He began to bark and jump around — that is the way dogs ask if anyone is at home. He had hoped that the mouse would throw caution to the wind and RUN, RUN, RUN! (Wooffer loves the chase.)
But that is not what happened.
He had come upon Old Agnes, Mother of Thousands.
She came to the door of her grass covered house and glared out. Wooffer saw her right away. He leaped forward and then leaped back and gave her his best growl and bark.
Agnes spit and snarled, “BEGONE you uncouth heathen! CHILDREN! Run for your lives!”
Wooffer was taken aback. He meant no harm. He saw the little mice scurry to nearby grass thickets.
Wooffer had to give this some thought. He went and lay in the cool earth by his Mom and considered. He was deep in thought and almost didn’t hear the tiny sound behind the bulrushes. In a wee little voice he heard, “You want to chase?” Wooffer’s tail and ears went straight up. Wooffer smelled the small mouse that was sitting on the edge of a pot before he saw him. The small mouse continued, “You have to promise not to hurt me or my family.”
Wooffer promised. “And,” the small mouse said, “you have to give me five seconds head start.”
Wooffer was standing with his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out just a little. He said, “It’s a deal.” The little mouse looked at Wooffer and had a second thought. He stared Wooffer right in the eye for about a second, and then he took off running!
Wooffer waited. It seemed an eternity. He counted to twenty. Then, he ran as fast as he could, keeping his nose to the ground. He tracked the little mouse to a clump of grass and sniffed him all over. The little mouse was terrified as first. Then he saw the smile on Wooffer’s face and knew he was safe. Now, Wooffer had a friend and the little mouse went home to his mom, Old Agnes, Mother of Thousands.
It rained all the next day. It had come down in buckets. Wooffer had been sleeping on the couch all day and was just plain bored! He wished the rain would stop. He could hear the wind howling through the trees and knew it was a bad storm. It raged on all night while he cuddled up next to his mom and slept a fitful sleep. He dreamed strange dreams of giant lizards and great green frogs. They were chasing him … chasing him … chasing him ….
When morning came at last, he was so happy to see the sun shining through the windows he did a double flip, raced over the top of the couch, through the kitchen, where he slid around the corners, back through the living room and once more around the kitchen before he stopped. He wanted to go OUT! His mom opened the door and he leaped all the steps and landed on the wet grass.
Everything was still very wet with the rain. There were big puddles to splash through and, before long, he was wet to the skin. He was feeling very good!
Wooffer decided to go visit the frogs first, and off he went as fast as he could.
I forgot to post the link to read the rest of the story.
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Agnes-Tales-Wooffers-Woods-ebook/dp/B006OAVH3E/ref=sr_1_9?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1392486639&sr=1-9&keywords=Betty+Fasig