From acorn to sapling 4/13

As it turned out, it was fortunate that the witches ran out of one of the flavourings that were used to disguise the nasty taste of their magic medicines.

“Erm knows what to look for, she’ll show you where you can usually find honey at this time of year. You two clear off and bring back as much as you can carry on that flying tin box of yours.”

Ermintrude directed Jennifer Jane to fly towards the fields inland from the village. The ground was flat for half a mile or so and then began to rise gently, before breaking up into hills and valleys.

The villagers farmed the flat part, but when the ground began to rise, the plant life became more natural, turning into rolling grassland where there were grazing sheep and the occasional gorse bush.

This was the area where Ermintrude wanted to land. She took one of Esme’s jars from her pocket and peeled off the lid.

“Now hover ten feet or so from the ground and keep your eyes open to see where the bees are coming from.”

To Jennifer Jane’s surprise, they only had to wait a few minutes before long lines of bees started approaching the jar.

“Whatever’s in it?” she asked.

“One of our specials,” replied Ermintrude, “the bees love it, but when they’ve collected some, they forget where they live for half an hour or so and that gives us time to go and get the honey from the nests. Then the bees fly away when they can remember where their homes are. We only need to do this once a year, so there’s plenty of honey left for the bees.”

Soon great mounds of bees surrounded the jar. Jennifer Jane noted the origins of three nests and the girls were able to collect all the honey they wanted. They packed it into boxes lined with greaseproof paper that Esme had given them.

With the bees out of the way it was a really nice job, while they both enjoyed licking their fingers, which of course had become very sticky getting the honey from the nests.

All too soon they had a full load. Ermintrude said they ought to go back to the shop, but Jennifer Jane suggested that as they were so near the new dam, they should at least go and have a look at it. Erm agreed with a giggle, so they flew off towards the hills, following the dried up riverbed.

When they arrived it was well worth the visit. The lake behind the dam was larger than Jennifer Jane had imagined, while the dam itself was half as tall as a house. It only seemed to be made from earth and sticks, but was surely too large to have been made by beavers.

The scooter flew up to the top of the dam and landed on the hillside at one end of the embankment, just a few feet above the water level. The water was nearly overflowing at the top, and just as Jennifer Jane was beginning to wonder what would happen, a new layer added itself to the top of the wall, growing until it became three feet above the old water level.

“Well that settles one question, it’s definitely magic.”

Ermintrude walked out along the top, then knelt down to have a better look at the way it was built. “Seems firm enough,” she said, “I can’t see this washing away, even if it does get higher.”

She walked back and Jennifer Jane went out a little way to have a look for herself. She jumped up and down a little bit, but as Erm had said it felt very strong.

Then something strange happened. The earth round her feet began to crumble and then soften all along the wall. The earth quickly became muddy and not only was the water just beginning to trickle over the edge, but she was also beginning to sink with it. She tried to get back to the firmer ground where Erm was standing but she was already too deep in the mud to be able to lift her feet.

“Quick, fly the scooter over and pull me up,” she called.

“I can’t,” wailed Ermintrude,” I only know how to fly my broom and I’m not really very good at that!”