The Motorway Protest 1/7

"Good heavens! They're going to build a motorway right behind our house." Dad handed the local paper to his wife

"It's not really behind the house, dear," said Mother, "the route goes through the middle of the wood at the end of the garden."

"Well, that's near enough," replied Dad. "I think we'll have to have a word with the neighbours and start a protest group."

For the next few days, Jennifer Jane helped her parents to make placards saying things like

┌────────────────────┐
│ MOTOR WAY - NO WAY │
└─────────┬──────────┘

and

┌───────────────────────────┐
│ KEEP THE GREEN BELT GREEN │
└────────────┬──────────────┘

At the weekend, the whole family and all their neighbours went into the village. They walked backwards and forwards across a zebra crossing, waving their placards and shouting slogans.

A policeman had to come and stop them, because all the traffic had come to a halt. Then everybody marched along the road to the Council Offices and stood outside shouting, until one of the councillors came out and promised that there would be an enquiry to hear their complaints.

Jennifer Jane thought it was all very exciting. She had to stay at home to do her homework the night that the meeting was held but when her parents came home, she could tell that things had gone wrong.

"Well, that's that," said Dad grumpily, "the Council took no notice of our protest. They say that the road has to be built and that the shortest and cheapest way is through the wood.

Jennifer Jane was horrified. She had been so sure that all the grown-ups would have been able to change the route at the very least.

'I must go and see the goblins and the giant as soon as possible and tell them what's going to happen,' she thought.

"Make the most of it, Jennifer Jane," said her Dad, as she ran towards the wood, "in a couple of months time there won't be any woods left to play in."

Jennifer Jane hurried along to the goblin village. The goblins were all standing in the open space by their tree-homes.

"Thank goodness you've come," said Mr Kernell as soon as he saw her, "the humans are going to build a road right through our village."

All the goblins crowded round Jennifer Jane.

"Have you got a good idea to make the road go away?" they asked.

"How ever did you know so soon?" asked Jennifer Jane.

"They've already started on the other side of the wood and they're pointing this way," said Mr Kernell. "Come and see."

Jennifer Jane walked with them right through to the other side of the wood. Looking out from the last of the trees, she saw a wide strip of earth going into the distance. The end nearest to the wood was only a quarter of a mile away. It was very muddy and there were lots of noisy machines painted bright yellow, tearing up the grass and pushing bushes and trees to one side.

After thinking for a little while, she had an idea.

"If I can ask the Clerk of the Weather to make it rain a lot here, it'll soon be so muddy that the machines won't be able to work and then they'll have to go away."

The goblins all agreed this was a good idea and they went back to their village feeling a lot happier.

The Clerk of the Weather was very helpful and it started to rain heavily just at the edge of the wood.

"Strange weather they're having on the motorway works," said Dad. "I see the local paper says the work has slowed down because of local rainstorms."

'Oh dear,' thought Jennifer Jane, 'that idea wasn't very good. I'll have to think of another way to make sure the work is stopped completely.'

Sure enough, it wasn't too long before another idea came into her head. Off to the wood she went and this time she called on the giant. Fortunately he saw her coming, so she was able to speak to him without having to shout to try and attract his attention.

"I've had an idea to stop the motorway coming through the wood but it depends on the help of a very strong person."

"You'll not find a stronger one than me round here," said the giant, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Do you think you could lift up all the machinery and throw it into the old gravel pit?"

"Now that's a good idea," replied the giant, "of course I can and that old machinery will be good for nowt after it's thrown in the pit. That'll stop them for good an' all. Just wait until a nice dark night and I'll do it. You run off home now and don't fret; there'll be no road through these woods."