The Scarecrow Who Cared

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The little path that wound around Wolfhill was loved by all the
people in Strawberry Village . In the spring it was the custom for the
unmarried ladies to collect some wild flowers and present them to a
bachelor of their choice .

One of the prettiest girls in Strawberry Village was Serena who only
picked wild flowers for Scram . There were many lonely hearts in the
village just wishing for a bunch of flowers from Serena but each year
the story was the same Serena's flowers were placed in the hat of Scram
the scarecrow .
Serena was the only child of Mr and Mrs Robinson who were renowned for
making the best Strawberry Jam in all the land and their daughter
devoted most of her time to weeding and cultivating the strawberry crop
.
Serena worked hard every day and loved to whisper her thoughts to Scram
who stood in the field that was directly in front of her bedroom window
. Serena shared some of her wildest dreams with Scram and often sang
the little songs she made up to him . She had known Scram most of her
life and each year since decorated him with a set of new clothes and
pretty wild flowers in his hat . This spring was like no other . It was
magic for one reason only and that was because Scram came to life .
Because of all the time and love Serena had gave to Scram over the
years it had an effect over him .
Something special began to happen . At first Scram began to heard and
then he could see and last but not least he began to move .
It was only at night when the world slept that Scram really came to
life .
He sang the tunes Serena had sung ti him and he danced in the field
until the dawn . When the sun rose Scram stood still in the field where
his post was and watched over the Strawberries . Scram had many friends
who visited him in the field . One of Scram best friends was Witty the
wise old white owl from Barneys Barn . Witty often perched on his
shoulders at night and kept him informed of all the news from the barn
. Sometimes Witty put puzzles in Scrams that were meant to tease him
and quiz his extraordinary mind .
Witty was amazed at how clever Scram was .
Scram of course never let on that during the day when Twitty was asleep
Gypsy the chicken who were out scratching or the Des the duck who would
be out waddling or Pogo the pig who would be poking around or Caddie
the cow who would often be mooing around or even Barbara the sheep or
Dwarfie the rabbit or Chirper the grasshopper or furry the mouse or
even Mable the mouse would come to tell him the answers . Someone
always knew the answer and no one liked to see Scram stuck because
Serena and Scram were best friends . Everyone loved Serena .That is
everyone except for the Warty Greenskin the wicked witch who lived in
her den at the top of Wolfhill .
Warty hated Serena because of her beauty and her popularity with
everyone .
She wanted Serena to suffer and planned an end to her happiness once
and for all . Warty had an evil plan brewing and as soon as spring was
over and autumn came calling she would put her plan into action .

It was Halloween night when Warty flew off on her broomstick to capture
Serena . The wicked witch was going to make everyone pay .
Scram watched as Warty burst through Serena's bedroom the window and
heard her wicked laugh as she woke Serena .
"Ha Ha . You're not so pretty when you're frightened little one are you
Ha Ha Now you're coming with me ."
Wartys envy and want for the beauty and popularity of another had made
her so twisted that she was blind to everything around her .
As she snatched Serena from her bed in a fury she never noticed Scram
who was following close behind . As Warty flew back to her hut at the
top of Wolfhill Scram made his way along the path and hid behind a bush
as Warty landed on her broomstick . She tied Serena's hands behind her
back and took her down secret steps inside the old water well at the
top of Wolfhill .
Scram could hear the echo from the bottom the well .
"No one will ever see your beauty again , Ha Ha
Warty returned from the dungeon of the dry well and looked around as
she haggled and gaggled . The she wriggled and giggled and hagged and
nagged all the way back to her den .
Scram was very angry but he knew he had to keep calm and think what was
the best action to take to rescue Serena and put an end to Warty and
her evil deeds once and for all .

Scram made his way to the wooden hut and went over to the window
.
Pushing away the cobwebs Scram peered through the dirty cracked window
.
Inside the hut Warty croaked a song as she poked the hot coals in her
fireplace. Her pet spiders hung from the ceiling and green lizards lay
around the dusty floor like slippers crawling out for a foot. Carved
out faces on hollowed out Pumpkin's sat on tables with candles burning
inside .
Weird shadows danced on the walls like a crazy mixed up army looking
for a war on Halloween night . Outside Scram moved away from the window
and felt some of the straw fall out from his arms and legs .
He slowly made his way to the well and as the full moon shone down
Scram began to feel saggy . His trousers became baggy and his sadness
grew . More and more straw fell out from his clothes . The anger he had
felt had now turned into sadness and the sadder he got the more straw
he lost .
The more straw he lost the weaker he became .
Finally Scram fell in a ball on the ground and lay there .
Suddenly Scram heard a familiar sound ,
"Come on Scram . Don't fear because Witty is here. "
Scram jumped to his feet .
"Please help . Serena is a prisoner in the well. "
" Tell me what to do Scram ."
" Wake up everyone in Barneys barn and bring all the farmyard animals
up
here right away . Tell them Scram and Serena are in trouble ."
While Witty was away Scram though hard and put a plan together .

One by one up the road around Wolfhill came the farmyard animals
.
When everyone arrived at the top of Wolfhill they gathered around Scram
and listened as he told them the story of how Serena was kidnapped and
put into the well . Even though all the animals feared the wicked witch
Scram gave them the courage to fight . So on this cold Halloween night
standing under a full moon Scram told them his plan of attack and what
each one had to do .
Outside the witches hut all the animals took up their positions .
Digging creatures first began to dig the deep hols and as all the
rabbits and moles dug the some of the forest creatures who had heard
the news came to help . Ducks and chickens stood along side foxes and
cats with beaks and teeth sharpened for the battle ahead . . Perched up
in the trees were birds with large stones in their claws and would drop
them like bombs at Scrams command on Warty's head . The trap was almost
laid as Farmer Fagan's black bull stood at the ready with his horns
gleaming in the light of the moon .
The small army were ready .
Scram knocked the door and said ,
"Oh I just wanted to say goodbye to you . Its me Serena and I've got to
go home now . It was nice to meet you hag face "
Warty came rushing out of her hut and screamed . Its was all over in a
matter of seconds she hadn't time to cast a single spell .
Scram ran towards to well with Warty close behind . On Scrams order it
all began . Suddenly the witch's head was bombarded with stones from
the tress above and as she screeched in pain she was attacked by the
ground force .
Every beak that pecked and every tooth that bit sent Warty running for
cover. Then Fagan's Bull emerged from behind the well and with its head
down and its horns showing charged at the wicked witch . Warty was sent
spinning head first up in the air and then slam dunk, down she went
into the deep hole .
The witch was buried under a hail of stones and soil and sticks and
trees.
After a few moments the screams of the wicked witch was heard no more
.
Scram and his army went down the secret steps of the well and set free
Serena who was fast asleep . Scram carried Serena all the way down the
road back to her home and set her back in her bed .
When Serena awoke the next morning she though it had just been a bad
dream . After breakfast she went out to the field and was shocked at
the state Scram was in . It took her all that day to stuff his arms and
legs with new straw . During the time she was working with Scram she
told him all about her dream the night before . When she had finished
she told him how happy he now looked with his new straw . With work to
be done in the Strawberry field Serena walked away and as she did she
never saw Scram smile and wave goodbye . She was too far off now to
hear Scram sing the song about the scarecrow who loved the Princess Of
Strawberry Fields .

By Paul McCann

The End