The Scarecrow Who Cared

The Scarecrow Who Cared

By Paul McCann

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 .

It  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 .

The End