Hob Goodfellowe

Dapplegrim was waiting for them, much as they had left him. He looked irritated as he stamped a hoof, snorted and said, “Well you took you time. I was worried.” “Whyever would you be?” said Caewen. Although she made a teasing pretence of her own annoyance, there was an unsuppressed note humour in her voice,…

“I have decided,” said the great elder owl, “after much deliberation, much consideration, much conversation, much rumination–“ “Oh, get it out of you!” snapped the granddaughter. “The sky will freeze, and the oceans will boil, and the rock of the mountains will turn to dust before you’re done.” “Well. Yes. Of course. Haste and nonsense….

One of the other Hobs spoke up. He was a rough-looking sort, dressed in hunting clothes. “Help? How? I do not know what we can do that would not bring unwanted eyes.” “We have little ones to think of,” said another, older woman. She shook her head and muttered. A general murmur of discontent went…

After a span of silence, she asked, “Is it true that the Sorthe nobility ride flying beasts? I was told that at the Wizard’s Moot. But no Sorthemen attended, so I don’t know the truth of it.” “That is true, more or less. They have tamed great flying beasts for their knights: something akin to…

The boy had the distinct feeling that intruders might intend as much harm as they liked: yet, no harm would easily be done to these folk, not here in their nest-house. Only a fool would think otherwise. The elderly Hob blinked at both him and Caewen–ponderously–with his piercing yellow-orange eyes. He then said, after clearing…

The rock scratched and even left a few shallow cuts on his fingers and forearms. At least there were plenty of handholds, and–he was relieved to think–it had not been raining lately. Rough and sharp was painful, but seemed better than slick or slippery. Every two or three minutes worth or climbing there was a…

They followed a sort of twisting path through the valley, though the boy had the distinct feeling that it was not much used–presumably, because few who lived in the hidden village had much need of walking long distances. When the group drew close to the shadows of the first great house-tree, Fleat turned aside and…

They followed carefully–stepping warily–unsure what to expect. As it turned out, when they passed into the light beyond the tunnel, they found a large rift valley opening before them. Blinking dumbly in the light, the boy found himself only able to stare in wonder. Stretching before them was a ravine: long, twisting, narrow and deep….