The Treasure Cave: sea tales of Tiptoes Lightly (5 page)

“Come aboard,
Master Nutcracker,” called June Berry. “Bring in the vittles,” and Farmer John
came down to the beach.

Farmer John
climbed aboard and dished out the vittles. Lucy insisted on having a biscuit as
well. It vanished down his mouth in one gulp.

“Who’s the
captain?” asked Farmer John.

“I am,” said
June Berry. “I’m Captain Berrybug the Pirate, and this here is King Thomas
Nutcracker. The sea stacks over there are his castles: Castle Ragged and Castle
Jagged.”

“Magnificent,”
said Farmer John. “And where’s your treasure chest full of gold and jewels.”

“Inside the Treasure Cave,” said King Thomas. “It’s hidden and secret and only we know about it.”

“Don’t forget
to save me some golden rings,” said Farmer John. “I’m fond of golden rings on
my fingers and toes—and keep a big one for my nose too.” He climbed out of the
boat. “Right-o, me mateys, I’ll see you back at the cottage. Supper’s soon, so
don’t be late.”

“But we don’t
have a watch,” said June Berry.

Farmer John
looked at the shadow of the mast on the beach and made a mark.

“When the
shadow hits this line it’s time for sailor pirates and kings to come in,” he
said, and headed back up the cliff with Lucy trailing behind.

How
Kradak changed the Trees

After supper
the family sat by the fire. The living room had two large windows looking out
to sea, a worn wooden floor with old rugs scattered about, and paintings the
family and children had made hung on the walls. The best spot on cool autumn
evenings was around the fireplace. Stuffed armchairs sat on either side and a
sofa covered with blankets and cushions was in the middle. The fireplace was
large and open, with a wooden mantelpiece. Beside it sat the box for firewood.

“Where’s
Tiptoes?” asked Farmer John. He was sitting on the sofa.

“I don’t
know,” said June Berry. “I haven’t seen her for hours.”

“Here I am,”
said Tiptoes from the mantelpiece. She often turned up when people talked about
her. She flitted down and sat on the armchair next to June Berry. “Are you
ready for the tale to continue?” she asked. “Tom wanted to know about the fire
fairies that dance in the flames.”

Tom nodded and
June Berry tucked her legs underneath her and propped her head on her hand. She
was tired from all the fresh air and exercise.

“Once,” began
Tiptoes, “the world was full of giant trees.”

That was as
far as she got when Farmer John’s head fell forward. He’d fallen asleep again.

“That’s
funny,” laughed Tom. “He falls asleep in a flash. Perhaps it’s the only way he
can hear your story.”

“Maybe, but
he’s had a busy day too,” said Tiptoes. “He needs a rest from being a farmer.
This is the only holiday he gets in the year.”

Tom put a
blanket on his dad and Tiptoes began the story again.

“Once, the
world was full of trees. They were giant, mighty trees, for they were the
children of Kalor and Vallor and Vive. The clouds sent down rain upon them and
the trees drew the water out of the ground and gave it back to the clouds. In
those days, clouds and trees were brother and sister, even as they are today.

And in those
days Asherah the Earth Mother still walked upon the earth. She was young and
beautiful and loved the trees. Often and often she turned to the sun and
thanked Kalor and Vallor and Sister Vive for their gift:

‘O
shining Ones,

O
you, who cloth the radiant sun,

Who
give us trees from wellsprings springing,

I
give you thanks

For
gifts of joy and beauty giving!’

But under the
ground Kradak was jealous. He wanted Asherah to love only him and his creation.
He made the rocks and boulders and the heavy weight that binds the earth
together. Finally his jealousy turned to rage. He rumbled under the earth and
shook the ground. He ground the rocks, and rocked the lands, and the lands sent
dust into the air. Then the clouds filled with the dust and turned black or
brown or rusty red. The clouds rained: black rain, brown rain, rusty rain, and
the rains showered down upon the earth and trees. The mighty trees took the
black water, the brown water, and earth-red water into their trunks. They
lifted it into their mighty limbs, and into their branches and twigs. All the
trees turned black or brown or earthy red. And they shrank; the mighty trees
shrank under the heavy weight they carried.

Kradak was
happy. He danced about and shook the earth and sent volcanoes bursting into the
sky. But Asherah was not pleased.

‘Kradak,’ she
cried in a terrible voice. ‘Stop! Cease! No more!’ and she stamped her foot on
the ground.

Instantly
Kradak felt her foot upon his head. It drove him deep into the rocks and
boulders. He groaned and shook. He gnashed his teeth. He tore his hair and
roared.

‘Kradak!’
cried Asherah again. ‘Be still!’ and she pounded the earth with her foot once
more.

Kradak
shuddered under her blow and fell silent. Even today he keeps quiet and does
not make much fuss—though now and then he coughs from a tickle in this throat,
and that’s when we have earthquakes. And if he has a cold and blows his nose,
then a volcano explodes and sprouts smoke and ash.”

Tiptoes
stopped telling the story and looked at the clock on the mantle. It was getting
late.

Suddenly
Farmer John’s head jerked up. He looked around wildly and leaped from the
couch.

“I felt an
earthquake,” he cried. “The whole house shook!”

“No, Dad,”
laughed Tom. “You were dreaming the story again.”

“I was?” said
Farmer John, sitting down.

Tom and June
nodded. They were grinning. Their dad sat for a while, trying to wake up.
“Goodness, look at the time,” he said. “You guys have to brush your teeth and
get to bed.”

Tom was halfway
to the bathroom when he stopped, threw up his hands, and cried: “And Tiptoes
still hasn’t told us about the fire fairies.”

The
Lighthouse

Tiptoes sat on
the children’s bunk bed. Tom was sleeping above and June Berry below. Tiptoes
had sung a song to help June Berry sleep.

“Go
to sleep,

count
your sheep,

the
wind will pass you by—

your
angel’s here

to
hold you dear

until the morning’s nigh.”

She sang it
over and over again until June Berry closed her eyes and slept. Then Tiptoes
sat a while and listened to the sea. The cottage was so close to the ocean that
the sound of the waves filled the rooms day and night: ‘shush-shush …
shush-shush’, they said, now louder, now softer.

Tiptoes flew
to the window. The curtain was drawn and the moon, now fuller, crept in and out
of the blowing mist. Tiptoes left the cottage and followed the mist as it
rolled towards the hills. Up the slopes she went to the first ridge. The
mountains were not high here, more like rounded hills. She followed the ridge
northwards, up and down, up and down, as the sea drew closer and closer. Below
her was the wide bay beyond the seals’ rest. Further on, the hills jutted into
the sea and steep cliffs fell into the churning waves. Out on the ocean the
lighthouse shone its light round and round from its rocky island.

Tiptoes faced
into the wind and flew towards the sea. Out over the waves she soared until she
was above the lighthouse. The tide was up and the surf surged around the rocky
island in a ring of white. On the landward side, in the lee of the wind, was a
small channel with a boat tied to a dock. Someone lived in the lighthouse.

Down Tiptoes
flew. She saw a door, but it was closed. She saw a window, two windows, three,
four, one over the other, but they were dark and lightless. Only the light in
the top of the tower turned and turned and turned. At last Tiptoes headed
homeward—over the waves, along the shore, above the sea meadow and into the
cottage to fall sleep.

~
Monday ~

The
Squall and the Passage

Tom Nutcracker
and June Berry were up early. They made themselves peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches for breakfast. Afterwards, they chose a piece of white cotton from
the rag bag, cut it into a flag shape and drew two crossed swords with a crown
above. Then they woke their dad.

“Dad, wake
up,” said June Berry, shaking his shoulder.

Lucy jumped
onto the bed and licked his face.

“Mnomblemoopt,”
said Farmer John, pushing Lucy away and sitting up. His hair was scraggly and
he looked like a wild man. “What is it?” he asked.

“We’re going
to the beach,” said Tom.

Farmer John
blinked. His eyes were half closed and sleepy. “What’s the weather like?” he
said. It sounded like ‘Mutts de heaver ike’.

June Berry
opened the curtains. “Windy and sunny,” she said. “Look.”

Her dad squinted
and peered out. Clouds were moving quickly across the sky.

“The weather
man said it was going to be sunny and rainy today,” said Farmer John. “Bring
your raincoats. I’ll come later,” and he flopped back onto the bed and pulled
the covers over his head.

Tom and June
ran out of the room.

“And take Lucy
too,” called Farmer John after them, and Lucy barked and leaped from the bed.

When they got
to the beach the first thing they did was put up the flag. They pulled the mast
out of the sand, tied on the flag, and put it back.

“Hurray!”
cried Tom and June as the flag blew merrily in the breeze. “No one will attack
our ship now!”

They gathered
driftwood and built up the sides of the ship. Lucy brought sticks too—they were
too small but Tom and June used them anyway. They were almost finished when the
wind picked up. The flag crackled and snapped in the wind, and the air suddenly
got colder. June Berry looked out to sea.

“Rain’s
coming,” she shouted. “Tighten the sails! Batten down the hatches!”