

## Another Time

## Another Place

By

### Noelle Sherrard

Copyright ©2018 Noelle Sherrard

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

Cover illustration by Jeremy Albertson

### Foreword

If you believe in the world of fairies, little people, pixies and elementals, understanding this story will be easy. You will know why and how it happened and how everyone lived happily ever after. Let us begin by saying once upon a time because stories of this magical nature always begin this way.

### Table of Contents

Old Lady in the Woods

The Arrival

The Donkeys New Home

Piper's Concert

Meeting the Owls

Not Black Cat's Time

Here We Go Again

Saving Twinkle

A Life Goes, A Life Comes

Resting in Another World

Arrival in Scotland

Being Born

Black Cat and Roderick

Maighread as a Mother of Twins

Growing Up

The Grove

The New School Room

Making Plans

Boat Building Plans Put Into Place

Back To Routine

Boat Building Resumes

Work Begins on Model Making

Escaping School

Finding Donkeys and a Cart

The First Fishing Trip and First Patient

Another Trip To the Loch

A Rite of Passage

A New Routine with Raven and Serious Study

The End and the Beginning

Old Lady In The Woods

Once upon a time in a magical land called Scotland there lived, by the edge of a loch , on the edge of the forest, an old lady. She didn't have a name; she was known as the old lady in the woods. It seemed as though she had always lived there, in a wooden hut made from logs. Some people who lived in the town thought of her as evil but this was not so because when ever any of the Forest animals were sick they would come to the clearing and she would treat them with herbs and poultices, singing all the while as she did so. Sometimes they would stay around for a few days, depending on how sick they were. In the winter if the animal was very sick she would take it inside her hut for warmth and protection. I don't think she could have been evil if she treated animals in this way. What do you think?

The inside of the Old Lady's hut was not very comfortable by today's standards but she had everything she needed and it kept her warm , snug and dry. Suspended from a beam on three pieces of chain was a large deep cauldron which was used for making delicious stews which had everything in them and were extremely flavoursome. The Cauldron was also used for boiling up herbs, if one of the donkeys was lame, herbs were cooked up and a poultice was made and applied to the offending foot. Sometimes under cover of darkness people would come out from the town requesting herbs for their cough, their gout, their tooth ache, and so on. They always came under cover of darkness because they didn't want the neighbours to know the Old Lady in the woods was healing their ailments.

The cooking end of the hut, which housed the Cauldron, was used to store herbs which had been collected. The Old Lady had managed to screw large hooks into the log walls from which were suspended bundles of herbs tied with some sort of twine. This accounted for the spicy aromatic perfume which was in the hut all the time.

The fire place was not against a wall but rather, in the middle of the hut. This was a good idea because the threat of a fire was lessened. The floor was earthen and the actual fireplace was sunken; lined and surrounded by the stones of various shapes and shades. You may think that the smoke was everywhere in the hut but it wasn't. It glided through the cracks between the logs and escaped to the wider world and the Old Lady's elemental friends saw to it that the hut was indeed habitable.

The other end of the hut was where the Old Lady slept and if she had visitors they slept there too. There were no beds but rather bundles of straw which were use as mattresses; blankets consisted of animal skins. Sometimes if the Old Lady was out in the woods and an animal had died she would offer up a prayer to her God, skin the animal and return home with the skin. The flesh was left where it was for other creatures to eat and the remaining juices to return to the earth. That is the way it was.

Over the years the Old Lady had experimented with the use of herbs as a means of tanning the various hides. For this purpose she had discovered a particular shrub which grew in the woods in a northerly direction from where the hut stood. It was a favourite place of the Old Lady because animals collected there from time to time and provided she was not too noisy or boisterous they would come and greet her. It was as though this was a meeting ground for all of them; there was no fighting or territorial posturing, everyone, including the Old Lady was welcome. After all there was little difference between the animals and the Old Lady: they all had two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, two lips and mouth. The only real difference being the animals walked on four legs, the Old Lady on two. The animals all had a fur coat of one sort or another which they could not take off, the old lady had a fur coat made of the skin which she took on and off at will. So you see every creature was as good as the one next to him or her. Each had special talents: rabbits could dig holes and burrow underground, foxes could hunt and build themselves a lair for shelter, otters loved to swim and tunnel into the side of the stream or loch to make their home, deer did not burrow or dig their home, they lived within the protection of the mountains ; magnificent creatures who could read the wind with all of their senses; unlike humans who used only their eyes to read deer used everything they were born with: eyes to see, ears to hear, mouth to taste, nose to smell, feet to feel and above all a set of antlers which were for physical protection as well as acting as antennae. For all their size and strength deer were gentle creatures and had been known to lower their nose and nuzzle into the old lady's hand.

There was a stream which flowed through this clearing, gradually winding its way to the loch; a regular supply of fresh pure water which was available all year round. It seemed as though the area was a haven for the creatures; fresh water, herbs for food and medicine and plentiful supplies of fresh grass. No wonder they all loved being there. Some days when the Old Lady had the time she would go to the clearing with her pipe. The instrument looked somewhat like a flute but not quite as elaborate. She would stand and play; the sound would float on the wind, oh so soft so thin and reed like. From nowhere the animals would appear; watching, waiting and listening. Not afraid; a sign that indeed all was well. It was almost as though the clearing was sacred and that in times past it may have been a place of secret ceremony. There was a peace that pervaded the surrounding woodland and it felt safe to be there.

The Arrival

It was in this magical clearing that the Lives of three people would change forever. The Old Lady came in to the clearing checking as to whether the particular herbs were ready to harvest. It was late morning and the sun was well up but what you would call a soft day; gentle breezes that were going nowhere, wispy clouds floated slowly across the sky and in the background the stream was gurgling on its way to the loch.

The Old Lady delicately checked the herbs; they would not ready for harvesting – another two weeks would see them ripe for picking. Slowly she selected a place to sit looking towards the stream. She removed her pipe from her belt and commenced to play quite softly. Gradually the animals came into the clearing two foxes, several hare, a family of otters appeared from the stream, badgers and some wood mice. A pair of deer made their way slowly into the clearing. The Old Lady continued playing but the animals seemed disturbed. She cast her eyes towards the stream and could not believe her eyes. There, sitting down by the age of the stream were two small children. The Old Lady continued playing; she didn't want the animals disturbed by these new arrivals. After a period of time the music faded and slowly the animals disappeared back into the woods but the children remained seated by the stream. The Old Lady carefully tucked her instrument back into her belt, stood up and slowly walked over to the children who still remained seated.

No one spoke for what seemed a timeless moment. The Old Lady sat down in front of them and asked how they came to be here. It was difficult to get a reply because the children seem to speak a different language to the Old Lady. She realised they spoke a different dialect so was able to change her own. The children came from another part of the country; people from the town had advised them to see the Old Lady and told them if they followed the stream they would most likely find her.

From what the Old Lady found out, the children were twins who had run away from home; their mother had died and their father had treated them unkindly. The townsfolk were kind but no one wanted to take them in because they were afraid of the father. The Old Lady had a reputation for being kind and helpful but she also was known to be quite strict. The townsfolk knew that if the children behaved in a way that suited the Old Lady, more than likely she would take them in and make a home for them. Their father was unlikely to search for them in such an isolated part of the country.

Everything turned out the way the townsfolk wanted; the children followed the Old Lady back through the forest, chattering quietly to each other. The Old Lady was quiet; absorbed with her thoughts to such an extent she was unaware that they had indeed reached her wooden hut. She knew that task she was to undertake was one of great importance; perhaps the greatest in her life: a mission assigned her by the gods. Taking responsibility for raising twins was colossal. Would she be capable of this and strong enough?

Suddenly there was a rumble of thunder and a down pouring of rain and the Old Lady knew intuitively this was the sign she had been waiting for. She could do this and she would, she knew that the God's had chosen her and she would not disappoint them. To disappoint the gods would mean death.

Once inside the hut and out of the rain the children, they came to be known as Little One and Little Two, just stared: they had never seen such a tidy snug home that smelled so wonderful. The Old Lady asked that they remove their clothes which she then draped over the stones by the fireplace. There were a few embers which still glowed red and these she poked with a long stick. Some dried twigs were then put on the embers and in no time the fire was crackling. The children huddled down on the warm rocks while the Old Lady went looking for suitable skins from the other end of the hut. She knew she would have to produce something better but these would do for now. Each skin was made from four rabbit skins, that was what they looked like and they were worn inside out; the fur being on the inside provided warmth which was needed. The Old Lady had nothing for their feet but in her mind she had already solved that problem: she would make them boots that came to the ankle and would be tied up with very thin strips of leather. Little One and Little Two were delighted with their new capes and to wear them inside out was exciting and different. The Old Lady explained to them that these capes were for wearing indoors, she would make them capes for wearing outdoors where the fur would be on the outside. In this way they would blend in with the other animals in the forest. The Old Lady was enjoying the challenge and the company of the twins; there was something special about sharing with other humans. She knew there would be difficult times but there would also be rewarding times.

She found three clay pots and proceeded to ladle some stew from the cauldron into each pot. The children sniffed the contents carefully, like cats, before deciding to eat. They were encouraged by the Old Lady who gave each child a piece of crusty bread to dip into the stew. That made it easier for them. They could suck the stew off the bread. Like kittens or cubs, once their bellies were full and they were safe and warm, sleep was what they needed. Taking each other by the hand they wandered off to the other end of the hut where the straw mattresses were waiting. Without further ado they sank into the pile of straw. The Old Lady followed, spreading the skins like a mantle across their little bodies. And so it was that the first night was spent together.

Over the next few days the Old Lady had been given over to thought: what would she teach the twins, how would she clothe them? Did she want to teach them the ways of the townsfolk? Was it best to teach them her ways? Having decided she was not capable of coming to any conclusion about their future the best way to go was one step at a time. These little creatures deserved the very best she could give them. That decided the Old Lady set about planning as to how she could make some clothes for them. The twins were quite small barely reaching just above her knees but she knew they wouldn't remain that height for very long. Some of the herbs would be ready for harvesting; she would pick the greatest amount her donkey could carry, take them into the town and exchange the herbs for some cloth which she would use to make garments, which the twins could wear next to their skin. The thought flowed comfortably with her so she knew it was the right way to go. One of the townsfolk spent a lot of time weaving; her husband had a small flock of sheep which he spent time with up on the high ground. The couple had a small child and the wife would be able to give the Old Lady some advice as to how to make the garments.

One aspect of the plan eluded the Old Lady; what would become of the twins while she was away? She didn't want to take them into the town for fear they would be seen by their father. It was necessary to have another plan, not that planning was always a good idea, sometimes things worked out better when done spontaneously but in this instance where the safety of the twins was involved a plan was necessary.

What the Old Lady decided to do was to ride one of the donkeys and lead the other which would be loaded with the herbs. They would ride in to the town. The foal, less than one year old and quite small, would be lead by the twins to the clearing. At the eastern end of the clearing where the stream curved, the twins would wait with the foal and it would be their responsibility to look after the little creature until the Old Lady returned. The particular part of the stream where they were to stay was where the Old Lady had found them several days ago. Although the twins were very young they would know approximately how far the Old Lady would have to travel before reaching the town and it wasn't as if this was foreign territory to them.

That night while sitting on the warm rocks eating their bread and stew, the Old Lady told the twins what she wanted to do. They were excited, firstly to have a new garment, secondly to see a donkey; they didn't know what a donkey looked like and thirdly to go on such a journey which carried with it so much responsibility. Later that evening as they lay on their straw mattresses the Old Lady heard them chattering excitedly about the prospects of the following day. The Old Lady smiled; here was another plan that worked. Everything had flowed smoothly so far – even the implementation, she knew, would be smooth. The Old Lady had learned in Life that if the motive for doing something was of the purest then success was assured – the welfare of the twins was her priority. Success was assured.

Eager to begin the day, the twins were awake before dawn; they were up and moving about before the Old Lady.

They had the fire going before the Old Lady had her outdoors cape fastened! Today was the first day they would wear their new capes – with the fur on the outside just like the Old Lady. Breakfast was a chore this morning; it needed to be disposed of rapidly. Not that it wasn't enjoyed, but there was no time for talking. The Old Lady produced their "outside fur" capes and showed each how they were fastened.

Soon they were ready to catch the donkeys; the Old Lady had introduced them to the twins the day before and with a tempting bunch of herbs as an offering the donkeys were easily harnessed. They too, seemed excited about the prospect of an outing. The Old Lady used them for trips to the town when the harvest of herbs was too big for her to carry; so a trip away from home was not a daily occurrence for them. For the foal to be a little timid was understandable. This was to be her first outing. The twins were very gentle with her and soon she was following them everywhere but the foal's mother was protectively watching every movement; she didn't understand these little people, they were unpredictable and her offspring could be in trouble. The Old Lady, sensing possible problems, beckoned the twins over with the foal. The donkey proceeded to sniff the twins and gave them a playful nip. Little One and Little Two leaned against the Old Lady's legs for protection. The donkey nuzzled her foal and everything settled down. The rules had been established. The Old Lady explained this is what mothers do to protect their young; human beings were not the only creatures that offer protection to their young.

The convoy left the precincts of the hut, the Old Lady riding one donkey and leading the other while Little One and Little Two having tethered the foal brought up the rear. The children were familiar with the path because they had been brought this way by the Old Lady several days ago. They maintained a steady speed and in good time arrived at the clearing. The Old Lady issued a few instructions and some advice to the children. She let them know she would be back by the time the sun was overhead. She emphasised the importance of keeping the foal on a lead at all times because if she escaped they would never catch her. With these few words the Old Lady and the two donkeys disappeared downstream. The foal was upset and braying for her mother, she was quite inconsolable. Faintly they could hear the mother's response but soon her calls faded away on the wind; the children and the foal were alone.

At first there was an element of fear within each but neither spoke of it; the foal sensing the fear became a little fidgety. It was the foal however that restored harmony. As the twins began to fondle its face and ears, talking softly all the while, the little creature responded: agitation vanished and it became the playful animal that it was. Any fear the children had dissipated; it was time for exploring the surroundings, they soon found they were not alone. Some of the animals who entered the clearing when the Old Lady played her pipe were there; the otter family popped their heads up over the bank soon to be joined by several rabbits who were interested only in food. One fox glided past; it too in search of food. The foal too was hungry so were the twins. This gave rise to forage along the bank. Little One was successful in finding some berries which were sweet and edible. Even the foal was tempted. Little Two took the rope while Little One picked some fresh grass for the foal. They could tell by the position of the sun that they were about half way through their vigil. If they lay down with the rope tied around one each of their legs and fed the foal the grass they had pulled they could play a game of reading the clouds, the foal could eat and everyone would be happy. This is exactly what they did. Little One was better at reading the clouds but Little Two was skilful at identifying bird calls. Time passed quickly and before long the foal could hear her mother, responding with an excited bray. While the twins knew the Old Lady was at least fifteen minutes away never-the-less they were excited as well as relieved knowing she was within easy distance. Soon the Old Lady and the donkeys were within view; the Old Lady seemed excited waving to them, relieved that everything seemed to be as she hoped it would be. The twins ran towards her still holding the tether with the foal on the other end. The Old Lady slid to the ground while Little One and Little Two ran to her, pressing their little bodies against her legs hugging her. What a home coming! The Old Lady couldn't believe these little souls had attached to her within such a short time. There were things to do, the most important being to let the foal drink from its mother. The twins let go of the tether and with a huge tug the foal broke free and nuzzled into its mother, bunting her belly. The Old Lady knew the children would be hungry; she had managed to obtain some oat biscuits from the cloth-weaver. Without further ado she produced these much to the twin's delight who happily devoured them, asking for more. Hunger having been successfully staved off it was time to complete the journey and head for home. There was a feeling of excitement amongst the little group, the Old Lady was ecstatic because she had obtained the cloth she needed, the twins were elated because the Old Lady had heaped praise on them for completing the task she had set but above all everyone was safe. The Old Lady sang to herself as she sat astride the donkey leading her small convoy triumphantly back to the hut.

Once safely in their enclosure at the back of the hut, the donkey family was rewarded with a bundle of straw, some fresh grass and an affectionate hug from the Old Lady. The twins did not participate in this ritual; they watched knowing that one day this would be one of their responsibilities. It was just on dark as they made their way inside the hut, Little One asserting herself by poking the embers with the long stick which was always by the fire-place. Little Two found the pile of dried leaves and twigs, heaping them on to the now glowing embers. Before long the contents of the cauldron were bubbling away and to three hungry noses the aroma was delicious. The Old Lady produced the remainder of the oat biscuits with three pots and proceeded to ladle the stew into each. The twins remained quiet while the Old Lady attended to their needs. The Old Lady offered a blessing to her God before eating. While the twins hadn't seen her do this before, they did not need to touch one another or make eye contact to know that this was a sacred rite which demanded their respect. The Old Lady was quick to notice this.

Once the meal was over the Old Lady produced the bolt of cloth murmuring and measuring as she did so. These garments initially were what the twins would wear at night; they would be more comfortable for sleeping than animal skins because the fabric was softer. If there was enough cloth she would make two each; one for sleeping and one for wearing outside perhaps with skins worn over the top. The Old Lady insisted the twins went to bed – she did not want to be distracted while she used her sharp knife to cut the cloth. The twins however, were not to be persuaded, almost demanding they be allowed to help. Compromise was reached; they could hold the cloth while it was being cut but they were not allowed to talk, the Old Lady needed all of her concentration focused on the cloth cutting, the endless chatter could, at times, be distracting. The twins understood, here was a time when they were left in no doubt as to what the Old Lady required of them.

She had already worked out the type of garment she wanted for them; something easy which would provide warmth for their back and belly. Naked arms were alright, they were used to that, and coming down to their knees would also provide warmth for their upper legs. That decided, it was now time to actually cut the cloth. The Old Lady wound the cloth around Little One's body, put a nick into the cloth then measured four times. Great! There was enough for two garments each. Each garment was easy to cut because it was straight; much like a hospital gown in today's world. That done, the twins decided they had seen enough for one day and were now more than happy to let the Old Lady usher them off to bed. They snuggled down into their straw mattresses they didn't even feel the Old Lady cover them over with their skins.

The Old Lady worked on until after midnight cutting and sewing, the candle casting long thin shadows as she did so. Just before dawn she had completed two garments, the other two could wait a few days before completion. She felt satisfied with her work as she lay down on her straw mattress; the twins did not even stir.

And so it was that the seasons passed; summer into autumn, autumn into winter and winter into spring. With the changing seasons came the various changes to the landscape, animals started to grow their winter coats, some trees commenced to shed their leaves, the Old Lady noticed how some of the berries were setting on the bushes. She had lived close to nature all her life and saw this as a sign of a harsh winter. She also knew at this time of year there were specific tasks which were vital if she were to survive the next few months. The Old Lady explained this to the twins: peat needed to be collected and stored in the hut as much as space would allow, the roof needed checking as to how secure it was. Depending on that she may need help from some of the townsfolk. Herbs needed to be picked and dried ready for the winter illnesses which came along every year.

The Donkeys New Home

The shelter she was making for the donkeys needed to be completed otherwise they would be living inside the hut, somehow she didn't want this; the arrival of the twins into her life had changed her view of living. The twins were puzzled by the Old Lady's attitude; it would be exciting to share the hut with the donkey family which they saw as an extension of their own. However, the Old Lady was not to be persuaded. Not something she saw as a seasonal task the Old Lady needed to make some additional water bags which could be attached to a harness across the donkey's backs. She had only two bags and wanted to make another two plus the required harness so that each donkey together could carry water.

In her mind the Old Lady regarded the roof as a priority, if that was safe and strong she could survive the gales, snow, rain and cold. The weaver's husband had brought the sheep closer to the town so would be home if she paid them a visit. Next in order of priority was completing the donkey shelter; the twins could assist with collecting the stones for its four sided walls which she would build. She had already completed three sides so was left with one wall and the roof to complete.

Depending on time she may need the some help from the weaver's husband; it may be that he would build the roof. Methods of payment needed to be agreed upon but the Old Lady felt quite sure satisfactory arrangements would be made. More thought was given to collecting the rocks; the Old Lady decided the donkeys would be of help if they were harnessed with their work bags (strong bags sewn together with sturdy leather). A much better idea – they could all participate, energy would be conserved and the task could be completed in less than half the time. The Old Lady would then have the rocks on hand to select as she needed them.

Having discussed her plans with the twins it was decided the following day, weather permitting, they would harness the donkeys and go looking for stones. The foal was also going to participate. Its presence lent excitement to the task, making the day seem more like an outing for pleasure. A new day dawned and once again the twins were up and about before the Old Lady. She was beginning to enjoy the luxury of having someone light the fire. For the twins, they enjoyed doing tasks of which they were capable: starting the fire was one such task. They didn't understand the peat blocks which were put on the fire after the twigs and kindling produced the flame. When they were ready for that responsibility they knew the Old Lady would explain everything to them. The Old Lady had prepared gruel in the cauldron the night before and so it was starting to produce an appetising aroma. Little One, by now, was able to dextrously ladle the contents of the cauldron into the three clay pots. Little Two spend a few minutes tidying up the straw mattresses at the other end of the hut whilst chattering to the Old Lady – where they were going, how many rocks they would need, would it take all day, how long would the wall take to complete. Finally all was silent as the three of them hugged their clay pots and commenced eating. The process didn't take long and soon they were making their way to the donkey enclosure. Little Two seemed to have an affinity with these four legged creatures and no longer felt nervous when she was with them; the foal's mother also was comfortable and now trusted these little people with her offspring. Little Two had made it her business to know where the Old Lady kept the harness; today they would need the heavy-duty harness, the one used for carrying heavy duty things like rocks. It was already laid out when the Old Lady and Little One arrived with the donkeys to be harnessed. The foal was braying, thinking it had been left behind; not so, Little Two went back to collect it. The journey began with the Old Lady explaining what sized rocks she needed, what shape would be the best and the various shades of grey which would blend with what already been used.

Once these instructions had been given a peaceful silence fell on the little group, no one was in a hurry, and each stayed within her own thoughts. The Old Lady seemed to know where to lead the group, along a narrow path which skirted the stream but leading upstream towards the loch. This was new territory to the twins; the stream seemed to widen out, the sound it made was quite different to what they were used to. Instinctively they knew in winter time the landscape would be quite different, the sounds would be deafening as the water hurtled over the rocks on its way to the loch. But today, at the end of summer, there was nothing threatening to be concerned about. The twins could see why the Old Lady brought them here to collect the rocks.

Over the course of time the stream had widened as it approached the loch, there were no banks as there were downstream where they came from, the water just rippled over the stones. They lay exposed to the sunlight by thousands of years of water erosion. It was a spectacular sight. There wasn't much water trickling into the loch at present and what there was stayed well in the centre of the sea of stones. The Old Lady eyed-off the closest; measuring them, noting their colour and weighing them in her mind. The twins were dumb-founded; they had never seen such an array of stones. Softly the Old Lady called to them; she didn't want to frighten them neither did she wish them to lose the moment. Slowly they turned towards her, both sucking their thumbs. The Old Lady had noticed in times of uncertainty and doubt thumb sucking had become a form of expression; what always surprised her was they did it simultaneously. It wasn't as if they turned to one another and agreed each to suck their thumb: it just happened. She had also noticed during a conversation one would start a sentence and the other would finish. It was if they were of one mind. Perhaps they were; was it these magic moments that endeared them to the Gods and to her?

Having decided from which area to start collecting the twins commenced their task. The Old Lady did not participate in the collecting, instead she held the donkeys, allowing them a certain amount of slack; the foal was content near her mother. The Old Lady had calculated it would take the best part of a week to collect enough stones, making two trips per day. Allowing half an hour each way and two hours to load and unload, in her mind those figures added up to tired people and tired donkeys – a total of six hours per day of physical exertion. This was day one, trip one. If the task took less time so much the better, if it took longer so be it, but she didn't want donkeys or twins sick with exhaustion as the result. However by the end of the first day the Old Lady realised the task was mammoth, the twins were tough little creatures but still very young with slender bodies. She was asking too much of them, she would need another plan whereby the task could be achieved without injury or stress to all, including the donkeys.

She discussed possibilities that night with the twins, one of the most likely being borrowing the weaver's husband for one or two days in exchange for the twins tending his sheep whilst they were down on the flat land. This idea held excitement for the twins provided everyone was in agreement. They agreed to pay the weaver and her husband a visit the next day instead of collecting more stones. The evening was one of relaxation and contentment because each one knew the proposed plan was one that could succeed. The Old Lady smiled as she heard the twins discussing the possibility of being given some oat biscuits the next day.

As usual the following morning saw the little ones up, bustling about, tending the fire, and setting up the clay pots, tidying up the straw mattresses chattering all the while. The Old Lady had decided to take only one donkey to the town, they would leave the foal and her mother at home. She and the twins could take turns as to who would ride. It was an opportunity to give the female donkey a rest after the work of the previous day. The day was happy; rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, a soft breeze danced its way along the path almost inviting the little group to catch up. Some of the animals darted between the trees unafraid of their presence; it was a time for the little creatures to be busy foraging for food before the day had fully woken up.

Little One was the first to sit astride the donkey. The Old Lady and Little Two walked side by side, the Old Lady holding the tether. Conversation was stilted; Little Two seemed to have trouble talking. The Old Lady found this strange because at home the pair couldn't refrain from talking. Suddenly Little One became fretful and demanded to be put down. The Old Lady obliged offering to place Little Two on the donkey's back but her offer was refused so she herself sat astride the animal. They continued walking, the Old Lady could hear them chattering to themselves. She asked them a couple of questions to which they animatedly replied. The Old Lady then asked if they had ever been separated and the answer was they hadn't. Now the Old Lady knew that throughout their short lives the twins had been together as one, their thoughts seemed to be inseparable, they needed to be together; if they weren't together they wouldn't survive. This was a sobering thought for the Old Lady and one she needed to be mindful of. Survival was a basic instinct of every person but in the case of these twins being together was a part of their basic survival; if they weren't together they wouldn't survive. By the time the Old Lady had mulled over all of this profound thought they had reached the crossing to the town.

The twins stayed close to her as she led the donkey to the weaver's house. Both the weaver and her husband were at home so the Old Lady put her proposition to them but they were reluctant to embrace the idea. She felt disappointed and at a loss to know what to do next. When the weaver explained the reason why they would not agree to the Old Lady's proposition it sat comfortably with her. The twins' father had been seen in the town and if the twins were to spend a few days with the weaver while her husband was out of town fixing the Old Lady's donkey shelter there was a risk he would abscond with the twins. The weaver was disappointed; she liked the idea of spending a few days with the children and it would have been company for her own child. The weaver's husband wanted to assist the Old Lady; she was a hard worker – how could they be of help to her? Between them they worked out what the problem was – they couldn't find a way whereby the Old Lady could return the favour; they all agreed sending the twins to stay with the weaver was only one way of returning the favour. They were numerous other ways and repayment did not require immediate attention. The discussion took at least two hours by which time everyone was in need of refreshments.

Much to the delight of the twins,' oat biscuits and herb tea were produced. When time came to leave it was agreed the weaver's husband would visit them in a few days time with his donkey, to provide assistance with cartage of stones and if time permitted give the Old Lady some help with building the wall. A deep trust and warmth of friendship had been established that morning which would forever remain with them.

True to his word, two days later the weaver's husband arrived on his donkey. The Old Lady gave him directions to the sea of stones, as it now came to be called. Before starting out he checked the donkeys' shelter as to what type of stones he needed to bring back. The twins pleaded to go with him but the Old Lady refused to let them go, promising on the next trip they would all go. The Old Lady was intending to take one of the donkeys; the twins could assist with the loading. In the meantime there was work to be done at home; the weaver's husband needed to be fed at lunchtime so the fire needed to be tended, The twins by now were adept at getting the fire alight and in no time it was crackling, almost as if it were joining in the conversation. The Old lady was being very observant regarding the twins and their dislike of being separated. Since the incident on the way to the town she had sensed there was significance in their being together. When they first came to live with her she paid no attention; it was normal that they would desire to be together because the environment was very new to them and it was a way of protecting each other. But now, she wasn't so sure. Somehow her intuition was telling her to look deeper; there was nothing sinister in the situation rather a deeper connection which seemed to entwine and fuse their very souls.

As these thoughts drifted around in her mind there were more concrete thoughts requiring the Old lady's attention such as what to give the weaver's husband to eat. Herbs and berries went into the cauldron along with vegetables; the aroma was already beginning to smell appetising. Make some bread, more like a damper, place it on the coals and the finished product would be crisp and crusty. Followed by herb tea with lots of honey; a meal fit for royalty and one to boost his energy! On his return the weaver's husband found the little group ready to unload the first batch of stones, it meant the job would be easier if he had help with these tasks. Before long they were trailing back along the path to the sea of stones, the Old lady astride one donkey and the Weaver's husband astride the other. The twins walked beside the donkey carrying the Old Lady, chattering as usual, the flow of conversation was uninterrupted. The Old Lady found herself listening intently to the twins. Why had she not noticed this before; how one would start the sentence and the other would finish it. The range of conversation varied widely; from the fox who was limping to the way the berries were changing colour on the bushes by the stream to the air that was beginning to have a feel of winter about it and the new donkey house which was being built. These little creatures were in tune with their world much to the Old Lady's delight, it seemed as though very little escaped their attention and she felt blessed they had come into her life.

The sea of stones appeared before them, the Old Lady did not try to separate the twins and rather she allowed them to select who they would work with. They first chose the Weaver's husband for half the task before switching to the Old Lady. Before long they had a full load heading back long the path. When they arrived back at the donkey's clearing the twins left the adults; their task was to set out the lunch including positioning the crusty bread onto the hot coals. The clay pots were lined up on the stones, water was ladled out of a large pot and placed into a smaller one and positioned next to the now baking bread. The cauldron was now bubbling gently giving off delicious appetising smells. By the time the twins went outside excitedly to let the adults know the meal was ready, all the stones had been unloaded and everyone was ready to eat: they were hungry!

That day saw them complete one more load. As they were unloading the Weaver's husband commented that four more trips the next day should complete the stone gathering. The Old Lady was delighted, the speed at which the work was progressing filled her with joy, she realised how much more satisfactory it was to have another adult working alongside. In their own way the twins were indispensable but they lacked the strength for heavy work.

The next day was long and hard, the Old Lady and the twins arose very early; it was barely light. The twins knew what they had to do – fire lighting, collecting the clay pots and all the tasks they completed the previous day. In addition the Old Lady felt the little ones could make the bread under her supervision. There was no hint of resistance from them; here was something which was new and exciting. The Old Lady had learned that anything new to the twins was exciting. The timing of the previous day was perfect, the twins wouldn't help to unload, instead they would complete the lunch preparation including making the bread. All of these details were completed just as the Weaver's husband arrived. Greetings were exchanged then the little party set off once again for the Sea of Stones. The twins felt a sense of excitement and anticipation knowing by the end of the following day the walls of the donkey shelter would be complete. That would leave only the roof. Here their curiosity could not be contained; how would the Weaver's husband make the roof? There was no way of knowing other than ask either the Old Lady or the Weaver's husband.

The Old Lady was unable to supply the information regarding the roof except to say she thought it would be a thatched roof similar to where they were living. The twins were not satisfied with the Old Lady's answer. Everything was quiet for a short while then they started mumbling to each other; trying to decide how they would approach the Weaver's husband. They couldn't contain themselves any longer, they just had to know. They darted to and fro, first walking alongside the Weaver's husband then darting back a few yards behind the donkey trying to assimilate the knowledge. This process was repeated many times until, seemingly, they were satisfied with the information they had been given. The Old Lady entered into the spirit by asking the twins what they had learned. Their new found knowledge gushed excitedly from their mouths, but the Old Lady was at a loss to understand their explanation; she was happy to let them think she knew exactly what they meant.

The morning passed uneventfully with lunch providing a welcome break for the group. As the afternoon wore on everyone was slowing down; they were tired but no-one was prepared to give up. They were on their last trip when the Weaver's husband introduced the subject of the roof. That sparked the energy, tiredness dissipated; everyone was, once again, alive and animated. The Weaver's husband suggested the materials to be used be birch for the timber and heather for the actual thatch. To prevent the thatch being torn off in a strong gale rocks suspended from ropes would be slung over the roof reaching to the eaves, these would be positioned right around the roof area. Buoyed by the roofing concept it seemed little time was taken to arrive back at the donkey house. The following day brought completion including the doorway; once the roof was built it would become snug, offering protection for the animals. Somehow the donkeys sensed this was to be for them spending time sniffing the walls and strolling through the doorway.

The next day was routinely spent in preparing a meal, lighting a fire, cooking a stew, making bread and the myriad of tasks requiring preparation when one organises for the day. The Weaver's husband arrived and a fresh journey commenced; this time the group made their way to the clearing, crossing the stream at the narrowest point and slowly making their way up the steady incline towards the hills. This was a beautiful part of the country; the twins had never been there before, so different from where the Old Lady's cottage nestled between the trees. As they climbed it was as though they were entering a different world. A world of vivid colours, of different bird calls, of crisp air, a world where deer roamed and eagles flew. The twins were transfixed, they stood motionless holding hands and sucking their thumbs; they were granted this moment of wonder before continuing up the slope. Heather became prolific and the Weaver's husband decided it was an ideal place to commence harvesting. Both the Old Lady and the Weaver's husband had brought knives for the purpose and commenced the task which required a certain skill; it was easy to suffer tears and scratches if care was not taken. Following behind, the twins placed the heather in bundles tying them off with rope derived from the heather itself. Placing the bundles across the donkeys' backs was beyond the skill of the twins; it required the height and strength of the adults. By positioning the bundles correctly across the animals' backs a substantial load could be borne without causing strain on the donkey; it was a question of balance. The homeward journey required care; supporting the animals as they picked their way over stones and rough terrain required skill on the part of the Old Lady and the Weaver's husband . Once the donkeys trusted their human leaders the journey home was one of relaxed sure-footedness. The return trip didn't take very long neither did off-loading the heather. The twins prepared lunch while the others arranged the heather in bundles around the shelter; this would make it quicker and easier when the time came to tie it onto the wooden frame.

To collect enough heather required another three trips and this was accomplished quite easily by the little group. The first time anything is done is always the hardest, three additional trips into the high country was not too laborious. The twins felt rewarded towards the end of the third trip. A different route had been chosen for the homeward run, several rocky outcrops dominated the hillside and it was one of these which caught the twins' attention. At first glance it seemed as though the outcrop was moving but on closer inspection they could see an animal wedged between the rocks looking straight at them. Neither of them called out but ran to the Old Lady tugging at her fur jacket and pointing up to the outcrop. Quietly she told them what it was; a pine marten which looked somewhat like a cat, and a fox and belonging to the weasel family. It had a tail somewhat like a fox while its head in some ways resembled a cat. It was a beautiful colour; dark brown with a creamy chest. The Old Lady explained there was possibly two – three young nearby but not to try going closer as that could frighten them. The Old Lady explained that pine marten used the one place for their droppings, often on a log or a rock and when they had been eating bilberries, which they loved, the droppings turned blue. The remainder of the journey home was given over to searching for pine marten's droppings. Although they didn't find any the twins were not disappointed because they knew one day they would be rewarded.

Arrangements were made for the following day so that birch trees could be chopped and stripped for the wooden frame which needed to be made for tying the bundles of heather onto the roof. This was the final stage which would see the building complete. The Old Lady felt a sense of relief; it was not yet winter and the shelter would be complete within a couple of days at the most. The animals would be protected from cold, snow, rain and winter storms; what's more there would be some additional space for storage. The twins sensed how the Old Lady felt, hugged her around the knees, sharing the moment.

After the evening meal, straw beds were extremely inviting to three exhausted souls. Their bellies were full, their bodies were heavy. They were warm and contented with the events of the day. Sleep came easily.

The usual morning tasks had been completed, the little cottage buzzed with activity; when the Weaver's husband announced his arrival. Harnessing the donkeys and tethering the foal didn't take long at all; the twins were delighted that the foal formed part of the party. There was some controversy as to who would lead the little creature. The Old Lady intervened announcing whoever led on the outward journey would not lead on the homeward journey. Such a decision imposed upon them by the Old Lady made the temporary denial of pleasure acceptable.

The journey began, the group travelling east through the woods. This time the stream was nowhere to be seen but sometimes, depending on the wind direction, they could hear it gurgling towards the loch. Different varieties of trees made their journey interesting; the Weaver's husband was looking, in particular, for Birch trees. These were the best to use for making the timber frame called a cruck frame. Just as the twins were becoming impatient despairing of ever finding the right trees for the purpose the Weaver's husband called excitedly that he had found them. Even the Old Lady didn't seem entirely sure but the Weaver's husband assured her that these were, indeed, the right trees. Five were selected; the Weaver's husband had measured the size of the building, there was no point in destroying more than was needed. He had a sharp axe; five trees were felled within a short space of time. Using their knives the foliage was hewn off leaving the branches. Selectively these were stripped from the trunk; the more robust were then removed and stored in a separate heap. The three donkeys were used for transportation, each had a balanced load to carry; these loads were easier for the animals to bear than either the rocks or the heather. The homeward journey began but not before the Old Lady had removed a straight branch from a tree which seemed to have numerous stems. It wasn't a difficult task because the stems were hollow. The Old Lady carried this herself, she wasn't going to risk putting it across a donkey's back; somehow this particular branch was valuable to her.

Unloading at the donkey shelter was not hard and didn't take long. As usual the twins prepared the lunch which was eaten with speed and gusto! All of the afternoon was yet untouched, leaving several hours for roof preparation. By day's end the Old Lady and the Weaver's husband had completed the cruck frame which left the actual thatching and suspension of the rocks for the following day. The Weaver's husband was satisfied with the progress feeling quite sure the shelter would be completed the next day.

While the Old Lady and the twins were preparing their evening meal the twins were curious as to why the Old Lady brought home a long hollow branch. She refused to tell them anything until after they had eaten their evening meal, which meant the evening, meal was eaten and cleared away with unusual haste. They were all leisurely preparing for bed when Little Two once more questioned the Old Lady. The answer came as an unexpected surprise; the hollow branch was to be used for making two or three pipes which the Old Lady would teach the twins how to play. They quickly understood what this would mean; they too would be able to play to the animals in the clearing. It may also mean a pine marten would join them. Their night was full of sweet dreams.

The Weaver's husband joined them early the following morning; the twins having hurriedly completed their tasks joined him at the donkey house. The Old Lady was already sorting the pieces of birch wood. The twins made it their business to sort stones which would be suitable to tie and sling over the roof once it was completed. Erecting the roof did not hold their interest as much as collecting the materials like the heather and the stones; there was more to see, they were with the donkeys, the landscape was new to them and right now they were bored. Sensing this Old Lady suggested they took the donkeys for a walk but the idea was not met with much enthusiasm. They finally settled for their game of reading the clouds. Straw was collected and anything else which was soft for them to lie on. They lay on their backs, quietly looking and occasionally pointing at the clouds. Transported to another world they were completely unaware of what the adults were doing until the Old Lady suggested it was time to prepare the lunch. The past few hours had slipped by so quickly and quietly they didn't realise the roof was more than half on. Completion took the remainder of the day, almost to dark and included slinging the stones right around to keep the thatch weighed down. There was a feeling of immense satisfaction shared by all. It meant the onslaught of winter would be borne with a sense of security and assurance; the donkey family instead of having to endure the rigours of winter without shelter would now be safe in their own stable.

Somehow it seemed appropriate the donkeys should spend their first night in the stable even though the weather did not justify this. The twins fetched the animals and a quantity of hay for feed; the Old Lady deciding from now on the animals could be fed in their stable. The creatures did not need any encouragement; they followed their food straight inside and seemed happy enough to remain there. The Weaver's husband, more than satisfied with his week's work, bade his friends' farewell promising to meet up with them quite soon.

There was a feeling of completion as the week ended. A goal had been set and it had been accomplished. After the evening meal that night the Old Lady fetched her pipe and to the accompaniment of the crackling fire produced such sweet music to the delight of her listeners.

Life returned to a routine once the donkey's stable had been completed. Collection of hay and straw was a priority; the twins enjoyed the task which occurred on a daily basis. Another task of which they knew nothing was collecting peat. Previously the Old Lady had explained what it was and the twins knew it was used on the fire but where it came from and how it was obtained was beyond them. Summer was coming to an end and more peat needed to be gathered before winter prevented them from visiting the bog. The following day saw the trio up and about early, tidying the cottage, preparing an evening meal in the cauldron, making sure there was a supply of kindling wood to light the fire, straightening their straw beds plus the myriad of other tasks that needed attending to.

The donkeys were still in their stable but when they heard the twins approaching came out with their ears up, full of curiosity. By now the twins had confidence in handling the animals and the animals knew it. They were comfortable about being handled making no protest as the heavy duty harness was placed on their backs. Peat blocks were not as heavy as stones, and provided they were packed carefully two donkeys would be able to carry a sizeable load. The foal was tethered ready for the outing; this time there was no discussion as to who would lead the creature, the twins remembered the Old Lady's remarks on a previous occasion – each would have their turn.

The journey commenced through the woods as it had when they went looking for Birch trees, however they didn't travel as far this time. They veered off the path and beyond the trees stopping at what looked a pool which didn't appear to be very deep. Along one side someone had been cutting pieces of peat and laying them out to dry. The Old Lady explained she had done this quite a time ago then, at a later stage, had stacked the pieces like a tent; two pieces stacked at an angle and the third piece laid across the top. In this way the pieces dried more quickly. Today they were going to dismantle the little "tents", loading them into the bags to take home. They were then going to stack the peat which was laying on the bank into "tents", leaving them to dry out in the hope all would be dry before winter set in. It was a time-consuming process but not too heavy for the twins. The Old Lady had completed the heavy part, cutting the peat out of the bog but she had done the week before. The implement she used was made for the task; her father had given it to her many years before.

The donkeys were loaded ready for home. It was not a journey fraught with problems; the going was easy, flat walking and the loads they were carrying were evenly distributed. Once at the cottage the donkeys were led around the back where the unloading began. The Old Lady wanted the peat blocks put into a stack similar to the "tent" arrangement. This would allow the air to dry them out more, the twins enjoyed the task; to see quite a tall stack gave them a sense of satisfaction. The donkeys were taken to their stable, supplied with extra hay for their work. Little One and Little Two spent some time in the stable talking to the animals while running their hands down the animals' rumps.

This was to become a ritualistic habit every evening when it was feeding time.

During the evening after they had eaten the Old Lady put a question to Little and Little Two, which was more important – to have their second dress made or to have a pipe made. The answer was almost instantaneous: pipe making was by far the most important. There were squeals of delight at the prospect of each owning an instrument, neither had forgotten seeing the pine marten; owning a pipe made the possibility of seeing the animal again more likely. The Old Lady was not sure why there was so much excitement about owning a pipe but intuition told her it was of extreme importance. She did not question their enthusiasm, she had learned there were times when their privacy needed to be respected and this was one such occasion. She had made a decision to start cutting out their dresses as well as commence working on their pipes: she would have time to work on both projects.

The twins wanted to go to bed, they needed to talk privately about the possibilities the pipes offered. They bade the Old Lady goodnight and hand in hand wandered down to the other end of the room. Sinking into the straw they commenced a lengthy conversation on the likelihood of seeing the pine marten again. The Old Lady, meanwhile, fetched the cloth, candle and sharp knife and quietly went about the business of cutting their second dress. It was dawn by the time the Old Lady had completed her task; she was well pleased with her effort, it meant she could start work on the pipes without the twins thinking they had been put to one side. She wasn't sure, at this stage, how she would teach them to play the instruments but she had no doubt it would bring pleasure to the three of them.

Summer was fading, the nights were crisp, days were sunny but there was a chill in the air during the early morning and evening. The Old Lady did not have the feeling of completion she usually had at this time of year; a feeling which indicated that all the seasonal tasks had been attended to, that she could, like her four legged friends nestle down for the winter secure in the knowledge that everything that could possibly be done had been done to ensure a winter without undue stress. In her mind she checked everything, most seasonal jobs had been completed but she recalled two which still required her attention. The first was to check the spring which she used for her water supply. Sometimes she made a trip to the stream with the donkeys. Using four wooden pails, two on the end of a pole balanced across each animal. That usually lasted her at least two weeks. The spring which she needed to check bubbled into the peat bog. The distance from the cottage wasn't as far as going to the stream, besides the water tasted different; more of an earthy flavour. Sometimes during the winter taking the donkeys to the stream and back presented hazards she would rather avoid. The trip to the spring was easier on both her and the animals and within the next few days was something which needed to be done. The second task was a return trip to the peat bog for another load of peat bricks, the little "tents" which had been stacked should now be ready to take back to the hut. The completion of these two jobs meant the Old Lady could relax more and think about work she enjoyed doing, such as harness making, making boots for the twins; relaxing jobs that could be done indoors when it was too cold and wet to be outside. Having sorted everything in her mind the Old Lady now had no dread of winter; it was a season like any other with its offerings of advantages and disadvantages.

The twins, meanwhile, were enjoying life more and more. Since coming to live with the Old Lady much interest had been added to their lives: they looked after donkeys, they had helped to build a stable for the donkeys, the Old Lady had made them fur jackets, they had seen a pine marten, they had learned where peat came from, they were soon to have a pipe each, they were learning the basics of cooking. More than all of these things though, they felt they belonged, this was their home and the Old Lady was their mother. For the first time since their own mother had died Life had offered them stability; they were blessed.

A few days passed with the trio attending to small tasks around the cottage, one being the peat blocks which had dried sufficiently, being taken inside the hut. The Old Lady saw this as a priority; she knew the winter could be severe, the more that could be stacked and dried the more they would enjoy warmth during the months ahead. Another trip to the bog was needed quite soon for further stocks. Part of the preparation for winter included storing hay and a little grain for the donkeys. Before the twins' arrival both the donkeys and their feed had been housed in the hut but the Old Lady felt this as no longer appropriate. She had explained this to the twins who felt the donkeys were being denied warmth for the winter. The Old Lady stood firm; agreement was reached, the donkeys had their own stable but the hay and grain would have to be stored inside the hut. For this to happen additional space was required. Since the arrival of the twins, space had been taken up with more straw mattresses, more skins and generally more of everything. Things needed to be organised; the twins were allocated an area just as the Old Lady was and so space was created for donkey food. Bringing it inside the hut was quite difficult but somehow they managed to accommodate several, what seemed to be, rather large stooks of hay, one of which included a family of mice. And so everything was being prepared in a safe and practical way. Much to the delight of Little One the mice were allowed to stay. At bedtime they noticed the pile of hay protected them from the draught which slid through the cracks between the logs.

After several days of sorting, tidying up and making room it was time to visit the spring. Little Two fetched the wooden pails with their long poles and the harness. The Old Lady showed them how to attach the poles onto the harness. Ladles were also needed for filling the pails. The journey wasn't long, walking was not difficult and the donkeys seemed to enjoy the outing. The foal kept up with Little Two who held the tether. It was about twenty minutes walk to the spring, which was quietly bubbling away; a trickle leading into one end of the bog. The Old Lady showed the twins how to ladle the water into the pails, she had already positioned the poles across the backs of the donkeys so all that remained was to lift the pails onto the hooks at either end of the poles. The Old Lady did this herself – it was too heavy and too high for the twins to position the pails in place. The process did not take long at all; the arrival home was quite simple. The donkeys were led to the door of the hut, the twins held them while the Old Lady lifted the pails off and carried them indoors. If more containers could be found to store the water perhaps another trip to the spring would add to their supply of water. The Old Lady was already thinking of making four more pails but at the present time this wasn't necessary.

By the end of the week another load of peat had been collected and neatly stacked at the back of the hut. The Old Lady began to feel more comfortable with the prospect of winter around the corner; preparation was almost complete – there would always be work to do but she was satisfied with what had been achieved. Her attention could now be focussed on the pipes she would make for the twins.

The Old Lady made a decision; she would make their pipes first followed by the boots then the harness for the donkeys. By working in this sequence she assumed there would be some peace, the twins may be interested in having fun with their pipes, leaving her to complete the boots and harness. Such was her plan. The twins continued to chatter between themselves about the possibility of seeing the pine marten again and the likelihood of using their pipes to attract the animal into the open, away from the rocks. Maybe even encourage her young to join her. Several weeks had passed since they had seen her. Finally they couldn't contain themselves any longer; they needed to know if playing their pipes would entice the animal to come into the open just as when the Old Lady played and all the animals seemed to come into the clearing. The Old Lady had to be asked that most important of questions.

They discussed who would ask the question and when it would be asked. This lengthy, sometimes heated conversation occurred while they were taking feed over to the donkeys. They did not, however, have discussion in the actual stable because the energy would disturb the animals. Because the twins were brought up close to nature they retained their sensitivity and could feel if and when the donkeys were disturbed. The same applied to the Old Lady, they knew when she was sad, happy, worried or contented. This absolute awareness made for a peaceful life. The Old Lady herself had this gift of absolute awareness; it had been taught her by her father. She too, like the twins, had been brought up by without a mother; somehow this deprivation bonded the three of them.

It had been decided the question would be asked one night after their evening meal. Which night didn't matter, they would know when it was the right night. Little Two was the person to ask the question. Several nights later the time was right so Little Two put the question to the Old Lady.

The expression on the Old Lady's face was one of amazement, then delight. She had felt the sense of urgency when she told the twins she would make each of them a pipe but had no idea why they wanted the instrument.

The conversation which followed was one of excitement and expectancy. The Old Lady suggested they go back to the hills soon. She would play her pipe in the area where the pine marten was seen assuring the twins even if the pine marten did not appear, it would not deter her in any way from making each of them a pipe; in her heart the Old Lady knew the animal would reappear even if they had to wait until next spring. The following day had the promise of being the perfect day to return to the hills. The quest for the pine marten was a challenge prompting the Old Lady to share her enthusiasm with the twins. Such a challenge was not readily available; it needed to be something that was not readily accessible and the pine marten offered the unusual. The Old Lady felt rewarded at the prospect of participating in the adventure. Little One and Little Two were more than happy the Old Lady was so enthusiastic about their venture and felt encouraged.

They decided to take the donkeys but harnessed only one for any work, the Old Lady had learned over the years that having a donkey on hand for carrying anything was wise; it was always too far to return for a donkey if anything useful turned up which needed to be taken home. And so their journey began, each leading a donkey; a small convoy ready for an adventure. They made their way to the clearing, following up-stream until they arrived at the narrowest point. Once across the stream their journey really began; before long they were climbing the steep incline. The air was scented, crisp and fresh, higher up the slope two eagles could be seen riding the thermals. Soon they could see the rocky outcrops where the pine marten had been sighted previously. But no pine marten!. Little One called out excitedly, she had found a rock covered in blue droppings. The Old Lady left her tethered donkey with Little Two and hastened to the rock; sure enough there were fresh droppings on the rock which indicated the creatures were still in the vicinity. The Old Lady decided to play her pipe in the hope the animals would venture into the open. Moving away from the others she positioned herself, comfortably leaning against a rock and commenced playing. Quietly, with expectancy, the twins sat down tethering the donkeys to their legs and waited.

In her mind the Old Lady was not one hundred per cent sure that pine martens would respond to music; she had never tried this before. With other animals she always obtained a response – deer, foxes, otters, rabbits all came into the clearing when they heard her music. Gradually she relaxed, breathing more calmly; she felt her own body give way to the tranquillity of the moment; she and her music were at one with the surroundings. Quite unexpectedly several animals cautiously appeared, they didn't venture too close preferring to remain within cover of springy tufts of heather and an isolated clump of trees. The twins were aware of their presence as was the Old Lady The animals slowly came closer, curious but still cautious. There were several deer, a vixen with her cubs and a family of rabbits. The twins were transfixed, the Old Lady continued with her music when out of nowhere there appeared a pine marten with three of her young. The twins and the Old Lady had difficulty in restraining themselves; the other animals did not seem perturbed in any way, the presence of the pine marten, to them, seemed quite usual. The Old Lady continued playing for several minutes before the sound softened slowly then died away. Slowly the animals turned, meandering back between the trees. The pine marten seemed to hesitate a little but then called her young and together they disappeared. The Old Lady was as excited as the twins who experienced difficulty in untying the donkeys from their legs. They soon joined hands however and danced around in a circle. The twins felt a new phase of life was about to unfold for them; all sorts of adventures beckoned whereby their pipes would be the key. The Old Lady sensed this surge of energy accompanied by a feeling of loss. She had, and still would, lovingly and unselfishly provide the means whereby these children would develop and grow. In turn she would experience loneliness but from a deeper level, much deeper, would come a sense of satisfaction and the overwhelming love a parent feels for her children. For their part the twins would forever retain the bond which linked them to the Old Lady; she had freely given them security, warmth, unconditional love and perhaps the biggest gift of all the love of a mother for her child. The adventure in pursuit of pine marten was a milestone in their adventure as a family.

Journeying home was a leisurely affair, very little talking, each involved with her own thoughts; normally quite talkative the twins were unusually quiet. Once the donkeys had been led into their stable, however, their chatter was unstoppable.

That evening after the meal the Old Lady commenced carving the pipes. She measured the piece of wood she had brought home the day they went looking for birch trees – it seemed a long time ago. There would be enough for three pipes which, in her mind, was ideal, just in case one should be accidentally broken. She measured then cut three lengths of wood. Although the length of wood was hollow, never-the-less it needed to be straightened out and smoothed, otherwise the sound would be distorted. The Old Lady had a thin metal rod which she put into the fire. When red hot she would painstakingly put it inside the wooden stem, gently prodding and stirring; inching her way down. The rod needed to be reheated quite frequently so the process of prodding and stirring was one that needed repeating many times. The twins were inclined to be bored but some encouragement from the Old Lady saw to it there was always a task for them to complete thus overriding any boredom. The Old Lady allowed them to take turns at playing her instrument as well as carefully watching the process of reheating the metal rod. When the rod slid smoothly down the stem without being stuck to the side it was an indication that the hole was smooth enough. Stage two involved measuring the finger holes and mouth piece by holding the wooden stem against the Old Lady's instrument. This was easy enough; burning in the holes was the next stage which sometimes could be difficult depending on whether there were any knots in the wood. Fortunately in making the first one the wood was smooth so it was not difficult in burning in the holes; just that it required patience. The end which was nearest the single hole required sealing which the Old Lady accomplished quite easily using pine resin and a plug of wood. Apart from any decoration that may have been required the first instrument was ready to be used. The Old Lady gently picked it up and began to play; to her discerning ear the sound required improvement. Using a thin blade she gently rimmed two of the holes then retested. The sound was beautiful. Both children were eager to trial the instrument but the Old Lady, sensing there could be conflict between them suggested they wait until the second pipe was made before all three of them tried together.

The atmosphere quickly quietened down, the twins turning their attention to the idea of somehow placing a design on the pipe. How this was to be done and what design was to be used presented quite a challenge for them. Finally a decision was made; the design for each pipe was for each one to decide. The Old Lady smiled as she listened to them, once again they were back in harmony, chattering enthusiastically about the how and what of the designs. The evening passed speedily, the second pipe was completed, the Old Lady playing to test the sound and capabilities of the instrument. The twins were busy making a decision as to what they wanted on their individual pipes; Little One decided on birds, Little Two wanted either a pine marten or a fox. The Old Lady agreed to do her best for them by burning the designs in with the red hot rod but lack of confidence insisted she practiced first on another piece of wood. In truth, the Old Lady was clever; she had a steady hand, a keen eye and a wonderful imagination: the result was three soaring birds. Little One was more than happy, she was delighted. Little Two was forced to wait sometime longer, the Old Lady had difficulty with the pine marten but the fox became fixed in her mind's eye, so proceeding with that vision she produced a delicate sketch of a fox. Like her sister Little Two was delighted with the outcome.

The Old Lady allowed them a little time to play their instruments. Sweet sound and harmony was lacking but they were assured by the Old Lady that once she taught them the basics the sounds produced would be pleasing and something to which the animals would respond. So the evening passed, the twins were ready for bed as was the Old Lady. As always the twins held hands as they went to their mattresses but that night in their other hand each clasped their pipe; such a treasure was not to be relinquished. As the Old Lady covered them with their animal skins she noticed each child had their pipe cradled in their arms; she felt the warmth in her heart.

The following day usual tasks were accomplished enthusiastically, the twins bubbled with excitement thinking about the pipe lessons the Old Lady would give them. More time than usual was spent with the donkeys, the animals needed to know why their friends were so happy, they were lovingly stroked and talked to for a longer period of time which caused the Old Lady to be concerned. Somewhere deep inside them the twins felt the donkeys to be part of them therefore they were worthy of the same love and respect as they shared with the Old Lady. The donkeys responded by placing their noses into the children's hands.

That night the Old Lady prepared to give the twins their first pipe lesson. While they were practicing she hoped to cut a pair of boots for each of them from animal skins she had collected. But first the lesson; teaching them how to hold the instrument, teaching them to hear the difference between blowing across the hole and blowing in to the hole, placing the fingers correctly over each hole and then blowing. The art of playing was really quite complicated the Old Lady concluded as she painstakingly tried to show the children just how easy it was! They kept on however, and soon their co-ordination started to improve allowing the Old Lady to leave them and concentrate on making their boots.

The pattern was quite simple but never having completed such a task before the Old Lady was at a loss as to where to begin. Gradually the plan formed in her mind, she needed to design something which would allow for growth as well as be comfortable and warm at the same time. Finally it seemed as though the pattern would work. She used her sharp knife to cut a semi-circle from a piece of deerskin. At the midway point on the circular side the Old Lady made a vertical cut extending roughly one third into the deerskin. Along the straight side she made two more vertical cuts, having divided the length of the side into four. Those two cuts at either end on the straight side also extended one third into the deerskin. All that remained was for the three cuts to be individually stitched, thus allowing the sides of the boot to be vertical. The semicircular side was where the heel sat, the vertical side running up the back of the heel. Finally two holes were cut into the two flaps which had been created by cutting and stitching the cuts on the straight side. A leather thong was threaded through the two holes, thus the boot could be tied firmly onto the foot but allowing for future growth.

The Old Lady was happy with the end result but it needed to be tried by the twins, who were quite oblivious to what she had been doing. Little Two was excited with the end result and volunteered to try the boot on. She ran up and down excitedly but had a suggestion to make. In the winter the boots were bound to get wet; was it possible to make an insole from pine wood or something similar which would offer some protection from the damp? The Old Lady thoroughly approved while offering a further suggestion, use the pine wood but on top of the wood place another piece of deerskin which would offer comfort for the soles of the feet. Little Two then decided putting pine wood as an insole would not allow the foot to bend, she wouldn't be able to walk properly. It was decided, at that point, to leave the project a day or two until someone came up with a more effective idea!

The idea came by the following morning; the twins would spend more time inside than out on cold wet days. Consequently an additional insole made from animal hide would be sufficient, it would protect them until they had time to go indoors and dry the boots in front of the fire. This was understood to be the best idea but the Old Lady decided that two pairs for each child would be the ideal option. This meant there was a possibility that more hide would be needed; the twins needed four boots each, if she made some for herself the Old Lady would need enough for four boots a couple of sizes bigger than the twins. Looking around she decided there was enough hide at present for one pair each. When asked by Little One where the additional hide would come from the Old Lady explained that during the winter it would not be difficult to find an animal carcass.

Some of the creatures would not survive a winter if they were old or sick. There were enough hides for the three of them to keep warm without looking for additional skins but for boots, extra hides would be needed. Little One seemed disturbed at the thought of using a dead animal but the Old Lady explained in a gentle way the animal had lived its life and the Gods had provided for them; the Old Lady would claim the skin, animals would obtain food and the Earth itself would absorb the juices. Little One was satisfied with the explanation but didn't seem very interested in discussing the subject further. She needed time for some internal processing.

Within three nights the Old Lady had completed three pairs of boots each with an additional insole. If the boots were dry, they were worn to bed, thus offering warmth. Towards the end of the week the Old Lady suggested they went looking for a carcass; she had a hunch they would find something. Little One wanted to stay home but the Old Lady was insistent that she come; it was important the child face the situation head on. The Old Lady did not want anything to develop whereby Little One would be out of harmony with her environment. Little Two spent additional time with her, giving assurance everything was at it should be; humans were dependent on animals just as animals were dependent on humans and nothing had suffered as a result of the Old Lady's decision. In fact everyone gained. Little One was satisfied with her sister's reasoning, she had come to terms with the situation; it was all about the web of life and humans forming part of the web.

The Old Lady seemed quite adamant; she wanted to cross the stream and head for the hills. Maybe the Old Lady knew there would be a deer there. Little Two turned the thought over in her mind. If there was a deer carcass how did the Old Lady know it was there? Would the Old Lady have known when the animal died? All manner of questions were in her mind which required answers. The Old Lady decided to take the entire donkey family; they could each lead one. Her thoughts being it may help to distract Little One from the task which they hoped to achieve. The Old Lady had thoughts turning over in her mind just as Little Two had but they were different thoughts. The Old Lady was thinking how harsh life was when one was growing up; it was difficult knowing one's place in the greater scheme of things, it was confusing to reconcile the role of Death in the midst of Life. For survival it was vital these fundamental aspects of Life were known and understood. Learning these lessons could be helped by having someone present to sustain a child; offering them love, understanding, safety and security. The Old Lady hoped she was fulfilling the role.

Their journey was uneventful, going into the clearing and crossing the stream at the narrowest point as usual. It seemed always when they crossed the stream the atmosphere changed, the wind shifted direction and there was a feeling of expectation; today was no different.

Little Two's mind was still focussed on what they may find further into the hills, they may find a deer, they may not; there may be some other creature which would suit the Old Lady thus enabling the boots to be made. In her mind Little One was rather hoping nothing would be found, she was still troubled and had difficulty coming to terms with "the web of Life". The Old Lady had a keen eye; she was intent on finding something, her hunch was strong, she had turned into a hunter! In her mind she envisaged a deer but there wasn't anything as large. Finally a hare caught her eye; the twins were left in charge of the donkeys while she went to investigate.

The animal was not long dead, it looked old but there was no sign of arrow marks or any other injury on its body. The Old Lady decided this was what she was meant to have. Somehow it seemed less distressing for Little One to observe than if it had been a deer. The Gods had been kind. She went over to the twins informing them of her find and giving them the option of watching her skin the animal. She was mildly surprised when both of them said they would watch her. They tied the donkeys to a clump of bushes, joining the Old Lady who had picked the animal up examining its fur. She explained what she was going to do and how she would do it, that if she did it properly the skin would come away from the body like a garment, she would pull it over the animal's head. The process would be done with respect and thanks. With that the Old Lady offered a prayer to her God then proceeded to make a cut around the hind legs of the animal. With her sharp knife she proceeded to work her way up the animal's legs using her fingers to remove the skin from the body. Gradually she pulled the fur from the abdomen until everything was in a bundle below the animal's skull, the front legs having been removed from the hide. With swift, clean movements she severed the animal's head from the spine. Her movements were deft as she detached the skin from the animal's body. As she had explained the skin came away like a garment; Little One seemed reassured. The three of them positioned the remains where it was likely to be found by other animals. Little One was heard by the other two thanking the creature for its fur. The Old Lady rubbed a handful of salt into the skin then rolled it up ready for the homeward journey.

The whole procedure did not take very long for which the Old Lady was relieved, had it been a deer Little One may have been more disturbed. Not that the Old Lady enjoyed such a task herself but it was necessary sometimes in order to survive. This skin would make another pair of boots.

When they arrived home the twins led the donkeys to the stable with their ration of hay, talking quietly to them as they went. There was something comforting about their relationship with these animals, it seemed as though they knew the troubles the twins went through and likewise the joys. They shared everything. While the donkeys were being attended to the Old Lady had pegged the skin onto the back wall of the hut. She then proceeded to scrape the non fur side with a blunt knife; it was important to remove the fat and all remaining tissue. Once done it was thoroughly covered with salt. It would be checked every so often, once the salt became saturated more would be applied. The Old Lady anticipated the skin would be cured within ten to fourteen days after which time it would be ready for use. A day's work had been accomplished; it was now time to enjoy the evening. The twins set about making the fire ready; a fresh supply of dried twigs and some peat blocks soon produced coals and heat. The Old Lady prepared herbs and vegetables for the cauldron which didn't take long to cook; the aroma was soon wafting around the hut. Little Two decided to make a pot of herb tea, she had found it customary to boil some water while the meal was cooking. The clay pots were lined up each containing herbs and honey; the boiling water was added and an energising drink was there to be had while the meal finished cooking. They had come to enjoy this time of day, each had their tasks to perform, once completed they sat around on the warm stones discussing the events of the day. They agreed that having a lesson with their pipes that night would provide a change from the earlier part of the day. They also agreed how very comfortable and warm their boots were; they were worn to bed that night, even the Old Lady was not about to shed hers.

The pipe lesson went smoothly, the twins were becoming more comfortable with holding the instrument in a sideways fashion rather than straight out in front of them. They had discovered blowing across the hole, which was the correct way, was much easier than blowing into the hole. The Old Lady proceeded slowly with them, offering demonstration and advice. She was interested when the time would come to have the three of them play together in the clearing. Would the animals be fearful of the different sound or would they come into the clearing as usual; time would tell.

Winter was almost knocking at their door, there were days when the sun didn't shine, gathering clouds persisted, the temperature dropped, the wind eerily whistled around the hut and there had been several thick frosts. To the twins, changes in weather patterns offered a sense of anticipation; they seemed unaware of the severity of the winter seeing it as an opportunity for new adventures rather than any threat to their life. The Old Lady, however, kept a close eye on them, she didn't wish to dampen their enthusiasm but she didn't want to see them in danger. Most of the time when they were outside she was with them which they enjoyed; she was a person with plenty of the knowledge they thirsted for. Information on where the animals spent the winter, what the birds did for protection from the harsh temperatures, what happened when the stream froze, what would happen if the loch froze, was there food available for these creatures as well as themselves, did any of the creatures leave the area for a warmer climate? The Old Lady knew the answers to all of their questions; they often wondered how she knew all of this information. She explained the way in which she was brought up by her father, allowed her the opportunity to learn first hand, in the same way they were being taught by her. The twins wanted to know if her father was still alive because they would like to meet him; he must be a clever person. The Old Lady explained he had passed away some time ago, she was a young adult at the time, they had lived in the village where the Weaver and her husband lived. Satisfied with the explanation the twins resumed more current topics which held their interest. They were now beginning to understand the Old Lady's wisdom of ensuring there was enough peat to last in the event that, for whatever reason, they were unable to source more, that the donkeys had shelter and enough hay and they themselves had enough water and food. The Old Lady explained there were certain foods – herbs and berries – that grew in the winter which were full of nutrients. These plus some grain would be sufficient for them. She had stored enough grain which would last them over several months plus she knew the Weaver and the Weaver's husband always had a supply in reserve if it were necessary to acquire more.

With the arrival of winter, darkness descended earlier which meant the evenings were longer. Normally the Old Lady used the additional time indoors doing leather work, stitching pieces of hide together for rugs, making different types of harness for the donkeys and now she had the twins to look after with their boots and leather jackets. She didn't see these activities as a chore; they were rewarding. The twins saw the longer evenings as an opportunity to master playing their pipes; evenings became a productive, creative period for them all. The Old Lady would set the twins a task, be it a particular breathing exercise or a quite difficult fingering sequence, they had the time and opportunity to practice; she had the time and opportunity to supervise. The supervision wasn't constant, thus enabling her to follow her leather work while still being able to listen and correct; if necessary.

It was during one of these evenings the conversation turned to the Weaver and the Weaver's husband. The Old Lady realised they hadn't heard from their friends for quite a time. She had a hunch all was not well; there was sickness among them. Once again the twins were puzzled as to how the Old Lady knew but they said nothing. The next day saw them about early, the Old Lady wanted needles or leaves from the fir trees and lots of them. The twins scurried around collecting the residue which littered the ground; the Old Lady placed them into the cauldron. They were left to boil for some time; the smell soon filled the hut, the twins found their eyes smarting and their noses began to drip. The Old Lady laughed, explaining this is what she used to cure a cold or a fever. Some of the Old Lady's precious honey was added to the brew and left to cool; she didn't remove the needles, they remained in the liquid which was ladled out when required. All that needed to be done was to ladle the brew into one of the clay pots and deliver it to the Weaver and her family.

The following day they set off, fortunately it was not raining, very little wind but the air was icy cold. The Old Lady decided to take only one donkey, she didn't want to be slowed down just in case the weather should worsen. They followed the path to the clearing then took the track which hugged the edge of the stream until the narrow crossing was reached. They crossed there making their way to the Weaver's house. Little Two experienced an eerie feeling; she had felt the same when her mother died. Maybe this was what the Old Lady referred to as a hunch. The Old Lady called out as they approached the house; the Weaver's husband met them at the door nursing their child. Little Two sensed things were not as they should be. The Weaver's husband explained his wife had been sick with a cough and fever for three days. They were invited in but advised not to go near the Weaver.

The Old Lady fetched the clay pot from the donkey explaining to the Weaver's husband what to do with the concoction. The children kept away while the Old Lady prepared some of the brew. A small amount was heated and given to the woman to drink. The Old Lady then poured some of the concoction onto a cloth, placing it on the woman's chest. Almost immediately she commenced coughing much to the Old Lady's relief. Finally the Old Lady rubbed some into her hands proceeding then to massage the soles of the woman's feet. The Old Lady left instructions with the Weaver's husband as to how often the process was to be repeated, the Old Lady herself, from past experience, knew that two or three days usually healed a cold or fever. With a few additional instructions the Old Lady bade them farewell and they commenced their homeward journey.

The twins thought it a very brief stay which indeed it was, but as the Old Lady explained they were not there on a social visit; they were there to deliver medicine which hopefully would allow the Weaver to recover. They could visit another day, perhaps in a couple of week's time, weather permitting. The remainder of the homeward trip was given over to what hunches were and how they came about. Because Little Two had the same feeling regarding her own mother's death and the Weaver being ill, in her mind she had connected the two. The Old Lady knew what a hunch was but had difficulty putting it into words. Her first explanation was not clear enough for Little Two – she had described it as being beyond thinking – knowledge acquired without thinking. Then she proceeded to intuition – tuition from within. As she made that statement the Old Lady rubbed her solar plexus. Little Two grasped the idea; it was really a physical feeling not something which came from her head! She now knew what the physical feeling was, all she needed to learn was what that feeling was connected to – what particular happening was the "hunch" connected to. The Old Lady advised her not to be concerned with that for the present; concentrate only on what the physical feeling in her gut was. It was not connected to something she had eaten! Little Two was beginning to know her body. In a case such as she had just experienced she would ask herself if the feeling was due to hunger, something she had eaten or perhaps fear. If she could answer no to those three questions she could assume the feeling was a hunch. For the present this was the nearest the Old Lady was to an explanation and it was something Little Two accepted. Little One was listening to the conversation but could not fully understand; she would question Little Two when they were feeding the donkeys. Little Two had a way of explaining which was easy to follow and she didn't seem to mind how long it took. The rest of the journey passed uneventfully which was fortunate because the temperature was dropping and they wanted to be inside, away from the wind. The Old Lady seemed happy she had made the effort to visit the Weaver and her husband; she herself had found it comforting in the past when she was not well and was visited by someone – usually by the Weaver and her husband.

Feeding the donkeys took a little longer than usual, the twins took over additional hay because it was cold. Talk of hunches also took extra time but eventually Little One grasped the idea, she too, had experienced the feeling with her mother and the Weaver. In fact, there had been a time when she experienced it with the Old Lady. She reminded Little Two of the time when the Old Lady had visited the Weaver and her husband and she had left them by the stream looking after the foal. It transpired the Old Lady had fallen on her way back. Little One knew something had happened but said nothing. It was several days later when the Old Lady mentioned she had fallen that Little One remembered the feeling she had at the time. The Old Lady felt relieved they were having a conversation about hunches because, to her, it signalled these children were developing as she hoped they would. It was an indication they were in tune with the spirit world and as a result would be protected. The Old Lady knew, of course, there were limits to one's protection. In the grander scheme of things some things were meant to happen and these had to be accepted. As time went on she felt sure the twins would recognise those situations.

Lessons continued with the pipes, fingering and breathing became more fluid. The Old Lady decided to teach the twins a couple of simple tunes; both had a good ear, she felt confident in their ability . The Old Lady sang the tune slowly while they repeated it on their pipes. It was fun as they fumbled around with their fingers trying to find the correct note. There was a sense of achievement and pride when one of the tunes could be played almost note perfect without the Old Lady, having to sing it to them first. All of them knew with such progress being made it wouldn't be long before they could try playing out in the clearing; the animals would be the judge of how musical they were! However, they were prevented by a bout of heavy weather which closed in on them, storms and high winds accompanied by driving rain made going out impossible. The hut withstood the onslaught, occasionally timbers creaked in protest as the wind and rain slammed against the walls. Somehow the twins knew they were safe even though trickles of water squeezed between the log walls and ran onto the floor. Sheets of lightning lit up the sky and rumbling thunder was heard sometimes distant sometimes close. It was during those times of thunder and lightning the twins were concerned for the donkeys; they pleaded with the Old Lady to bring them in to the hut. She was not to be swayed however, pointing out they had their own shelter and, as yet, the weather was not severe enough. The twins took heart from her remarks; perhaps in the future if the weather was really bad she would allow them indoors. They did not comment but rather stored it in their mind for some future time.

After two or three days, the three of them ventured out to view any damage. The donkey shelter was the first to be visited; the building had withstood everything Nature had thrown at it. The donkeys left their shelter and came to greet their friends, there was much nuzzling and talking and the animals were hungry. Food had been left for them but they must have eaten it all at the beginning of the storm. The Old Lady agreed the twins could take them for a walk as they had been confined to their shelter for days. It seemed as though everyone enjoyed being out and about; being enclosed seemed to stagnate their minds; it was exhilarating, feeling the wind on their faces and the earth beneath their feet. Fresh smells caught the donkeys' attention. They walked briskly, occasionally kicking their heels almost as if spring had already arrived. There was not a major amount of damage, some trees had been uprooted, the stream could be heard roaring along towards the loch; the heavy rain had swollen its banks. The twins wondered how the other animals were; had they survived the storm. The Old Lady assured them the weather would need to be a lot worse before the animals would be affected. If they had been unable to source food life would be tough for them but this storm was not so severe as to prevent them from eating.

Piper's Concert

Life was exciting. The Old Lady made a decision; if the following day was fine the three of them would go to the clearing with their pipes to find out if there was a reaction from the animals to the different sound. The twins were joyous at the prospect but insisted there be a rehearsal; they had to be at their best! That evening, after their meal, the Old Lady brought them together for a music lesson followed by one last rehearsal. The Old Lady was amused; they were to be playing to an audience of animals not people but there was just as much importance attached to this performance as any other. They played well, the tunes were note perfect, breathing and fingering had improved considerably; the Old Lady felt very proud of the twins, enthusiastically joining in their music making. That night all three of them slept soundly; with pride three pipes occupied a straw mattress, being gently covered with an animal skin.

The day dawned quite fair, clouds blew across the sky buffeted by a stiff breeze but it was fine. The decision was made; there was no rain so the group would go to the clearing with their pipes accompanied by the donkeys. Breakfast was hurried, donkeys were harnessed and with pipes tucked under their jackets the group set off for the clearing. They hadn't been to the clearing since the storm and not knowing what to expect were quite cautious but they needn't have been. The land and the trees had been thoroughly washed; everything looked clean and smelled clean; the stream was different. It had become a roaring torrent and in its present state was not to be crossed. The twins were disappointed, did this mean there would be no animals coming to the clearing? The Old Lady reassured them, animals had excellent hearing and would hear the pipes from across the stream because the clearing extended well beyond the stream. If the wind was in the right direction the sound of the pipes would carry across the stream and beyond.

The donkeys were tethered to a tree; the small group stood a short distance away, produced their pipes and commenced playing. The twins were excited, the Old Lady was not so assured; she didn't want the twins to be disappointed; she prayed that some animals, at least, would show up. Show up they did, from both sides of the stream, two deer, the vixen and her cubs, otters who had moved to higher ground, the limping fox and a hare in charge of a small litter. There was no pine marten in the group. If the twins were disappointed they didn't show their feelings but the Old Lady was delighted they had been rewarded. She asked if they would play again, enabling her to listen to the sound they made. There was an air of confidence about them now; the sound emanating from the two pipes was exquisite. So absorbed in their playing the twins were unaware the pine marten and her litter had joined the group across the stream – on the very outside of the group – but none the less they were there. The Old Lady could barely wait for the music to fade away when she pointed to the opposite bank. The twins were ecstatic but not wanting to disturb the animals stood watching as the Old Lady herself commenced playing. Every creature remained, as did the twins, calmly listening to the thin reed-like sound wafting above the roar of the stream. Gradually the sound waves faded, slowly the animals disappeared into the woods while the small trio joined hands dancing in a circle not uttering a word. This was an achievement for which the Old Lady felt she had to give thanks; her God had been kind, she felt privileged to have been involved in the lives of these creatures, both human and animal; her heart was full.

They slowly made their way home collecting any fallen pine cones which revealed themselves; they would be added to the store which the Old Lady had collected on previous occasions. She knew, at this time of year, there would be a need of them; if not for themselves then the village folk. As they tended to the task of stacking the cones inside the hut the Old Lady's thoughts were drawn to the Weaver. It was too soon to visit but perhaps by the end of the week, if the weather held, the stream would be less of a torrent thus enabling them to cross without any danger.

In the meantime the Old Lady had a particularly compelling urge to caste the stones, her feeling of elation at what the twins had achieved during their time with her prompted this enquiry. She was not in the habit of making enquiries from the Spirits, in fact had done so no more than three times in her life but the feeling she had now was compelling. Over the years she had collected many small stones of differing size, shape and colour which she used solely for the purpose of divination. These were kept in a neat pile outside the door of the hut, the twins had never asked about them, the Old Lady had never offered any information but in the near future this would no doubt change. Such ancestral knowledge hidden and entwined within the mists of time, becoming available to those whose spirit reached out beyond the present. The Old Lady knew in her heart this wisdom would be attainable because the twins had shown considerable skill in mastering the unseen. After further reflection it seemed appropriate to let the stones lie; she would know when the time was right.

The weather remained fine but cold, in fact there was sunshine during the day, sometimes there was a breeze which carried many different perfumes even a perfume which could be identified only as freshness; it was sharp and crisp; blending with the fir trees. The twins spent time outside with the donkeys but they needed a task to keep them occupied; the Old Lady decided to visit the peat bog; she could cut some blocks while the twins stacked any that were ready into triangular piles. Hopefully there would also be enough which were suitable to take home. Once the weather changed it seemed as though the peat blocks diminished quite rapidly.

Little Two harnessed the donkeys in the hope that enough peat blocks would be transported home. Their pipes were not taken on this trip, it didn't seem appropriate; this was more in the nature of a work trip. The Old Lady wanted the three donkeys on the trip, one for carrying the peat blocks, one for carrying some water from the bog and the foal who was still too young to carry anything.

Meeting the Owls

The group set off through the woods in an easterly direction. They could hear the stream in the distance, not as boisterous as it had been a few days ago. When they arrived they could see and hear the spring bubbling its way into the bog. Water was ladled into the two pails but they were not attached to the pole across the donkey's back; it was too early, the peat blocks needed to be stacked and collected first. The twins enjoyed the task because it warmed them plus it was an activity in which everyone participated. The Old Lady, in particular, was aware of the positive energy being created from such physical exertion. There were enough blocks to take home which was encouraging, knowing their stocks would be replenished. Also the Old Lady's activity was vital in the scheme of things; for it was her contribution which started the whole process.

The water pails were placed on either end of the pole then the homeward journey began. The twins were at the stage where, it seemed, their curiosity knew no bounds. When passing this way several times before they had never noticed an owl's nest in one of the fir trees. Nestled between the trunk and lower branches it provided an ideal residence to all but one – or so it seemed. There was a fledging scratching around, hunting for food. The Old Lady signalled for the convoy to stop which it did, allowing the tiny creature to continue food gathering. The group became more aware noticing another fledgling some distance away. This area seemed to be a nursery for them; they practiced flying which was accompanied by food gathering. Quietly the Old Lady made her way towards the nest, it seemed to be empty. On a nearby branch however, obviously watching their young, was a pair of tawny owls. She beckoned the twins with accompanying motions of silence; they could barely restrain themselves but they did. Not having seen an owl before this was an experience not to be missed. They resumed their journey and once out of earshot began their questioning; why did they nest there, how many eggs are laid, how long before they hatched, how long before they could fly, what do they eat, what colour will they be when they grow up. Once again the Old Lady knew the answers to their questions. The female lays from two to five eggs, it takes twenty eight to thirty one days to hatch and four to five weeks to fledge. The owlets are then dependent on their parents for another two to three months. The Old Lady continued to ply them with information relating to food. These owls could well be there due to an abundance of frogs near the bog. Other preys to be eaten were mice, worms and beetles. The twins decided to finish their conversation when they were feeding the donkeys, just in case the Old Lady did not approve of an idea which they were hatching.

The water was unloaded into the hut, the peat blocks which were outside were brought inside and the blocks from the bog were stacked into triangles. The donkeys were then fed. It was at that time the twins discussed their ideas concerning the owl family. They wanted to spend time at the nest observing the creatures but they knew this would be time consuming; if they were away too long the Old Lady would worry. They had the idea of quietly climbing the tree and peeking into the nest, not understanding that owls, in particular, had acute hearing. What they also didn't understand was, at this time, when the owlets were fledging the parent birds were more vigilant than ever. For them to climb the tree unobserved really was pure flight of fancy but they were determined to try.

The next morning after breakfast following the usual completion of chores they set out for the nest. In complete contradiction to their usual behaviour they did not tell the Old Lady of their plans. When questioned about that later they admitted to thinking the Old Lady would have forbidden them to go to the nest for that purpose; how right they were! The Old Lady had decided to remove the animal hide from the wall of the hut and continue making boots so she was oblivious to what was happening.

The twins reached the nest within ten to fifteen minutes. There were no fledglings on the ground but that did not deter them. Little One decided to climb the tree hoping to see what was happening within the nest. She didn't attempt to go too near but she could see it was unoccupied. Little Two was beneath the tree keeping watch when suddenly she heard a yell and down slid Little One who landed with a thud at her feet. She had slipped off the branch grazing her leg and hands; there was more shock than physical injury. Little Two felt protective towards her, immediately offering comfort. Having decided she was capable of walking Little One wanted to go home; even though she was expecting to be chastised, she needed reassurance from the Old Lady that she was not broken.

The Old Lady was hovering around the hut waiting for the twins to show up; a penetrating stare scanning both of them indicated to her there was no real damage, just some hurt pride perhaps. That allowed her to interrogate, to some depth, where had they been? Why didn't they tell her where they were going? This exchange went on for some ten minutes before the Old Lady decided she had made her point moving next to the subject of trying to peek into the owl's nest. By the time that was dealt with the twins realised they had been wrong on both counts, firstly not telling the Old Lady where they were going, secondly intruding on the owls' space.

After the confrontation they felt chastened, deciding to visit the donkeys for solace. Half an hour talking to their friends lightened their spirits; it was now time to return to the Old Lady. She suggested a trip to the clearing with their pipes; making music was a real way to reinstate harmony. The twins did not disagree. Accompanied by the donkeys they planned to cross the stream and head towards the high country. With their pipes tucked safely into their wastes they set off for the clearing feeling slightly apprehensive about crossing the stream. The Old Lady, however, had devised a plan whereby she would cross first, holding the tether of the female donkey, followed by the foal tied to the female donkey and, bringing up the rear the male donkey tethered to the foal. Lastly the twins with the male donkey's tether around their waists would slowly be led into the water. This was not going to work according to plan. The Old Lady could see straight away her decision was a hazardous one and likely to fail. The current was travelling still too swiftly; it only needed one of the convoy to be panicked and everyone would be exposed to danger. The Old Lady decided to abandon the idea and stay in the clearing away from the stream. Everyone, including the donkeys were relieved. Staying on their own side of the stream allowed them to feel safe; there would be plenty of times when they could visit the high country. The donkeys were tethered near grass; they were feeling more comfortable and relaxed. The trio removed their pipes and commenced playing.

The sound of the music settled them down, including the donkeys who had never been nervous before; perhaps the Old Lad's energy had disturbed them all. The Old Lady herself was disturbed; in fact she was surprised by her own behaviour in dealing with the twins. Wanting to visit the high country to play their pipes was, to her, a way of saying sorry because she knew the twins loved going there. It seemed, however, to make things worse. The twins knew the Old Lady felt awkward, they sensed her difficulty trying to make amends by playing the very best they could. All of the animals came except the pine-marten and the deer, it seemed as though they didn't want to risk crossing the stream. Even the lame fox turned up. They finished playing but the group stayed quietly for a time. It was the Old Lady who broke the silence, referring to the incident earlier in the day, explaining her action was the result of being overly concerned for them. Having had time to review their own behaviour the twins realised they had been somewhat thoughtless. No one apologised but the Old Lady offered to go to the owl's nest with them the next time they went. Her offer was accepted with enthusiasm which made the journey home one of laughter and anticipation.

A day or two later the twins were out and about collecting twigs for the fire. Such tasks were continuous but in a time sense they were not specific; when there were twigs they were collected. It also provided opportunity for observing the terrain around them. The Old Lady knew what they were doing, in fact she had asked them to go looking for sticks and wood; when there was a break in the weather gathering anything became worthwhile. The twins were systematic with this particular task; they collected then placed the twigs in a pile which could be seen before moving on to the next area. Sometimes they spent hours roaming around, scratching beneath trees, removing bigger branches, collecting pine cones, scraping up pine needles into a pile ready for collection. This particular day they were aware of frogs beneath the leaf litter, prior to this point they were oblivious of the tiny creatures but the Old Lady had told them that tawny owls enjoyed eating frogs and here they were.

The twins were now ready to go home and discuss with the Old Lady just how much wood, twigs, cones and pine needles were awaiting collection; the Old Lady would make a decision as to whether she needed one or two donkeys for the task. More questioning gave her the knowledge she required to make up her mind; she would take two donkeys. Little Two harnessed the animals and once more they headed back to the collection points accompanied by the Old Lady and the donkeys. The animals were harnessed with their heavy duty equipment used for carrying material such as stones and peat blocks. Today they would take home the pine cones, pine needles, twigs and anything else the Old Lady thought worthwhile. Over the years of living as she did, the Old Lady saw value in articles and items that others considered of little or no value, the end result was the Old Lady was an extremely inventive and resourceful woman. She enjoyed raking over and rummaging through the woodland litter; many an extraordinary piece of wood had been found, to serve a purpose which initially she didn't even know existed. Today was no different; she found a broken old branch, one end of which was in the shape of a goblet – a large one at that. It needed to be brought home and indeed it was.

Back home everything was unloaded into specific areas because everything had a specific use but the wooden goblet was taken inside; its purpose was yet to be decided. The day had been rewarding followed by an evening of warmth and companionship. The little group enjoyed their meal and an evening of music. The Old Lady contemplated a use for the wooden goblet, there was no urgency but a use would be found of that she was sure. It may need to be hollowed out a little more but she had the necessary tools if that was required. The Old Lady had a mind that was rarely still, it flitted from one idea to another but always there seemed to be a link between the next idea and the last.

And so it was the next day found them heading off for the owl's nest. The donkeys, all three, accompanied them. The day was fine although there was a chill wind; all three wore their boots and jackets. The nest was only about ten minutes from home; their approach was quite casual because they didn't wish to startle the birds; if they were still there that is! The Old Lady warned them against going too close to the nest. A strange sound, almost like a hiss, caught their attention. They looked up to find the parent birds on the branch beside the nest. There were two fledglings on the ground both foraging for food amongst the leaf litter. One had a drooped wing and was limping; the other seemed fit and active. Straight away the twins wanted to catch the injured bird but the Old Lady was against the idea; the parents birds may attack and they didn't have anything in which to carry the creature. In her heart the Old Lady knew she could heal the bird but it would take time, she needed to examine the wing and leg, perhaps even splint the leg but the wing would heal of its own accord provided it was safe from predators. The little creature, if still on the ground, would be easy prey for a fox. She decided to leave the twins and donkeys, advising them to keep a safe distance away from the birds while she went back to the cottage for something by which she could catch the injured one. She found a piece of old cloth which could be thrown over the bird; she had used it for the same purpose several times so she was confident it would be successful. Suddenly a thought leapt into her mind – the wooden goblet she had collected – more than likely it would be suitable for a nest. If it was kept no more than a few inches from the ground and was indoors, the bird's safety was assured. If necessary she could increase the diameter of the goblet and line it with material which was flexible and soft such as pine needles, leaves and any feathers that may be lying around. If it wasn't of any use something else would show itself; that seemed to be the way Spirit worked. She went inside to check the goblet, at first glance it seemed to be big enough but she couldn't tell for sure because she wasn't able to visualise the size of the bird in relation to the goblet. The idea of using the goblet held appeal so she set off with it, and the cloth, back to the nest .

Both parent birds were on the branch occasionally making the strange whistling sound, while beneath them the two fledglings were still scavenging through the leaf litter for food. The Old Lady felt the wing was not really a problem but until she could actually touch it she couldn't be one hundred per cent sure. The twins stayed some distance away with the donkeys while the Old Lady manoeuvred her way around the fledglings. At the right moment with one swift deft movement she threw the cloth over the bird. There was some protestation but it didn't last; the Old Lady had a feel for wild creatures and they duly responded. She carefully picked the bird up, cradling it in the safety of her arms. The bird settled down allowing her to assess the size of the goblet against it. To her delight the goblet would be big enough because she realised by using it as a vase she could place twigs vertically inside; the twigs would support any added material such as leaves, pine needles and feathers. It would allow room to move as well as offer comfort and warmth.

The Old Lady turned to the parent birds, explaining the need to take the fledgling to her home in order to mend the wing and leg. The twins understood this, after all were we not all connected? They untied the donkeys and set off along the path towards home. Little Two suggested collecting some frogs from where they did a collection on the previous day. This would provide a meal that evening for the fledgling; the Old Lady was enthusiastic about the idea. It required less than five minutes to deviate from the path and they were there. Little Two tied the donkeys to a tree, the Old Lady stayed with them while the twins scampered off. They knew exactly where to go, what is more they were rewarded. They rummaged around scratching up the soggy leaves, raking over the moist litter; not unlike the fledglings themselves. With both hands cupped together they returned to the Old Lady, the prize was eight frogs. The Old Lady held the goblet in one hand, the fledgling in the other while the twins eased the small creatures, wriggling and kicking, into the goblet. The remainder of the homeward journey was one of excitement mixed with a certain amount of sadness. The Old Lady, once more, needed to remind the children about the web of life.

Once home there were the usual tasks which required attention, donkeys to house and feed, fire to be lit, a meal to be prepared and most importantly the fledgling to be examined. The donkeys were led into their stable and fed, Little Two taking time to explain the new arrival to the family. That done the fire required attention; the twins by now were adept at poking the coals and raking over the ashes.

They knew how the fire had to be if the Old Lady wanted to make a crusty loaf to have with their stew. She hadn't said she was making a crusty loaf but by the twins making the fire ready to accommodate such a treat they hoped she would accept the suggestion.

The Old Lady meanwhile, had examined the bird to find the wing was quite sound but the leg had been broken. She called the children over to observe the condition explaining how sometimes birds will drop their wing in an effort to assist their walking and to offer protection. She would have liked to apply a clay poultice to the damaged leg but it was too late in the day to find any clay but she could, and did, apply herbs and splint the leg. Having made the decision she needed to find the herb, in fact she needed the root of this particular herb. Leaving the twins in charge she hastily left the hut, making off again in the direction of the peat bog. She knew exactly where to go; a small clump of leaves indicated there would be plenty of roots available. Scraping away the top soil revealed knotty clumps of the root system; she snapped a small section, not much was needed for which she thanked the plant. The top soil was replaced and clasping the root she hurried back to the hut. In her absence the twins had attended to the fledglings' needs by feeding it one of the frogs. Any thoughts of sadness and the web of life had dissipated as watching, with excitement, they saw the bird seize the frog and devour it.

The Old Lady measured two small sticks for splints. She cut and crushed the root until she could feel the moisture in her hands. It was quite pulpy; gently she applied it around the leg, particularly near the swelling, before positioning the two splints either side of the swelling. She called Little Two to fetch a strip of leather which she bound around the leg so that everything was firmly in place. She then allowed the fledgling its freedom; it walked quite firmly, the wing still drooped a little but there was a marked improvement. The twins fed the bird another two frogs but the Old Lady didn't want any more food to be handed out so she decided it was time to attend to their own meal; offering a diversion as they too were hungry. A crusty loaf was prepared, placing it into the coals whilst water was boiled and herb tea prepared. More vegetables were added to the remains of last night's stew. While waiting for their meal to cook the three of them watched the fledgling fossicking amongst the dried leaves and twigs; judging by its movements splinting and herbs offered relief. It was difficult to know whether the bird would use the goblet; getting into it would be difficult. At least it would be warm and safe inside the hut; the Old Lady felt she couldn't do any more. After the evening meal she fetched the pipes, the twins were too interested in the fledgling but the Old Lady played to the bird. At first little interest was shown but as the sound softened the bird dropped its head to one side and nodded off to sleep. That was a signal for the little group to quietly make their way to their mattresses. During the night however they were aware of scratching and scraping coming from the other end of the hut, it occurred to the Old Lady owls were nocturnal creatures. Suddenly there were sharp taps against a piece of wood, the Old Lady got up from her mattress quietly moving to where she had a better view. By the fading fire light she could see the fledgling had caught a mouse, it was too busy with its prey to be concerned with her. They would wait and see what the morrow brought as to whether a day time nap inside the goblet would occur; it certainly wouldn't be used at night!

Several more scratches and taps were heard during the night; the Old Lady assumed more of the mouse family had been devoured. The next morning saw an array of bones of all shapes and sizes; obviously the fledgling was still too small to consume the larger bones. Scattered around were the remains of paws, a head and part of a tail. Little One needed to be reminded of the web of life once more as she cleaned up the remains. (The children needed to be reminded of this many times during their childhood.)

Life moved on, days were taken up with bringing more peat blocks inside, visiting the owl's nest and, weather permitting, going to the clearing with their pipes. Some small trees were now ready for harvesting; this was a priority as they were used for winter ailments and their availability was limited. The twins enjoyed collecting these because they needed to cross the stream; it was country they didn't visit often and was, therefore, of interest to them.

Of more pressing need was the likelihood the owlet would be requiring more food. Last night no one heard the knocking, tapping and scraping which was an indication the bird was looking for food. Little Two checked the goblet for frogs but there were none; this meant the bird had caught the remainder and also there were no more mouse remains scattered around the floor. The bird must be hungry. A visit to the woods was in order ; it needed to be made as soon as possible.

Little Two harnessed the donkeys while Little One fetched the goblet as a frog container. The Old Lady was working out in her mind how many more days the bird needed to be splinted then calculating how many more frogs were needed.. The splints had been on the leg for a week, she knew by the way the bird moved it was too soon to remove them but she also knew there had been quite a considerable improvement in how the bird moved. She thought another ten to twelve days would be required. Following that thought, the question arose as to whether or not the bird would be rejected by its parents when they returned it to the nest. The Old Lady was unable to answer that question; they would have to wait and see. If it was driven away, she hoped it would return to the hut or somewhere near, make a nest and, in time, acquire a mate. The answer lay in the future.

Meanwhile the twins tethered the donkeys leaving the Old Lady to search for any food which may be in the vicinity. Insects were likely to be there, such creatures as wood lice often made a home burying themselves in the leaf litter. The Old Lady was quite successful in her quest. The twins' search also bore fruit , they managed to catch twenty frogs of varying size, enough to feed the fledgling for about another week. They were emptied into the goblet with some leaf litter spread over the top to keep it slightly warm and dark.

That evening before bed they released three frogs and some beetles from the goblet in the hope the bird would discover them. They were soon to be rewarded; there was scratching accompanied by banging and tapping. It seemed as though the noise continued all night. The following morning there was no trace of food anywhere, no legs, no heads remained; the bird appeared to be asleep. The Old Lady checked the goblet, either some frogs had escaped or the owlet had eaten more than the allocated three; there were twelve frogs left in the goblet, which meant that the bird had possibly eaten eight frogs instead of three. The Old Lady decided it was time to elevate the goblet each night before they went to bed. The little owlet had become too smart.

The following day dawned clear, crisp and cold, the Old Lady decided it was time to cross the stream and head off to the grove of elders which grew not far from the water's edge. She knew there was a clump of elders in the woods, in fact, she had made the pipes from a piece of their wood but from past experience, she knew the medicinal properties from the elders on the other side of the stream were superior. These were the trees she was interested in.

Having harnessed the donkeys they set off, the Old Lady had her sharp knife which she hoped would be sufficient. She explained to the twins if the stream was still running too swiftly they would need to visit the crossing in the village, it was very narrow offering some large boulders by which they could gain a secure foothold. The usual crossing was still too dangerous; they needed to make the extended journey to the village. The twins enjoyed the change of scenery, having warmed up they responded to the brisk pace.

The Old Lady gathered the group together instructing them as to how the manoeuvre would be carried out. She would lead Little Two across then return for the donkeys one by one. Little One would be the last to cross, it was her task to hold the remaining donkeys while one by one the Old Lady led them across; once across Little Two would hold them. The process went like clockwork; Little One was nervous about being the last to make the crossing but she wasn't going to admit to that.

The walk back to the grove of elders was quite long, they had to follow the stream through the village to the clearing then carry on until they reached the grove. Th Old Lady successfully pruned off the bulging berries which, to her, seemed out of season. The twins carefully packed them into the bags on the donkeys' backs. Not wanting to waste an opportunity the Old Lady cut off some firm straight branches; she would use them at a later stage to make pipes. She was interested to see if the sound produced from this wood was different from the sound produced by the elders in the woods.

Before leaving the Old Lady offered a prayer of thanks to the Gods. The twins had come to accept this and saw it as part of who the Old Lady was.

Their journey home was uneventful although it seemed to take a little longer than their outward journey. The Old Lady became aware of the weather and commented how the wind had changed direction; it could mean a storm was on the way accompanied by snow or a severe storm without the snow. Either way they were in for a storm. The Old Lady's comment was followed by a discussion on how to recognise weather patterns. The topic was of interest to the twins; it was something they needed to be aware of. The Old Lady explained changes in temperature, wind direction, cloud formation, dry air, moist air; these were all part of weather patterns and indications of weather changes. The interest shown by the twins pleased the Old Lady; it was part of being at one with nature. She explained changes in smells and sounds were also indicators of pending weather changes; how did animals recognise when it was summer, autumn, winter or spring? How did animals know when to store food for the winter? When to move because there was abundant food elsewhere? When to move their young who may be in danger? The animals knew all these things because they could read the signs in nature. It was to their advantage and part of their survival; human beings were beginning to lose these skills as they moved away from nature. The Old Lady made a mental note to return to this topic quite often, to her it was of the utmost importance that children recognise and develop this knowledge; it may be that one day their survival would depend on it.

The remainder of the homeward journey was quiet, the twins were deep in thought about the weather. When they finally arrived home and were feeding the donkeys, their thoughts burst forth into animated conversation. The weather over the next few weeks was to become their main focus of attention. Returning to the present became necessary as they needed to find out what the owlet had been doing in their absence.

It was daytime so the creature had not been doing very much. The twins were still coming to terms with the fact that the owlet was a nocturnal bird. They managed to find it; perched on a small branch not very high from the dirt floor but away from prying eyes. It was asleep. Obviously the bird had more movement; to elevate itself off the floor was a sure sign the creature was gaining strength. The Old Lady was happy that progress had been made. Food supplies were checked, there were still twelve frogs left in the goblet and they were alive. Several woodlice were present and living. The Old Lady decided to release three frogs and the remaining woodlice before she went to bed – as well as elevate the goblet.

The evening was spent making the fire ready for bread; Little One was being taught how to make the loaf while Little Two prepared the fire. The Old Lady concocted a stew. There was not much difference in their diet, it was a question of eating what food was in season so anything different like a loaf was considered a treat. Honey of course was an absolute luxury. Seasonal herbs provided variation in the stew as did berries in season. The twins never complained about food; they ate, with relish, what they were given and were thankful. The Old Lady regarded food in the same way. In fact, since living together their lives had become so enriched that food was only a small part of the bounty which was theirs.

The following day the Old Lady was eager to make a syrup from the berries to take to the Weaver. She needed to empty the remains of last night's stew from the cauldron before putting the berries in and covering them with water. The fire needed to be lit which Little Two did with much enthusiasm. Little One was watching intently, absorbing the process; one day she herself may be required to make some cough mixture. Once the mixture had boiled the Old Lady adjusted the fire until the mixture simmered for around one hour. Carefully the berries were strained off before the liquid was left to cool.

Little One fetched the honey before the mixture was slowly reheated with the Old Lady stirring in the honey until it had dissolved. There was excitement as the twins realised they had made a cough mixture. To them the Old Lady was superhuman, she could do anything, make anything, would teach them anything. The day was only half over so the Old Lady decided, as it was not raining, they would deliver the mixture to the Weaver and her husband. Once again she had a hunch someone in the family was in need. Donkeys were harnessed; the mixture transferred to a clay pot and off they went. They were halfway to the clearing when Little One commented she had not seen the owlet and wondered if the little bird was alright. She was reassured by the Old Lady who had seen it perched on the small branch just above ground level. It seemed as though the owlet had claimed this tucked away corner of the hut as its very own; it was difficult to see unless one knew where to look.

The little convoy followed the path as it meandered by the stream; the water was flowing swiftly but was no longer the raging torrent it had been that noisily sped on its way to the loch. Arrival at the village saw them cross the stream safely. The Old Lady's hunch was correct, the Weaver's child had a severe cough and had been sick for over a week. The Weaver being pleased to see the group accepted the cough mixture gratefully, offering in exchange some oat biscuits. The twins' faces lit up but the Old Lady denied them the pleasure; they could have a treat with their evening meal!

The return trip was uneventful apart from the weather which started to break. By the time they reached home rain was sleeting down and thunder could be heard rumbling around the hills. The twins hastily put the donkeys in their stable promising to return with food as soon as the rain stopped. The fire needed tending as did the meal, but each knew their particular tasks so it wasn't long before the cauldron was bubbling, the loaf was on the fire and clothes laid out to dry on the warm stones.

The twins returned to the donkeys with a bundle of hay while the Old Lady checked the owlet, the bird appeared to be walking more easily, its wing not so drooped. In her mind the Old Lady thought within two or three days she would remove the splints, check the leg for strength and, if all seemed well, they would return the bird to its nest.

Two days later the splints were removed from the bird's leg. The Old Lady gently but firmly felt the limb for any signs of weakness but there didn't appear to be any; the bird was walking quite normally. Once the splints were removed it was time to fly – and it did. The trio was left behind as the owlet tentatively flew to the other end of the hut. There being nothing to perch on it glided to the ground. The Old Lady decided if everything was alright overnight they would return the bird the following day to its own location. The twins felt saddened by the decision but knew it was the right way to go.

Next morning the bird was found tucked away on its perch having eaten all but two of the frogs. All of the usual tasks having been completed it was time to take the owlet back to its home territory. Little Two harnessed a donkey, the female and the foal left behind to rest. The Old Lady quickly threw the cloth over the bird and gathered the bundle in her arms. It struggled, the Old Lady managed to remove the cloth from the bird's head while tucking the remainder around its body. It was a short journey back to the nest; there were no other owls in sight. The Old Lady released the owlet. They watched as it flew straight up onto a branch commencing to preen itself for what seemed a very long time. There was nothing more to be done except wish it God Speed and farewell. Slowly the little group walked away hoping its parents would accept it back. Although the day was cold the Old Lady suggested they went to the clearing with their pipes, she felt they needed cheering up. They were rewarded; a fox, two deer, otters and two hare turned up. All seemed to be surviving the cold. However no pine-marten were present, it seemed as though their territory was on the other side of the stream, closer to the high country.

The Old Lady noticed berries on some of the bushes, a sign that spring was on its way. She didn't mind that, winter was almost over, all in all the weather had been kind. Yes there had been snow, rain, cold winds and all the usual discomfort of winter but it had been bearable. Was it because the twins were there to share it with her? She felt this must be so.

As each day passed they noticed fresh shoots on the bushes, some bulbs were already pushing their way through the earth to find the light. Nature was indeed wonderful, there was orderliness about everything, each season brought its own sense of perfect timing. The animals were aware of this, new life was beginning to burst forth, energy was building up; the atmosphere was one of expectation.

The twins expressed the desire to revisit the sea of stones; they hadn't been there since the donkeys' stable was built. The Old Lady was comfortable with the request, she herself was curious to see that part of the countryside and view any changes which may have occurred. Although the visit was merely to observe the Old Lady decided to take all of the donkeys; they too needed a change of scenery.

Not Black Cat's Time

The stream had subsided from its winter torrent, water levels had dropped but it was none the less, still flowing swiftly. Having tethered the donkeys the three of them stayed close together, watching the movement of the water as it carried small amounts of debris towards the loch. Sometimes the current turned the floating mass around in circles, occasionally pushing it towards the bank from whence it stayed, or depending on its shape, see it pushed towards the middle of the stream to continue its journey. Watching one of these floating entanglements Little One made the observation that it looked quite low in the water as though there was a piece of wood sitting in the middle weighing it down. On closer observation as it drew nearer the Old Lady saw the piece of wood was, in fact, a cat; a black cat. Of course the animal had to be rescued; it couldn't remain in the centre of the debris to continue its journey into the middle of the loch. They needed to move quickly otherwise it would pass them and be out of reach. The Old Lady turned back to the donkeys. Tethering the foal to its mother she took the tether to the twins, hastily winding it around their waists. Little One was nearest the cat so she bent forward to grasp it while Little Two and the Old Lady leaned back the other way to prevent Little One from falling. The manoeuvre was successful except Little One suffered quite severe scratches and a twisted ankle. In the excitement she was unaware of her injuries holding the cat tightly in her arms to prevent it from escaping. Once again the Old Lady needed to think quickly; if they wanted to keep the animal it would need to be restrained. The three of them made it back to the shore where the Old Lady briskly removed the tether from the twins and gently but firmly wrapped it around the cat; the animal protested spitting and hissing but the trio were not deterred. The animal was safe and the Old Lady knew it would settle. She put it inside her jacket positioning the animal so it could not bite; they then commenced their homeward journey. Halfway home Little One began to feel her injured ankle; the Old Lady helped her on to the donkey's back and there she stayed for the remainder of the journey.

On arrival home Little Two led the donkeys to their stable. She fed them, explaining how they now had a cat and how excited she was about the prospect of having an animal which could be inside with them; provided the Old Lady agreed. She didn't spend as long in the stable firstly because Little One was not there, secondly she needed to see the cat.

Inside the hut life was moving along as one would expect. Black Cat had stopped running and was creeping stealthily against the walls of the hut. It was difficult to see her because she blended in with the walls and shadows. No one interfered with the process, it was best if she found her own way around, the Old Lady knew once the cat was comfortable it would go to one of them seeking food. In the meantime the Old Lady busied herself preparing a meal, Little Two lit the fire, tending it until there was a thick bed of coals on which to cook some bread. Water soon bubbled and steamed for herb tea. Everything came together. The Old Lady was now ready to attend to Little One. She took a little of the boiling water, cooled it down, added some salt then proceeded to bathe the scratches which fortunately were confined to the child's hands and arms. Little one, close to tears, complained the salt stung her. Little Two joined her giving assurance the stinging sensation was only temporary. The Old Lady left them together while she prepared an ointment to apply to the wounds noticing one scratch in particular would need to be watched as it was deeper than the others. She really felt quite confident once the wounds had been cleaned and ointment applied healing would proceed. Ointment was liberally applied and the Old Lady's attention turned to the ankle. Little One whimpered as the Old Lady turned the foot one way then the other to determine just how serious a wound it was. Little Two comforted her but also diverted her mind by looking for Black Cat while the Old Lady massaged the ointment into the foot. Straight away Little One felt relief being impressed by the smell of the substance. The Old Lady bound the foot to offer support as well as to confine the smell. It was not an unpleasant odour but rather penetrating.

During the time taken to attend to Little One's wounds the cat had settled down feeling quite safe in approaching Little One. Black Cat allowed herself to be cuddled by Little One but not for long! She was hungry and needed food almost as if to say Hurry Up. Everyone felt more relaxed when Black Cat was fed. She vigorously washed herself then purposefully went to the other end of the hut and dug a hole. The twins and the Old Lady felt as though they would enjoy sharing their lives with this little creature, it really hadn't taken long for her to settle in; even speculating as to whom she would sleep with. The Old Lady had the thought which she kept to herself that Black Cat would, quite soon, be the dominant one among them.

What to feed the animal was a topic to be decided; it would eat what they ate and could catch mice of which there were limited numbers at present, the owlet having eaten most of them. That night there was almost an argument as to who Black Cat would favour; she favoured no one to sleep with. Instead, she settled down in front of the fire, curled up on the warm rocks.

Everyone was wakened early next morning as Black Cat began to yowl. She was hungry and something needed to be done. There were no mice therefore she had to share the gruel with the Old Lady and the twins, with a limited amount of enthusiasm. The Old Lady much to the twins' objection fed the animal one of the Weaver's oat biscuits. Judging the speed by which it was eaten Black Cat preferred the biscuit to the gruel. The Old Lady decided it was best to keep the biscuits for the cat until some mice were back amongst the stocks of hay.

Later that day the three of them set off to the owl's nest, they were curious to know if the owlet was still there. Little Two fetched the donkeys as the Old Lady had suggested that they go on to the bog to collect a load of peat blocks. Black Cat was left behind; it was too soon to let her out, the Old Lady felt there would come a time when the cat could accompany them but that would depend on where they were going. It would not be wise to take her to the clearing as the animals may be a temptation for her as it would, also, not be wise to take her to the owl's nest!

Arrival at the owl's nest did not reward them with anything. The parents were not there neither were either of the fledglings. There was a feeling of disappointment and concern amongst them but there was nothing they could do so it was decided to carry on to the bog. While the Old Lady sliced and dug up some more blocks the twins loaded pre-cut pieces into the packs on the donkeys' backs.

On their way home they decided, once more, to look at the owl's nest, something may have changed, there may be someone there. Indeed there was, the parent birds were there sleeping higher up the tree but lower down nearer the trunk was a fledgling; but only one not two. The three of them felt a combination of relief and concern – was the fledgling the bird who had a broken leg or had that bird been driven away? They would have to wait and see, revisiting the nest would be the only way of finding out.

Once at home they unloaded the peat blocks stacking them into the little triangles as the Old Lady had shown them on previous occasions. The weather being somewhat uncertain the Old Lady decided to have an early tea and possibly play their pipes. Black Cat may be interested or she may not. A vegetable stew was what was decided upon, with a crusty loaf cooked on the fire preceded by a cup of herb tea and honey. Little One was in charge of the herb tea; Little Two tended the fire while the Old Lady made the stew. Black Cat sat comfortably on the warm rocks, her tail wound neatly around her body; her task was to observe.

While they were drinking their tea Little One commented her hand and wrist were sore. The Old Lady examined it noting the deeper scratch which she was concerned about now had a reddish streak attached which had crossed the child's wrist and was travelling up her arm. She felt the child's forehead, noting she had a slight temperature, nothing alarming but the Old Lady decided it was best if Little One went to bed. Little One's boots were found which she put on as well as her jacket with the fur inside, insisting on having her tea before going to bed. The Old Lady placed extra skins over the child; Little One felt snug and comfortable. Black Cat having eaten her tea moved to where Little One lay, gently settling herself against the child's body. Little Two and the Old Lady continued with their plan of playing their pipes; the sound was soothing to the sick child's ears .

The Old Lady didn't sleep very well that night; she was concerned about the streak travelling up Little One's arm. During the night she checked the child who didn't appear to be worse; Black Cat was still there pressed against Little One's side while Little Two slept soundly. When morning came Little Two and the Old Lady were up early lighting the fire, heating water and preparing ointment for Little One's hand. Gruel was prepared for breakfast, even Black Cat ate some, Little One was happy to stay in bed and be fed. More ointment was applied to her hand and arm, the streak was still travelling up the child's arm. The Old Lady was beginning to worry. The temperature had not increased but Little One had become lethargic. Black Cat had returned to her side, settling comfortably against her body.

The Old Lady asked Little Two to stay inside for a short while she attended to a task outside. Little Two obliged, she had no reason to do otherwise, spending her time lying next to Little One holding her hand and gently talking with her.

Outside the Old Lady was casting the stones now was the time to do it; she felt she needed to know what the future held. As she cast the stones on the ground a voice could be heard "A life goes, a life comes." Somehow she expected this; it was a confirmation but she wasn't sure about a life coming. This, no doubt, would be revealed in due course. She returned to the hut; the twins and the cat were at peace and seemed more than happy to stay there.

More water was needed from the spring, the Old Lady deciding to collect it herself. Little Two went off to harness the donkeys leaving the Old Lady with Little One. It seemed as though the child was aware of a change occurring within her, she needed the Old Lady to sit with her; not necessarily to talk but just to be with her. When Little Two came back the Old Lady made her departure, she tenderly kissed the child on her cheek promising to return in a short while. Little Two returned to her sister's side having put some peat blocks on the fire, instinctively she knew the importance of keeping the hut warm. Little One confided in her sister, she had been visited by their mother the previous night.

The Old Lady's thoughts were in turmoil as she headed for the spring. She knew it was unlikely Little One would get better. Would Little Two be happy to go on living with her, how would the child manage without her sister? Somehow the Old Lady's thoughts settled down, they had survived thus far, why shouldn't their lives continue on into the future? She decided Little One was to be treated with honesty and respect; any questions for which she needed answers were to be given with honesty and respect. In this way the three of them would cope with separation. By the time she arrived home the Old Lady felt quite calm, knowing she would have the strength to deal with whatever the Gods handed her.

Black Cat and the twins seemed quite contented. Little Two led the donkeys back to their stable informing them Little One was not well.

The animals seemed to know something was wrong, their routine had been interrupted and Little Two spent less time with them while Little One was missing altogether.

Little Two needed some time to think, deep down like the Old Lady she knew Little One was not going to get better and she needed to make the Old Lady aware. She must tell the Old Lady about the visit of their mother. It was no good trying to cover up the situation. While preparing the meal that evening as Little One and Black Cat were on their mattress Little Two informed the Old Lady their mother had visited Little One the previous night. The Old Lady felt a sense of relief.

This was a sign she had been hoping for, it meant all three of them knew what was to happen and they could be honest with each other. It seemed strange to Little Two that Black Cat hardly left Little One's side yet it was the wound inflicted by her that ultimately would be the cause of her demise. Life at times was difficult to understand she thought.

Little One's health was difficult to ascertain, sometimes she seemed well and in good spirits, at other times her temperature went up, her mind wandered and she became extremely restless. The red streak on her arm was not diminishing; in fact it had extended further. The Old Lady tried everything she knew but to no avail. The illness would have to run its course, all the Old Lady could do was to make the child as secure and comfortable as possible praying she would be spared too much pain. Each day revealed Little One's strength and energy were diminishing; she was no longer able to leave her mattress unless assisted by the Old Lady.

Little Two stayed close to her sister offering comfort and company whenever it was needed. Between them Little Two and the Old Lady organised their lives so that Little One was never left alone, it seemed as though Black Cat too, was aware of her responsibilities for she never left Little One's side except to eat and attend to her toiletries. And so the days and nights passed until by the end of the seventh day the Old Lady knew they didn't have a great deal of time left together. Little One appeared calmer than she had been all day, she was lucid as she explained to Little Two how her mother was sitting on her mattress holding her hand. Little Two had fallen into a restless sleep but the Old Lady remained vigilant for any sign of change.

Suddenly Little Two was awakened; the hut was full of bluish light focused above Little One's head. She leaned across to alert the Old Lady, who seeing it, signalled for Little Two to be silent. Together they watched; the light appeared to become brighter. The Old Lady reached for Little Two's hand as they heard Little One utter a sigh. Gradually the light faded, disappearing through the roof. Black Cat let out a distressed howl and jumped to the floor. They knew Little One had left them; she left behind a sadness which enveloped the entire hut.

The rest of the night was to keep them busy. The Old Lady was aware of certain rituals which required her attention. Little One's body needed to be washed and prepared for burial. What would they bury her in? Where would they bury her?. All of this required their attention so there really wasn't time to grieve; grieving could come later. They decided to bury Little One half way between the hut and the owl's nest; she would be close to them as they travelled along the path to collect peat and water and she would be close to the Owl's nest. Little Two wanted her to be buried in the dress which the Old Lady made for them when they first came to stay with her and, for some reason; Little Two requested Little One wore her boots. The Old Lady wasn't about to disagree over anything, after all Little One was her twin sister and the Old Lady knew it wouldn't be long before Little Two would be wearing the mantle of grief; life for some time would be difficult for her.

Traditionally, the Old Lady wanted the burial to be conducted at sundown; timing was not something to which everyone adhered to but she was firm and Little Two had no objection. At Little Two's request the donkeys were to be part of the ceremony, in fact the male donkey, being the strongest, was to carry Little One from the hut to the burial site, The female donkey was to drag a boulder, which had not been required for the donkey's stable, to the grave. This would form the base of a cairn. All of this thinking and doing took time. Little One, covered with skins, remained inside the hut. She lay peacefully on her straw mattress but Black Cat was no longer lying next to her; instead she lay curled up on the warm stones by the fire.

The Old Lady needed to prepare the grave, the soil was still damp so it didn't present any problems. The earth bore a fresh smell, Little Two approved; it was a fresh clean smell. Little One, she knew, would be happy with what they were doing for her.

Towards late afternoon the Old Lady indicated she would like to go to the group of elder trees in the woods. She had a feeling about the trees, not only was their pipes made from them but there was something deep within her which told they connected with the spirits and the afterlife. She wanted to make Little One's journey from this life to the next one a safe one. Little Two accompanied the Old Lady. On the way they checked the owl's nest for any sign of the injured bird. Both parents were asleep on their special branch and, as before, a fledgling was asleep on a lower branch but there was no sign of a second fledgling. All they could do was hope a second bird would return to the nest.

Their arrival at the Elder Trees was unexpectedly joyous. For some reason animals had collected, the only creatures absent were otters and pine-marten. There were hares, field mice, two deer, and a pair of foxes. In her heart the Old Lady felt they were paying tribute to Little One. She wondered if they would attend her burial later that day. She selected a few sprigs of elder berries to place on the grave. Little Two, who had been scratching around for anything of interest on the ground, drew the Old Lady's attention to a cluster of small plants which had not long thrust their heads above the ground. The Old Lady was delighted, the plants were, in fact, very small elders; she would plant them on the grave as a permanent reminder of the time when Little One had shared her life with them.

Slowly they made their way home, their thoughts taken up on the task which lay ahead. More stones needed to be collected for the cairn; Little Two decided to look further afield selecting the clearing as a likely place. This was where they had first met the Old Lady having followed the stream from the village; that now seemed a very long time ago. They speeded up their pace, shadows could be seen lengthening as they moved along the path. Stones were found for a cairn, the Old Lady commented they should have brought one of the donkeys but they managed to carry enough for a small cairn. The Old Lady placed the Elder Berries and plants inside her jacket before setting off for home laden with stones.

On arrival back at the hut Little Two put boots on Little One's feet, she was already dressed but the Old Lady thought to place the child's jacket with the fur on the inside on her body. Little one was now ready for her short journey. Little Two collected Little One's pipe; she decided it would accompany Little One on her journey to the new world. That done Little Two went to the stable to fetch the donkey. The Old Lady joined her as the female donkey and the foal were to be led to the graveside and tethered. Little Two led the donkey back to the hut. While she held the donkey as close to the door as possible, the Old Lady went inside gathering Little One in her arms. The child looked peaceful. They managed to place her on the donkey's back and while Little Two supported her the Old Lady deftly mounted the donkey behind Little One, cradling the child in her arms.

The Old Lady handed the pipe to Little Two for safe keeping; slowly they made their way to the graveside. Everything was orderly and in place as they lowered Little One into her final earthly resting place. Little Two reverently placed the pipe across her chest while the Old Lady solemnly positioned the Elder berries alongside the pipe. Little Two and the Old Lady clasped hands while the Old Lady quietly recited a prayer wishing Little One Godspeed on her journey to the next world.

All that remained was to seal the grave; Little Two and the Old Lady both participated; gently covering Little One with the fresh earth. Together they managed to position the large boulder in place but somehow the Old Lady thought they needed two more biggish boulders; she didn't want predators to dig around and disturb the grave. They went back to the stable hoping to find what they wanted; they were successful. The donkeys needed to be harnessed so they could drag the rocks to the graveside. This they did and, at last, everything was in place. The smaller stones were then positioned between the large boulders. The Old Lady was satisfied knowing Little One would rest safe. All that remained was to plant the small Elder trees; they would grow well the Old Lady mused as she looked at them.

Together they led the donkeys back to their stable. Little Two returned to the hut for some hay and was surprised to find Black Cat at the door waiting to be let out. She didn't have time to think before the cat darted out between her legs. Intuition told Little Two Black Cat was looking for Little One. The cat headed straight for the grave-side. Little Two stayed some distance away and watched. Black Cat slunk around, yowling, but Little Two did not call her, the cat needed to come to terms with the situation in her own way.

Little Two returned to the stable with the hay and the donkeys were duly fed. The Old Lady was not concerned about the cat; she knew the creature would return, to once more settle into its routine.

And so it was, Little One's departure heralded a change in the lives of the Old Lady and Little Two became more dependent on the Old Lady as did the Old Lady, in her own way, become more dependent on Little Two. Inwardly both suffered; there was an ache in their hearts which was almost unbearable. Little Two wondered at times if it would ever go away. There was numbness about them as they went about their daily tasks, as if nothing from the outside world was able to penetrate their inner world. Until one day, at the end of another seemingly endless grey day, only a few days after Little One's passing, what to them was a miracle, occurred. The Old Lady was outside not far from the hut collecting twigs for the fire. She became aware of a soft gliding sound and saw a young owl moving in to land on the earth where she was collecting twigs.

The Old Lady could not believe what she was seeing. The bird was not alarmed, in fact seemed friendly towards her. She was able to identify the creature as the one they had befriended, its leg was not quite straight but that did not interfere with its walking. She spoke quietly to the bird, letting it know she was going to bring out Little Two to welcome it back. Little Two did not really believe what the Old Lady was telling her, It was easier to disbelieve than have something taken away from her again.

However when she saw the bird she was excited and overjoyed. Yes! This was real indeed. They devised a plan whereby the owlet would be encouraged to stay. If there were enough frogs to feed on, the bird more than likely would remain. There wasn't much light left but Little Two was not deterred from her task. She ran back to the hut, fetched the goblet and made off to where she knew frogs were plentiful. Meanwhile the Old Lady calmly went about collecting twigs and talking to the bird. She knew she couldn't encourage the creature inside the hut because of Black Cat but there were other ways by which they could befriend it. The bird seemed to understand what she was saying and what she was even thinking. It made no move to fly away. Little Two returned, the goblet was more than half full of frogs, enough to last two or three days. The owlet seemed to recognise the goblet; it moved closer to them. With its head tilted to one side it watched with an unblinking stare as Little Two counted out four frogs and placed them on the ground. It didn't take long for the bird to devour the frogs. It was now almost dark, time to collect the bundle of twigs and return to the hut. The Old Lady thought it safe to leave the goblet buried beneath the leaf litter. They would return the next day and check.

The return of the owlet lifted their spirits; somehow they both felt it was connected to Little One. That evening after they had eaten and the fire was warm they decided to play their pipes. Black Cat was curled up on the warm stones, gently purring. The atmosphere within the hut was lighter than it had been, they still mourned the loss of Little One but it was not the heavy burden it had been. They had something to look forward to, if the bird had a reliable food source more than likely it would make a nest nearby.

That night Little One paid them a visit. She had been trying to attract their attention for some time but they were so burdened by grief they were not able to be in touch with her. Somehow the return of the owlet changed all that and, as time passed, regular contact was possible until, eventually, Little One returned and stayed with them but in a different form.

And so it was, the owl made a nest attracting a mate, bringing forth young and carrying on the line. Little Two and the Old lady lived out their allotted span, their passing made easier by Little One who assisted them on their journey to the next world. Even Black Cat when her time came was assisted by Little One. It seemed to Little One, Black Cat did not require the same amount of assistance as the Old Lady and Little Two. Cats are very knowing and very wise creatures.

The Old Lady and Little Two had several lives independently before meeting up again. Little One decided to remain where she was and did not leave her familiar surroundings for quite a period of time. She finally moved when she met Little Two again through a strange set of circumstances. Meeting again for Little Two and the Old Lady was simple and uncomplicated. The Old Lady became the sister of Little Two's father who had been the Weaver's husband. Little Two's mother had been the Weaver. Thus the key figures were already intimately known to each other. So here they were together again for reasons known only to their higher Selves.

"All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players

They have their exits and their entrances

And one man in his time plays many parts."

Shakespeare

Here We Go Again

In this lifetime, Little Two was born during the first part of the twentieth century, spent her childhood living with two siblings and her parents in the hills east of Perth in Western Australia. There was a similarity in many ways to the life she had led with Little One in Scotland; she lived in a small village where everyone was known to one another. Nestled in the hills the village was surrounded by bushland through which ran several creeks and a river. (In Scotland creeks were known as streams.) Different animals frequented the hills, mainly kangaroos but there were other creatures such as rabbits, bandicoots, foxes and possums plus a variety of birds. Little Two and her sister spent their spare time roaming through the bush; they had a freedom which city children were denied. Exploration of the area was something they never tired of; short cuts were made, maintained and used for the purpose of seeking out new frontiers. Opportunities seemed endless. When a new discovery was made, it may have been only a different patch of bushland where the flora was new and unknown to them but that necessitated involving their friends, making the new discovery available to others to further extend their boundaries. The children had dreams and aspirations but such dreams and aspirations did not reach further than the hills over which they roamed. This was their country and they were familiar with every hill, valley, twist and turn of the creeks which flowed into the river, even selected bird's nests remained under their watchful eye.

As in her Scottish life Little Two was aware of the four seasons and the particular tasks which were attached. While there were the customary four seasons in Australia it seemed as though there were only two, summer and winter and they were seasons of amazing contrast. Winter was the time of cold, storms, rain, swollen creeks, high winds, impassable mud filled roads, frosts and fallen trees while summer brought dead leaves, raging bush fires, intense heat and flies. Not to mention myriads of insects in-between such as centipedes, scorpions, mosquitoes, spiders and numerous reptiles including snakes and lizards.

Life seemed hazardous when everything was as itemised as this, but somehow Little Two and her siblings knew how to cope. Bush fires were the most serious to contend with, requiring specific tasks to be completed prior to the commencement of summer. Leaves needed to be raked and burned, gutters had to be cleaned out, dry grass required raking and burning, firebreaks needed clearing. It seemed endless but really it wasn't, it was a communal effort which individual families attended to; individual families made up the village, so the village was kept safe because everyone was aware of what needed to be done. In all the years Little Two lived in the hills, fire did not destroy one village. Destruction of a village, by fire, finally did occur when Little Two was seventy nine years old. That was a long time to remain vigilant and fire free. Little Two thought people had become careless and relied too much on the Fire Brigade to come to their assistance. There were also too many people.

When Little Two was still very young her Aunt, who was the Old Lady in Scotland, came to live in the wooden cottage next door to her. This was wonderful because Little Two had always loved her and they could spend time together. Her Aunt had always felt connected to Little Two so it was a reciprocal arrangement. In this particular life the Old Lady (Aunt) was a singing teacher who played the piano well. Many times Little Two would invite herself into the Old Lady's cottage to eat biscuits and to hear her sing. Many times, also, a garden spider would emerge from behind the piano positioning itself in the middle of the room with two of its front legs elevated from the floor. As soon as the music ceased the spider would disappear behind the piano. The Old Lady called him Hector; Little Two was intrigued by the seeming rapport she had with the spider.

Life was an endless round of enquiry for Little Two, she never tired of asking questions, probing for a reason; Life itself was one huge question mark for which an answer was required. When she was twelve Little Two needed to further her schooling, this required travelling by train to school which was approximately ten miles away. Steam trains were the order of the day, diesel engines had not yet been invented. Railway carriages being pulled along by an engine which snorted and belched steam, hissing when finally grinding to a halt at a railway station was something else which required Little Two's attention. The engine was alive, all the strange sounds which it emitted guaranteed the monster had a life of its own. The strange noises it produced while sitting inside as the giant rumbled across the countryside were something different again. When travelling down a hill, it hissed and whistled while at other times when moving through flat country Little Two could hear a distinct clickity-clack, clickity-clack. Depending on its speed the clickity-clack would develop into a fiddlee-dee, fiddlee dah.

Sometimes the fiddlee-dee, fiddlee dah reached frenzy depending on the length of the flat country through which it travelled. All in all, travelling in the train was, most times, far more interesting than being in the class room.

Learning consisted of trying to master the peculiarities of algebra and geometry, what happened in England before and after Ten Sixty Six, Captain Cook, learning how to read and write, musical appreciation, art and sport. Little Two was interested in the last four subjects. During her schooling she learned nothing about the history of the Aboriginal or First Nation people. It was not until the latter part of this life that she was fortunate enough to spend some years working for them. What these people taught her was something she was really interested in such as how to look after the land and how to find where water in this arid country. For Little Two learning this was of far more value and use than what happened in England prior to and after Ten Sixty Six or Captain Cook's amazing discoveries along the East coast of this country. It dealt with the connectedness of Life and, to Little Two, this was something worth learning.

As an adult it seemed strange, to say the least, that in just two hundred years the Europeans who settled here were responsible for the extinction of so much flora and fauna but first nation people had managed the conservancy of this land for well over forty thousand years. Little Two found concepts such as this difficult to comprehend. Much later in life she decided such a problem was unfathomable, the use of so much mental energy was wasted; she could put the energy to better use. Another realisation which didn't occur to her until much later in life was most learning of any significance took place after leaving school and entering the University of Life. A degree with first class honours was assured if one was open to learning!

Little Two was fourteen years old when her father (the Weaver's husband in Scotland) passed away. Money was not plentiful so Little Two's mother (the Weaver in Scotland) went to work. Little Two also was successful in obtaining work. Working life was vastly different from school; all in all Little Two enjoyed it. During the course of her working life, approximately sixty three years, Little Two worked for many people doing a variety of jobs. The latter period of her working life was the most rewarding; Little Two had trained as a Naturopath, being in practice for a period of twenty five years. During that time she and a friend ran a College of Traditional Medicine, involved to a great extent with herbal medicine and flower essences. Little Two found this to be extremely fulfilling; was it because it had roots in the earth much the as her childhood in this life and her childhood in Scotland?

Following this she was offered a position teaching Aboriginal people to integrate their own bush medicine with Western Herbal medicine. That led to instruction in soap-making, learning how to make and use Flower Essences as well as making creams and lotions. Again all of this was rewarding.

Saving Twinkle

It was during this period of her life that Little Two acquired a young cat about eighteen months old. Her name was Twinkle. Twinkle was an ordinary fluffy tabby who was going to be euthanized if Little Two couldn't provide her a home; Little Two could not refuse!

So when Little Two was around sixty years of age, and quite old, she lived with Twinkle. People will think this is incorrect because Twinkle moved in to Little Two's house but Little Two was of the opinion that cats did not live with people rather people lived with cats. Because cats were always the Boss! In fact, it wasn't long before Twinkle ran the Household. When she first arrived she refused to come into the house which meant she had to be fed in the garden. However, after two weeks she was eating inside the house, having her own placemat in a particular part of the kitchen. And that's how it came to be for the next twenty years.

When she first arrived Twinkle showed a degree of neglect being alive with fleas. With the help of neighbours Twinkle was given a bath; the only one she ever had. She was indignant, offended at being firmly but gently placed in a bath which contained as much froth as water. It took three people to hold her down. She needed cleaning underneath her chin, behind her ears, between her paws, above her tail; all those vulnerable parts on a cat's person where one had to be most particular because fleas, if allowed, took up permanent residence. Once she was dried off and regained her dignity (regaining her dignity took two or three days) Twinkle returned to being the loveable, slightly crazy, determined animal that she was destined to be. It is strange some people described Little Two in exactly the same way; was this reason why they remained so long together?

In her younger years life was exciting and challenging. Twinkle spent a lot of time hunting and exploring as well as defending her territory. Defence of her territory was of prime importance even defending, not only from neighbouring cats, but dogs, as well. Although Little Two's property was fenced invading cats would jump the fence; if the gate was open dogs would come in uninvited. It was on one such occasion the gate was left open and a dog strolled in to check what life was like on the other side of the fence. It never happened again; Twinkle thus earned respect and claimed notoriety from dogs far and wide. The dog was large but quite harmless. Twinkle jumped on the animal's neck gripping with teeth and claws. The dog was terrified, trying to dislodge her but Twinkle was immovable; the dog ran to the gate as though that was the finish line but Twinkle like a triumphant jockey remained in position. In desperation the dog owner turned the hose on both animals; Twinkle who never did like water rapidly dismounted and streaked off. Little Two was proud of her, later apologising to the creature for the indignity of being sprayed with water.

Cats are strange creatures Little Two decided, defending her own territory was one thing but invading another's was permissible if one was prepared to take the risk. Twinkle seemed to enjoy the risk because many a fight would ensue which necessitated a visit to the vet. When that happened Twinkle would lie low, quite often remaining inside demanding more food than usual. Little Two never failed to comfort her and, when permitted, would gently brush her. Brushing seemed the equivalent of a bath (as bathing is to a human) NOT like the time when Twinkle was bathed to remove the fleas. That bath was not to be compared!

Life moved on through its various stages for Little Two and Twinkle. During her younger years Twinkle enjoyed playing with Little Two, the cat, in fact became quite demanding. Two games in particular were the all-time favourites; chasing nuts from marri trees which Little Two threw for her in the garden. It was difficult sometimes to remember Twinkle was a cat, not a dog although she could never be persuaded to retrieve. The second game was an indoor activity; Little Two walked around the house trailing a very long orange shoe lace. This was an exciting pastime because the trail went from room to room, sometimes disappearing under a mat or at others creeping over the top of the sofa. Sometimes the speed of the shoe lace, especially moving around a corner was tantalising to the cat. She would put on a great display of stalking, hunting her prey, until finally she pounced attacking with her hind legs. For Twinkle playing this game in the bathroom was the most exciting of all and she would indicate this to Little Two by jumping into the bath. Trailing the shoe lace over the side of the bath then have it slide under the shower curtain became the ultimate in stealth and stalking. It was usually at that point Little Two decided she'd had enough, needing to focus on more mundane activities like preparing a meal.

As the years went by Twinkle became less of a predator; enjoying time in the evenings with Little Two . She never was much of a lap-cat, except when either she or Little Two were unwell. On the rare occasions when Little Two was not well Twinkle would sense it, responding by curling up on her lap. At the age of around twelve or fourteen Twinkle's personality changed; she became more demanding, more vocal and what seemed to be ritualistic. Her feeding habits became more nocturnal, it was as though she deliberately waited until Little Two had eaten dinner and was watching television before she came into the kitchen, wailing loudly, peeking around the corner of the dining area still wailing. Although Little Two saw to it there was always food in her dish Twinkle refused to move until Little Two got out of her chair and checked her food dish. It was then and only then, would she start eating. The other habit occurred when Little Two was talking on the phone. Twinkle would appear from nowhere wailing loudly. It was not the usual meow a cat would utter but rather a full blown wail. Little Two would interrupt the telephone conversation, bend down to stroke Twinkle who was then satisfied; Little Two would then resume the the conversation. The vet told Little Two the behaviour was the beginning of dementia but Little Two needed more convincing. It became a characteristic to which both adapted. Little Two wondered instead of dementia was it a power game Twinkle had taken on? Whether dementia or power games it never ceased to attract Little Two's attention.

The years went by without anything occurring but approximately six months before Little Two became ill Twinkle left the house and took up residence at the end of the back garden. There seemed to be no reason for this behaviour. She wouldn't come up for her meals; Little Two had to take food to her twice daily. Twinkle would be asleep under a bush but did eat when roused. A friend subsequently made the suggestion Twinkle was aware Little Two was quite ill, she had heard of this behaviour occurring with animals. The pattern continued until Twinkle's demise about eight months later.

Little Two, at the age of seventy seven, was diagnosed with Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood which necessitated chemotherapy every three weeks for six months. Little Two stayed with a friend for ten days every three weeks. Twinkle was fed either by a friend or by Little Two who was driven home to see Twinkle. This was a very sad time for both of them; Twinkle emerged from the end of the garden waiting around, close to the house for Little Two to come home. She would be fed treats but still would not enter the house. Little Two made a point of spending time with her, cleaning, brushing and removing fleas. It was a way of re-establishing the bond. Once the ritual was over Twinkle would disappear until the following day.

This continued for a couple of months then one day Little Two noticed Twinkle had been vomiting which was not a good sign. The vet advised Little Two the time had come for Twinkle to be put to sleep. Cancer was suspected; after all Twinkle was twenty years old. Little Two agreed with the decision; her own health at that point had slipped further having developed a chest infection. She felt she could no longer look after Twinkle. The vet and her assistant arrived to administer the injection.

Twinkle had eaten a large breakfast, washed and cleaned herself then made her way back to the end of the garden ready to spend another day sleeping under a bush. The end came quickly but peacefully for her. Gently the vet administered a tranquillising injection, supporting her as she slumped to the ground. Slowly they prepared her to receive the final injection. Little Two watched silently as Twinkle's body suddenly went limp; she had left them. Little Two experienced feelings of grief and relief; she was too ill herself and no longer had the energy to tend her old friend. This was best for them both. The old lady was carefully wrapped and lowered into her grave at the end of the garden. On top of the grave was placed a beautiful, almost black, amethyst crystal. Twinkle's last earthly resting place was in familiar surroundings, in the shade beneath a marri tree, amongst native shrubs and away from houses. Little Two was blanketed in a sadness which somehow enveloped but comforted her; she felt she could not have done more for her friend.

As the weeks passed Little Two grew accustomed to Twinkle's absence but there were times when she saw her from the corner of her eye. When she turned her head for a clearer view the cat disappeared. It was strange but she knew Twinkle was around even if in a different form. There was a period soon after Twinkle's passing when she completely disappeared, Little Two never saw her at all. Then she returned to the garden; Little Two had no difficulty in seeing her. It was during the period soon after Twinkle's return that Little Two became aware of a visitor in the garden, not only in the garden but inside the house. Little Two was at a loss as to who this person was; the presence was that of a small girl, barefooted, curly fair hair, wearing a dirty high necked white dress. She had a gap between her front teeth. The child followed Little Two everywhere she went. Little Two spoke to her asking who she was – the child repeatedly told her – she was Little Two's sister. Little Two was confused because, being in human form, she could not remember having a twin sister in Scotland It was not until Little Two talked to a friend who was a seer that the situation became clear. It all began to make sense; here is the story of how the little girl came to be in Little Two's garden.

When the Old Lady and Little Two passed away in their Scottish life, Little One, already in another form, had decided to stay close to the area with which she was familiar. She stayed there for a long time, a time not measurable by our standards. However, there did come a time when something tugged at her. The tugging was quite compelling so, following it, she eventually tracked the source. It was an old cat, Little One was intrigued; this was a funny old cat and she struck up a friendship with it. Dimly it reminded her of a cat she once had. She stayed around the animal discovering it carried other vibrations; she recognised them as those of Little Two. But Little Two was no longer with them; her form had disappeared. Little One had to get closer to the old cat to learn that Little Two was living another life and had not yet left the earth plane. There had been a time, a very brief time when Little Two's form had been with the old cat but she was now no longer with the creature. Little One knew she must attach herself to the old cat being with her wherever she went. It wasn't long before Little One discovered what the old cat had done; the creature had returned to her last earthly resting place. And that place happened to be the garden where Little Two lived. The old cat loved the garden, deciding while her mistress (Little Two) still lived there in human form she would stay. Little One decides she too, will stay in the garden and with the old cat's help will make herself known. So this is how it happened; Little One and Twinkle stayed with Little Two for a period of time bringing much comfort and company for her. Indeed this was a period of joy and happiness for the three of them.

They played games; Little One taught Little Two, although still in human form, how to disappear through walls, jump through windows and sit on top of the bird bath. This was fun but at times the energy required made Little Two tired. It wasn't long before Little One encouraged Twinkle inside the house. I've told you towards the end of her earthly life Twinkle would not come indoors. That changed, with encouragement from Little One, Twinkle spent considerable time indoors. In fact Twinkle and Little One slept with Little Two at the end of her bed. Little One was very attentive to Twinkle's well-being, being unimpressed when Little Two woke Twinkle by calling her name. When that happened Twinkle stretched her paws purring loudly all the while, Many times Little Two was reprimanded because she had woken Twinkle; Little One did not like the old cat being disturbed. Perhaps this reminded Little One of her life in Scotland with Black Cat, perhaps Twinkle was Black Cat. Who knows? Strange things indeed do happen.

Sometimes when the sun was not shining Little One would venture into the garden with Twinkle; Little One did not like the bright sunlight but Twinkle was not bothered. The old cat would curl up under a bush to have a snooze. Little Two fed birds and bandicoots as well as two rabbits and a pair of ducks; in fact anything that came into the garden was fed and provided with water.

Little Two often wondered how the birds and animals communicated because one day there may be only two pink and grey parrots but the next afternoon as many as twelve arrived. At other times hardly any of the other birds came and very few bandicoots at all were present. Little Two never knew but it seemed as though in the bird and animal world life had its own routines, cycles, systems and timetables which had to be adhered to. If they didn't arrive in her garden there must be something elsewhere that was scheduled for them which called their attention. Within one or two days all of them would return for food and water. Little Two really didn't like feeling rejected and her garden abandoned but common sense told her the creatures would be back; abandonment was temporary.

On one occasion during the summer when the sun had not yet come up Little Two sighted a fox drinking from a bird bath. There were numerous bird baths in the garden, some were off the ground, others were at ground level; this one was at ground level. Fascinated Little Two watched from her kitchen window. The animal must have been desperate for water for it to come into the garden because the property was fenced and this particular bird bath was well inside the boundary. Sometimes towards the end of summer birds and animals would come in from the bush looking for food and water. Some summers were harsher than others; the most recent one had been particularly long and dry. Little Two had seen eagles cruising around as well as kangaroos at her front gate. Fortunately, her neighbour, across the road, did not have her property fenced; kangaroos had access to food and water which she left for them. Once the rains came, the creeks started to flow, grass sprang up; the larger animals disappeared back into the protective shelter of the heavily wooded bushland.

As the months passed Little Two, gradually regaining her strength began to feel more positive about life. Little One noticed the change in her, Little Two was more motivated spending time in the garden, carving Rune Stones and writing. She did wonder if Little One wanted to stay on with her and, of course, Twinkle. There was no doubt in Little One's mind; they had agreed to stay together and stay together they would.

Little Two was more than happy that Little One had not had a change of heart and the three of them would remain together for some time to come. However the situation caused Little Two to think about their future. As things were, Little Two was old and still in her human form while Little One was young and not in her human form. Life could sometimes be difficult; they were not always company for each other; Little Two fell to thinking about a future life. A life in which they would be once again, born as twins. If they could plan for this now, it would be something to look forward to. There were many aspects to think about; which country to inhabit, who would be their parents, would the parents be rich or poor, did the parents work for a living, were there siblings, when they themselves grew up would they work, did they want to both be of the same sex, what sort of school did they wish to attend. There was much to think about. Thinking could start now because by the time they eventually reached the other side many of the issues would have been resolved. Little Two did not foresee any problems, she had been brought up to believe that, as humans, we choose our path. Of course there were limitations; we couldn't all be born kings or queens. That aside if one were to focus on an outcome with all sincerity, it could eventuate. The question which needed to be asked was the incarnation to be for the highest good for all concerned? That question Little Two found difficult to answer; because she didn't know.

Little Two realised when the time came to be reborn as a twin with Little One she wouldn't remember much at all about anything of the plans made during the present incarnation. However Little Two did have a deep feeling which convinced her there would be certain memories which would enable a recall just as there had been of her life in Scotland. The more Little Two nurtured the idea the more powerful it became. Little One was excited about the prospect of having another life as a twin. It seemed to both of them the more they focussed on the concept the more power was generated.

Life became more rewarding and fulfilling for them both. Little Two having gained more strength, renewed her interest in making medicinal creams and cosmetic lotions. Interests she had left behind two or three years ago now returned to stimulate her mind and her energy levels improved.

Spring finally arrived after a wet winter. Plants were in abundance; the garden became a riot of colour and perfume. Wildlife became very active, there seemed to be more bandicoots, of all shapes and sizes, scampering for food. The bird population had increased, in particular pink and grey parrots as well as yellow necked parrots. It was a little early for the ducklings to hatch but the pair of ducks were quite at home competing for food. A new arrival to the garden was what is known as a motor-bike frog because its call was similar to the sound of a motor bike. The sound was constant, day and night. Little Two enjoyed the company it provided during the long nights when she was unable to sleep. Over a period of weeks – or was it months, time passed so quickly – at least two other varieties of frogs arrived in the garden. Little Two found it interesting, the motor-bike frog seemed to have one pond to himself as did the two new arrivals. There were three ponds in the garden each supporting a different species. Depending on the weather a chorus took over the garden around two a.m., it was part singing at its very best. The latest species to arrive, croaked in unison while the motor-bike frog was solitary and became the bass drum for the other two varieties. Little Two found it amazing that the croaking ceased simultaneously, almost as if there was a conductor leading an orchestra. Sometimes when Little Two was expecting the chorus to begin there was no sound at all; not even the motor-bike frog. As it was with the birds, these small creatures too had their own time-table.

Little Two enjoyed immensely this time of year for the intensity of life around her but more than anything else she enjoyed the sound of magpies carolling on a moonlit night. Even as a child this sound had special meaning for her and now, at the age of eighty, it hadn't lost any of its beauty; if anything the beauty and magic had increased.

At this time of her life Little Two pondered quite considerably on Life and all of the "what ifs". She struck up conversations with Little One who seemed always ready to participate and offer an opinion. Little One's opinions were always matter of fact and down to earth, sometimes sounding almost rude and abrupt. Little Two made allowances, knowing Little One had remained a child for longer than she had; therefore her development was slower and more child-like. On the other hand Little One made startling observations at times, which to Little Two seemed extremely accurate. Little Two put this down to the fact that the child had less clutter in her mind to cause confusion and her answers were coming straight from the truth. Little Two had learned that children almost always came from a place of truth. The times when they didn't, was when their own lives had been corrupted by misery and falsehood; a place of non-love.

Neither Little Two nor Little One had recall of being brought up in Scotland by the Old Lady however the outcome of being raised by her during their formative years was imprinted on their psyche. This resulted in only like minded souls being attracted to them. Animals reacted in the same way; they too, could be corrupted by misery and falsehood which often emanated from humans, the end result being a mean, cunning and sometimes savage animal. Little Two noticed in the garden if there was enough food for all of the creatures they would, and did, eat happily together. They didn't fight or squabble; they minded their own business and side by side attended to the task at hand which was eating. Trouble arose if there was insufficient food, larger bandicoots attacked the smaller bandicoots, magpies attacked the doves, crows attacked the rabbits, and sometimes the larger parrots attacked the magpies. Just like humans Little Two thought. It was a straight out question of survival.

Observing what happened in the garden made it easier to understand the behaviour of humans, not all of the time but some of the time. If money were to be substituted for food it was easy to understand why there were so many wars. Whether arguments arose over oil, coal, timber, wheat, cotton, iron ore, gold or corn or anything else the bottom line became the cost of the commodities. Those nations who had the most money to offer became the ones who purchased the most. Sometimes nations would take property by force; power of leaders became the driving force. Little Two came to realise might was not always right, she had learned over the years there was enough food for everyone; its distribution caused the imbalance. The planet had become place for the "haves" and the "have nots".

So back to the animal world and Little Two's back garden. There were "haves" but no "have nots". There was a distinct pecking order based on size and species. The animals all knew their place, when they could safely venture in for food, when it became necessary to withdraw and when it was unwise or dangerous to even go near the food source. It was a question of being observant and knowing one's place in the pecking order. In the human world it seemed to Little Two these rules didn't always apply. Or was it these rules in fact did apply. Because there was only one species – the human species – it seemed to Little Two there was a lack of respect shown towards the impoverished and downtrodden. The beginning of the twenty first century was a trying time particularly for those in Middle Eastern countries. A friend gave Little Two a newspaper article which showed a man in the town of Aleppo, Syria feeding approximately one hundred and fifty cats on a daily basis. The owners of the animals had left them behind when they fled the town. The man was an ambulance driver who obviously cared for all living creatures, not only humans. Such acts of kindness shine like beacons in a world disturbed by poverty, hate and cruelty. Meanwhile back in Little Two's garden on the other side of the planet spring was bursting forth. As the season passed some of the birds and bandicoots brought their young to the back garden to be introduced to the food and water supply. The bandicoots were of interest. Little Two observed how one day their pouches bulged with young; she could see movement as the females fossicked for food. Then they would disappear for one or two days, returning with empty pouches. A day or two later the young would appear looking for food. Tiny creatures not much bigger than a match box. Little Two observed the different paths these animals made through the garden; there was a tangled area which the bandicoots favoured and this was where Little Two thought the animals had made a nursery. It seemed as though the overburdened females would empty or eject their young in the shelter of the entanglement, stay with them for protection before resuming their endless search for food. The young, having survived the trauma of being alone made their way, as if by instinct to the food source. This entangled area of the garden was left undisturbed by Little Two. She observed holes, mounds of earth, plenty of twigs and sticks; an area which was secluded, isolated and safe. It was an ideal place for the young to be introduced to life outside the protection of their mothers' pouch.

Little Two became aware of reptiles on the move; they too, were bringing forth their young. It was time for humans to be conscious of where they walked. Little Two had noticed two bobtail lizards crawling around, they were slow- moving and relatively harmless but if one was unaware of their presence they were quite startling. Little Two now knowing they were in the garden was on the lookout for them. They were known to bite if provoked; if one were to stand on them they would bite. Little Two had always taken comfort from the tale that if these lizards were around there would be no snakes. During her entire life Little Two had sighted only four snakes; maybe there was truth in the story which was supposed to be part of aboriginal folk lore. Origins of many tales about the country, its flora and fauna emanate from the first nation people whose knowledge goes back over forty thousand years. Their methods of conservancy of the land has been seriously heeded only in the last fifty or so years. Little Two took heart from this; she had tried in a small way to bridge the gap between both cultures. It now seemed as though the future was moving in the direction in which she hoped it would.

Life continued on its peaceful and harmonious way. To outward appearances Little Two's life seemed uneventful, almost boring. The truth, however, was quite the opposite, she led an ordinary life but in an extraordinary way. Her two companions were with her constantly and as time moved on Little Two spent more time with them visiting other realms. People coming to her garden were aware of the tranquillity it offered, feeling the magic that brushed past them as they moved amongst the shrubs and flowers.

Little Two knew her time in this present incarnation was coming to an end. She was not able to be specific, she didn't need to be. She knew when it was time to leave would be the right time; the universe makes no mistakes and all is right with the world.

After a period spent in other realms Little Two knew in her heart she would be moving forward to another earthly life with Little One and Twinkle.

"I hold that when a person dies

His soul returns again to earth

Arrayed in some new flesh disguise

Another mother gives him birth.

With sturdier limb and brighter brain

The old soul takes the road again."

(John Masefield)

A Life Comes, A Life Goes

Once again we pick up the story of the twins. They have gone back to Scotland, their little family still intact – Little One (Morag), Little Two (Annag), Black Cat (Twinkle) the Old Lady (Maighread), the Weaver (Roderick) and the Weaver's Husband (Elspet). The Old Lady is their mother, the Weaver in the original story became their father and the Weaver's Husband became the local lady school teacher. So you can see from this there are some people they have known of a very long time; hundreds of years in fact. Other people in their lives have not been with them for very long.

The people you and I have known of a very long time are the ones with whom we feel most comfortable. We have a feeling about them; it is not that we recognise the shape of their face, the colour of their hair or the sound of their voice; it is an inner knowing that attracts us to them and them to us. You might say "We are on the same wave length".

Resting in Another World

Before their next incarnation the little group spent some time in the non physical realm. It was a world of freedom and of peace. However they learned life there was not like that for everyone. If you arrived with other feelings, those feelings were what you experienced but for them it was a period almost of joyousness. One's physical body was no longer the predominating factor – this was the freedom and peace gained on the Earth Plane. Recognising other spirits was not brought about by visual or audio recognition but by their auric colour and rate of vibration. How the vibrations synchronised, or not, with your own; this became a harmonious way of recognition. As on the Earth plane there were many spirits with whom one could resonate. However, also as on the Earth plane, one did not always avail oneself of these opportunities. Moving around was easy: it seemed as though one glided in whatever direction one chose. Whenever they were in a particular place or direction the energy drew them; the feeling was irresistible.

Instinctively the twins knew wherever the urge led them this was where they needed to be. At the time they were unaware that such a feeling was one of familiarity: they were being drawn to where, in a previous life, they had left some of their energy. One of the attractions of the non-physical realm was the absolute joy of being in a world of reverberating colour, exquisitely soft yet vibrant The little group did not remember such an amazing variety of differing hues.

Some of their time was spent in reviewing their previous life as well as contemplating the next life in the physical realm. They were agreed they wanted to incarnate as female twins. The pull they experienced at certain times was related to their earlier life in Scotland. They agreed that Scotland would, once again, be their destination this time, the Old Lady was also in agreement. She wanted to be close to them; after all she was to be their mother.

As for Black Cat (Twinkle) she wanted to be with them wherever they went so it was a question of awaiting the right opportunity. They remained in the non-physical realm for a period which was not measurable by our standards but all the while looking for suitable vehicles which were to transport them.

The Old Lady was the first to leave selecting a woman who would provide the right conditions for her to be the mother of the twins when the time was right.

Arrival in Scotland

Black Cat was the next to leave. She was once again born black, into a litter of farm cats within the vicinity of where the twins were to be born. She settled in for several generations and therefore was well known in the area and familiar with the farm cottage. (Black Cat, formerly Twinkle was always a very wise cat.)

Arrival on the Earth plane was a gradual process. Spirits in the non-physical realm bade them farewell. With joy and excitement the twins were accepted by the Old Lady who was to be their mother. (From now on we will refer to her as Maighread) They settled into the warmth of the womb, knowing by the vibrations Maighread emitted that they were loved and cared for. They felt love also emanating from their father, Roderick, when he placed his hands on Maighread's stomach. This warm, secure cavern was to be their home for the next forty weeks. Not only did they feel the loving vibrations from Maighread but they were aware of each other and comforted by each other's presence. Every movement made was felt by the other.

As time moved on towards the birth, activity increased within Maighread as did movement around the farm cottage. Black Cat, even though she lived quite a distance away, was aware of the activity; she knew something was happening and as a consequence was very curious. She spent time around the cottage, on several occasions managing to slide in through the doorway without Maighread seeing her. Of the two rooms one room in particular seemed to have been given more attention than the other. It contained quite a large sized crib and a large box. Black Cat supposed it was for storage of clothes but she really didn't know. She was aware from the vibrations the room was being prepared for something special, making a mental note to return in the near future.

Maighread's husband busied himself around the property; sheep that were due to lamb were brought down from the high country. He didn't want to spend too much time away from home and the sheep would be close at hand should his help be needed. He reflected on the fact that his sheep were giving birth as was his wife. Although this was the first time for his wife to give birth he felt quite confident; she was a practical woman with a good strong body and wide hips plus Elspet, the local schoolteacher, was also the local midwife. She was coming to stay with them as the time drew near. The three of them were excited but a little anxious about the birth. Their memories were unable to recall previous births and that is as it should be. Outside the wind gusted and the rain blew against the walls of the little cottage. Maighread knew that the birth process had commenced; her waters had broken which indicated birth was not far away.

Roderick returned with Elspet; her arrival relaxed Maighread. The twins, feeling this, were comforted.

The twins and Maighread knew the time for the actual delivery was imminent. Maighread was restless, couldn't settle and had difficulty being comfortable; Morag (Little One) and Annag (Little Two) were the same, restless because Maighread was restless . They had moved into their birthing positions. Morag who was to be born first eased into the birthing position and waited. She was head first and from the foetal position began to slowly unfurl as she travelled down the birth canal. Being strong and healthy Maighread did not find the birthing process arduous. Morag was aware she had emerged from the cavern, being surrounded by large people and confronted with a world full of light and warmth. But she did wonder where her sister was.

Being Born

Elspet the midwife, held Morag upside down by the legs in an undignified position slapping her bottom as she did so. Morag, protesting vehemently, felt insulted. Though from that point on things were very different as Elspet cradled Morag in her arms before placing her on Maighread's breast. This was bliss for the baby and the mother.

Time passed, Morag became aware of another baby's cry. Annag had made the journey safely and was going through the ordeal of bottom slapping. Before long the babies were aware of each other's presence, side by side, on their mother's breast. Maighread drifted off into a contented slumber while Elspet and Roderick tidied the room and went about preparing a simple meal. Elspet heard faint scratching at the door. On opening it she found Black Cat demanding to be let in. There was no time to prevent the cat from entering. Straight away Black Cat knew where to go, darting between Elspet's legs she hurried to the room where the twins were. Elspet was not happy but Roderick insisted the cat be allowed to remain.

Black Cat prowled against the walls of the room unsure of the different sounds and unfamiliar smells. Finally she stealthily approached the bed but did not attempt to jump on it. Instead she sat, positioning herself a short distance away, looking up at these strange little creatures lying atop Maighread. Softly she started to purr, as experiencing a feeling of contentment she realised why there had been so much activity around the farm. Maighread had produced a litter! After one or two perfunctory licks of her hindquarters Black Cat made her way back to the door demanding to be let out.

Black Cat and Roderick

The twins' arrival in the physical world announced a new era in the everyday life of those around them, including Black Cat. Maighread now had very little time but to attend to the needs of the twins. Elspet stayed on assisting with any tasks that were neglected – washing and cooking seemed to be the most demanding. Roderick and Black Cat formed an unlikely relationship in that Black Cat was very often seen around the precincts. At first she was wary of the farmer, being nervous of him but after a while his actions indicated to her that he was to be trusted. And so it came to pass whenever Black Cat was on one of her visits to the cottage she made a point of seeking out the farmer. She always gave him a formal greeting by rubbing her body against his legs and holding her tail erect. Roderick looked forward to these meetings; he would lean down and stroke her while murmuring a greeting.

These seemingly chance meetings, which really weren't, developed into a relationship which allowed Black Cat, whenever she chose, to follow Roderick around the farm and beyond. It came to be more a relationship that one would establish with a dog. It was company for Roderick. Black Cat, of course, didn't require company – she was a cat – but it did mean for her that she could move anywhere on the farm, including the cottage, without any risk of punishment for actually being there. Humans often intimidated cats who were found where they shouldn't be; Black Cat had overcome that problem.

Two or three years passed without any unexpected changes; Roderick tended his sheep, clearing some land in preparation for growing vegetables. Now that he had a family to support providing additional food was a necessity.

Maighread as a Mother of Twins

Maighread was fully occupied with the twins. Sometimes she felt this a responsibility too big to cope with but support from Roderick made her role more rewarding. Elspet remained in close contact with the family; at times she would return home, at other times she would remain at the cottage. The arrangement suited everyone.

Slowly the twins made their presence felt. At first they sought attention by yelling or crying, although yelling was not something they resorted to frequently, it was reserved for when they felt ignored particularly if either one was hungry. Maighread never quite knew if they were either hungry or the other one was yelling in support. However when placed on the breast both sucked with such gusto that Maighread chastised herself for doubting. Maighread began learning early her relationship with these unique creatures if one felt something inevitably the other felt it too.

Communication progressed from yelling and crying to the stage of making sounds and actual word making. From the word making stage, communication skills rapidly progressed. The twins spent much time pronouncing words, forming sounds and watching each other intently as each tried to form a word that was new to them. Crawling was a time when life began to hold keen interest and Black Cat by this time was a regular visitor to the cottage. Their seemingly uncoordinated movements attracted Black Cat who saw it as an opportunity to play. But play could be rough – unintentionally – but none-the-less rough. At such times Black Cat made a hasty departure. The twins were no match for her speed, their agility being clumsy and slow by comparison. Termination of play did not spell an end to the relationship. The next day Black Cat would be back and play resumed.

To Maighread the speed with which the twins learned to walk was extraordinary. It seemed in no time at all they were being born then suddenly they were walking. Maighread began to notice the differences in their personality. Morag was more adventurous while Annag seemed more talkative. Perhaps this was because Morag did not have as many words at her disposal. Time would tell.

As the weather changed and winter developed into spring, Maighread felt comfortable about taking the twins outside. This move was to make a tremendous difference to their lives; all of their lives.

Anything that moved held their attention and there was plenty of movement in the form of birds and animals. It was a time of great enthusiasm and learning for the twins and their parents. There were eagles that came down from the high country, owls watched as they silently flew from their observation perches. Rabbits were in abundance causing Roderick to ponder on the safety of the crops he intended to grow.

Black Cat's extended family sometimes came for a visit. Occasionally they caught a rabbit. Watching the cats stalk their prey, in itself, was a learning experience; how they slunk silently along the ground then suddenly sprang forward was an action which commanded the children's attention. Roderick did not object to the occasional rabbit being hunted and killed but he took exception when smaller migratory birds became the target. At certain times of the year there were hundreds if not thousands of smaller birds that stayed around for a while using the area close to the farm as a stopping-off point on their journey either north or south. This was a spectacular sight. Even at their young age the twins soon learned to identify the visitors from the permanent residents. Later on bird watching was to become a favourite pastime. Assisted by Elspet they learned to identify the species, where they were going, where they had come from, how long the birds had been flying, why the need to have a resting place on their journey, what time of year the migratory flight occurred and how long they stayed around the farm.

The interest in Nature was a delight for the parents. It created a sense of inner satisfaction knowing their children did not see themselves as being outside of Nature: they were very much part of it.

Growing Up

As the twins grew and developed they tended to wander further away from the farm cottage seeking a wider variety of birds and animals to observe. Elspet, the school teacher, had time to accompany them as there were few other children in the area old enough to attend school. It was a perfect solution: The twins received individual tuition and Maighread did not have to worry that they were alone.

For the children life became an exciting routine; mornings were given over to little journeys which took them to the furthest corners of the farm where they checked on the activities of the animals and the various types of birds that were present. Afternoons were devoted to pottering around near the farm cottage or having a nap. Black Cat would invariably appear; sometimes the twins would delight in disturbing her as she stalked a mouse. Morag encouraged this activity but Annag was not as enthusiastic a participant.

On the days when Elspet visited, Maighread allowed them to travel further afield. The subject of their interest was a loch about a mile from the farm cottage. The water was not very deep, in fact it was quite shallow but it was, however, home to hundreds of small fish. At certain times of the year the area surrounding the loch became a sea of birds all looking for food, squabbling for space or trying to snare one of the small fish in the loch.

At times Roderick had to hand feed lambs so he taught the twins how to bottle feed. This did not occur often but sometimes if one of the ewes was sick or had died it was necessary to look after the lamb. When this happened the task was one which fully occupied them for the lamb would then attach itself to whichever child had fed them and they would be followed by the lamb even to the point of entering the farm cottage, much to the twins' delight. Feeding the lambs was to unknowingly involve the twins in the daily activities while gently introducing them to the rhythm of farm life. Not an intentional outcome but one which nevertheless pleased Roderick. The twins, being female, did not concern him; he saw it as an advantage in matters of the animals' health.

Roderick himself was an unusual man in that he was gentle with his animals and had an abundance of cures at his fingertips should they be needed. He was not a Veterinary but had a sound knowledge of animals which his father had passed on to him.

As schooling was not yet compulsory any knowledge which was acquired from whatever source was a bonus. Roderick saw it as a distinct advantage having Elspet in close proximity. She could teach the children the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic and he could pass on his knowledge of herbal medicine and homeopathy, a new medicine which had gained some measure of popularity amongst his farming friends.

Homoeopathy had originated in Germany. Eventually its founder, Dr Samuel Hahnemann, moved to France. It was in Paris that the system of medicine became more wide spread as clients from all over Europe consulted him. This included the English and Scottish aristocracy. To some of the farming community in Scotland homoeopathy became a sought-after system of medicine. It was a means of treating sick animals without having to always call on the services of a veterinary.

Of course one had to know how to make and administer the medicine but Roderick felt confident as he had seen the good results from his father who had used the system for the last fifteen years of his farming life. Maighread, also, was an able practitioner and did most of the actual manufacture of the medicines.

Roderick was thinking of the future: if his daughters were used to seeing the results they would not be averse to using this system when the time came. There were other healing methods, not commonly in use, which he would teach them over the years. As he mused on the future a feeling of contentment came over him; his animals would be in safe hands.

By the time the twins were four years of age they had mastered and accepted the responsibility of preparing milk feeds for the abandoned lambs. They were methodical about the way this was organised. Thanks to Elspet they could now count even if this number was restricted to ten. They could count enough to know how many bottles needed to be prepared.

However both Roderick and Maighread decided that two orphaned lambs – one each – was enough for the children to look after at such a young age. More than two lambs would become Maighread's responsibility. She would milk the ewes for the lambs' requirements. The twins would learn how to heat the milk, calculate the number of feeds each day, see to it that the lambs received the correct number of feeds, make sure they were kept warm and know when they could begin eating grass. The lambs were to be kept in the barn for warmth, along with two donkeys. The barn was also home to a pair of barn owls and their young; this was cause for excitement and interest.

The farmer had paid a visit to his apothecary friend for the purchase of teats to fit the variety of bottles which had been used previously. The twins were excited about the prospect of being given so much responsibility pleading with their father to accompany him on his visit to the apothecary. Permission being granted they duly harnessed the donkeys and set off for the town.

The visit to the apothecary was cause for wonder and excitement. The twins moved around between the counters and cabinets chattering to themselves and asking lots of questions. It seemed as though the contents of the shop was the most interesting and exciting they had ever seen. They finally made their departure firmly clasping six teats. (Roderick hoped six would enough because he couldn't afford more)

Feeding two orphaned lambs was, for the twins, almost a full-time occupation. They needed feeding every four hours which meant feeding them six times daily, including once at night. Maighread allowed the twins to bring them inside the cottage at night for added warmth. By the end of the third day the number of feeds was reduced which allowed the children time to absorb other activities in the barn.

In particular they were interested in the family of barn owls; they had seen another species of owl but never a barn owl. Feeding the orphaned lambs was becoming tedious so discovering barn owls offered something different if not a little scary. The parent birds and three hatchlings attracted their attention and curiosity; in fact such was their fascination that at times the twins needed to be reminded of their lamb feeding duties.

The bleating of hungry animals sometimes drew the attention of Maighread or Elspet (if she happened to be around); bleating was an obvious sign that something wasn't quite right with the feeding schedule. For a long time the twins couldn't understand how Maighread or Elspet knew that a feed had been missed as they scurried around obtaining milk, heating it and returning to the barn as though they hadn't been there since the last feed.

Also of late Black Cat could be seen prowling around outside the barn: she knew there was activity inside and was determined to find out what it was. Even she was a little scared as she approached the hissing bundles of down. Never before had Black Cat been inside the barn. It wasn't that she was not allowed just that she hadn't been around when the barn door was open. She crept in, tentatively approaching the downy bundles as they sat high above in their nest hissing at her. The parent birds were frightening as they stared with unblinking eyes from their mask-like faces. They screeched noisily. Black Cat sat down on a bundle of hay and pretended to look casual as she licked her rump. She wasn't feeling casual at all, she felt quite intimidated by all the noise. These creatures didn't look like birds, not the ones she used to seeing anyway. (Whenever Black Cat felt nervous and unsure she licked her rump; it seemed to be common amongst cats, certainly the ones she associated with.) It also helped her save face.

The twins were engaged with the orphaned lambs, gently talking with them and occasionally chattering to each other. It seemed as though the lambs and the twins were not the least bit nervous of the strange-looking birds. Black Cat felt more reassured but none-the-less decided to keep her distance, remaining close to the twins. For several days after that first encounter Black Cat would not enter the barn, even though the door was open; she needed to know the twins were inside. After about a week as she happened to be loitering around the open door, she could hear the twins chattering as they fed the lambs so decided it was safe to enter.

Carefully picking her way amongst the straw, at the same time avoiding the donkeys, she made her way towards the strange-looking birds. On looking up she expected to see the bundles of down but such was not the case; instead she saw three hatchlings clothed in downy feathers, downy but none-the-less feathers. They still hissed at her as did the parent birds who screeched loudly. Black Cat did not feel nearly so intimidated; she decided, however, to leave them alone, having no desire to encounter the parent birds with their mask-like faces and hooked beaks. After the initial confrontation, there developed a mutual respect. Black Cat would leave and enter the barn at will, the birds went through the usual routine of hissing and screeching but an attack from either side never eventuated.

As she was now familiar with barn owls, Black Cat would sometimes see the bigger bird, probably the male, usually at dusk, flying low over the ground in search of voles or mice for his family. Black Cat was still intrigued by the sound and size of these creatures but the desire to stalk and ultimately kill them was no longer an issue.

Feeding the orphaned lambs still remained an ongoing task although the number of bottle feeds had been reduced; it was now time to ensure that there was grass for them to feed on and it was in plentiful supply. Outside the barn was an ideal place on which to graze and most times this was where they took them but sometimes the farmer insisted they be taken to the Standing Stones.

Being very familiar with the power of the Standing Stones, knowledge of which had been passed down by their ancestors, the couple desired such knowing to be handed on to their children. Here was an opportunity to do just that. It was further to walk but the twins didn't mind; there was much to see and somehow they always felt different once they had spent time at the stones. They didn't realise that it was the energy given off by the stones which was responsible for this change of feeling. The children were still too young to understand the reason for things; they just accepted that this was how things were. Roderick considered he blessed that there were Standing Stones near to where he farmed his animals. He had observed sheep of their own accord feeding close to their location and he often wondered whether the animals were picking up electromagnetic energy as they moved around. Maighread was less questioning and sceptical; she firmly believed in the power of the stones. In her opinion the sooner the children were exposed the better. She felt animals and children were similar in that both had the ability to feel the subtle energies which emanated from seemingly life-less objects. She knew these things, she didn't need scientific proof! Time and again she had noticed when sheep, who were "just not well" spent time at the stones had come back rejuvenated.

And another natural phenomenon Maighread knew deep inside – the stream which flowed into the loch from the high country had healing powers. She didn't need scientific proof for that either. She felt sure it related to a rocky outcrop over which the water flowed on its way to the loch. Not that the sheep drank from the loch but she had seen them regularly drinking from the stream. The apothecary had identified the rocks as containing magnetite or lodestone which Maighread understood contained magnetic properties. Virtually on their doorstep, Nature had provided them with two reliable therapeutic and health-giving gifts. They were always available to anybody and everybody including the animals.

Life continued, the orphaned sheep still being hand reared although not as intensely as previously. The twins had grown and were now stocky, healthy little girls. They had discovered a Grove of Trees which lay to the east of the farm cottage. On a windy day it was frightening to be amongst them but on a still day when not even the grass stirred, there was a tranquillity which offered a mysticism thus transcending daily living. It was on these days that the twins delighted to be in the midst of such a sacred place and it became one of their most favourite places.

The Grove

Elspet became more of a constant visitor to the farm cottage. At the request of Maighread she attended on a regular basis with the view to teaching the twins reading and writing. Maighread thought the children were at the stage where they could absorb more knowledge and it was to this end that lessons began, on a regular basis, but Maighread was firm in her belief that she didn't want the children's heads so crammed full of knowledge that they became overloaded. The system worked well, one day per week for teaching, two half days for study while the rest of the week was given to outdoor activity; weather permitting. If the weather did not permit they spent time either indoors or in the barn. They enjoyed the company of the donkeys in the barn and Maighread was also keen to have the twins learn the art of soap and candle making. She wasn't sure which to attempt first, finally deciding on candle making.

Meanwhile until the latter became a reality the children were keen to explore the Grove of Trees. On previous occasions they had seen animal tracks and wished to investigate further.

On the first calm day they set out for the Grove of Trees. The morning was crisp and cold, the only sound was crunch of the feet on the leaf litter. So expectant and excited were they that they didn't talk and that was unusual. Normally they chattered incessantly, usually about their forthcoming adventure but not on this day. There was an air of stillness which permeated everything including the twins. On arrival at the Grove they carefully followed the animal tracks, which, after much serious thought they decided belonged to a badger but they weren't really sure, so instead of looking for tracks of which they were unsure they twins decided to check for droppings which might be around. Perhaps by doing that they could identify the animal. Annag remembered the farmer telling them on one occasion that badgers have a musky smell but different from that of a fox and there didn't seem to be a musky smell anywhere, neither did there appear to be any badger droppings which were easy to identify – large claw-dug holes containing big droppings used for marking territories. The twins then reasoned that if the tracks did belong to a badger, he was merely passing through the area. They decided not to continue with the search but rather rest beneath the trees and listen to the silence. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the trees; the twins idly watched and listened as occasionally a bird fluttered between the light beams. So immersed were they in the tranquillity of the Grove that they were unaware of movement on the path. Annag, nudging Morag, motioned her to be silent as trotting along towards them was a magnificent young female fox, her lush tail streaming out behind her like a pennant. Surprised to be so close to the creature they could do little but watch in awe... The fox seemed unaware of their presence trotting purposefully along the path finally disappearing between the trees. The twins waited until the creature had merged with the distance before quietly breaking into an animated conversation. This was something they had not expected to see in the middle of the day; they concluded the fox was embarking on a shorter route to the loch where there was a myriad of birds from which a meal could be selected without too much trouble. Perhaps she had cubs to feed, the path through the Grove of Trees offering her protection from predators including humans.

The twins decided after such an event it was time to return home. They were bursting with excitement to tell of their experience. Tranquillity became something in the recent past as they sped along the path. Black Cat was waiting by the barn, as soon as she spotted them she approached with her tail in the air offering her usual greeting of rubbing her body against their legs.

That night the evening meal was taken up with the day's adventures, Roderick and Maighread being impressed with the twins' independence and abilities. The twins reiterated the sacredness of the Grove and how they had to talk quietly at all times for fear of disturbing the spirits who dwelt there. Later in the evening while the children slept Roderick and Maighread discussed the likelihood of making each of them a pipe. Neither of them realised such an idea sprang from their memories of a former life although the depth of feeling which accompanied such an idea did lead them to think this was no ordinary thought. Maighread in particular, felt moved to the very depths of her being; what better place to play the pipes than the Grove of Trees and the fact that the children had become aware of its uniqueness was indeed a gift.

The following morning dawned cold but fine; the twins still had their lamb feeding duties to attend to although the frequency was being scaled down still further. Once the bottle feeding was complete and they had taken the lambs to graze the twins returned to the barn where it was warm and out of the wind. Black Cat, who by now was quite familiar with the feeding routine, followed them in. The barn owls were not quite fledglings; having lost almost all of their down they remained in the nest. The female owl was there on her own looking after her young, still screeching hideously at Black Cat. Not long after the male bird returned to the nest with a vole, depositing it at the female's feet. After tearing the animal apart she fed it to the hatchlings. Black Cat watched with interest but made no attempt to attack, preferring to remain close to the twins.

Because the weather was cold the twins decided to spend the remainder of the day inside the barn. They even had a discussion as to whether or not they would make themselves a cubbyhole within the barn. Having decided they would do just that an animated conversation followed as to what they required for such a special place. It had to be private, secluded, protected from the wind and not visible from the barn door. This was to be their very own private space; Black Cat was, of course, welcome at any time, in fact they decided Black Cat should have her own bed in there, even though they knew she was unlikely to use it, preferring to select her own bed in her own time.

The twins chose a corner of the barn which meant they were protected on two sides: what now was needed were materials for the remaining two sides. This was to be a difficult decision because there wasn't much to use.

They were restricted to a few pieces of wood, stooks of hay and harness which Roderick used for donkeys, all of which were likely to be used in the near future. However Annag felt confident the task was achievable so they set about shifting hay, moving the pieces of wood into place and suspending the harness from the low rafters. The finished product was something to be proud of: with limited materials they had created a place for themselves and Black Cat. They now had somewhere to bring the special treasures which were collected on their adventures, such items as a bird's nest which had blown out of a tree during a storm, a piece of wood which had been struck by lightning, as well as the jaw bone of a squirrel. These artefacts, in their eyes, were priceless and worthy of a permanent home.

That night they told the farmer of their special place in the barn. He knew immediately of the materials they used and decided they were unsuitable for the purpose, He rose from the table, lit a lantern and headed straight for the barn. The twins did not follow him because they sensed he was irritable. When finally he did return to the cottage he had devised a plan whereby the children would have a much better cubbyhole and he would have access to the hay and donkey harness. He was going to visit the high country and fell a couple of fir trees, using their trunks and bigger limbs to form a wall, held together by two vertical pieces of wood taken from smaller branches. When he explained to the children what he intended to do they were more than delighted; this would be a much stronger, more private cubbyhole. The twins realised that they had made a mistake by using Roderick's property without seeking his permission. He hadn't chastised them but his behaviour had indicated his displeasure. During that time Maighread had said nothing; she silently supported both her husband and her children.

The next day, true to his word, Roderick set off for the High Country, axe in hand and oat cakes in his pocket. His plan was to go to the Standing Stones and commence his climb from there to the High Country. His reasoning was logical; suitable fir trees grew there in the area, he wouldn't need to climb too far and he would have a perfect place in which to tether the donkeys and cart. Since he was using them to transport the logs to the barn he needed to make the whole journey as trouble free and easy as possible.

He thought he might invite the children along as they hadn't been to the High Country before. This was an opportunity for them to observe another part of the land which was used for farming. It didn't take him very long to arrive at his destination – there were the fir trees standing in front of him. He wanted only two for his purpose. He planned to fell them, strip the branches then leave them while he returned for the donkeys and cart – and the children of course, if they wanted to participate. It was quite a simple task; he'd had plenty of practice. What's more it didn't take too long and soon he was on the return journey. The twins were eager to join him on the trip, as was Maighread who hadn't been back to the area since before the twins were born. So the whole family set off to bring the logs back. They were only a short time into their journey when they heard a miaow behind them. Quickly the twins turned; much to their delight there was Black Cat. She didn't want to be left behind which was strange as usually she waited for the twins to return from their travels. Maighread thought that it was because Black Cat had seen the whole family leave together and she didn't want to be left alone. Even the donkeys were no longer at the farm. Cats are strange animals – fiercely independent at times – at other times very dependent on people. Everything works well in the cat-human relationship so long as the cat chooses when to be dependent and when not. It is not for humans to question when these moments occur; they need to accept whatever is and allow the cat its freedom to be whatever he/she desires.

The whole family was now complete, reaching their destination in no time at all. Once they arrived at the Standing Stones they knew it would not be long before they arrived at the fir trees. The donkeys needed to be tethered in a safe, convenient place to enable the logs to be loaded onto the cart. The twins decided to stay with the donkeys while Roderick and Maighread continued to the fir trees. The twins could hear the sound of the axe ringing through the clear air, almost like gunshots. The actual sound of the falling tree was dull and muffled as it came to rest upon the earth. The twins felt the vibration through their feet before silence returned to the area. Black Cat's ears were forward as she listened intently for every movement. There is something majestic about a tree standing tall in the forest, but to see or hear it as it is cut down brings a sadness to one's heart. On his previous visit Roderick had felled two trees, but this time Maighread suggested he fell a third tree to allow for any changes in plan. This would mean two trips for the donkeys but better that than overload the cart causing stress to the animals and the cart.

It worked out well that Maighread came on the trip; she was able to assist Roderick with lifting then sliding the logs onto the cart. The twins were allowed to ride on the logs as they were tired from walking. Morag tried to lift Black Cat onto the cart but she wriggled and twisted angrily; Morag was forced to let her go, Black Cat preferring to walk behind the cart, occasionally darting off into the heather hunting imaginary animals. (Here was an example of a cat selecting to be independent: Black Cat needed to make her own decision, she wasn't prepared to rely on Morag.)

The journey home was uneventful, the logs were unloaded at the barn door and the farmer set off once more to bring the remaining logs home. Maighread accompanied him. She didn't want him travelling alone, neither did she want him sliding the logs, without help, onto the cart. The twins went into the barn to wait but also to work out what their new cubbyhole would look like. Black Cat stayed in the barn making no attempt to follow the cart.

Annag decided, if there was enough wood, she would like to have one or two shelves for displaying their treasures. She wasn't sure how this would be done but felt confident that Roderick would know.

They could even use the space for doing their homework; there would be sufficient room if the farmer would make a table or a bench for them to write on. Morag approved of that idea; in her mind that meant they could escape from their schoolwork without Maighread or Elspet being aware. By the time the second cart – full of timber – arrived, both children had designed, with clarity, what they desired in their cubby.

The parents listened carefully to their requests before deciding everything was do-able, even down to a place for their study. Roderick was sure he would have enough timber to make two benches, one to be used as a table and the other would be to sit on. The only difference would be in the height and the width. The table would need to be higher than the seat and twice its width. What's more, making both pieces of furniture would not be too difficult. The important thing would be that the end products would need to be smooth, smooth enough to sit on and write on.

That evening there was discussion as to when all of the building and making would take place. Agreement was reached that Maighread and the twins would tend the sheep for one or two days while Roderick spent time in the barn making the cubby and the benches. In the farmer's mind anything that encouraged the twins to learn was something he was prepared to spend time on. Maighread was of the same mind, and the task of tending the sheep was pleasurable; it would take her out of the cottage for a day or two. For the twins too, the whole exercise was fraught with adventure.

The next day dawned with only a slight breeze; Maighread was quite excited at the prospect of a day spent in the high country with her children. She dressed them in their sheepskin vests; it was the first time they would have worn them. While they didn't require them at the beginning of the journey, the temperature in the high country could well be different. Before setting off oat cakes were distributed to the twins and some for Maighread. She carried the shepherd's crook which Roderick used when tending the sheep.

The beginning of the journey was quite easy as they were familiar with the curves, twists and slopes of the path that led to the Standing Stones. Annag looked back for a glimpse at the cottage and saw Black Cat sitting outside the barn watching them but making no attempt to follow. She had already made up her mind; she would follow Roderick around wherever he went.

The little group paused for a short while at the Standing Stones before continuing on to where the sheep were grazing in a cleared area between the trees. There were many cleared areas in the high country perhaps because the land had been cleared of trees in the past, thus allowing grass to grow.

This country was new to the twins, the air was more crisp and cold, there were different bird calls, and the wind made eerie sounds as it whistled through the fir trees..The flock of sheep, around twenty in number, seemed healthy enough, their wool quite shaggy; mostly they were white but a few had black faces.

The trio sat down on a rock to eat their oat cakes while Maighread thought about whether or not she would move the flock to some fresh pasture. Annag wanted to know why they kept sheep. Maighread didn't want to elaborate on the fact that they were a source of meat, so she explained how cheese was made from their milk and clothing was made from their wool. Sometimes if there was extra cheese and wool it would be taken to market and exchanged for something the family was in need of. Occasionally if an animal died its hide would be tanned and taken to market and that too would be exchanged for something the family required. Sheep skin of good quality was used for making bagpipes and Maighread was able to inform the children that Roderick's bagpipes were made from the hide of one of their own sheep. That last piece of information was something which impressed Morag who enthusiastically wanted to learn how to play the instrument. Maighread casually remarked that one day they would each have a pipe to play and the three of them could accompany Roderick on his bagpipes. Both children burst into animated conversation at the prospect of the whole family making music together. Playing the bagpipes required more practice than playing a pipe and the sound of pipes with bagpipes was truly beautiful – at least that was Maighread's opinion. After their break Maighread decided to move the sheep to a well-grassed area about three hundred yards away. She walked behind with her crook while the twins walked one on each side of the flock. Some farmers used dogs for this purpose but this family had no dog but were more than happy with the twins' capabilities. While walking behind, Maighread was able to observe the way in which the sheep moved: were any of them limping or staggering? She discovered two of them were limping and on closer examination discovered one had a swollen lower leg while the other hand, somehow, cut its leg. Nothing could be done at this stage but Maighread would bring some ointment for the cut and salve for the ankle when they returned the following day. She would discuss with Roderick as to what would be the best treatment.

Two or three hours passed before Maighread decided it was time to leave. The sheep had all settled into their new grazing area and everything was peaceful. Besides, the sun had disappeared behind the clouds and the wind was chill; it was time to leave the High Country. Their journey home was uneventful. Once they arrived at the Standing Stones the twins knew that home was not far away and their pace increased. Before long the barn came into view and they could hear their father inside with his hammer, but no sign of Black Cat. They hurried on, eager to see how work was progressing inside the barn, also they were eager to find Black Cat. Morag expected her to be waiting for them outside the barn door but Black Cat had different ideas.

She was no different from other cats in that sometimes if she thought you had deserted her, she would make it her business to be away from her usual "welcome home" places. And so it was, Black Cat appeared sometime after the twins had returned. No one knew where she had been, she didn't give her usual tail in the air greeting either, and she was what you might call aloof.

Work in the barn progressed, the two walls were almost complete. A second day would see the actual cubby finished. All that remained was the bench to sit on and the table. The twins were excited; Maighread thought having their own area, away from the cottage would make their study more enjoyable, if not rewarding. The donkeys seemed unperturbed at having close neighbours, nor were the barn owls disturbed; they had lost all their down and now were fledglings. In a short while they would leave the nest and their parents would be left to the peace and quiet of the barn.

The evening was taken up with discussion on how to treat the two sheep and whether or not Roderick would require an additional day for the project. That night the twins went to bed content in the knowledge that soon they would have private space they could call their own and each would have a pipe which they could play in the Grove of Trees, and in addition, with Maighread accompanying the farmer, they would play their pipes and Roderick would play the bagpipes. Life was good, what more could they ask for?

Before setting off the next day Maighread put a small amount of medicine into two bottles, one for the animal with a cut leg, the other for the one who was limping. She put together some cloth for bathing and binding and a container for collecting water from the stream. Annag insisted on carrying the equipment but Maighread reluctantly refused her request knowing that if Annag tripped and fell the medicine would be lost. Instead she offered her the shepherds crook to carry.

Morag was curious about the medicine; she wanted to know what it was called, where it came from and how it was used. Maighread explained the one she would use on the sheep with the swollen ankle was Arnica and the one for use on the cut leg was called Calendula. Roderick made these from dried herbs which he purchased from the apothecary. Both herbs came from Europe, the Calendula from Southern Europe and the Arnica from central Europe. Arnica is an herb which is poisonous if taken internally but Calendula is used both internally and externally. Watching Morag's face as she absorbed the knowledge Maighread had the idea that fostering the interest in herbs would be advantageous to farm life generally. Morag persisted in the quest by asking how the medicine was made, to which Maighread replied that showing how it was made would be much easier for both of them. Annag agreed but it was important to get to the High Country and administer the medicine than to know, at this stage, how it was made.

Black Cat was not to be seen as they set off; she knew they were going somewhere but made sure she was out of sight. That was cat behaviour; she wanted them to know she was not pleased they were leaving the property again. She would spend the day with Roderick just as she had done the day before. While he was making the bench and table, his wife and the twins were in the high country attending to the needs of the two sheep. Maighread decided to tend the sheep with the swollen leg first. Water was obtained from the stream at the base of the rocks over which it bubbled. Maighread was particular about this because of the magnetic qualities the rocks possessed. She mixed one tablespoon of Arnica with a half pint of water. After soaking the cloth in the solution she bound it onto the sheep's leg. Having rinsed the container Maighread then replenished it with water from the stream, collected, as before, from the base of the rocks. To one pint of water she added two tablespoons of Calendula. After soaking a cloth in the solution she bound it to the cut. Morag was most concerned about the whole procedure; she gently talked to both animals while Maighread applied the cloth to each animal. Annag was interested in the treatment but her attention was focussed on an animal standing on a crag high above her. Partly hidden by the fir trees its gaze was fixed on Annag who returned the stare. It didn't seem nervous or fearful – more curious – as was Annag who hadn't seen an animal like it before. She signalled to her sister who in turn attracted Maighread's attention. Two or three minutes were spent returning the stare before the creature proudly turned its head and walked away. The children were amazed at such a sight, Maighread explaining to them that the animal was a red deer. What Annag had described as horns on its head were in fact antlers. Its home was the High Country, to see one was indeed a privilege because they were hunted by men who kept their heads as trophies on the walls of country estates. Because of being hunted the animals were usually very timid. Maighread explained that this animal was very young, maybe not having seen a human before because of the size of its antlers and the fact that it spent time looking at them. It was not fearful of humans; in her heart Maighread hoped the animal would not always be so fearless of human kind.

The little group spent time checking the remainder of the flock before beginning their homeward journey which was taken up with talk about deer and other wild creatures. Once again having arrived at the Standing Stones their pace quickened; home was not far away. They chattered to each other about a variety of topics, what animals would they see next time in the Grove of Trees, would their father have finished his work in the barn, would Black Cat be waiting for them, how they were looking forward to learning how to read and write, would the medicine work on the sheep, would they be allowed to visit the High Country again? The topics of conversation seemed endless. To Maighread it seemed as though she didn't exist so absorbed were they in their own world. But, she mused, this was as it should be. To young minds the world was exciting, full of challenge and interest; she wouldn't want it any other way.

The New School Room

The school room was finished. Roderick had even made a stool almost as high as the table for Elspet to sit on. This meant all the school work could be conducted in the barn, leaving the cottage as a home, a place where one retreats to at the end of the day. Everyone was happy with the arrangement; all that remained was to contact Elspet so that lessons could begin. Happily the twins were ushered off to bed, still chattering about their new classroom and the encounter with the Red Deer.

During the next couple of days the twins brought their little treasures into the school room: – the squirrel's jaw bone, the bird's nest and the piece of wood that had been struck by lightning. Over the next few years more treasures would line the shelves so that by the time their formal schooling had finished the little room became more like a museum crowded with items of interest of which the children never tired.

Elspet paid them a visit soon after the room was finished, complete with all its treasures. She seemed as excited as the children to commence her teaching duties, being one of those rare people whose reward comes from the stimulation of young minds who were eager to learn. It rarely occurred that either pupils or teacher tired of their roles. The next day Elspet arrived ready to commence her duties. She had brought them a gift for the new classroom; a globe which depicted all the countries of the world. Of all the teaching aids this acted to enliven, strengthen and excite their desire to learn. It assisted the twins to master the alphabet, to learn geography, history and climatic differences as well as acting as an introduction to astronomy.

The first lesson, however, was to learn the alphabet; that was the platform upon which everything else was built. The teacher believed that doing was the best form of learning so straight away the twins were taught both the basics of drawing as well as the actual letters of the alphabet and the sound making properties of each letter. A mammoth task but one which opened up many avenues for the twins as each child had to make her own set of alphabet cards. They were fortunate in having a teacher who had contacts with suppliers of paper, who were willing to provide off cuts of paper and cardboard for them.

Homework over the next few months consisted of drawing, using pen and ink to illustrate each letter as well as drawing the letter itself. At the beginning of their schooling it was decided that two afternoons per week would be given over to homework but sometimes it happened that three or often four afternoons were taken up with homework especially if the weather was not conducive to going outside. At one point Maighread began to show concern that the twins were not spending enough time outside but Roderick assured her that once the fine weather came the children would not want to be in the barn. Indeed he was right. Once the weather changed with spring not far off, the children began to be restless and two afternoons per week was more than they were prepared to give to homework. Neither teacher nor parents had any objection to this; they knew the time would come when the children would once again become enthused and spend more time in the classroom.

Black Cat had adjustments to make to this new life. She had never known the twins to spend so much time in the barn, so much so that she made herself a bed in the hay, tucked away out of sight. Being there she was almost invisible; the twins knew she was there but when Elspet came she made sure she was not visible. Not that she disliked the teacher but rather she preferred to be private and away from strangers.

And so the enjoyment of the days rolled into weeks then into months while learning the alphabet also rolled on. The letters of the alphabet were matched with corresponding countries shown on the globe. To the twins the whole learning experience was both exciting and stimulating and Elspet found use of the globe became the hub around which everything revolved. Once they had grasped knowledge of the letters, the difference between the vowels and consonants, the use of coupled letters and the different sounds they made, the twins began the next challenge of forming words. It was at this point that learning took a giant leap forward. To the twins writing words meant that soon they would be putting sentences together then paragraphs then chapters. To the teacher the children were almost unstoppable. The next phase would involve learning how to use a dictionary and Elspet was prepared to lend hers to the twins provided it was always kept in the barn.

Sometimes there was heated discussion as to who would have priority over the dictionary. To each have a dictionary would have been the ideal but such was not affordable at this stage of the twins' education, nor was it necessary. Both the children kept a list of words which required a meaning; Elspet or Maighread allocated time to each child for their sole use of the dictionary. Any punishment which was to be meted out was deprivation of the dictionary. Before long the scheme was working so well that the behaviour of neither twin required any chastisement whatsoever.

One day, after use of the dictionary was resolved, the twins decided to visit the Grove of Trees. The weather was cold but fine and they hadn't been out and about for some time. Maighread gave them some oat cakes and a slab of cheese, insisting they wore their sheepskin waistcoats. It was exciting to be out, away from their books and even Black Cat stirred from her bed to see them off. Black Cat knew where they were going from the general direction in which they were travelling but she also knew because she could pick up on their thoughts. Black Cat, as I've told you before, was an extremely wise and clever cat. She didn't like people knowing she was wise and clever, to know that would mean people would watch her every movement. She preferred to be seen as diffident and almost timid; that way she didn't draw any undue attention to herself and in so doing could be about her own business in her own quiet way.

Although Black Cat knew the twins were going to the Grove of Trees she also knew they were travelling further, that they would use the Grove of Trees as a more direct route to the loch. They knew the path through the Grove led on to the loch; the fox had shown them that on their first visit to the Grove. Black Cat knew the route to the loch via the Grove of Trees because she had used it herself on several occasions, when she was younger. The loch was a favourite place to hunt for birds and NO one knew she went there. Mostly there was enough mice to catch near the farm cottage but when they were in short supply she had to travel further afield for her food. The farmer didn't know Black Cat went hunting at the loch; had he known he wouldn't have been quite so friendly towards her and Black Cat was smart enough to keep the secret from him. On this particular day the twins stopped to eat their cheese and oat cakes in the Grove of Trees before pushing on towards the loch.

They were excited; new lands were opening up that required exploration. They had heard their parents discussing how there were edible fish in the loch and at certain times of the year thousands of birds arrived there for food and rest before flying on to their breeding grounds. Although they couldn't yet see the loch they knew it was close because of the noisy, discordant sound that emanated from the area. Birds of all sizes and shapes were hovering overhead as well as darting, running, scratching, picking and digging at the ground looking for food. What a sight to behold! As they drew closer the twins could see the loch, it was calm and serene by comparison. Several varieties of ducks sailed peacefully on its surface – seemingly not in any hurry to go anywhere. Occasionally ducks would emerge from the reeds but they never joined those on the waters of the loch; perhaps the emerging ducks were native to the place and kept their distance. The twins moved slowly towards the edge of the water expecting the birds to be fearful of their presence, but they were not perturbed. Some moved away or flew off only to land a few yards further downstream. Morag was eager to see fish and she was not disappointed. There were not many but as Annag pointed out the fish knew they were being hunted and no doubt were hiding in the reeds along the shore line.

Morag was intrigued by the vast number of birds as was Annag but her interest lay in the fish swimming around. If there were enough they could catch them for food, it would make a change from other meat which they ate from time to time. She would ask her father; he would know as he would know about duck eggs and whether of not they would be eaten.

Long shadows were forming on the path, and the sun was moving lower in the sky. Annag knew from these observations that it was time to go home, in fact they should have left the loch some time ago. Very soon they found the path and were homeward bound.

Back at the farm their parents were starting to be concerned that the twins hadn't yet arrived home. They too had observed the long shadows and the position of the sun. Black Cat as usual was loitering near the barn door. She decided to approach Roderick, who, with Maighread had started walking towards to Grove of Trees. Black Cat gave her customary greeting – tail in the air, rubbing against the farmer's legs -then proceeded to walk just ahead of him. It was important she led them through the Grove of Trees and on to the loch. She didn't want them stopping in the Grove of Trees because the twins weren't there.

Arriving at the Grove Roderick and Maighread stopped to look around but this was what Black Cat didn't want them to do so she returned to the farmer and rubbed her body against his legs once more before walking away from him. She did this two or three times making sure they followed her. When they were almost through the Grove Black Cat sat down on the path, her ears sharply pointed towards the loch. She could hear the twins chattering, even though she couldn't see them. The farmer and the farmer's wife stopped where they were and waited. Was Black Cat going to move away from them again? They couldn't hear the twins but they knew Black Cat was hearing something. Suddenly coming from around the bend in the path Roderick saw the twins, both of whom had spotted Black Cat. Rushing to the cat, Annag excitedly pick her up and hugged her. Maighread was relieved to see them again as was Roderick.

There was plenty of talking, questions to be asked and answered, explanations as to why the twins had travelled so far from home without telling their parents. The answer to that question was quite simple as far as the twins were concerned; they hadn't thought to tell them. Roderick however was very interested in what the twins told him, especially what Annag had to say about the fish. He hadn't been to the loch for a long time; perhaps it was time to revisit. The twins liked the sound of that idea, hoping he would invite them to join he and Maighread. It was agreed the whole family would visit the loch within the next couple of days, while the weather remained sunny. Sometimes living in that part of the world it was difficult to know what the weather would be like from one day to the next but In other parts of the world the weather was predictable from one week to the next, or even longer.

A family outing meant Maighread would need to make a large batch of oat cakes and use whatever cheese was available. Black Cat didn't attempt to join them; she remained loitering outside the barn door. She didn't want the humans to know she was very familiar with the area, besides she needed to check out what the barn owls were doing. It had been very quiet in there of late, perhaps because the twins spent more time in their school room. There was one owl in the barn and it was sitting on the nest; there were no hatchlings. Black Cat moved closer, the bird immediately started screeching at her and flapping her wings. Black Cat did wonder if there were eggs in the nest but she didn't want to move any closer to find out. Instead she settled down on her bed of hay to enjoy a few hours sleep.

She intended to be awake and walking down the path to meet the family when they returned home. Black Cat knew she would have a long sleep meanwhile. To be able to organise one's life in such a way was nothing short of luxury she thought, curling up on her bed, purring softly and kneading the straw gently with her paws.

Sometime later, stirring from her siesta, she awoke to the distant sound of the twins chattering excitedly. She needed to move quickly if she wanted to meet them on the path, so without further ado she slid off her straw bed, ran from the barn and trotted along the path casually meeting up with them as they emerged from the Grove of Trees.

Judging by the whole family's excitement all of them had enjoyed their outing. The twins sought privacy in the barn while their parents went inside the cottage. Black Cat knew both couples needed to talk specially the twins; they always went into the barn when they needed to have private talks. Cause for the excitement turned out to be a boat! Roderick wanted to build a boat. A boat, a flat bottomed boat would enable them to actually float on the loch looking for and catching fish. It would mean they could glide in and out of the reeds, of which there were plenty, looking not only for fish but duck eggs.

He wanted the boat to be one, which if the twins were taught, they could use without supervision. A flat bottomed boat, made of wood, would be one which the twins could handle if they were shown. It could remain on the loch because apart from them no one went there. The twins weren't sure how the boat would be transported to the loch; maybe their father would use his donkeys and cart.

With the thought of owning a boat the twins were overjoyed but it entailed some work on their part. They would need to concentrate on their schoolwork because Roderick and Maighread wanted them to succeed academically. Although it was not compulsory for girls to attend school Roderick thought it all the more reason why his children should be successful and it was for this reason he made a deal with them. The boat was to be a reward for their scholarship and the twins were more than willing to participate.

The first day Elspet arrived was a day they would never forget. She introduced the globe into the lesson by discussing the boat that Roderick was to build. It was a flat bottomed boat that originated in Finland which could be paddled, rowed or poled around shallow lakes or swamps. The twins were to learn on the globe where Finland was and its relationship to Scotland. In fact they were to learn where Scotland was in relation to the rest of the world – something of which they were totally unaware.

There were no such thing as computers or the Internet; any knowledge to be gained came from books and actually travelling to the different countries. Travel was confined to folk who had the money to travel and Roderick's family did not come in to that category. So looking on the globe offered a wealth of information. The twins learned that Finland belonged to the Scandinavian countries, that its inhabitants spoke Finnish and there literally thousands of lakes in the country. In fact ten per cent of the country was covered by lakes – combined, therefore, they would submerge an area the size of Belgium. On discussion it seemed logical that boats, including flat-bottomed boats, would be found aplenty in Finland. The teacher pointed out to the twins what could be learned from studying the globe and at that point commenced a discussion on Scotland in relation to the rest of the world.

The twins wanted Elspet to leave them alone; they had had enough for one day, and needed time to process all the knowledge. They were relieved when she made her departure, leaving them to have a quiet talk on their own. Sometimes when knowledge is crammed in it weighs heavily. The twins welcomed the arrival of Black Cat. Did she know she was needed for comfort at that particular time? By the time they had left the barn accompanied by Black Cat their balance had been restored and they were ready to discuss the day's events with their parents.

Making Plans

Roderick had news for the family; he'd spent the day with the sheep in the High Country and had found what he was searching for. He had been looking for spruce trees for the boat he was to build As luck would have it he came across a stand of trees growing on the side of a hill; they were exactly what he wanted.

Their root systems were ideal for use in making the hull. Announcing that news to his family brought forth a wave of enthusiasm which included offers of help. He explained how he intended to make the boat. He thought of using his saw to fell the trees, as he thought it would make a cleaner cut than the axe but he was still to make up his mind. Roots and branches were to be used for the ninety degree supports along the floor of the boat. Both the sides and floor would be made from milled timber. To make the vessel water proof he would drill and dowel, then seal the whole thing with tar. To ensure the dowelling held fast he would make a form for the making of clay and straw bricks, using these as a temporary measure to provide support against the dowelling so that everything tightly sealed together and became waterproof.

All of this would take time but Roderick looked upon the whole project as a challenge and one which he knew was achievable. He explained to his family he would take the tree trunks to the saw mill in the town and in exchange for raw timber he would ask the miller to cut the sides and floor boards for the boat. On completion of these preliminaries he would be left with the task of drilling, inserting the dowelling and tarring all of the woodwork. It was going to be time-consuming but in his mind he had devised a plan. The twins could be responsible for tarring everything as well as making the clay and straw bricks. They were developing into strong sturdy little girls and those tasks were not beyond them. Maighread also would be available to assist with lifting and positioning the timber and if it became necessary he would ask Elspet. The whole activity- that of building a boat – was one in which the entire family could participate. Family life to Roderick was something in which he felt strongly. A united family was a strong family whose bonds could withstand all the slings and arrows that life hurled at it.

One aspect of the boat building that required his attention was acquiring the tar he would need for sealing. He did not know of a boat builder but perhaps the miller would know of someone who would be of assistance to him. In his mind Roderick was comfortable and positive that everything would turn out for the best. He would be available to assist the twins as would Maighread.

The next day the twins were anxious for Elspet to arrive but of course she didn't turn up. The day was a homework day; Elspet was not due to come for another three days. By the time she arrived the twins were beside themselves with the news of the boat building project. Elspet, too, was enthusiastic about the project: the thought of rowing on the loch, maybe catching a few fish, observing the migratory birds and being part of the life of this truly amazing family was a privilege.

Roderick had work to do; apart from tending his sheep he needed to see the saw miller to discuss his plans and offers of payment. It was agreed the family would visit the miller, more for an outing than any other reason. The donkeys were harnessed and off they went, the twins still bubbling with excitement at the future plans. Black Cat watched them disappear from view then trotted into the barn.

Discussions with the saw miller were indeed fruitful; he had always wanted to build a boat so his enthusiasm for Roderick's project knew no bounds. Yes, payment as outlined would be sufficient; yes he could supply tar and dowelling; and yes he would make enough moulds to make the clay and straw bricks. The whole family were delighted at the way everything was turning out. The Gods were kind was the thought which entered Maighread's head.

The next part of the plan which needed attention was to construct some type of shelter in which the boat could be housed while being built, as well as offer protection to anyone who was working on it. After several thoughts which did not offer a solution Roderick came up with the idea of building some sort of a lean-to which meant there would be protection on three sides; both ends and one side which butted on to the side of the barn. This offered the cheapest shelter for the people working there as well as the boat itself. The materials to be used had yet to be thought about and sourced.

The structure needed to allow sufficient light through, even though lamps could be suspended from the roof. Building with stones would be ideal but would take too long to complete – sourcing the stones would present a problem. In his mind Roderick had the idea of using milled timber, horizontally positioned but leaving a gap between each of the timber battens. After discussion with Maighread he decided to fell another tree, a smaller one, and instead of using battens made from milled timber he would use smaller logs instead. These could be attached at one end to the roof and the other end buried in the ground. This was a much cheaper solution and one which did not make him beholden to the saw miller. It also meant he could commence building the structure straight away.

Following the burst of enthusiasm which came with the planned boat building the twins, particularly Annag, were ready to return to their school work. The actual boat building had not commenced but they were of the mind that their school work needed to be up to date, if not ahead, before the building commenced. Besides, the school work was at an interesting stage; the twins were being taught the coupling of letters, how the sounds sometimes differed even though the coupled letters were the same. Elspet made things easy by starting off with the word BOAT which of course, stimulated their mind. With boat came road, coat, goat, the coupled letters sounding the same. They decided they needed a set of cards just for the coupled letters but Elspet thought it important, firstly, to teach them the five vowel sounds.

This, at first, was confusing to the twins but with patience and persuasion Elspet was able to impart to the twins what was a vital piece of knowledge in their grasp of written grammar. Sometimes learning seemed an extremely tedious process, the twins feeling frustrated at the slow progress being made. Encouragement from Elspet, however, restored their enthusiasm. Even at their lowest ebb both children still retained the goal of wanting to read and write. Also since drawing their set of alphabet cards, both the teacher and parents realised the twins had a gift for illustration. This was to serve them well in life when their love of nature could be expressed in such artistic detail. Nothing was left out, no animal unaccounted for, no rock, tree, plant or lichen was undeserving of their attention. Even Black Cat on more than one occasion became their model and sat for her portrait. At times Roderick and Maighread were inclined to fret over their children's future. Their girls deserved the best of education. The school teacher understood their frustration but sought to encourage them; if and when the time came, possibilities would present but meantime tuition was of the utmost importance. Opportunities would not present if the work had not been completed. Elspet believed in the old adage "When the pupil was ready, the master would appear."

And so it was, life moved on; knowledge was gradually being absorbed by the twins without them being fully aware of what was happening. Sometimes in the evening during their family discussions the twins found themselves informing their parents of knowledge their parents knew little or nothing about. The children were unaware but their parents knew and were proud.

A couple of days later Roderick harnessed the donkeys and set off for the High Country. He was looking to select a couple of spruce trees with which to build the boat shelter. He asked the twins if they wanted to accompany him. Delighted by his offer, they sought to assist him with the harness, carefully collecting his axe, ropes and other bits and pieces which always formed part of his tree-felling equipment. What he hadn't told the twins was that he hoped to find the trees he knew would yield the thin straight branches he needed to make their pipes. That would be a surprise for them.

Black Cat, seeing the donkeys come out of the barn and being harnessed wanted to be part of the adventure. No one objected so without further ado the adventurous animal jumped into the cart and became part of the expedition. Roderick was flattered that the cat had chosen to accompany him. Time moved quickly and soon the Standing Stones came into view. The farmer slowed down to a stop; he wanted the donkeys to spend five or ten minutes grazing there. Black Cat for no apparent reason jumped from the cart spending time carefully circling the stones. Roderick watched her, as did the twins; it was as if she knew here was a place of life giving energy. Roderick was delighted, he believed in the all-knowing omniscience of cats and his beloved Black Cat was no exception.

When the cart moved to resume the journey Black Cat, not wanting to be left behind, hastily jumped aboard, taking up a position at Morag's feet.

Not long after, they arrived at the spruce trees where activity commenced in earnest. Annag, eager to be of help, took the axe, saw and ropes, following her father further into the stand of trees. Roderick selected two trees both of which were quite small in diameter but would suit his purpose. It was unusual to select such young trees and Annag commented on this. His explanation regarding their use satisfied her and there was no further discussion. Annag assisted her father in tying off the ropes and before long the sound of the axe rang through the air. Morag, following the sound, soon arrived at the scene to watch the trees fall. the twins always had the same reaction whenever they witnessed tree felling: there was a certain excitement followed by a sadness which was difficult for them to describe. It didn't take long to disentangle the ropes from the branches; Roderick then swiftly ran his axe along the tree, stripping the smallest branches from the trunk. This left only the larger branches to be cut off which he put to one side giving them special attention These would be used where needed and he knew there would be a need.

Now came the task of dragging the trees to the cart. Rather than being heavy, it was more an awkward exercise. Roderick tied one trunk at a time, attaching the other end around his waist. He then tied a rope around each twin's waist, attaching the other end to the middle of the trunk. Where they walked was important – one child was positioned each side of the trunk, the rope was behind as each child pulled. It worked well as it was all a question of balance and the twins grasped the concept very quickly. The job was cumbersome but not overly heavy. They arrived back at the cart to find Black Cat playing with a mouse; she had been gainfully employing her time.

It may seem as though the twins were overworked and by today's standards they were but think about children aged eight or less being forced to work down the mines. The hard physical work the twins experienced was not part of everyday living. They enjoyed the open air, they loved family participation and any hard work was not considered to be so. The farmer untied the ropes from the twins and himself removing the other end from the trunk. This process was repeated in a short space of time until both trunks lay beside the cart. Roderick then decided to leave the twins in charge while he disappeared back into the trees; the twins were somewhat confused. He wasn't gone long however, returning with what he'd been looking for, a narrow trunk of the tree he knew would shape into a piece of wood perfect for a pipe – two or three pipes in fact. He said nothing to the twins and they knew by the expression on his face not to ask any questions.

The special trunk was laid down in the front of the cart, away from the weight of the two larger tree trunks. They were now ready to start the homeward journey. Black Cat being safely on board, tired from her hunting escapade, found it necessary to curl up on Morag's lap remaining there until they arrived at the Standing Stones. Roderick deciding to give the donkeys a rest – he didn't like overworking his animals – unharnessed them and allowed grazing time around the Stones. Black Cat, no doubt picking up on the energy, jumped from the cart and, as before, circled the Stones, checking every scent with the utmost care.

The remainder of the homeward journey was uneventful. Roderick, deep in thought and contented at the way his plans were unfolding, the twins chattering to each other about a future which involved fishing but not with hook and line. They had the idea that somehow using a net would be less cruel than a hook and line; it was something they would return to at a later date. Black Cat sat on top of the logs looking from one side of the cart to the other. She did not appear to want to sleep – perhaps the Standing Stones energised her.

And so the tree trunks were delivered to the barn door awaiting the next stage of Roderick's plan, to build a shelter for the actual boat building.

Boat Building Plans Put Into Place

One day, after what seemed an eternity from when, with difficulty, Roderick had delivered the logs to the saw miller, Annag heard the sound of horses on the road below the farm. Running to the edge of their property she saw two big horses drawing a very big cart. At that stage Annag was not sure where it was headed; it was only when she saw all the timber lying on top of the cart that she realised it was going to their farm. Hurrying to call Roderick and Maighread, Morag heard the commotion and decided to join the welcoming party. Such excitement! Here at last was the beginning of what was to be an amazing journey for all of them; even Black Cat was not to be left out. No one knew it then but the little cat was to become one of the regular passengers on board the vessel.

Arrival of the timber prompted Roderick to move quickly. The saw miller helped unload everything at the side of the barn which meant the farmer would need to build the lean-to round the timber – this sounded a crazy idea but it would work – and it did. The saw miller offered his assistance there and then and a few hours later the shelter had been erected. The timber, dowelling and tar as well as the moulds were all stacked neatly against the wall of the barn. The saw miller was offered a whisky or two before departing back to town. Even Roderick and Maighread had a celebratory drink before tidying up everything for the day. Morag and Annag spent some time scrambling over the timber, examining the tar and eyeing off the moulds for the straw and clay bricks. Black Cat just sat watching the activity; she would pick everything over in private, as mostly this is what cats do.

Building the boat became the most rewarding, time consuming and frustrating task that Roderick had ever undertaken. The same could be said for Maighread. The twins, however in particular Morag, viewed it differently – it was exciting, imaginative and adventurous, something that provided them not only with hands on experience but stimulated her mind. They were to embark on many journeys travelling to all parts of the globe sailing in the hand-made magic boat, something similar to flying on a magic carpet. Coupled with knowledge acquired from their globe in the classroom their adventures knew no bounds. On the days when the weather did not permit them to go outside, they remained in the classroom poring over the globe identifying which countries they would visit and what adventures they were likely to experience.

It was wonderful way to learn, factually from the Globe as well as, most importantly of all, stimulating their imagination, the latter being one of the most important attributes anyone can have. It has been said many times "we are limited by the extent of our imagination."

The school teacher identified a change in the twins since the boat building became a reality; their energy became more alive, they more alert in the classroom, in fact seemed more alert about everything. This was encouraging for Elspet who discovered that any subject could be approached with vigour and drive and the twins would respond with liveliness of spirit. It was a period in their schooling where the exchange of knowledge was unimpeded. She felt, somehow, that the boat, the magic boat, was responsible.

Roderick was not quite ready to commence building; there were a couple of tasks requiring his attention, one of which was tending the sheep in the high country. Meanwhile the twins had approached Maighread. They wanted her to make each of them a pouch to be worn around the waist to store medicines when they visited the sheep. They had discussed this between themselves since their last visit to the high country with Maighread. They wanted the pouches to be big enough to accommodate two small bottles of herbs, one larger bottle for carrying water and one jar of ointment. More than likely the herbs would be Arnica and Calendula while the ointment would also be Calendula. At the back of their mind they wanted to use the herbs, not just for the sheep, but for wild animals as well, provided they were fortunate to find them. They intended to wear the pouches every time they ventured away from home; as they pointed out to each other they might even use the medicines on themselves.

Maighread didn't take long to make the pouches. In less than one day, they were ready. The twins felt proud and important to be wearing them tied on to their belts. Both parents were amused by the twins' attitude but never-the-less could see there was an element of wisdom in their idea. It wasn't much good being in the high country, finding a sheep with a cut or infected leg and not having any medicine with which to treat it. Not like several weeks earlier, having to wait until the next day before they could apply the herbs. Both parents saw the wisdom in this but couldn't help but remember how sick animals were treated in earlier times. The Standing Stones and the water which had travelled over the lodestone were often the only medicines they had to use. They glimpsed a future where-in sick animals had a greater chance of survival.

With the arrival and subsequent use of homoeopathy there were many more opportunities for sustaining life. Before the homeopathic kits were complete the twins had to be shown how to make the ointment. This was not difficult; it was just a question of obtaining the right ingredients. They needed oil of Calendula and beeswax and to make it properly, the amounts needed to be exact. Maighread showed them how to do this. Obtain a pot which can be heated. Place the dried herb of Calendula into a pot and cover the herb completely with oil. Slowly bring to the boil, letting it simmer for about twenty minutes. Separate the oil from the Calendula. The required proportions of the oil of Calendula and the beeswax are combined. Stir all the while until the beeswax is melted. Let it cool slightly before placing the ointment into a pot or jar. The ointment was ideal for use on cuts or abrasions. Maighread warned them before using the ointment that the wound needed to be cleaned thoroughly, because Calendula was such a quick acting herb any dirt or pus would be sealed in.

After conferring with each other, the twins decided to add two more liquid herbs and one ointment to their kits, so that each twin carried two liquid herbs and one ointment and as they would always be together what they carried would combine to make a complete set of medicines. With those medicines and ointments they felt sure there wouldn't be much beyond their capabilities to heal, whether it is animal or human. What was added was Comfrey and Chamomile as liquids. Comfrey as an ointment was also added. What no one realised at the time was that the leather pouches formed the beginning of their life to come. When Elspet was told of the pouches she was excited; it fitted in with future plans which she wasn't at liberty to discuss because it could be seen as interference and that was the last thing she wanted. Her plans would keep until the time was right and she was prepared to do that. She looked upon the twins as her children; they needed to be nurtured, loved and given every opportunity. She couldn't replace their real parents but she could offer opportunities that Roderick and Maighread were not in a position to provide.

A day or two later saw the twins set off for the high country accompanied by their father. Both wore their leather pouches containing the medicines and they both felt very proud, as did their father. On that particular visit, however, none of the sheep required any medication. The twins were disappointed that there was no treatment required but none-the-less felt content in the knowledge that they had come equipped should first aid have been needed.

The day was quiet in the high country and apart from a distant view of the red deer whom they had sighted on a previous visit everything was still and silent. Those sorts of days – the still and silent ones – were really quite rare. Even the birds did not announce their arrival, except for a solitary eagle who high above them was riding the thermals.

During the journey home the little group spent time discussing school work, drawing and boat building, all in all quite a variety of subjects about which Roderick was curious. He was interested in what sort of future the twins envisaged for themselves. He knew life wouldn't be easy for them, particularly if they didn't follow the usual path to marriage and children, and he was not anxious that they should. They needed to be happy in what they did; if that meant spending their life together then so be it. He knew they had the intelligence to follow a career which at this point lay only within the domain of men. He envisaged a career in medicine or in veterinary science if that was where their interest lay, but at present Edinburgh University was unavailable to women. Judging by the twins' conversation a life spent in raising children would not be enough for them unless they both married men who were willing to share their lives with a twin sister. Roderick could not foresee that happening but meanwhile he was happy to put his thoughts to the back of his mind and continues to raise his children in the way he and Maighread thought best.

Future opportunity and funding would be forthcoming if that was what was meant.

On approaching home Black Cat could be seen outside the barn door. Morag called to her straight away. The animal trotted towards them, her tail in the air brushing against Morag's legs. The farmer walked up to her and offered his greeting. Black Cat acknowledged him with the usual brush of his legs emitting quite a loud purr. Roderick couldn't have been more pleased; he felt very comfortable within his world.

The twins went inside the barn, Black Cat followed them. They needed to have a private talk about the boat, fishing and the narrow tree trunk Roderick specially brought back from the high country. So much had been happening lately there was little time to spend in private talks. Strangely enough 'private talks' were important to them; they needed to share their innermost thoughts without any what they regarded as outside interference. Perhaps it was part of being twins. The fishing seemed to be the subject requiring their attention; neither of them wanted to fish with a hook, preferring a net attached to the end of a stick. In their minds such a method was not cruel, they could even carry the creatures home alive in a bucket of water. They were willing to try and make a net but they knew their father would have some sound ideas on how to make such a piece of equipment so they agreed he needed to be consulted. The next item was the narrow tree trunk which Roderick brought home from their last trip to the high country. They remembered Maighread talking about the possibility of Roderick making each of them a pipe and it needed to be made from special wood. Perhaps this was what he went back to collect on that particular day. The twins decided they wouldn't question anyone about that, rather wait and see what unfolded.

The boat was the last item for discussion. The initial excitement having worn off the twins were beginning to wonder when or if it would ever be built. That night, after the evening meal, Annag broached the subject. Her father's answer was straight forward enough, along the lines of the twins being too impatient. He was hopeful however, a start could be made within the next week. The answer satisfied their curiosity as was their interest in the long narrow stick Roderick had brought home from the high country. As soon as the remains of the evening meal had been cleared away the long narrow stick was brought to the table, accompanied by what the twins recognised as Elspet's pipe. Roderick had a sharp knife capable of cutting through the long narrow stick .He measured off three lengths then quickly and decisively made his cut. Although the lengths of wood were hollow they needed to be smoothed and straightened out otherwise the sound would be distorted. Roderick handed the next part of the process to Maighread who had a thin metal rod which she put into the fire. When red hot she would painstakingly put it inside the wooden stem, gently prodding and twisting, inching her way down the length of wood. Heating the rod needed to be done quite frequently so the whole process of prodding and twisting was one that needed to be repeated many times. Maighread experienced a deep warmth of feeling as she continued with the task, almost as if she had done it before.

Even the twins remained quiet as they watched carefully while the rod was reheated and reinserted into the stem. When the rod slid smoothly down the stem without catching on the sides it was an indication that the hole was smooth enough. The next stage involved measuring the finger holes and mouth piece by holding the wooden stem against Elspet's instrument. This was easy enough, as was burning in the holes, but it sometimes could be difficult depending on whether there were any knots in the wood. Roderick had selected smooth wood, so there were no knots to be concerned about. The end of the pipe which was nearest the single hole required sealing which Maighread accomplished easily using pine resin and a plug of wood. Maighread then needed to try the instrument for sound. To her discerning ear the sound required improvement. Using a thin blade she gently rimmed one of the holes then retested. The sound was sweet and Maighread was satisfied.

Once both pipes were complete the twins had a brief lesson on how to hold them. They were more comfortable holding the instrument in a sideways position rather than straight out in front of them. They had also discovered blowing across the hole, which was the correct way, was much easier than blowing into the hole. All that remained was to make Maighread's pipe which was completed after the twins had gone to bed. She too was more than happy with the finished product.

Several days passed before Roderick was ready to commence building. By now he had developed an eagerness to throw himself into the task. He looked upon it as a project but something to be enjoyed none-the-less, therefore not something which needed to be rushed through, he wanted to savour the job because he knew the finished product would bring satisfaction not only to himself but to others as well. It had to be approached almost with reverence.

He went to the side of the barn where all the building equipment had been stored, wanting to familiarise himself with the materials he was to use. He had even drawn a plan of the boat, quite a simple one, and had shown it to the saw miller, whose name was Fergus. Not so much for the man's approval but for Fergus to check his attention to detail. Never having built a boat before Roderick needed to be accurate; he didn't want the unwelcome task of having to dismantle his creation just because he or the twins had made errors in the construction. In a word he was apprehensive but realised this was a good feeling.

He withdrew the plan from his pocket, examining it closely, ready to make the first cut into the long lengths of timber. He was to start by first measuring and marking out the floor. Roderick knew the width of the boat was to be four timbers wide; any less would make the vessel too narrow and more likely to capsize. With care and accuracy he sawed the four lengths of timber. What he needed now was to make the straw and clay bricks which would hold the timber on either side while he used the dowelling and tar.

He had decided making the bricks was to be a task for the twins but first he needed to know how to make this himself. There was plenty of clay to be found, a patch down near the road would serve his needs well and as for straw there was abundant in the barn.

In addition to the bricks he had second thoughts about the use of metal clamps; doubtless they would firmly hold the timbers together but he wasn't sure whether they were available. If they were he could use both the clamps and the bricks. The clamps would wedge the actual timbers together firmly while the bricks would hold the timbers in position. Roderick decided he needed to discuss this with Fergus; in fact he would need several visits to Fergus of that he had no doubt. He decided to go into town and discuss with Fergus the use of clamps. Fergus agreed that use of clamps would make the work easier as well as offering security and safety to the finished product although a satisfactory job could be done without them. However, he couldn't loan them to the farmer as he needed to purchase them first. Agreement was reached in the form of additional timber; this would mean another trip to the high country before the farmer could continue with the building. Roderick understood Fergus when he stated he needed to have the timber before he would release the clamps.

So it was, the next two days involved a trip to the high country for another fir tree. As before, Maighread, the twins and Black Cat accompanied him. This time it was easier as it involved one tree only, they weren't away as long and Roderick knew exactly where to find the tree, where to leave the donkeys and cart and all the other minor details which made up such a venture. Doing something a second time was usually much easier than the first. The second day involved delivering the tree to the saw miller. The twins kept their father company and were excited when Fergus handed over two clamps in exchange for the tree. He agreed with Roderick the work would be easier if the clamps were used; the finished product would be safer as well as more likely to be water proof. Use of clamps and mud bricks definitely assured a professional job.

The following day saw the family up earlier than usual, the clay needed to be brought up to the barn ready to make the mud bricks. One of the donkeys was harnessed to the cart and led to the clay site. The journey was by no means a long one but the clay needed to be thrown onto the cart with a long-handled shovel. Both Roderick and Maighread completed the task in no time. The twins never having seen clay before were fascinated by its malleability, deciding to use it as best they could for modelling. Both parents watched with interest and expectation as to what work of art would be produced. It didn't take them long to see what would emerge. Morag was busy modelling a cat, no doubt a likeness of Black Cat, while Annag was carefully shaping the head of a donkey. The parents were left in no doubt regarding the artistic capabilities of their children. The twins were delighted with what they were able to achieve; deciding these were to be gifts for Elspet. The short journey home was given to chatter as to what they could make next; their parents were to be the next recipients. There seemed to be no limits to their artistic talent. Somewhere in the future a purpose would be found for their gifts. For now though, they would follow the schoolteacher's advice and keep working.

Making the bricks was a fun time for all the family, they used their feet for mixing the clay and straw, rather than their hands. At first there was some confusion obtaining the right constituency of straw and clay but adding a little water to the mix brought the right results. Enough bricks were made to fill the moulds; it now remained for them to dry out satisfactorily. In the meantime which was a period of three or four days, sometimes longer depending on the weather Roderick, used his new clamps to hold the timbers together. For the first piece of wood a yard stick was used to mark out the holes for the dowel. The second piece of timber needed to have holes drilled in identical position to the first and pieces of dowel, about four inches long, were then inserted into the holes. Before the dowel was inserted into the holes a little amount of tar was inserted into each hole ensuring the dowel stuck to the timber. This task had been allocated to the twins who painstakingly followed their father's instructions. Each piece of dowel was hammered into the hole using a wooden hammer. The twins could feel the dowel attach itself into each hole. Then all that remained was to paint the edge of the timber that housed the dowels. It was a simple process but rather a messy one and the twins were in a playful mood; they were liberal with the tar which splashed their arms and legs. While Roderick understood it was playtime he was also mindful of just how much tar he could afford to lose! They had joined two pieces of wood together then decided to join the next two before finishing work for the day. The farmer was pleased the way everything was developing and decided if these next two pieces could be doweled and tarred together they would rest for a day or two. By then the mud bricks should be dry, holding the timbers into position rather than the clamps. It also meant a large section of the floor would be complete. By the time they were finished it was almost dark and Maighread had the task of cleaning the tar from the twin's arms and legs.

Although everyone was tired from the day's activities the twins pleaded for a lesson on their pipes. Maighread, who was also excited about the prospect of playing the pipes agreed to show them the basics of playing. Roderick, also enthusiastic, joined in with his bagpipes. Not to be outdone Black Cat scratched at the door to be let in.

However, her visit was short lived as she didn't like the sound of the bagpipes. The farmer was disappointed, although he didn't make it known; he wanted Black Cat to share his enthusiasm for this most unusual of musical instruments; but Black Cat hurried over to the barn choosing instead to have a dose on her straw bed. First though, she spent time washing herself thoroughly from head to tail, it was a means of calming herself down and removing any unpleasant vibrations. Then she dozed off.

Back to Routine

As there was no boat-building and no school for a couple of days, the twins decided they should visit the Grove of Trees with their medicine pouches. There really hadn't been an opportunity to use them except when they visited the high country, but they thought the Grove of Trees may provide a reason to treat an injured wild animal. This time they told their mother of their intention. Having questioned them about their length of stay in the Grove, Maighread produced a small parcel of cheese and oatcakes for them to enjoy, enquiring as to whether or not they were taking their pipes. Their answer to the question both surprised and pleased her. They were not taking their pipes – they were waiting for the time when she would accompany them with her pipe. That said they skipped off down the path, Black Cat as usual sat by the barn door, watching. She knew where they were going and would decide later as to whether or not she would go to meet them when they returned.

Meanwhile the twins were excited as to what adventure may be in store within the Grove of Trees. The day was sunny, although a little cold, but they were not nervous as it was not a grey day. Grey days in the Grove of Trees could be sometimes frightening, with the wind whistling through the trees, leaves blowing across the path and clouds skidding restlessly across a grey sky; altogether a place of disturbed energy which the twins liked to avoid.

Selecting a sheltered log to sit on they proceeded to eat their cheese and oatcakes; best to have that task out of the way before the day unfolded. They were not talking, munching on their oatcakes seemed to make enough noise disturbing the silence. They were aware of a restless scuffle to the left of where they sat. Leaning forward they noticed a fox endeavouring to take a rabbit in its mouth. The fox moved quickly but at that point the rabbit was quicker avoiding the jaws of its enemy. The twins moved hastily rushing to protect the rabbit. Both animals were aware of the humans approaching. Making one last dash the fox tried to pounce on the rabbit but without success, hurrying off into the forest minus its meal. The twins focused their attention on the rabbit. The poor creature was frozen with fear. Unwisely Morag leaned forward, picking it up, but the rabbit in one last chance to escape from what it thought was another enemy, bit Morag on the finger. She immediately dropped the animal who sped off through the trees. Both children decided to go back to the log and weigh up the best approach to the bitten finger, which was punctured but not bleeding very much. Untying their pouches from their wastes they had to decide which was the best medicine. Arnica was their first choice but they then remembered that Arnica was not to be applied to broken skin. Calendula was the only choice. Their parents had taught them that when they were old enough to understand. They waited a little while then Annag used some Calendula on a cloth and wrapped it around Morag's finger.

They stayed talking on the log for sometime before deciding to go home. Morag had completed her adventure for the day and wanted her mother to examine her finger. Slowly they made their way back along the path agreeing it was a good thing they had brought their medicine pouches, commenting on the fact that the medicines had been used on themselves rather than on the native animals. There would be other opportunities in the future to use the medicines on the animals.

They were almost home when they saw Black Cat, tail erect, trotting down the path to meet them. The cat knew something had happened but was not sure what so she brushed herself against Morag's legs. Straight away Morag picked her up. Black Cat then knew there had been an encounter with a rabbit because she smelt the rabbit's scent, she also smelt the Calendula which made her realise Morag had been hurt but not seriously. Having made all these observations the cat demanded to be let down, feeling assured and confident that all was well with her friend (Whereas humans need to talk about such matters, cats and other animals have more subtle ways of obtaining information; they don't even make the humans aware that information has been sought and obtained)

On arrival home they told Maighread of their encounter with the rabbit. She was amused to learn they had used their medicine on Morag rather than on the rabbit but relieved none-the-less that they had the medicine with them.

The remainder of the day-light hours was spent examining the clay bricks as to whether or not they were dry enough to use. They weren't, but another day would see them ready. The twins were looking forward to the next part of the construction but in the meantime decided to use the remainder of the clay to make something for their mother. There was no doubt in their mind as to what they would make – a fox and a rabbit. Morag selected the rabbit while Annag was left with the fox. In what seemed no time at all the models were complete. Annag however, was looking for something more challenging so she decided to model the fox running through the forest with the rabbit in its mouth. This proved more difficult to achieve requiring that Annag needed to first make a sketch of the animals and so obtain the position of the limbs and capture the correct movement. Sketching, what Annag thought, was the correct movement was not easy so she decided to leave the finer details to Elspet. This she did. The following day before work recommenced on the boat Annag approached Elspet who was delighted to be of assistance. Her knowledge of animals was of a practical nature therefore their movements were easier to follow – tendons, ligaments, muscles; bones all had their exact place in the scheme of things. She was able, with the aid of sketches to explain to Annag just how, in a particular movement everything came together and could be modelled in a seemingly simple way. Annag was delighted to be able to finish her project, the end result being a professional model showing detailed movement. She could also explain how everything worked in unison. Elspet experienced a deep sense of satisfaction. In her mind that lesson had laid the foundation of a future she hoped the twins would follow – that of veterinary science but not from an academic perspective rather from a practical grass roots point of view. Having a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology meant that in the event of accidents bones could be set and muscles bound. This practical knowledge coupled with correct usage of herbs and poultices could mean the twins and their knowledge would be in demand within the district and perhaps beyond.

Elspet needed to introduce this subject into their school curriculum. Her own background as a nurse and midwife provided a knowledge of anatomy and physiology which could be translated to animals. Muscles and bones, still worked the same way, as did joints, tendons and ligaments.

Boat Building Resumes

The family, eager to resume boat building, turned up at the site accompanied by Elspet. Roderick was satisfied with the way everything was turning out. He was now ready to make the sides of the boat. Whereas the floor of the boat was four planks in width the sides were only two planks in width (or height). Carefully he measured the length of the boat before cutting into the timber. The process was the same, with the dowel and the tar although this time there was only need for two pieces of wood to be joined together and not four. Elspet, keen to have an allocated task, asked Roderick if she could use the yard stick to mark the holes out for the doweling to be inserted into. He was wary at first, he wasn't sure how competent Elspet was but decided to run the risk on her accuracy and efficiency. It paid off; she was accurate.

Roderick then allowed the next task to be completed, that of drilling the holes. This would test her accuracy and efficiency the farmer thought. Roderick had no need to worry he decided as Elspet drilled down into the wood, each hole was approximately the same depth. Meanwhile Roderick had sawn off the pieces of doweling which were required. Standing by were the twins with the tar ready to place a small amount into each hole before the pieces of doweling were inserted. The process went perfectly down to the tar which was also applied to the two pieces of wood. Having Elspet on hand was an advantage; her work didn't need to be checked, she was accurate. This meant the task was finished in quick time; both sides now ready to be attached to the bottom of the boat.

This sized boat had five frames across the floor to allow for support and apart from the two ends this was the final piece of doweling and tarring required. The twins were excited at the prospect of the boat being nearly completed. In their minds they pictured days being spent on the loch with their fishing nets catching fish which they could eat, perhaps even catching some for Black Cat. They thought Black Cat had never eaten fish but they were left with a doubt; Black Cat didn't let them know everything she did, particularly when she was away from the property.

Attaching the frames to the bottom of the boat required a measure of exactitude and considerable patience. The farmer required five spruce-tree roots for the purpose. Spruce-trees have a root system which lends itself to this. They are flat near the ground surface and therefore are close to right angles to the trunk. By cutting and shaping approximately three feet of the trunk for the floor portion and one foot of the root for the side portion one frame was contained in one piece. The farmer was left to attend to this part of the construction. None of the helpers who perceived this to be difficult wanted to become involved until it was time to drill, dowel and tar them then Elspet stepped forward. Drilling needed to be exact because the frames were across the bottom and needed to be at right angles on the sides of the boat. If any of the frames were not positioned true and straight it meant the boat would become warped. To give added support and strength the spruce roots were placed on alternate sides of the boat. At last Roderick began to feel a sense of achievement as he watched Elspet drill holes through the roots for attachment to the sides of the boat, followed by holes through the trunk for attachment to the bottom of the boat.

While the boat-builders were pressing on with an urgency which was really more than Roderick had hoped for, Maighread disappeared from the scene busying herself making something to eat because she knew once they stopped working everyone would be both tired and hungry. In addition to the customary cheese and oat cakes she was busy with a tasty stew containing lots of herbs, the aroma of which had wafted outside teasing the nostrils of the workers. To complete the main course a crusty loaf was baking in the hot coals adding to the appetising culinary aroma.

Roderick whose appetite was growing in intensity decided to halt the task in hand and partake of food. His band of helpers did not disagree deciding to complete the tarring and doweling after their meal. Annag assisted Maighread in bringing the food outside to the group which was a signal for Black Cat to make an appearance – she dearly loved cheese – and was more than willing to join the repast.

It was a time of camaraderie within the group. The celebration of a common goal achieved with the co-operation of all participants. What more could one wish for? The food too had its overall part to play and seemed to touch every part of their being; it looked appetising, tasted aromatic, smelt tempting and settled in the stomach with warmth that denied further analysis. Roderick was extremely proud of the accomplishment, not only of the boat building but the role his wife played in the overall completion of the project.

He also knew the boat was not finished – until the ends had been put on and the dowelling and tarring had been completed on the frames – but in his heart he knew building the boat was a success. Proof of this of course, would depend on transporting it to the loch and resting it gently in the water, but even of this he felt quite confident.

The remainder of the day was spent dowelling and tarring the frames in the bottom of the boat. The twins and Elspet knew exactly what to do; they had done it several times before. This time the twins were not so eager to frolic with the tar, they wanted to complete the task in the shortest time possible. While they had been attending to that aspect of the project Roderick had been cutting and measuring for both ends so by the time the frames were complete the ends were ready to be drilled, dowelling cut and tar put in place. To put a finishing touch to the boat Roderick decided to place a piece of wood across each end as a place to sit and to use for storage of equipment – out of the weather – even to store their oatcakes and cheese if need be; away from marauding birds.

The group stood back to appraise the finished product, all of whom were indeed extremely proud. Who would have thought that from two or three trees standing in the high country they would be looking at a functional craft which would enable them to explore the loch, net fish and accommodate their small group on daily outings.

What needed serious thought now was how to transport their creation to the loch. The farmer had thought use of the donkeys and cart would be satisfactory but now having seen the size of the finished boat he doubted whether that method would be suitable. Travelling with the cart and the boat loaded onto the cart, would cause strain on the donkeys and that was something he didn't wish to inflict on the animals. He decided after tumbling lots of thoughts through his head, none of which were suitable, to pay the saw miller a visit. If anyone knew how to transport equipment, materials and the like it would be the saw miller. The twins wanted to accompany him on the visit but this time he wanted to go alone, sometimes the twins could be distracting and he wanted to have a clear head for whatever the saw miller may tell him. He waited for some days to pass before he made his visit, allowing time for his thoughts to come clear. A visit to his sheep in the high country greatly assisted this process. He had found in the past that, in some way, thoughts became clear, negativity left him and altogether he became peaceful whenever he spent time in the high country. His sheep were healthy enough and didn't require any ongoing attention so the following day he made his way to the saw miller. He needn't have been at all concerned because the saw miller offered to transport the boat for him using his large cart and draught horse. In exchange, however, he requested some use of the boat for himself and family. There were one or two details to be ironed out such as how much time the saw miller wanted and when he wanted it. The farmer trusted the man and being grateful for his help and kindness agreed to his demands; after all they were not unreasonable.

No definite arrangements were made as to when the saw miller would transport the boat to the loch except to say that it would be within the next two weeks. Everyone was happy with that as it would allow time for each person's normal life to return.

Life resumed in the school room for the twins, Black Cat seemed happy to have them back in the barn, the barn owls were hovering around tidying up their nest prior to sitting on another clutch of eggs and the school teacher was impatient to recommence teaching. There was so much knowledge she required the children to have and while she very much enjoyed the boat building she was of the opinion that it encroached on their school time. With that in mind she sat down with the twins discussing what was priority schoolwork, what needed to be completed or whether any work could be put on one side. Another week with their home study would see their alphabets completed, then they could move on with forming sentences. Model making was now to become a key focus due to the teacher's idea of teaching in a practical sense; the art of mending broken bones and muscles. This was something new and time consuming which the teacher hoped could be time shared between the classroom and the twins "non-teaching" time. When the whole time table was discussed and teased out, the three of them agreed the task which lay ahead of them was not beyond their capabilities. No work needed to be put to one side, in fact there would be space for new work to be included. The twins who were now approaching twelve years of age were developing into responsible, self reliant girls with a maturity which reached beyond their years. They knew their life was to be a fulfilling one but to make it happen that way, to a large extent, depended on them.

And so lessons resumed commencing with some history on what were known as "the clearances". Here the Globe was to find its use when tracking the countries to which Scottish people were forced to migrate. The twins found it exciting, interesting, unjust and extremely sad following their journeys to the other side of the world. It was the destruction of a way of life which Scottish people had known for centuries. The land was no longer theirs to farm but rather divided into large parcels of property which now belonged to the wealthy folk. The sense of injustice which accompanied this part of history was not lost on the twins because it all occurred within living memory of their parents, of the school teacher and of the saw miller.

Not only did great tracts of land fall into the hands of wealthy Scottish landowners but the English crossed the border and laid claim also. Highland folk were forced to find work away from farming, some resorted to fishing, some became farm labourers working for the wealthy overlords while others were forced to leave Scotland altogether migrating to countries like Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The farmer was fortunate in that his landlord was a business man but a fair-minded man at that. At the outset when the farmers' land was taken over, the landlord agreed to rent being paid in kind; the farmer paid with his labour. The landlord continued to allow Roderick to run his sheep and farm the soil but the sense of ownership of the land had gone. But then he needed to look around his friends and count his blessings, some of these unfortunate folk had been forced to leave the country altogether – at least he still remained in Scotland – he had the use of land on which to run his sheep, grow his crops and maintain his culture. To a man like Roderick this was of the utmost importance. It also meant there was a path ahead for his daughters. With future plans outlined as previously discussed with the schoolteacher and Maighread the twins were assured of a life of promise. Roderick and Maighread were of the mind that change was inevitable; they needed to go along with that change; swim with the tide, not against it. But to make that happen they needed the assistance of education, this was the key to survival and to success and for that they blessed the early arrival of Elspet in their lives.

Becoming familiar with the Clearances and what they stood for formed part of the history of Scotland. Elspet herself was positioned somewhere between the lower socio-economic class to which the twins and their family belonged and the higher socio- economic class to which the wealthy land-owners belonged. As far as her family was concerned Elspet was something of a misfit but as far as Elspet herself was concerned she was in a fortunate position. She sat in a place where she could use the advantages which the rich offered, assisting those of the lower class which were at the other end of the social spectrum. People like Elspet, at that time in history, were sometimes shunned because they didn't conform to what was considered the norm of those days, they brought shame on their families; often being sent to the colonies and paying them to stay out of the way. Elspet was fortunate in that her family allowed her to stay in Scotland provided she obtained an education, which she did, and used it to her advantage. She preferred what life offered as an educated person rather than merely relying on her position as one of the upper class. Life as one of the wealthy, particularly as a female, offered no challenge and as she saw it, was a life wasted. As she saw herself she was doing something useful, worthwhile and being of service to others.

Having discussed their future together Elspet set about the task of obtaining bones from sheep, horses, cows, goats and even cats in an attempt to understand the way their limbs worked when they were both broken and unbroken. At first the twins found this difficult to understand, they as humans, were being compared to animals which were different from them. But as their teacher explained a broken leg was a broken leg, a broken arm was a broken arm, the difference being the animal walked on both arms and legs while the humans walked on their legs only.

What was required in the first instance was for Elspet to model the animals without any limbs being broken. She was extremely clever with her model making, high-lighting the limbs she wished to work on; everything needed to be clear for the twins or anyone else to understand from a visual point of view. Then it was relatively easy for the mind to absorb the detail. That aspect being completed the next stage was to model the animal with a break in its leg; what did it look like, what position was the limb forced into, how damaged were the muscles. The third stage was a model made showing the broken leg being reset and splinted, the muscles being allowed to sit comfortably, enabling the break to be supported by the muscles. Sometimes this part of the work needed to be reinforced by binding the muscle depending on how serious was the tendon and ligament damage.

The work was time consuming and required painstaking detail but Elspet allowed the twins to participate right from the beginning stages, from looking for the bones, obtaining the clay and moulding the bones into position, to learning how they fitted together. The initial process provided the twins with the knowledge they needed. By following the whole procedure from beginning to end they acquired the understanding necessary to ensure success. Elspet, as their teacher, was always available to answer any questions and provide practical assistance when and where required. There was no doubt that the work was time consuming but the results over the years proved beyond doubt that the methods were efficient and effective and many an animal had been saved from a premature end by the procedures employed.

In the first instance Elspet focussed her time and attention on the bones of sheep, followed by cows and horses: animals that were used for farming. It would be these animals that the twins would spend time with, they would form a major part of their income. In the long term it turned out the time spent was almost one day per week on this aspect of their school work. Elspet was satisfied with the time spent and the progress made while the twins were more than happy with what they saw as merely clay modelling. They were not at the stage of being able to read much else into it, they were seeing only the pleasure in creating something.

At first Elspet had the idea of having a timetable; so many weeks for sheep, so many weeks for cows and so on but eventually decided against it, the system was too regimented. It was better to make such decisions as they went along. The twins would decide on how much time they needed or wanted to allocate to the horses, cows or any of the other animals; it depended on their ability to learn and put the knowledge into practice.

Roderick and Maighread meanwhile, felt it imperative for some reason, to visit the high country. No one had been there for over a week and they were experiencing concern as to how the sheep were faring. They selected a day when Elspet was teaching the twins. They decided to walk as there were no tree felling or similar tasks to be completed. With oat cakes and cheese in the pockets they set off. Black Cat, as usual, was loitering by the barn door, she may walk up the path to meet them on their return trip, and she hadn't made a decision on that yet.

Less than five minutes away from home Black Cat saw them turn back. This was puzzling but she soon understood why. They had returned to borrow the medicine pouches which belonged to the twins; after all, what was the point of having them if they were not being put to good use. The pouches were too small to be worn around their waist so the easiest way was to sling them over their shoulder – which they did.

Arriving at the Standing Stones they stopped for a short while. It was an opportunity to have one of the oat cakes and a piece of cheese. Casting their gaze around them their comment was just how fortunate they were to be living amongst such beauty and not having to share this with too many people. Both realised such a comment was unworthy and maybe considered selfish but none-the-less this was how they felt. They even went as far to say they hoped their children, when they reached adulthood, would enjoy the same privilege as they did. That of course, remained to be seen. But for now they had the opportunity of sharing with the animals, both wild and domesticated.

On arrival at the clearing where the sheep had previously been left to graze they were excited and surprised to see a young deer who, seemingly, had been befriended by the sheep. Moving closer towards the animal they realised he was lame. The size of his antlers indicated he was quite young. Both Roderick and Maighread examined the sheep looking for the usual ailments sheep were prone to. The deer was ignored until Roderick decided it was safe to examine him; they didn't want the animal to rush way out of fear. Maighread recognised him as the deer that looked down on them from the top of a crag when she and the twins visited the high country a little time ago. They were not sure as to the cause of his lameness but suspected he had been chased by hunters and in his effort to escape had placed strain on his body. He was, after all, still a young animal. Roderick decided to gently massage some ointment into his leg rather than bandage the limb; bandaging might impede the animal if he were trying to escape the hunters. Both Roderick and Maighread found it interesting that the deer had sought safety with the flock of sheep. Hunters were not likely to seek out a deer which had embedded himself with a flock of sheep. The sheep were not in any way threatened by the deer who allowed Roderick to massage the ointment into his leg. It was an unusual situation which Roderick thought would resolve itself once the leg had mended. They would know when next they visited the high country.

The sheep were all healthy, no bruises, cuts, sore eyes, strained muscles in fact they were quite robust. Roderick decided to leave them where they were but would return sooner than usual, then if they needed moving to new pasture he would do so. This would give him the opportunity to check the deer again, it might be still with the sheep or it may have gone higher up the slopes.

They left for home having spent, what they considered, an eventful day. On arrival at the Standing Stones they paused for a rest and re-energising of their bodies. There was no doubt the Stones gave off an energy which was beneficial to both humans and animals. They acted as battery chargers. As they approached home they could see Black Cat sitting on the path, ears forward and tail wound around her body as though she had been there all day. That was what she wanted them to think, the fact was she had been there only five minutes; it was not always wise to let the humans know your exact movements. It was important that cats held the balance of power and by not letting humans know your every movement they maintained their power position. If cats could smile – and in their own way I think they do – Black Cat would be smiling as she approached Roderick with her tale erect eager to rub her body against his legs; her usual form of greeting.

That night during the evening meal Maighread told the twins about the lame deer who had decided to live with the sheep. There was excitement as both children wondered, as Roderick had done, if the animal was the one they had seen on their last visit to the high country. From there the conversation moved on to the possibility of playing their pipes, not within the Grove of Trees but at the Standing Stones. It may be that the lame deer, if he was still with the sheep would come to the Standing Stones. In this way the Standing Stones would energise him as well as introduce him to the pipes. The twins pointed out to their father they didn't want the bagpipes played; the energy was not the right energy! Black Cat had made them aware of that on a previous occasion. Maighread announced to the family that she would be happy to make Roderick a pipe and the four of them could play as a family. The idea was appealing to all of them especially to Roderick who very much wanted to be part of that aspect of family life. (The bagpipes would be used for the more ceremonial occasions.)

One day when their minds were focussed on the pipes the farmer heard the clip-clop of a horse. He had almost forgotten about the boat and on going to the vantage point on the property he spotted the saw miller with his horse and cart leisurely walking along the road. This was cause for excitement; he called to the rest of the family. The twins emerged from the barn with the school teacher and Maighread ran from the cottage. It had to be decided when they would take the boat to the loch. Could the journey continue to the loch that day or would it wait? So as not to inconvenience the saw miller, Roderick decided to complete the journey that day. The weather was fine and not too hot. They all hurried about collecting equipment they thought they might need, Maighread scooping up oat cakes and cheese while Roderick hastened to collect his bottle of whisky – they would need to celebrate – why not at the loch itself?

The school teacher accepted an invitation to join the family; she had been very involved with the boat's construction and was excited to be present at the launching.

The only one to be left out was Black Cat, they had forgotten about her! (As if they could) Once she saw the whole family had deserted her it was time to make her presence felt. She trotted behind them down the road, tail in the air, deciding to make a few plaintive meows. At first it seemed as though no one heard her so the best way to capture their attention was to run wildly towards the twins. This she did with her tail, instead of being upright was in a sideways position. The twins always loved this particular antic and it was sure to capture their attention. It did. The horse kept plodding along but everyone else stopped. Annag picked her up giving her a cuddle: Black Cat achieved what she set out to do, she was now part of the expedition to the loch.

The fact that she knew her way there was of no account, her family didn't know that. Also she didn't like it when the whole family deserted her, it made her feel abandoned. Even though the barn owls were still there they weren't her family. She absorbed the sense of excitement and expectation they were all experiencing. Sailing on the loch was going to be fun! But somewhere at the cellular level of Black Cat's body she had a sense of unease, maybe it would pass if she allowed herself to be with the twins on the little boat. She would feel secure if they were with her, particularly Morag.

Eventually the little party arrived at the loch, feeling somewhat tired and thirsty. The water from the loch was drinkable so they were able to quench their thirst and Maighread handed around the cheese and oatcakes. Roderick and Fergus gently unloaded the boat and its poles, the men were too excited to stop for any refreshment – they needed to find out how water-tight the craft was. Lowering it gently into the water was skilfully done; they watched as it sat smoothly on the surface of the loch. It didn't appear to be taking in any water. That was encouraging so without further ado both men eased themselves into the craft. Once seated fore and aft they realised just how big it appeared to be – room for two adults and two to three children. Even room for a bucket of fish! The female members of the party plus the twins and Blackcat sat eating their oatcakes and cheese waiting for the moment when they would be allowed aboard.

Fergus climbed ashore and helped Maighread aboard along with the twins. Roderick deciding there was room for Elspet also helped her into the craft. Black Cat had to be carried into the boat – struggling and not very happy – none-the-less she allowed herself to be passed over to Morag where she settled comfortably on her lap. So it was that the whole family were on board; this was to be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

Roderick grasped one of the poles, silently making his way amongst the reeds. This was a different world gliding in and out of the rushes. The quietness added to the almost mysterious atmosphere. Some eggs were lying there supported by the reeds.

They were almost invisible and the ducks made no attempt to usher the predators away – it seemed as though they knew their eggs were safe.

Countless small fish swam about hugging the shallow depths of the loch, their bodies glinting in the sunlight. Occasionally a bigger fish could be seen racing forward as if aware of possible danger. Roderick liked what he saw as did Maighread; here was an opportunity to vary their diet as well as create the likelihood of enjoying family outings. The twins were not so sure, they would need convincing. They were happy to be part of family outings but questioned the enjoyment of catching and eating the little creatures.

Long shadows were reaching across the path which indicated it was time to go home but not before Roderick and the saw miller drank a toast to their success. The twins walked with Elspet on the homeward trip, they needed to know her thoughts on catching fish to eat. Somehow they needed her opinion as to the ethics of the process. Elspet faced a dilemma, part of her welcomed the idea of varying her diet, she enjoyed fish, on the other hand she understood the feelings the twins were expressing. The twins found the subject difficult to discuss with their parents; sometimes children thought parents were unapproachable and lacked understanding in certain matters. By the time they had arrived home some conclusions had been reached. Once more Elspet had explained to the children the "web of life". It was important the twins understood this and linked to that was the concept that one never took more than was needed. The fish themselves preyed on smaller creatures in the loch just as they, as humans, would prey off the fish. This was what Life was all about. Never take more than was needed – the teacher repeated this again – humans harvested more than their requirements and the balance was disturbed. So, to return to catching and eating fish – take what was needed and offer a prayer to the Gods. The twins thanked Elspet and disappeared into the barn – they needed to process this overwhelming subject in the privacy of the barn and in the company of the donkeys.

It took some time – days in fact – for the twins to gain understanding of the web of life in regard to eating the fish from the loch. They hadn't questioned eating sheep or rabbit, perhaps because these animals were already dead and on their table. Somehow the fish were different, they saw them alive and swimming in their natural environment. It didn't seem quite right. Fortunately the question of eating fish was not going to be an issue for a period of time because the family wouldn't be returning to the loch; other tasks lay elsewhere. Also Elspet was always available to further the discussion which meant small pieces of knowledge and understanding were offered by her from time to time.

Work Begins on Model Making

One day after returning from the high country Roderick announced that one of the sheep had died. On examining the animal he discovered it had broken its leg and probably had died of starvation because it was extremely thin.

Knowing that Elspet had plans of how she wanted to teach the twins, he mentioned it to her offering to take her to the high country. His offer was accepted with a measure of excitement. Here was the first opportunity to find out if the system worked.

The high country was new to Elspet and she enjoyed being shown particular aspects of the countryside such as the Standing Stones. The change of energy that surrounded them was of great interest to her. Their arrival with the flock did not take much longer and soon they had located the dead animal. Roderick offered to dismember the sheep's leg because it would be easier to carry home rather than have to carry the whole carcass. Elspet was grateful; she didn't know how she would have coped with the dead animal. Roderick dismembered the animal at the groin, this allowed for any leeway the teacher might require in explaining the break to the twins.

She made a mental note of how the muscles, tendons and ligaments all attached and even sketched them in her notebook. When she arrived back at the farm the next step would be to make a clay model of the break which did not appear complicated, it was straight and clear. As usual Black Cat was loitering around the barn door as were the twins. They were curious as to where Elspet had been and what she was carrying. They went inside the barn and Elspet displayed the sheep's leg bone to them explaining the models she wanted them to make.

The first model was to be the whole sheep with the leg intact, the second model would show the sheep's leg only with the break and the third would show the leg with the bone having been set. Elspet realised there was a great deal of work involved but showing the break and the setting in stages, she thought, would make it easier for the twins to understand how the whole process came together. She took no notice of the grumbles, the twins wanted to make only the complete model, they weren't interested in a broken leg. Grumbles were ignored, the twins realised Elspet was not going to give in so they set about the task – reluctantly – but none the less they put their minds to what was being asked of them. Surprisingly the project captured their imagination and creativity; soon they had completed the first model.

Models two and three which showed only the leg were easy to model. After completing the three models the twins were able to see what Elspet was getting at; that in a real life situation they would be able to clearly see how a bone needed to be set. Added to the bone were the muscle, tendon and ligaments, Elspet explained how these SHOULD sit and how in a case of injury and trauma it could be quite different. Setting the bone, provided it was a clean break, was straight forward enough, what could be difficult was the muscle and tendons. Elspet assured them however that tearing the muscle completely from the bone was not common. This example was their first attempt; no doubt they would have plenty more practice before having to address a real life situation.

What Elspet required now was some sort of filing or labelling system for the models. The twins were old enough to have ideas on this part of the work but wanted to know why this was required. It was not necessary immediately but Elspet had future ideas about the likelihood of having the twins attend college or university. This was cause for excitement to the girls. They could see having the models set out and labelled would be to their advantage; it would indicate that their study followed a uniform progression.

Their minds then started to work in an orderly fashion. What sort of animal, where it had been located, at what time of year had it been found and worked on. Each model needed to be labelled in such a way that there could be no confusion as to where a particular model belonged. Elspet explained that this first set of models could be displayed as A1, A2, A3 and each would have a label tied on to it. The next set would be labelled B1, B2, B3. The twins grasped the idea immediately; to them everything now had a logical sequence.

That night in bed they talked about how they could make any improvements to the system that was now in place. They had nothing currently in mind but as the work progressed they knew improvements would be made. One aspect of the work they were already sure of was they needed more storage space in the barn and decided to ask their father if he would put up some more shelves for them. While on the matter of requests Morag wanted her father to make some fishing nets. If they were going to fish in the loch, even if they didn't eat the fish, she preferred netting the fish rather than hooking them. Hooking, to her, was extremely cruel and even at her young age Morag neither was not prepared to tolerate the practice.

That night while enjoying the evening meal both requests were put to Roderick. He agreed to both of them, being particularly pleased with the shelving request; it meant that his daughters were still on the path of learning. The fishing nets caused him some inner amusement, mainly because he could see just how adamant Morag was in wanting fishing nets rather than fishing lines. Neither parent wanted to be seen making fun of the twins it was important they showed respect for any requests that were made. All in all the twins were not difficult to rear, their tastes were simple, they did not make many demands, and they were quite self-sufficient and displayed a maturity beyond their years. Any request like the fishing nets would have been well thought out before it was made.

A day or two later Roderick visited the saw miller. He was in need of materials to make the fishing nets. They wouldn't be difficult to make, it's just that he didn't have any mesh with which to make them. Amongst his bits and pieces of equipment and materials the saw miller found some wire mesh which would be suitable for the purpose. He gave Roderick some brief instructions as to how to make them, requesting some fish as payment for the wire.

Roderick already had some ideas on how to make a container for transporting the fish from the loch to the house. He would use one of the clay pots that Maighread used for carrying stew, he would bind wire around the rim and use the extension of it as a carrying handle. He had enough wire mesh to make three nets, one for each of the twins and one spare. He used strong wire for the rim of the net and bound it to the handle then attached the mesh to the rim. All in all he was satisfied with his net, all he needed to do was go to the loch and trial his creation. After busying himself with the container, attaching a wire handle for safe carrying he announced his intention of going to the loch. Was there anyone who would accompany him? The twins weren't all that keen but decided it would be disrespectful of them if they didn't go with him. Maighread was enthusiastic about another visit.

Black Cat was part of the party right from the outset, she knew Roderick intended to catch some fish and was quite determined to participate in the catch. Off they went, Black Cat and Roderick leading the way. As they approached the loch Black Cat sensed an air of excitement and expectation which seemed to emanate from the whole party, including the twins.

Their boat was moored safe and secure where they had left it. Climbing on board Roderick grasped the pole to steady the craft as the others climbed aboard. Black Cat was comfortable being held by Morag but she needed to be close to Roderick to observe when he sank his net into the water.

The process of filling the clay pot with water and lowering the fishing net into the loch were ones which required being as still and silent as possible. Because Morag was nursing Black Cat these tasks were left to Annag and Maighread. The clay pot sat securely on the bottom of the boat ready to receive any fish that might be caught. Slowly Roderick poled his way along the loch, sometimes the boat barely seemed to move, the process required silence and stealth so as not to disturb the fish. Sometimes it didn't seem to matter how quiet they were; the fish sensed movement and darted off. This was caused by the shadow of the boat passing across the shallow depths of the loch.

Maighread and Annag very gently lowered their nets into the water; they were content to let them drift so that when, at last, they caught some fish it was as though the creatures had floated into the nets of their own accord. Transferring them from the nets into the clay pot required some degree of skill because the mouth of the clay pot was narrower than the fishing nets. With patience however, this was achieved. Suddenly Black Cat became alive and interested, jumping from Morag's lap onto the floor of the boat. She stayed there until the trip was over sometimes playfully putting her paw inside the clay pot, emitting the strange sound cats make when their pray eludes them.

The sun was casting long shadows when Roderick decided it was time to return home. He had not intended to be away as long and they didn't have the donkey and cart to help with carrying anything, but they managed to make the trip home in a comfortable fashion. They played guessing games as to how many fish were in the clay pot and how many fish the clay pot would actually hold. It may seem boring to us but it kept everyone mentally occupied and in no time at all they saw the barn looming up out of the shadows.

A decision had to be made as to who would have the fish. It was agreed that the family should sit down together but to do that required more fish than they had in the clay pot. There was sufficient water in the clay pot to keep them alive but to do that required more fish than they had in the clay pot. Annag suggested they offer the clay pot to Elspet, there was sufficient fish for a meal for one person. All thought this was a good idea and as Elspet was due the following day and it was agreed this was what would be done. There was sufficient water in the clay pot to keep them alive – an advantage when netting the fish rather than hooking them. Even the twins were starting to display more interest in eating the little creatures. Maighread thought that if the whole family sat down together for a meal and she rolled the fish in oats the actual shape of the fish would be disguised – she may even obtain some duck eggs from the loch and roll them both in egg and oats. She herself was beginning to be quite excited about cooking and eating such a delicacy. The fish themselves were about three to four inches long and would make a change from eating sheep.

Escaping School

Life on the farm seemed to be busier; there was never enough time to complete the tasks which the family had set themselves. They plodded on however, achieving the goals that had been set, each goal leading to another plan and another subsequent goal. Roderick needed reminding about additional shelving in the barn for the models. By agreement he said he would make more shelving if the twins would take the time to visit the sheep in the high country. Roderick didn't have the time to spend on both tasks; the twins were more than happy to comply. They wanted to visit the high country because no mention had been made of the young deer that had embedded himself with the sheep. This was an opportunity to follow up; was he still with the flock?

A day or two later the twins set off on their journey to the high country equipped with the shepherd's crook, their medicine pouches – packed with the medicines they might need – and their cheese and oatcakes. They were looking forward to this outing, the grownups had been causing them some irritation, and they needed to discuss certain issues on their own. Black Cat sat outside the barn watching them go. She knew where they were going but made no attempt to follow. Later in the day, if she felt like it, she might wander up the path to meet them. She knew that would please them. Maybe go as far as the Standing Stones.

Since the model making had started, time had been very scarce for the twins. Both felt there had been little time to be on their own and this was important to them both. They needed time to just be together, talk about everyday things without feeling these special talks they enjoyed were being forced in between other things such as model making and discussing whether or not they should or should not eat fish. Today was a day given to them, they could, within reason, do what they liked with it. That in itself was exciting.

They arrived at the Standing Stones deciding to rest there for a short while. Oat biscuits and cheese seemed a good idea so they sat down on the grass chewing contentedly deciding oat biscuits and cheese was a very flavoursome combination. Being so close to the ground in their sitting position Annag observed some animal footprints. Neither of the girls had seen these prints before; there were plenty of them meaning the animal must have spent some time there. They decided to follow them as they appeared to be going in the same direction as they themselves were.

The foot prints followed the path for some distance then disappeared, veering off into the heather. The twins followed as best they could, knowing that the general direction was leading them further up into the high country and towards the sheep. Finally they caught up with the animal who was eating some distance away from them. They stopped, becoming very still: it was the young deer. The twins remained motionless for what seemed a very long time.. From where they stood they could see, not only the deer, but the flock of sheep as well who were grazing some hundred yards away. Then, something amazing happened. Lifting its head as though the animal heard something it trotted over to where the sheep were grazing and joined the outskirts of the flock. The twins signalled to each other to return the way they had come. It would be less frightening for the animal. This they did, arriving at the flock by the usual route; along the path. The deer was still there grazing contentedly alongside the sheep. The twins needed to work out a plan; the sheep all needed to be checked and, if permitted, examine the deer for any sign of lameness. They decided to look at the sheep first, then if everything was alright with them move on to the deer. If the deer retreated then let it be, if it moved away from the sheep and appeared frightened they would not follow it. The animal may go back to where it was when they first saw it.

Slowly they moved amongst the sheep carefully checking the animals' legs and feet. Everything seemed as it should be, no cuts, no lameness amongst them. The deer remained nibbling at the grass not showing any signs of fear. Slowly the twins moved towards it, not together, but one following behind the other. The animal lifted its head and looked at them and sensing there was nothing to be fearful of carried on grazing.

Annag spoke quietly all the time, reassuring the animal. Annag's hand stretched out towards the deer; it made no move to go away. Slowly she ran her hand down the animal's rump murmuring all the while. This was a moment to be treasured forever. The deer continued grazing as very gently Annag moved from one leg to the other. She noticed a slight scar on one of its hind legs but it had healed and looked healthy. The twins slowly back away, leaving the creature to its grazing. The sheep were not bothered; they were used to people. The twins sat on a rock watching the animals, everything was at peace. They decided, if allowed, to return the following day, to see if the deer was still with the sheep. It may the animal would decide to stay with the flock because it felt safer there than going further up into the high country.

They turned around ready for home; the day had been wonderful for them. They chattered along the way thinking about all sorts of things, including making a model of the deer. Another surprise was in store for them when they arrived back at the Standing Stones; Black Cat was waiting for them. There she was in a very relaxed position, lying with her front paws tucked in under her body and her tail wound close to her rump. They made a fuss of her which, of course, she wanted them to do. There was much purring as she stood up, straightened her legs and pressed her body against them – tail erect. What a welcome!

There was much excitement at the meal table that night. News of the deer was welcome to Maighread; she had been concerned for the animal's safety. The twins asked permission to return to the high country the next day; they needed to know if the animal was still with the sheep. Maighread was happy for them to return promising to provide them with more oatcakes and cheese. That night they went to bed full of expectation of possible outcomes from the following days adventures.

The day arrived with a clear sky and a stiff breeze, no clouds in sight and the promise of sunshine. Equipped with their medicine bags, shepherd's crook, cheese and oatcakes the twins set off. Roderick had asked them to check the feed, moving the sheep to fresh pasture if they thought it necessary. They didn't pause at the Standing Stones but hurried on excited at the prospect of reaching the sheep and the possibility of sighting the deer again. There were no fresh animal prints at the Standing Stones which meant the deer had not been there since the day before. They continued following the path all the way to where they expected the sheep to be. Sure enough there they were accompanied by the deer; the animal showed no fear. The twins sat down, it was time to have their morning tea. Quietly they chewed on their cheese and oatcakes, all the while watching the deer. The animal made no move to leave. Even when they ushered the sheep along to their new feeding grounds the deer remained with them. Was this going to be a permanent or semi-permanent arrangement; they would have to wait and see. The twins checked the sheep, there didn't appear to be anything wrong with them. Annag slowly walked over to where the deer was grazing, not sure whether the animal would move away but it didn't. Slowly Annag ran her hands over its rump then, as she did the day before, moved to each leg gently running her hand down the leg until she reached its feet. Still the animal showed no fear.

There was nothing more to be done so they decided to make their way home. Stopping to rest at the Standing Stones Morag made an interesting comment. She wondered what would happen if Roderick were to visit the sheep. Would the deer remain with the sheep or would it disappear? Was it frightened only of men?

This might be so as it would have been men in the high country who were the hunters. They decided to ask Roderick when they were having their evening meal. Perhaps he would pay the sheep a visit during the next couple of days. He agreed; he too was interested in finding out whether the fear was connected to men only or to adults in general. Obviously there was no issue with children.

True to his word, Roderick left the following day for the high country. The weather had changed, the sun didn't shine, there was a cold wind and clouds were racing across the sky. Roderick didn't mind, his body was used to the cold, in fact he preferred what he called a brisk day – it seemed as though he had more energy. Black Cat was nowhere to be seen, she knew her friend had gone out, but it was too cold for her preferring instead to remain tucked up in her straw bed inside the barn.

Perhaps she would meet him when he came home. In the meantime she positioned a paw over her nose, let out a big sigh and went to sleep.

Roderick arrived at the Standing Stones checking for animal prints. He found some but they weren't fresh, they must have been what the twins saw. And so he moved on up the path following the old footprints. When the sheep came into view he silently and carefully made his way towards them. Sure enough the deer was amongst the flock; but not for long. Raising its head the animal moved its ears forward while his whole body moved into an alarm position. Then he was gone; swiftly moving out of sight. In his heart Roderick knew Morag was right, the deer was afraid of adults; possibly women as well as men. There was only one way to find that out and that was to bring Maighread to the flock. Her visit to the sheep would be a defining moment, either it would mean all adults or just men the animal was terrified of. There seemed little point in staying around with the flock, Roderick needed to go home and discuss the matter with his family.

He moved briskly towards the Standing Stones hoping to see Black Cat but when he arrived she wasn't there. Disappointment slowed him down as he looked around for any trace of her but there was none. He moved on down the path and was turning the last bend before home when he spotted her trotting up to meet him – tail erect and calling out a greeting. Roderick stopped, waiting for Black Cat to reach him. Bending down he affectionately spoke to her and began to gently stroke her. The cat responded by brushing against his legs. Any feelings of rejection Roderick may have had dissipated, he forgot about the deer fleeing from him. Here was his loyal friend asking nothing of him but giving her friendship in its totality. Could he ask for more? Roderick didn't think so.

Having discussed the deer with Maighread and the twins, it was agreed to return to the high country, this time the twins, Maighread, and Elspet would accompany him. This, hopefully, would prove Morag's point that the deer was afraid of men because it had been men who hunted them in the high country.

They waited a few days until the weather was more kind – there had been a week of cold winds and rain and none of them wanted to go to the high country. This day though dawned fine and clear, crispy cold but no wind; Maighread decided it was a good day for the high country. Elspet was due to come in the morning so they waited, using the time for any preparations.

The twins went down to the clay hole near the road; they wanted clay on hand for when they would model the deer. Annag felt that could be quite soon, maybe even tomorrow. Maighread had time to make more oat cakes, there would be an extra mouth to feed; not to make another batch would be cutting things a bit fine. By the time Elspet arrived everything was organised and they were ready to leave.

The group was full of anticipation and excitement. Would the deer be there amongst the sheep, would it flee when the adults came into view? Their conversation was animated as they thought about these questions. The Standing Stones seemed to come into view quite quickly and that prompted the desire for food. The oatcakes and cheese were brought out by Maighread, somehow food and the Standing Stones went together.

The twins moved around as they ate, they were looking around for animal prints, but were not concerned as to whether or not they found any. As it happened Morag saw some fresh prints, the same as they had found on a previous visit. This meant the animal was still around and had not disappeared further up into the high country. The group left the Standing Stones behind, continuing their walk to the flock. They didn't want to frighten the deer if it was there so they went more slowly and lowered their voices.

Annag was the first to see the animal; it was embedded with the sheep. They were ready to let themselves be seen but still were not overly noisy; keeping their voices low. The twins moved in front of Elspet and Maighread, hoping the animal would see them first. It did; ears up and looking at them without fear. The two adults moved forward slightly, the twins could see the animal's nose twitching as if trying to pick up their scent. Turning, it trotted some distance away, before looking over its shoulder and staring at the group. No one spoke but they did move slowly forward. After what seemed a very long time looking at them the deer put its head down and resumed eating. This indicated to the group that the animal was wary but not frightened. If they could capture its trust the deer, no doubt, would stay with the sheep and be confident in their company.

The twins moved amongst the flock checking for injuries and wounds; they found none, much to their delight. By the time they had finished their task, it was the deer's turn to be examined. The twins moved over to where he was grazing. This time they both stood quite close to him, Morag stroking his neck and talking while Annag checked his feet and legs. Maighread and Elspet stood a short distance away looking at what the twins were doing. The animal made no move to get away from them. Morag felt quite sure the animal was afraid only of men which meant she and Annag would have to tend the sheep – or Maighread if need be.

There was discussion on the way home as to who would look after the flock. The twins were ready to take on the responsibility if Maighread and Elspet, when necessary, would offer support if any was required. They would discuss this with Roderick. Annag had the idea if Roderick didn't wear his high boots and wore a different cap then the deer may not react to him: they would have to wait and see.

That night the question of looking after the sheep was discussed at length. Roderick needed to know why the twins wanted the deer to remain with the flock. If that was not important to them then Roderick could continue looking after the sheep and the deer would move back further up into the high country. But the twins knew the deer was with the sheep because it was fear that put him there in the first place. They felt he would be driven back to the high country only to face the barrel of the hunters' guns.

Roderick went quiet for some time before offering the twins an option. He agreed to change his boots and cap when he went to the flock but he wanted to twins to go with him for the first two or three visits. He thought this would make it easier for the deer. Like the twins he didn't want to see the animal killed but he knew the sheep were his livelihood and he needed to be practical. When he explained this to the twins they understood and agreed to his request. Maighread was happy with the outcome, thinking the animal might leave the flock of its own accord to join a herd of its own kind.

The next day when Roderick saw the twins carrying clay inside the barn he needed to investigate. Later that afternoon he went inside and saw them hard at work. On a piece of paper was a sketch of a deer, the twins were busy each making a model of the animal. He knew then that the decision he made was the right one, the children felt deeply for the safety of the animal – in fact all animals – and the longer the animal stayed the better chance it had of being protected and surviving. He left the barn feeling a sense of warmth and satisfaction; his daughters were developing into compassionate, kind and artistic young adults.

As the modelling continued the twins began to have a deeper understanding of what it was really was all about. They were learning what might be achieved in a real life situation; if they had models to guide them when resetting a limb. It would be more kind on the animals as well as on themselves. Putting the limb back into position to reset would enable the twins to use a straightforward approach and it would be less painful.

Something they discussed between themselves which they thought would be more helpful would be to use different dyes in the clay. If a leg was broken coloured clay could be used to high-light the break. The break would stand out and be easier for them to follow. They thought it a sound idea, deciding to discuss the concept with Elspet.

The following day Elspet arrived, looking very happy when she saw the work the twins had accomplished. They discussed the idea of using dye in the clay; the teacher took it one step further. Instead of using dye to high-light the break Elspet suggested using dye for each broken piece of bone. An example would be if the bone was broken in two places then three different colours would be used. If there was only one place where the bone was broken then two different dyes would be used white and grey.

The twins agreed Elspet's idea was the better one, using a different colour for each piece of broken bone instead of a different colour for the actual break would make it easier for them to follow. The question to be asked was what would be used for dye?

Elspet decided to visit the apothecary; his knowledge on these matters was superior to hers.

Leaving instructions with the twins to each make a sketch of a deer, one with a break in its front leg and the other with a broken hind leg, she set off to visit the apothecary armed with a sample of clay. She was quite sure he would have the knowledge she required. She felt there wouldn't be a great choice of colours, three would be possibly all that was available; and if there was all there were the chances of setting a break would be limited: the animal wouldn't survive. She discovered all sorts of different coloured dyes were available but dyes which could be used with clay were more difficult to locate; blue, green, and yellow being the only colours available from the apothecary. What's more Elspet would have to wait at least a month before they would be available. Happy with the information the apothecary provided, Elspet placed an order with him. Having to wait a month did not seem to deter her. Such a period of time was welcome because it allowed for more sketching and model making, the more practice the twins had, the more proficient they would become.

It meant that when a real accident occurred they would have gained more experience and knowledge with which to deal with the situation.

These thoughts led Elspet on to her idea of providing them with a couple of donkeys and a cart. She wasn't sure if the time was right or was it too soon? The twins were in their twelfth year. They understood animals and had considerable knowledge; she would talk to Roderick and Maighread. They would provide her with the information she required. Even if they didn't use the donkey and cart for veterinary work they could obtain experience on how to handle their animals and equipment. Travelling to and from the loch as well as moving up and down from the high country would offer them the experience they required so that when the time came, in the case of an emergency, should they need to travel to another farm they would be equipped to do so.

She would discuss this with Roderick and Maighread. It might mean having to clean out the barn but that did not present any difficulty. It was also possible that they could earn additional income by catching fish and using them in exchange for goods the family needed. Exchanging fish for goods the family needed seemed a good idea because it meant that if the twins had developed a distaste for eating fish then exchanging them overcame the problem.

In Elspet's mind everything was turning out the way she hoped it would. She didn't return to the farm for a couple of days but when she did she was delighted with the way the twins had completed the modelling task which she had set them. Not only had they completed two sketches of the deer, one with a broken front leg and one with a broken hind leg but each twin had completed a clay model, one of the actual limb which had been broken plus a complete model of the animal showing the break as it was situated within the entire body. This was something she had not expected but it meant for the future that each break would be shown individually by the twin who had dealt with the break plus the clay models she had made. In this way each person would be identified individually, which for terms of admittance to college or university would be invaluable. The twins were encouraged and took the remarks as a compliment.

Discussion took place on the concept of owning a donkey and cart. As was expected the twins were excited about the idea. They could see a future opening up in which they would play a significant part. Travelling to and from the loch exchanging the fish they caught appealed to them, not only would they be helping the family finances but they wouldn't have to eat the fish. Satisfied with the way the discussion went Elspet decided to approach Roderick and Maighread on the matter.

Elspet received a mixed reception; Maighread thought they were too young while Roderick was excited at the prospect. He enjoyed the idea of sharing some of the responsibility of running the farm with the twins. He wasn't ready to relinquish his hold but the notion of shared obligations held some appeal.

Further talks allowed the trio to reach an understanding. The twins were not being forced into work, instead, they were assisting their parents, and, at the same time, they were being guided onto the path of self-employment. The arrangement seemed suitable to all concerned. And so, the task of obtaining two donkeys and a cart proceeded. Elspet was excited by the prospect.

Finding Donkeys and a Cart

The size of the cart needed to be thought about and, depending on its size, determined the number of donkeys required. Elspet talked at length with the twins on how to make the idea of attending sick animals be a workable one. The size of the animal needed to be taken into account; carrying a horse or a fully grown male deer was out of the question – they were too heavy. On the other hand, a cow, sheep or a goat would be manageable. Using a cart that could be pulled by two donkeys would provide added strength and allow for a bigger cart.

The decision was made to have a slightly bigger cart which could be drawn by two donkeys or in the case of an emergency one donkey would suffice. Having arrived at the decision the trio needed to go in search of donkeys and a cart. A visit to the town on market day was likely to produce results of one sort or another. There were benefits to this, not only did Elspet learn of carts and donkeys which were available now or in the near future but the farming community became aware of what the twins were proposing. There was a certain amount of scepticism, the twins were too young and they were female – what experience did they have? Elspet was in no way deterred by such remarks; she knew their capabilities and felt comfortable with what they proposed. Besides, their work with animals was at least two years away.

Elspet realised information flowed both ways while searching for donkeys and a cart.

Not only was knowledge coming to them about their proposed purchases but also they were imparting knowledge to the farmers about their future plans even to the availability of providing small fish. Several of the farmers' wives were enthusiastic about the possibility of eating fresh fish as a change from meat.

As time moved on and more information was forthcoming about donkeys and carts Elspet made the decision to purchase a four wheeled cart. Talking to the farmers she was advised that with a four wheeled cart the load is supported over the four wheels and not on the necks of the animals. She learned that a poorly balanced two wheeled cart puts too much weight on the animals; leading to injury to the neck and back. Donkeys are not as strong as horses; neck and back injuries are more common. The type of harness used needed to be taken into consideration; this was something Elspet had not thought much about. However she was confident that, with advice given by the farmers, when the time came to start working the animals they would have the right harness for the work they would be required to do. For much of the time the only weight to be carried would be that of the twins.

The thought had crossed Elspet's mind that while the four wheeled cart would belong to the twins there might be times when Roderick would be required to use it. She had no doubt that arrangements could be made for the twins to use the two wheeled cart when needed. Such an exchange could work quite well, the twins were not likely to need the four wheeled cart at all times. For instance a trip to the loch would require only the two wheeled cart – a smaller cart – carrying fish was not what one would call a heavy load; even if Black Cat accompanied them!

Days developed into weeks until one day the right cart appeared and with it the correct harness. The donkeys were now the next purchase to be made and within days they too had been bought. It was easier to deliver the donkeys to the cart which is what Elspet did. On this adventure the twins were excited to attend: here at last their plans had reached fruition. They had to walk a distance of two miles to collect the donkeys – a male and a female – then a further two miles to deliver the donkeys to the cart. That distance might seem excessive to us but to the twins it appeared as a short walk. The owners of the cart as well as the donkeys' owner were more than pleased to have made their sales especially to such an enterprising pair of children. With promises of keeping in touch the trio set off for home, with Elspet firmly holding the reins. The journey was filled with expectation, excitement and much talking, the twins planning their future activities, the first being a trip to the loch.

They were aware from riding in the cart that if they were to transport fish in clay pots they would need some type of framework to house the pots; otherwise the movement in the cart would cause the pots to slide and eventually spill over. They would talk to Roderick about that but they did have an idea which they thought would work; it involved purchasing wood from the saw miller. The measurements needed to be carefully made, calculating how many pots the framework might contain. Was the framework to run the whole width of the cart, what was the diameter of the pots? From these measurements it could be determined how many pots the framework would contain and, eventually, how many fish could be transported each trip.

Elspet listened to the discussion, proud of the contribution she had made, and was still making, to the lives of these children.

The twins realised that use of the four wheeled cart would be better for transporting fish because the floor of the cart would remain more even. They talked to Elspet about that, she agreed with them but to be sure advised talking to Roderick. If the decision was made to make a framework the twins decided they could pay the saw miller with fish. By the time the conversation was complete and all plans made, the trio had arrived home at the farm.

Roderick listened intently to the twins as they discussed the proposed framework for the clay pots. He was of the opinion that if the framework was made to fit the width of the two wheeled cart and it was constructed to accommodate a double row of clay pots, it would be unlikely that the pots would spill over. If, for some reason, it was necessary to use the four wheeled cart the framework could fit into the bigger cart. One end could be positioned against one side of the cart while the other could be supported by some heavy object, maybe a piece of timber or a large boulder. By doing something like this, it offered more flexibility. While the bigger cart was for the twins it meant that, if for any reason, Roderick needed to use the bigger cart it would be made available through the adaptability of the framework. Everyone including Elspet seemed satisfied with the outcome. All that remained now was to find somewhere to house the cart and locate shelter for the donkeys.

With a slight amount of alteration the cart could be housed in the shelter which was made when the boat was being built. Or, as Roderick suggested, the classroom in the barn could be dismantled; that space would allow plenty of room. There was a sudden outcry from everyone present! Was he serious? Not one of the females present knew whether or not he was to be taken seriously. Judging by the opposition to his remark Roderick hastily informed the group that he was not be be taken seriously. The thought however didn't disappear from his mind, but for the present it was best if left alone. He would have to come up with some other suggestion and he would need to think hard and long.

To dismantle the classroom within the barn was not to his liking but it was the quickest solution. The barn could be extended but that would take too long. Could the two additional donkeys fit into the barn with the existing donkeys? Even if they did all fit in would they get along with each other? He decided to accommodate all the donkeys in the barn together and see if it worked. The other option was to somehow build a mezzanine floor for the classroom. A mezzanine floor would accommodate all of the model making equipment plus the models themselves, as well as acting as storage for the twins' collection of treasures such as their bird's nest, the squirrel's jaw bone and the piece of wood that had been struck by lightning; anything not used on a daily basis could be stored on the mezzanine floor.

Roderick discussed the plan with his family, including Elspet. Agreement was reached, it was really now a question of time. How long would a mezzanine floor take to build? For the time being they decided to try putting all the donkeys together in the barn.

For his part Roderick decided to visit Fergus, the saw miller, he needed timber for the framework to house the clay pots, he also required materials for the mezzanine floor plus he sought ideas as to its construction. He also needed to discuss payment. Roderick began to think his life was going out of control, he had several projects which all required his attention and it seemed he wasn't getting much support from his family. Annag felt Roderick was not happy. Approaching him before he left for the saw miller's workshop she tried to find out what it was that was upsetting him.

Roderick told her the truth as he saw it; he needed assistance and was not getting it and he felt neglected. They went inside the barn out of the wind and discussed, at length, how the twins – and Elspet if need be – could help him. Black Cat seemed to sense the conversation was serious and, wanting to participate, stretched out between them purring softly. They reached a decision as to how the twins might help; they could take over the responsibility of looking after the sheep. The idea appealed to Annag and she felt Morag would agree. It would mean visiting the high country at least once a week – maybe more – checking on their state of health, knowing when to move the flock to fresh pasture. When to shear them and being aware if any of the ewes were about to give birth and generally caring for their well-being. It didn't need to be permanent but the twins needed to know how and when the animals required attention. Maighread would be available if the twins needed help as would Elspet.

Annag needed to discuss with Morag what had been decided upon – before they approached Elspet It might mean that their lessons may need to be reduced while the mezzanine floor was being built. Annag thought that what was required of them was achievable but she did think to herself that Roderick should have spoken out about feeling neglected; he should have asked for help. Although, all in all, Annag felt at last they were going to be treated as adults with their own set tasks to do, and their own roles and responsibilities to maintain.

Roderick left for the saw miller's workshop while Annag remained inside the barn talking quietly to Black Cat who knew exactly what the problem was all about. Isn't it strange that cats seem to be aware of all our problems?

Morag found Annag in the barn with Black Cat. The twins sat in their classroom discussing the proposed change in plan; Morag was not disturbed at all. Like Annag she looked forward to having more adult roles and responsibilities which would require attention on an ongoing basis. They had no doubt that Elspet when approached by them would be happy to fit in with the proposed plans.

Roderick's visit to the saw miller was indeed profitable. If Roderick supplied the raw timber the saw miller would make a framework for the clay pots as well as draw up plans for the mezzanine floor. The saw miller reckoned on three trees, maybe four, for the mezzanine floor and off cuts for the framework. He had never cut anything for a mezzanine floor so it was a guessing game but once he had drawn up the plans he would have a fair idea of what would be required.

Roderick set off for home feeling in a much better frame of mind than when he started out. Life took on a brighter hue and he was looking forward to the evening meal when the activities of the day would be discussed.

Maighread had invited Elspet to share their evening meal; her input was coming to be of considerable importance to them, especially when it came to the twin's ongoing education. For her part Elspet began to feel part of the family. Roderick's visit to the saw miller was discussed at length in, particular relating to the mezzanine floor. How big would it be, was it going to take off enough space from the barn to allow room for two additional donkeys? Elspet had a mental picture of what it might look like so she sketched a drawing so that everyone had a good idea of what they would be dealing with. There would be a steep set of stairs leading to the actual mezzanine floor. There could be two or three sets of shelving which would house everything like the clay models, books etc. Everyone was impressed with the concept, it was still enclosed within the classroom and gave the impression that the classroom was a much bigger room than in fact it was. Elspet thought the move involving a mezzanine floor was definitely the right move; it reinforced the direction in which the family were moving. They were serious about their children's' ongoing education. The children's' future would now rest with themselves and with Elspet; they were being provided with the facilities and the tools with which to achieve success.

Accompanied by two donkeys and the four wheeled cart Roderick set off the next day for the high country. He thought Black Cat may follow him but she remained behind. She knew where he was going and what he intended doing; she had it in mind to meet him at the Standing Stones. Through solitary exploration she had discovered a quicker route which avoided the track, thereby leaving her invisible. For his part Roderick pondered on the whereabouts of the deer; he rather hoped it would still be with the sheep. His peace and tranquillity was disturbed when he discovered the cart had adopted a strange list to one side and an even stranger sound. Pulling up he discovered the front left wheel was nearly off the cart. Cursing for being so remiss as to not check the cart before he left he made the decision to return home and collect the two wheeled cart. Unhitching the cart he tethered the donkeys to a tree then set off down the path towards home. Black Cat, treading her own path to the Standing Stones, heard and felt footsteps approaching. Crouching low, ears pricked up, she waited. The footsteps came closer and she picked up her friend's scent. Black Cat let out an anxious cry and ran on to the path. Roderick was amazed but delighted to see his friend! What was she doing there? Their greeting was one of warmth and overall happiness. Together they walked back to the house.

Maighread was making oatcakes when the pair walked into the kitchen. Roderick explained the situation; Maighread was sympathetic, offering to return with him. In fact why not turn an unfortunate situation into a family outing and invite the twins along. The girls were found in the barn; they had no hesitation in accepting the invitation. Sensing what was to happen Black Cat decided she would accompany them, not wanting to be left at alone at home.

The twins watched Roderick tether the donkeys to the cart. Maighread became the passenger with the oatcakes and cheese while Roderick walked alongside with the twins.

Initially Black Cat followed but quite quickly disappeared amongst the heather. Roderick knew his friend was going to follow the path she had previously taken and would, no doubt, meet them at the Standing Stones. Roderick was right in his assumption – Black Cat was waiting for them at the Standing Stones. It was time for refreshments; Maighread handed around the cheese and oatcakes. Discussion turned to the deer, Morag expressed the desire to see whether or not the animal had remained with the sheep. Roderick too, was keen to know the whereabouts of the creature and as it did not involve too much additional travel to find out, they moved on towards the grazing ground. They decided to walk the last few yards, the sound of the cart, scent of the donkeys and sight of all the humans may prove distracting if the deer was still with the sheep. Sure enough the deer was still amongst the flock; he lifted his head facing toward the family. He looked magnificent. The twins moved towards him, talking quietly. The animal seemed to understand, making no effort to move as they approached. Just as before when they visited Annag ran her hands down his flank and then down his back legs. The animal was unafraid and undisturbed by Roderick who had not changed his boots or cap. Roderick recalled when he first saw the deer, it had been injured; he and Maighread had massaged him but the animal did not run away. Perhaps he didn't run because he was injured. Roderick began to wonder if the change of boots and cap was really necessary. Time would tell.

Returning to the stand of fir trees the donkeys and cart were tethered to a tree. The family set off for the best trees from which to source their timber.

Roderick selected four for his purpose. Before long all four had been felled, Maighread assisted Roderick with stripping of the branches. The twins had the job of dragging the smaller branches back to the cart. The task was not beyond them as, by now, they were fit and healthy young women. It remained for the logs to be dragged back to the cart and loaded on. The entire family were involved in this. Roderick decided he wanted to switch the donkeys over. The pair which had pulled the four wheeled cart were to be harnessed to the two wheeled cart ready for the homeward journey. Morag and Annag would take responsibility for the other two donkeys, having one each. All of this involved additional time because the wheel of the four wheeled cart broke even before they had arrived at the Standing Stones. It meant that the family had to walk some distance before the change-over of the donkeys could occur.

No one was put off by this, they were all in good spirits, even Black Cat was quite talkative – for a cat. It didn't take long to arrive at the four wheeled cart. The donkeys were changed over and Roderick managed to ease the wheel off the cart, discovering as he did so, that the axle had broken. Leaving the cart overnight was quite safe, his family and his donkeys were what mattered.

The twins played with the donkeys on the homeward run. Being tethered to a tree for several hours had left the animals somewhat bored. They are like children; they like to play. Black Cat discovered this. The homeward trip was fun, the donkeys were away from the confines of the cart. Kicking up their heels and braying as they pretended to chase Black Cat. In return Black Cat pretended to stalk these animals that were so much bigger than she was. They all arrived back at the barn in double quick time. Roderick and Maighread followed at a more leisurely pace, after all they were a lot older and their donkeys were pulling a cart loaded with logs.

The logs were unloaded outside the barn door. Next the donkeys were unharnessed from the cart and joined the other two before being ushered into the barn. Roderick followed the animals inside wanting to make quite sure that the space he wanted to retrieve was enough for the animals and that the space he was taking from the twins left them with sufficient room for the classroom and mezzanine floor.

He walked around for some time with a measuring tape, looking up and down, sometimes from side to side muttering to himself. The twins didn't try to interfere with his calculations. Even Black Cat sat very still just watching. Sometimes it was wiser to just remain quiet and observant. She knew that what was happening was of extreme importance. Not life and death stuff but none the less very significant. After a time Roderick seemed satisfied proceeding to sketch his thoughts and measurements on a piece of paper. Maighread understood what it was all about; she was used to Roderick's mathematical calculations. Morag and Annag were not so sure. They left the barn while Black Cat gave herself a very quick rump lick before following them. The trio needed time for everything to settle down. Black Cat's rump licking was a source of comfort to her. If the twins could develop a habit which would serve them just as well no doubt they would be less anxious.

The next day was fine enough for Roderick to move the donkeys out of the barn prior to commencing work on dismantling the wall of the classroom. The twins were asked to assist Roderick with holding timber in place and other mundane tasks which cropped up from time to time. Looking after the donkeys was only part of their activities that day. Their assistance did however make Roderick's job easier and he was able to move quicker. Half way through the next day he was proud to announce that the building was finished. The only job which required completion was the flight of steps going from the classroom to the mezzanine floor. Roderick wanted to make the steps movable. By constructing them that way meant they could be moved anywhere as required along the floor. Being fixed into one position meant they could be cumbersome and, books and models, awkward to manoeuvre. Elspet, when she saw them was very taken with the idea. Her family home had a similar idea – a movable ladder attached to a floor-to-ceiling book case. Books on the top shelf could be reached easily with the movable ladder. Roderick was happy that his idea at least had some support. Morag and Annag when they were using the steps had to complement their father on how easy they were to use, whether it be carrying things up or bringing things down – life was made easier. They liked the idea of "out of the way" storage and were most particular as to how their models were stored, being almost pedantic as to the sequence in which they were positioned on the shelves. For her part Elspet had nothing to add, the twins were taking responsibility for their education and their lives reflected this accordingly.

As for Black Cat, she observed unobtrusively. She was looking for a space on the mezzanine floor where she could curl up and become invisible. She also wanted an easy way down the ladder. She didn't want to slip and have to hang on with her claws; So undignified for a cat! There was another possibility, enter through the barn where the donkeys were housed. The wall of the mezzanine and the donkeys' enclosure did not reach the roof. If the gap was wide enough she could climb over the top and drop onto the mezzanine floor. Getting out may prove a little more difficult but she would worry about that nearer the time.

The First Fishing Trip and the First Patient

Before the two wheeled cart could be used Roderick had to collect the wheel from the four wheeled cart; it was near to the Standing Stones. The twins agreed to go with him as it might be difficult easing the wheel onto the cart. The axle needed to be renewed but as long as the diameter could be determined it could stay attached to the cart until the new wheel was obtained. Everything went smoothly. Morag and Annag stayed at the cottage while Roderick travelled on to the market place where he found the wheelwright. It was not a difficult task, but it was not a job for an amateur. The wheelwright was able to supply a new axle so Roderick returned to the cottage with a new axle and a repaired wheel. Morag and Annag were waiting for him as was Black Cat who had made two or three visits to the barn to find out if her plan was possible – climbing over the wall and dropping on to the mezzanine floor – the activity was achievable, in fact quite easy. What she needed to know was it going to be easy getting back? There was only one way of finding out and that was to try; but not today.

Maighread produced hot soup and bread for the trio before going back to mend the cart. The twins were interested in participating in some repair work. There may come a time when Roderick would not be available and it would be up to them to carry out repairs on their own.

The two donkeys needed to be taken back to the cart so the twins handled that while Roderick drove the smaller cart using the other pair of animals. He had loaded the mended wheel, the new axle and the necessary tools onto the cart. It seemed to Roderick a lot of coming and going but there was no way around it. He realised what an advantage it was to have the twins and an extra cart. The job would have been a lot harder if he had been alone.

By the time the axle had been removed, the new one inserted and the repaired wheel attached several hours had gone by. Everyone, including the donkeys, were tired. But the day had been rewarding. Roderick led the small convoy in the four wheeled cart with Morag and Annag following behind in the smaller cart.

Black Cat was sitting on the path waiting to greet them. She was glad they had all gone out; if gave her a chance to find out if it was possible to climb over the wall and onto the mezzanine floor as well as return the same way. Black Cat, as I've told you before, was a very clever cat. She was able to half jump and then clawed her way over the wall on to the mezzanine floor. She sniffed around amongst the shelves looking for the most private, most comfortable place where she felt it was the least likely for her to be interrupted. She was happy to be disturbed but only when she was ready; it had to be on her terms. With the unlikelihood of any persons to distract or interfere with her privacy Black Cat was able to creep along the base of the wall checking every possible way back. Little scratch marks in the wood where it was possible for her claws to take a secure hold were tested. She remembered on the barn side there was a pile of hay which would help when she needed to jump from the top of the wall. She retraced her steps along the wall until she found a set of scratch marks from where it was most likely that she would be able to jump back to the top of the wall. She aimed to reach the top of the wall; but if she didn't succeed she could still slide down to the scratch marks and dig in ready to try again. She didn't need to worry; she reached the top at the first try. Jumping onto the pile of hay was easy, it was firm beneath her body but it also cushioned her. She could hear the carts clattering down the path as she made her way out of the barn just in time to greet them. Black Cat, too, had a rewarding day.

The donkeys were unharnessed and the carts put away for the night. The twins were ready for their evening meal as was Roderick. Maighread had made an appetising stew full of tasty herbs enriching the usual vegetables. The following day if the weather was suitable the twins were ready to go fishing. They would take the smaller cart, their fishing nets, two clay pots which Maighread loaned them plus cheese and oatcakes which had been promised. The framework for the clay pots was not yet finished but the twins decided they could manage. One could drive the cart while the other held on to the clay pots. Going to the loch was not going to be a problem but coming home may prove a little difficult – with water and fish in two clay pots both of which had to be supported somehow.

Annag drove while Morag nursed the clay pots. They decided it was safer if the amount of water in the pots was reduced. It didn't matter all that much if their first catch was less than expected. This was testing the plan as to whether it was going to work out. The drive to the loch was pleasant; ideas were exchanged as to how they planned to catch the fish. Morag could be the first to use the nets because she was the one who had carried the pots in the cart. Annag could use the pole to propel the boat along the water way and steer them in and out of the reeds. The weather promised to remain fine but one could never be quite sure. They could hear the bird calls which meant they were almost at their destination. The donkeys needed to be tethered somewhere where there was fresh grass. A suitable patch was found; some way back from the shore line. The twins were becoming adept at un harnessing the donkeys and cart; by this time they had the confidence of the animals.

They mutually agreed it was time to eat as they were both feeling hungry. Excitement was starting to mount as they sat watching the water shimmering as dozens of fish darted about attempting to avoid the birds. Having finished their oat cakes and cheese it was time to collect the clay pots and nets and place them in the boat. It was an advantage that the loch was shallow and the boat a flat bottomed vessel. Everything was aboard; Annag gently poled them away from the shore and the reeds. Morag kept her eyes upon the schools of fish which darted past the boat from time to time. It wasn't long before the twins agreed that catching fish was going to be more difficult than they expected. They decided it would be best if they allowed the boat to be stationery or as still as it possibly could be. In that way the fish could swim past them and not be distracted by the shadow of the moving vessel. This turned out to be the better way of dealing with them. It was slower and it meant they caught less fish but by treating the creatures gently it meant they were not panicked. It was a test of the girls' patience which was to stand them in good stead for their future when dealing with animals.

Transferring the fish from the net into the clay pots was time consuming but after the first few attempts Morag became quite skilful and spent less time retrieving the small wriggling creatures from the floor of the boat. They both decided that it was to be Morag's turn to fish and Annag was to be the boatman. The next time they visited Annag would fish and Morag would be the boatman. Time sped by so swiftly there didn't seem to be much point changing roles half way through the period of time they had at their disposal. Deciding how many fish and how much water was to be in each clay pot was a decision that was of importance. They did not want fish and water spilling and splashing over the floor of the boat or the cart, so after much talking the decision was made to half fill the pots with water and reduce the quantity of fish. It seemed to Morag who would be responsible for them, that these quantities would be manageable for the homeward journey and less likely to present her with any problems.

Annag gently but deftly poled the boat to the shore; mooring it securely where they had left it previously. Waiting until the vessel was motionless Morag climbed onto the shore and then with both feet on solid ground she reached back for the two clay pots. Mission accomplished, the twins' next task was to keep the whirling birds away from the clay pots; the fish in the pots were easy prey! The twins could see from this that the pots needed to be carried over to the donkeys. It was too risky bringing the donkeys to the pots; the fish would have disappeared by the time the twins returned with the donkeys. Very soon everything was in order, the animals harnessed to the cart, the clay pots and nets loaded on to the cart; their homeward journey had begun.

It was not a trip of hazardous proportions by any means. The secret lay in how much water and how many fish were in the pots. The donkeys were not overloaded and their journey home was one of peace and contentment. It was almost as though they were in tune with the events of the day and everyone was at peace. They had left the Grove of Trees behind them and were moving towards home when they saw Black Cat trotting along the path. She was eager to find out if there were fish in the pots. Annag stopped the cart allowing Black Cat to jump on board. The cat was excited at the prospect of having some fish, but Morag was not in a hurry to share them with her. Black Cat sat by Morag and the pots for the remainder of the journey home. They stopped outside the cottage so that Morag could deliver the fish straight to her mother. Black Cat followed – meowing. Maighread was delighted with the catch but decided to leave the cooking until the following day. Black Cat was not about to leave Maighread and the fish. In fact she was still there when Roderick came in for his evening meal. The twins meanwhile had unharnessed the donkeys, led them into the barn and fed them. The cart was dry and secure in the lean-to and they too were ready for their evening meal. Black Cat was sitting, tailed curled around her body; quite close to the fire. She gave the impression that she was warming herself but she was, in fact, keeping her eye on the fish.

A day or two later, word was sent to Roderick that the saw miller needed to see him. Unsure of what was required of him Roderick set off for the saw miller's place of work. The saw miller's name was Fergus and it was more polite to call him Fergus. So Fergus he was to all the family including Elspet. One of Fergus' horses had injured his leg and Fergus wanted to know if Roderick would look at it, identify the injury and, if possible, treat it. Roderick harnessed two of the donkeys to the four wheeled cart. He discussed with the girls the possibility of them having their first client before setting off to visit Fergus.

Fergus' two horses were called Dougall and Hamish and it was Dougall who had been injured. His leg was not broken but he was lame. Roderick went back to the farm. He fetched the girls and their leather pouches, setting off once more to tend to Dougall. Fergus felt sure that Dougall had pulled muscle two or three mornings ago, while pulling a heavy load. There had been a frost and the horse had not warmed up properly. Fergus had blamed himself for not allowing the horse time to get warm before pulling the heavy load. In his position it was important to ensure his animals were well looked after – his animals were a vital part of his business.

Roderick agreed with Fergus that Dougall had pulled a muscle and within a few days the muscle would have repaired. The twins listened to their father discussing the injury with Fergus and offering to treat the animal with Arnica and Calendula. The two men distanced themselves from the horse while Morag and Annag stepped forward with their leather pouches.

Fergus was intrigued with the way in which the twins handled the situation. They had a no nonsense but kind and gentle approach towards Dougall who seemed to feel their vibrations. He wasn't an old horse but he wasn't young either; he responded to their kindness and gentle ways. They bathed his leg with Arnica and gently massaged Calendula ointment into the affected area, telling Fergus they would return the next day to check for signs of improvement and advised him to keep the leg warm. Fergus was relieved to think that Dougall would recover, not only was the horse part of his business but he was part of the family. The twins were satisfied that their treatment of the injury would effectively heal the muscle and looked forward to the next day when they could examine their handiwork.

Their father was secretly quite proud of his daughters; they had shown proficiency, practicality and compassion not only to Dougall but to Fergus also. The next day saw the improvement the twins had hoped for. They applied a second treatment explaining to Fergus there was nothing more to be done, except to keep the animal warm and offer mild exercise. If more help was needed Fergus knew how to contact the twins.

Elspet visited the twins that afternoon and after explaining to her the treatment they had administered she could not fault their methods. Having heard Roderick's report of how the twins treated the injured animal Elspet decided it was time for them to start recording their treatments. She was thinking ahead to the day when she hoped the girls would be eligible to attend university and obtain a formal qualification. Now would be the time to start such a process and it would be good practice for them to commence writing and illustrating their work.

The twins were excited with the idea; it was another step forward towards their future. Elspet discussed her idea with Roderick and Maighread who wholeheartedly agreed and it was decided that she set off the following day to see her friends who could supply her with the type of books she needed. Elspet decided she needed one book for each of the girls. They were to be hard-covered and leather bound; about eight by ten inches and two to three inches thick. They could be used for recording patients' notes, making sketches and anything else that was relevant to each patient, whether it be cat, horse, sheep or donkey. When the time came these impressive volumes would be presented to the school of veterinary science at Edinburgh University for appraisal.

Elspet had an inner knowing that this was the way forward. From the very depths of her being she wanted this to happen, not only from the twins' point of view but from Roderick and Maighread as well. They had put so much effort into making such a united family, and she too, was not without her contribution. Instinctively she knew that a formal qualification for the twins would lead to security for the whole family because as both parents aged they would be less able to cope with the rigours of farm life.

Another Trip to the Loch

With Elspet away for a few days it was a good opportunity to make another trip to the loch. The framework for the clay pots was finished: Fergus presenting it to the twins on one of their visits to see Dougall. They were able to obtain four clay pots from Maighread but she was not willing to let the twins have the use of any more. Over the years she had collected a few of these pots and they were very useful for storage of different foods. If the twins wanted more they would need to start building up a collection for themselves. Maighread wasn't sure how they would do this but was confident they had the capability of doing so. Perhaps on market day they could talk to the farmers' wives as to how they could acquire some, even discussing why they wanted them; they may even be interested in buying some fish. Farmers' wives were always open to trying different types of foods; their daily diet tended to become monotonous and without flavour. Fish, on the other hand, would be a luxury.

For the time being fishing was to become the priority; travelling to the loch in the four wheeled cart pulled along by two donkeys. The twins had their four clay pots and the framework by which to support them. Black Cat decided she would join the expedition – she knew what the equipment was all about – it was about fish! If she was lucky the twins would see to it that she was offered a taste. On the previous occasion Maighread had generously offered her several fish; both raw and cooked. Such delicacies had stayed in Black Cat's mind for days after.

This time Morag drove the cart while Annag was in charge of the clay pots and the framework. Having the framework made life much easier. Even though there was no water in the pots, the framework kept the pots very still and Annag felt quite sure even when they were full of water and fish movement would be minimal. This meant that they would be able to transport more fish than on the previous occasion. Black Cat sat very close to Annag watching her every movement; no doubt dreaming of the feast which was to follow.

They arrived at the loch in, what seemed a very short space of time. Unhitching the donkeys from the cart and tethering them close to a patch of grass had become routine and therefore was accomplished in no time at all. The pots, framework, nets and Black Cat were loaded into the boat. Annag supervised the loading while Morag untied the boat and carefully poled it away from the shore. The day was quite cloudy making the fish less visible. The twins were undeterred however; they knew that by trailing their nets over the side of the boat they would make a catch. The fact that there was no sun could be to their advantage; there would be few shadows gliding over the water to alert the fish as to their whereabouts. The day was not as pleasant as the previous occasion, being very little sun. A chilly wind had sprung up, in fact the day had turned cold. The twins had brought their sheepskin jackets; Maighread had insisted that they did but they had not thought to bring them onto the boat.

A decision had to be made; curtail the fishing trip or keep going and risk the prospect of catching a chill. They decided to keep going for a short while longer. Two of the pots had already been filled but once the third pot was full it was time to head for home. There would be plenty of opportunity in the future for bigger catches.

Morag steered the boat into its mooring while Annag collected all the equipment ready to go ashore. Black Cat seemed a little fearful so Annag gently but firmly scooped her up and jumped ashore. The cat didn't have time to respond adversely; she licked her rump and sauntered away. Annag left Morag with the catch and went off to harness the donkeys to the cart. This meant the fish were protected from the birds. Annag drove the cart to the shore; everything was loaded on, including the cat. They wrapped their sheepskin jackets snugly around them; the feeling of warmth.

Immediately surpassed the shivering and trembling of their bodies as they commenced their homeward journey. Black Cat positioned herself by the framework and the pots, she wasn't about to lose sight of them. On arrival back at the cottage the twins delivered the fish to Maighread before going to the barn to unharness the donkeys but Black Cat stayed with Maighread in the cottage. In fact the cat became somewhat of a nuisance as she wove between Maighread's legs purring all the while. Maighread knew what Black Cat's behaviour was all about but she wasn't going to serve a feed of fish on the spot; the cat would have to wait.

The next morning Maighread was ready to preserve the fish in brine. She asked the twins if they wanted to participate and watch the process; they agreed. At this stage neither of them were sure if they wanted to eat them; that decision would be made later. Once again Black Cat appeared eager to be part of the action. To us how Maighread went about putting the little creatures into the brine may have appeared cruel but in reality it was quite humane. As she removed a fish from the pot she stunned it by knocking its head on the side of the pot before dropping it into the brine. The whole movement happened with such accuracy and speed that there was no writhing or twisting in agony. For these small creatures death was instant. The twins had no objection to the methods used by Maighread, they even offered to assist. Maighread accepted their offer and in no time all of the small creatures were in the brine.

What concerned the twins were the clay pots. If they were to make a success of their small business venture they would need more than four clay pots. They decided to talk to Elspet when she returned in two or three day's time; she might know people who had clay pots who were willing to part with them. The waiting period of two or three days seemed an eternity but eventually Elspet returned with two beautifully bound leather books, one for each of the twins. Now their work could commence in earnest. But before that aspect of their lives started in a serious way they discussed the problem of the clay pots; they needed what they thought would be around ten or twelve pots and they didn't know how to access such an amount. Elspet did not volunteer much information at the time but a few days later she returned with news. She had been back to the "big house" – her family home – where she visited the cook, Mrs McGregor, who had been the cook at the "big house" since before Elspet was born and they shared a mutual respect. The explanation as to why Elspet needed clay pots was enough to send the older quite rotund woman scurrying around the vast kitchen and pantry.

(Mrs McGregor admired women who had initiative and who did not rely on men to make their way in life) Today we would refer to her as a feminist. She found fourteen pots which could be spared. The "big house" had such a quantity because over the year's food would come to Scotland from across the border and the cook needed to be thrifty; she saved the empty pots for pickling, jam making and fruit preserves. Elspet was delighted with the array, promising her friend some of the fish. Within a few days the pots were duly delivered to Elspet's cottage and from there they were collected by the twins in the big cart. Thus from here was born the small business which served to teach the twins numerous skills which remained with them throughout the rest of their lives. The Cook from the "big house" would become one of their customers.

Setting up a small business involved organisation. Such concerns as how often would the twins catch the fish, what day would be used for fishing, how many creatures were they planning to catch, where would the clay pots full of fish be stored, would the storage place used be safe from cats and birds, was it planned to store the catch for more than one night. All of this needed to be worked out as well as a method of payment and keeping a record of the clay pots. Keeping a record of the clay pots was an important aspect of the whole process.

The twins decided to talk with Roderick; he would know what was best, both for them and the fish. Of greatest importance to Roderick was how many fish the twins planned to harvest each week from the loch. At present the loch appeared to be well stocked but that did not mean it would remain that way. This was the angle he focused on as he discussed the venture with his daughters. The twins thought, at first, their father was being stubborn and wasn't keen about the idea at all but as Roderick presented his ideas further they realised he was genuinely concerned. Unless the twins had a target and did not intend to exceed that target it would not be long before the fish stocks in the loch would be seriously depleted.

The twins now understood their father's approach; they needed to decide how many customers they would serve and how often they would serve them. On that decision rested the fate of whether or not the business would commence let alone survive. After considerable discussion the three of them decided that once per fortnight would provide the right balance and six to ten customers would be the maximum number to serve. There would, no doubt, be times when six customers would be enough to cope with, at other times they would be able to handle more but on the basis of those figures stocks in the loch would be sufficiently maintained.

Having decided on the figures it was relatively easy to complete the remainder of the planning. The fish would be stored for only one night in the classroom. It was unlikely that the barn owls would get inside the classroom, so the only predator they had to content with was Black Cat and they would wait and see if she became a problem. If necessary the barn door could be closed once per fortnight but Roderick didn't think it would be necessary to close the door; Black Cat was well and truly on her way to being an old cat. Her days of hunting were almost over; it was much easier for her to dream of hunting. Many times Roderick had watched her asleep; her legs would twitch rapidly, her whiskers constantly moving. Her world of dreamland was a world of excitement and comfort in which her tired old body was at peace. Roderick had observed this behaviour over the past few months but had declined to comment; Nature was taking its course.

Black Cat however was not ready to leave this world yet; there were still tasks that required her attention. Such tasks did not require much of her energy, which was good as some days she had very little energy to give. But there were still things in which she still retained an interest such as the fish in the loch, travelling to the high country and being with the twins when they visited the Grove of Trees. These visits still filled her with joy and excitement and while these pleasures remained for her Black Cat wanted to be left to enjoy them.

Meanwhile the twins needed to find out how many clay pots needed to be filled with fish. A trip to the town on market day was required to find out from the farmers' wives who had sold them the four wheeled cart and the two donkeys. Did either of them require any fish? Both of these ladies wanted one pot each. The twins agreed to give them a clay pot full of fish; in exchange they would receive one empty clay pot plus an agreed price. One farmer's wife offered flour which was acceptable while the other had potatoes to offer. Both items were on their list of needed products; Maighread having gone through her larder was in need of most food items as she was now feeding four adults. Mrs McGregor from the "big house" was not required to purchase the fish as the twins had decided that because she had supplied fourteen clay pots they couldn't ask her to pay for a while; Maighread and Roderick agreed with them. The twins sought not to seek out more customers, three were sufficient for the time being; they felt sure customers would increase as the word spread.

The following day saw them set off for the loch; their goal was four full pots – the fourth pot was for Maighread. They looked for Black Cat who was sunning herself near the barn door. She was a willing participant making no protest as Morag picked her up, gently placing her in the four wheeled cart. They had all their equipment, including cheese and oatcakes and their sheepskin jackets. The trip was now familiar to them so it didn't appear to take as long as the first time they set forth. As they trotted through the Grove of Trees they glimpsed the fox just ahead of them; he had nothing in his mouth and appeared unafraid as they followed behind, his belly was full and he was well aware that they were not out to catch him. Life was as it should be Annag thought; each creature safely following its own path and purpose.

Soon bird calls were heard, an indication the loch was not far away, but the only birds in the vicinity were the usual residents, the visitors had all but departed. Annag guided the donkeys to the shore where everything was unloaded ready for the boat.

Morag stayed, holding Black Cat, until Annag attended to the donkeys. This time the girls put on their sheepskin jackets before leaving the shore, they weren't to be caught a second time. Annag poled her way out through the reeds until she reached the clear water; it glistened and sparkled in the gentle sunlight. They caught sight of the small fish, their silvery bodies shimmering as they sped swiftly through the water. The desired catch of filling four clay pots was well within their reach.

Morag grasped her net lowering it over the side of the boat. Almost immediately she pulled it out of the water, it was almost full of fish. Black Cat stirred from her slumber as she heard the fish plop into the pot. She took up her position and watched with fascination as the little fish wriggled around inside the pot. It was not long before the four pots were full. Annag, noticing this, poled around amongst the reeds; hoping to catch sight of some duck eggs or anything else of interest. Today was not the day for new discoveries so she slowly headed for the shore. Everything was taken from the boat. Annag went off to fetch the cart and donkeys while Morag watched the fish and Black Cat. Morag didn't trust Black Cat to be alone with the fish. Like all cats she could be very cunning. Annag returned so they decided to eat their oat cakes and cheese down at the Grove of Trees. They hadn't spent much time in the Grove for quite a while and were looking forward to the quiet it offered. They pulled up at their favourite spot; a fallen log which offered them a seat and views of both directions of the pathway. Black Cat decided to stay in the cart with the fish while the twins sat on the log eating the oatcakes and cheese. Discussion took place regarding their future with the fish venture wondering how it could link with their studies on the animals. They did not want to lose touch with the high country either and Elspet wanted them to get to know Mrs McGregor at the Big House. All in all their life was going to be busier and that did not include their responsibilities towards their home and parents. They decided they would not spend time worrying about how much they had to do but rather do everything with a sense of joy, expectation and purpose. Having the right attitude prevented them from being weighed down by responsibility and a sense of duty. Life was one big adventure – that was what they concluded as they sat on the log.

They were on their way home and it was still early. The day was beautiful so the twins decided to deliver Mrs McGregor's fish to Elspet's cottage. They weren't sure how far the Big House was from Elspet's cottage but they thought it would save Elspet some time if she could go straight to the Big House the following day. The twins' cottage was about two miles from where Elspet lived so it wasn't too far out of their way. Elspet was happy to see them, it was the first time the twins had visited her; having their own donkeys and cart made such visits possible.

They were invited in for a cup of tea which they gladly accepted. Elspet produced oat cakes which tasted different from Maighread's. (Everyone's cooking tasted different the twins decided when they resumed their journey.) The twins were very interested in Elspet's cottage; it contained lots of books, in fact books seemed to be spilling over everywhere. Pictures hung from the walls, mainly paintings of dogs and cats which Elspet herself had painted, while the mantelpiece was crowded with small ornaments of birds, flowers and strange little creatures. Morag could not contain herself, her curiosity got the better of her so she asked Elspet what or who were these tiny folk. Her reply brought cries of amazement from both the girls. Elspet explained the little creatures were known as brownies; they could be found in the woods, near streams and waterfalls. She didn't seem to want to offer more information. The twins were bursting with curiosity but respected her unwillingness to offer more of an explanation. Annag stated simply that sometimes Maighread spoke of brownies as though they were part of everyday life.

The time came to say their goodbyes, Elspet inviting them to call in at anytime and promising to deliver the fish to Mrs McGregor the following day. The twins had plenty to talk about as they resumed their homeward journey. The main point of discussion related to brownies which they wanted to talk with Maighread about. In the past whenever Maighread brought the subject up the twins didn't pay much attention but now their interest in the subject was compelling. Perhaps their mother would enlighten them still further. For some reason the twins decided to talk with Maighread when their father wasn't around. They felt as though they should tread carefully.

The twins delivered the fish to Maighread; Black Cat followed them in to the cottage and was unwilling to leave. This time however, she did not cause Maighread any irritation, staying close to the fire with her tail wrapped around her body. Maighread knew what the cat wanted but was not about to offer her any fish. It seemed as though there was a mutual understanding, Black Cat knew eventually she would be given fish to eat, even though it may not be until the following day. Meanwhile it was comfortable staying close to the fire.

The twins followed their usual routine, unharnessing the donkeys and enticing them into the barn with some hay before putting the cart away for the night. The clay pots of fish were carefully put in the classroom ready for delivery to market the following day. All in all the twins experienced a rewarding day.

Two or three days later after their schooling had caught up the girls decided to walk to the Standing Stones also visiting the stream which contained the lode-stone. Their idea was to take their pipes encouraging any creatures to make themselves known; animals or maybe even brownies. They had remembered what Elspet had told them about brownies living near the water or behind waterfalls. Their mother may enjoy an outing especially with her pipes so they asked her if she was interested in joining them; she was. Maighread even produced cheese and oatcakes for lunch. Black Cat followed them to the Standing Stones but was not about to proceed further, perhaps she realised if she stayed at the Standing Stones and rested, her body would be rejuvenated.

The trio proceeded on to the stream; they could hear the water tumbling over the stones as they approached. Playing the pipes was more important than eating, so having selected a sheltered spot the three of them commenced playing. The sound was sweet but soft; an energy developed between the three of them which was binding. Almost as if it had all happened before, which of course it had – many lifetimes ago. It wasn't until after they had eaten and resumed playing that there was some activity from the animal world. Out of the heather ambled the red deer. What a complete surprise! He had a glossy coat and stood tall and proud, his antlers had grown offering him a sense of grace and majesty. This was something to be excited about. The trio stopped playing hoping he would come closer and he did; in particular recognising the twins and, trotting forward placed his nose in Annag's hand. He even accepted an oat cake! This was indeed a very special moment.

Slowly they picked up their pipes and resumed playing. The animal stayed, nibbling at some grass before backing away and watching them from a distance. And as if seeing the red deer wasn't enough a pine marten introduced itself. The twins didn't know of the existence of pine marten so it remained for their mother to explain what she knew of these strange but beautiful creatures. Weasel-like, fox-like even a little cat-like with a beautiful thick tail and a rich creamy coloured chest.

As they sat watching the animals before they disappeared, Morag asked her mother did she know anything about brownies. Maighread's response was quick but not unkind in any way. How did Morag know about brownies? She replied that Elspet had little models of them on her mantelpiece. They had seen them when they delivered the fish. Maighread's reply was a matter of fact statement. Yes, brownies did exist but not everyone saw them. Elderly women, some children and certain adults had seen them. She had seen them, the girls' father had seen them as had Elspet. Not everyone had the vision for them. Brownies were dark skinned but not black – hence the name – had bright coloured hair and was about two feet tall. They were good workers until someone upset them then they became troublesome and naughty. They liked cream which householders sometimes left out for them but they also liked porridge and honey. Maighread explained that Brownies are related to the leprechaun species which are found in Ireland. They were also known as "little people" in the south of England. Brownies are keen workers for farmers but they also work inside the house. Maighread went on to say they will only work after dark and stop work when the sun rises. It is claimed that if the farmer or householder wants to be rid of them, just give them a new set of clothes and they will disappear straight away. After Maighread had finished her brief history the twins wanted to know if Brownies had been seen at their farm, to which she replied that they hadn't but that didn't mean there were no Brownies there. It seemed Brownies became visible when they weren't expected. Maighread explained there were those folk who believed in the existence of Brownies and those who didn't; country folk were more likely to have seen them than town folk. Maighread and Roderick were about twelve years of age when they first saw Brownies; but they had to wait until they were in their early twenties before they saw them again.

It wasn't until they were home that the twins had a further discussion on the possibility of seeing Brownies. They needed to talk privately about the little folk, they wondered if creatures like Black Cat and the red deer saw them and, if they did, it would account for the strange behaviour Black Cat exhibited sometimes, like standing on her hind legs and boxing in the air or just staring at the wall or turning her head from side to side as though watching something. At the evening meal that night their parents advised them not to go looking for Brownies, they would be more likely to see them if they didn't go in search of them. Black Cat, curled up by the fire, heard every word that was said and totally agreed.

Sometimes humans can be very dim-witted she thought; why don't they just let things be?

Time was moving on. Elspet had been in to the University of Edinburgh to make enquiries as to if and when females were likely to be admitted to this most illustrious of educational institutions. The advice given was it would at least three years away.

Elspet made some quick calculations; the twins would be seventeen to eighteen years of age. The time frame hadn't changed much since her previous enquiries. But what it did tell her was she needed to be a little more disciplined as far as the leather-bound work books were concerned.

It was necessary to find some animals that had died, watch the birth of some animals, heal some of those injured and record all the details in the leather bound work books. Elspet had been through all of this before. She could find sheep to work on – dead or alive – using Roderick's flock, wild animals were available from time to time and even animals from the Big House would be of use. It was up to her to organise the twins and see to it that the animals were obtainable for practical study. She realised that fishing and boat building had interfered with available time but that should not be a deterrent. This too, had been discussed with the twins and they were of the opinion that the work load would not be too heavy. Now it was up to Elspet herself to bring the twins back into line. Having sorted out everything in her head she felt more comfortable.

Two weeks later it was time to, once again, go fishing at the loch. The twins still had their three customers, one of whom was Mrs McGregor. Elspet was keen to have the twins meet the woman; her knowledge of the local area relating to animals would be invaluable. Instead of delivering the fish to Elspet on the same day they were caught they agreed to go to her cottage the following morning, collect Elspet and travel on to the Big House.

The next day they set out for the loch, Black Cat was the first one onto the four wheeled cart, she knew exactly what was about to happen; the smells were recognisable, so too was the equipment that had been loaded on to the cart. She also knew from the twins' behaviour, picking up on their excitement about the forthcoming trip to the loch. Cats are very clever, just because they don't speak the language of humans doesn't mean they don't know how to communicate. Black Cat stays silent most of the time, letting her body language tell the story. Sometimes she almost laughs at the silly things humans do and say but she would never let them know that. Sometimes she even rubs around their legs or jumps on their lap, settling down with a soft purr; letting them know that even if they are silly she still loves them and will always keep them company – if it suits her that is!

The four wheeled cart moved slowly along the path through the Grove of Trees, even though the clip-clop of the donkeys' hooves and the rattle of the cart were somewhat noisy there was the eerie silence of a grey day. Clouds skimmed across the grey blue sky while the blown leaves crackled along the path. It was not the sort of day which encouraged the twins to spend time there; even Black Cat seemed to be jumpy and nervous. It is strange how the wind can disturb the mind; travel to the Grove on a windless grey day and the surroundings appear soft, mellow and peaceful inviting visitors to spend time exploring the secret bi-ways and curves in the pathway.

The twins chattered to each other in low tones; they were looking forward to meeting Mrs McGregor and seeing the Big House. They had never seen a Big House before; let alone been inside one. From what Elspet had told them her parents were still alive and lived there but did spend considerable time across the border in England. Elspet had a brother who owned a large farm next door to the Big House and while his parents were away looked after the animals for them.

The arrival at the loch was a quiet one as most of the migratory birds had left to continue their journey; consequently there was not the usual squawking, crying out and movement along the shore line. Annag helped her sister unload their nets, clay pots and food to eat before taking the donkeys and cart some yards away. Black Cat stayed with Morag, still showing interest in the birds even though she was getting to be an old cat, twitching her whiskers and flicking her tail as she eyed off a small group of birds scratching along the shore line. The girls decided to eat their oat cakes and cheese before they boarded the boat. They were really teasing Black Cat because they threw some crumbs to the birds that were foraging closest to them. Black Cat, not realising she was so close to the water made a leap and as a consequence landed in the loch. The water wasn't at all deep but it did mean all four feet were wet; Black Cat was not pleased. Morag picked her up and dried her off before placing her carefully in the boat.

Annag skilfully poled the boat out, through the reeds and into open water. This time there were not many birds hovering so the fish were leisurely in their movements. Catching them was an easy task for the girls. Not having to compete with the birds enabled the twins to obtain an idea of what the fish stocks were for the future. On the basis of their present customers, fish supplies were plentiful. Ducks that normally inhabited the reeds were now out on the open water in large numbers unafraid of the slow moving boat that drifted around the clusters of reeds. Annag was still keen to find some duck eggs but they remained elusive. After a chill wind sprung up the girls decided to head back to shore; they had their catch and the following day would be a busy one.

After unloading the boat Morag stayed with the fish and Black Cat while Annag fetched the donkeys and cart. Everything went smoothly as usual. Talk on the way home was given to delivery of the two clay pots of fish to their other customers at the market. The twins had overlooked this; they were so excited about visiting the Big House with Elspet. The decision was made to go earlier to the market; trading there always started early. Whatever they received in payment for the fish could remain in the cart until they returned from the Big House.

On arrival home from the loch the clay pot was delivered to Maighread, Black Cat as usual stayed by the fire, hopeful of receiving a snack. The twins put the three pots in their classroom unharnessed the donkeys, and then leaving hay for them put the cart in its shelter.

The evening meal was spent in discussion on the day's events and plans for the following day. Both parents were interested in the visit to the Big House. Neither had met Mrs McGregor although over the years they had heard of her. From all accounts she was an interesting woman who held unusual ideas which were not always popular with others; some folk even thought she was crazy. Roderick and Maighread did not elaborate further, it was best if the twins formed their own opinions.

Everyone had an early night because the following day's activities would keep them all busy. Black Cat was allowed to spend the remainder of the night in front of what was left of the fire. The next morning saw the family up early. Maighread presented them all with porridge and honey before they went about their business. The twins left early for the market, Black Cat watched while they harnessed the donkeys to the four wheeled cart. She knew they were going to the market with the fish but was unsure of their plans after that. They did not offer to place her in the cart so she knew from that they were travelling further afield: she would meet them on their return journey. Meanwhile she would enjoy a sleep in the barn.

The fish were delivered to the market customers in exchange for a bag of oats. The transaction having been completed the twins set off for Elspet's cottage; she was waiting for them. Without further ado they set out for the Big House.

The excitement was mounting – the girls were heading towards unknown territory – from both the countryside point of view and the mysterious Mrs McGregor. The road leading to the Big House was more of a meandering path as it was narrow with two winding wheel ruts. It was quite difficult to negotiate; Annag found it hard at times to keep the cart wheels within the ruts. The countryside however was beautiful, the road gradually climbing through cleared land and sloping forest. Elspet pointed out they were now on her parents' and brother's farmland. The twins were overawed by the size of the farm. They would have liked to know if this was one of the properties which had benefited from the "clearances" which Elspet had discussed with them some time ago but they didn't feel comfortable asking the question.

As they rounded the last bend Annag looked up to see the Big House standing on top of the hill. It was a two stored building with three attic windows and double front doors. It was indeed impressive, not as grand as an aristocratic residence but none the less a house that dominated its environment and imparted the solidarity and affluence of success. The twins were in awe of the building and its surroundings; Elspet remained silent. As they drew nearer Elspet suggested they drove around to the back of the house where they could tether the donkeys. Here was another world, a world of orderly vegetable gardens, neat pathways, an herbarium and a small orchard which contained, in the main, apple trees. To accommodate the tools and equipment needed for such a garden there were two large sheds and a sizeable barn. The twins had never seen such a well ordered garden which seemed to stretch for acres beyond the home. As Elspet pointed out it catered for not only the Big House but her brother's home as well – as well as their workers.

The donkeys were tethered to rails especially attached to the outside of the barn; water for them was close at hand. Elspet lifted the clay pot containing the fish then proceeded towards the tradesmen's' entrance followed by the twins who appeared somewhat timid. A firm knock on the door brought Mrs McGregor hurrying to let them in. She was a stocky little woman, dressed as a cook with a cap and a white apron covering her ample bosom. Elspet stepped aside to allow her to greet the twins who soon lost any feelings of uncertainty and timidity. There was an instant rapport between the three of them; it seemed as though Mrs McGregor was greeting her grandchildren who responded with fondness and respect. They were led into a large kitchen over which Mrs McGregor presided with pride and authority. The room contained all manner of food stuffs, stored in jars, clay pots, bins, boxes and tins. .Mrs McGregor knew exactly where everything was. Elspet handed over the fish which were placed at the end of the large table; ready to be dealt with in the near future.

Mrs McGregor produced a fruit cake, oat cakes, cheese, a pot of herb tea, honey as well as cups and saucers. From a cupboard she brought over whisky and two small glasses – a "wee drop" for herself and Elspet. When they were all settled at the table, she proceeded to pour the herb tea for the girls while gesturing for them to help themselves to the food. Once all the social aspects were attended to Mrs McGregor was anxious to learn about the twins. How old were they, what decided them to catch fish, where was their parents' land, did they go to school, were their parents local people. It seemed as though the woman was very nosey but the girls didn't take it that way, neither did Elspet. Mrs McGregor was just very keen to know about them because Elspet always spoke very highly of the twins and their parents.

When all the enquiries were over from Mrs McGregor it was time for Morag to ask a few questions about Brownies. Were there any living on the farm, had she seen any, how old was she, did she have children, how long had she lived at the Big House. Asking such questions of an adult would normally be regarded as extremely bad mannered but Mrs McGregor was not offended. She looked across at Elspet with her little button eyes, and chuckling took another sip of her whisky. She was seventy, had lived at the Big House for forty years, she was local, she had two children who lived in England. When it came to answering questions relating to the Brownies she drew her chair closer to the girls, smoothed her apron and lowering her voice indicated what she was about to discuss was indeed serious. There were Brownies living at the farm, they entered the house at night leaving at daybreak. Their days were spent helping with the farm animals and spending time with the workers. Sometimes they would disappear from around the garden and the house but the workers would see them at the bottom of the garden, where there was a stream. When they thought there was no one around the Brownies would slip out of their clothes and plunge into the water, squealing with delight as they splashed water over themselves and their friends. The little people were dark skinned, not black, rather browner skinned, hence their name – Brownies. Mrs McGregor had been aware of them for some years, always leaving out porridge and honey for them. Whenever the owners of the Big House returned from a stay in England the Brownies disappeared for a few days before letting Mrs McGregor know they were back. They did this by being noisy at night when they were cleaning in the house. They banged the furniture about as they rearranged it seeming to Mrs McGregor as though being done on purpose to let her know they were, once again, in residence. The girls were spellbound by these tales asking if it was possible that they would be able to see them. Mrs McGregor had another sip of her whisky while pondering on the question. Brownies were quite shy she said, once they felt comfortable with the girls they would be unafraid and therefore not run and hide every time the girls came into view. If they lived at the Big House, more than likely they would allow themselves to be seen. The twins suggested that if they were to deliver the fish once per fortnight would that improve their chances of seeing the little folk. Mrs McGregor fell in love with the idea, she didn't know about seeing the Brownies but she was happy to see these girls on a regular basis. So it was arranged that the twins would accompany Elspet when she was delivering Mrs McGregor's fish. It would mean Market Day would be busy – to deliver fish to the market then go straight to Elspet's cottage, collect Elspet before travelling up to the Big House would be a busy day, but it would only occur once per fortnight. The twins felt they could cope with that without getting too worn out – it just meant getting up earlier. It all sounded like a good plan; everyone was very happy, all their needs had been catered for.

As they were leaving Mrs McGregor handed the twins a bag of apples, grown in the orchard. As they strolled towards the donkeys, Annag selected one each for the animals. Morag, however was preoccupied with a cat that was leaving one of the sheds. Mrs McGregor asked Morag if she liked cats. Morag's reply left Mrs McGregor in no doubt that the girls both loved cats and owned one called Black Cat who was very old. Mrs McGregor casually remarked that Sooty, a very black cat, was in kitten; perhaps they would like one of Softy's kittens? They would but they would first need to have their parents' permission.

On their way home Elspet suggested they complete a project involving Sooty; draw a sketch of her as she is – in kitten – as well as model her in clay. After she had given birth they would repeat the process; sketch and then model her in clay. The twins hadn't seen a cat in kitten and hoped they would be able to see her giving birth. Elspet didn't hold out much hope of that, cats are usually very private individuals but there was a possibility, it depended on whether they were at the Big House on the right day, and at the right time.

The journey home was uneventful; the twins were in a hurry to tell their parents of the day's events. When the subject of having a kitten was broached Roderick was quite firm; they could have a kitten but not while Black Cat was still with them. The twins did not fully understand their father's reasoning but none the less accepted his decision. Maighread explained later; Black Cat and Roderick were extremely close and Roderick didn't want any fights to ensue between the animals. It was manageable while the kitten was young but it wouldn't remain that way forever. It could well be that in the future a fight for supremacy would occur and Black Cat would be the loser. Perhaps wait until Sooty had another litter of kittens; by then Black Cat may no longer be with them.

Having been given an explanation the twins were in agreement; they would talk with Mrs McGregor on their next visit to the Big House. No doubt Sooty would go on producing kittens.

A Rite of Passage

One day while at the Big House Elspet was required to assist one of the ewes who were trying to deliver her lamb. Elspet's brother was away for the day so it was left to Elspet to provide assistance. Not every birth required human intervention, far from it, but there were times when help was essential and this was one such occasion.

Elspet's training as a midwife provided the help required while Mrs McGregor became her able assistant. The twins looked on in wide-eyed amazement. The experience caused them to question between themselves their own femininity so that the evening meal that night became a classroom. Elspet provided the knowledge of anatomy and physiology while Mrs McGregor offered the practical knowledge that only a mother can.

In bed that night the girls decided they needed to talk with their parents; certain aspects of the subject needed clarification. The next morning both Elspet and Mrs McGregor agreed that the twins continue the discussion with Maighread and Roderick. This was done over a time period of several evening meals and was conducted with sensitivity and understanding. The twins needed time to process the knowledge and understand where they fitted into the scheme of things. They looked upon human relationships in a totally different light and realised that when such a profound change occurred within their own bodies they would have left behind their girlhood and embraced womanhood with all of its accompanying challenges.

Over the following months both girls became aware of changes occurring within their own bodies. Maighread had explained these changes when they occurred and so there was little or nothing to be afraid of; this was their bodies and minds preparing for womanhood. In their adult lives which followed the girls realised how fortunate they had been in having parents like Maighread and Roderick, and friends like Elspet and Mrs McGregor. To the twins reproduction became one of the miracles which Life offered so that when the menses arrived for them it was just as it should be; a rite of passage for which they had been preparing for years.

The following day saw the twins starting work on the sketch and clay model of Sooty. As I've said before sketching and modelling came easily to the twins; their memories' were extremely adept and anything could be recalled when the occasion demanded.

Sketching commenced on Sooty, it wasn't difficult to draw the cat; however neither twin was confident when it came to drawing the animal's abdomen. As this was to be a study specifically given to the cat being in kitten they both thought they needed to spend more time observing the creature. They decided to leave any further work until they had talked with Elspet; it might mean another visit to the Big House.

Elspet appeared within a couple of days and the subject was broached as to another visit to the Big House and Sooty's abdomen. Elspet agreed with their request – trying to work out a suitable time. Mrs McGregor, she knew, would be delighted to see the twins again so she arranged to accompany them to the Big House at the end of the week.

That night the proposed visit was discussed with Roderick and Maighread who had no objection to their going. However Roderick was concerned with a possible break in the weather. At this time of year the weather changed quickly and neither parent wanted their children, caught on their way home, to be in a sudden fierce storm. A plan had to be made whereby such could be avoided. It was agreed that if the twins weren't home by late afternoon they would be spending the night, either at the Big House or Elspet's cottage. The girls agreed but thought that such precautions would not be necessary.

Elspet agreed however and that was how the arrangement stood. It meant that they would be visiting the Big House on a weekly basis for at least two weeks. Black cat, who was in the barn heard the arrangements being made – she didn't know exactly what was going to happen – how could she? – Being only a cat – but she did know there was to be some different activity occurring. She knew that by the tone of voice being used by the three of them indicated there was to be a change in the routine. It troubled her somewhat and meant she would need to be alert to any changes that she knew would occur. Black Cat knew she was getting older and that meant, as much as possible, she would need to be vigilant; her own safety and comfort were a number one priority.

The end of the week came around; the twins set off in the big cart for Elspet's cottage.

Black Cat saw them off from outside the barn door then returned to her warm bed. She knew the weather was going to change, the wind had altered direction, it was now gusty, the air was slightly warmer and she could smell rain. She knew the twins would be safe but she was glad she was inside the barn and in her warm bed.

The twins collected Elspet and headed off to the Big House. The journey didn't take as much time as previously and before long the Big House came into view, standing on top of the hill; it was a welcome sight.

Mrs McGregor greeted them with the news that she thought Sooty was preparing to give birth. The twins were excited at the prospect; they had come on the right day. Sooty was really only in the preliminary stages of giving birth (birthing was more likely to be hours away.) She was in one of the sheds making a nest, dragging straw into a mound and laying out some old hessian she had collected. It was obvious she was preparing for birth and the twins didn't wish to disturb her. She was becoming more and more restless as the afternoon wore on. Mrs McGregor invited the girls inside the Big House for a cup of tea. Elspet joined them for oat cakes, cheese and tea. The girls returned to the shed an hour or so later; Sooty was lying on her straw bed, panting. Everything seemed to be going along as it should be. Mrs McGregor had been witness to birthing many times, quietly telling the girls what to expect.

About two hours later the first of the new arrivals came into view. The whole process ran smoothly; Sooty had given birth many times during her life. The after birth came away and Sooty commenced eating it before cleaning the new- born. Mrs McGregor quietly explained that Sooty needed the nutrients in the afterbirth for her own nourishment. She was going to feed her kittens so needed all the goodness from her diet she could get. The twins were intrigued with the whole birthing procedure; Nature had taken care of everything from the kittens' nourishment down to the best possible nutrients for the mother. It seemed some time before the next three came into the world but the same procedure followed – Sooty eating the afterbirths before cleaning the new-borns. Mrs McGregor seemed to know that there wouldn't be anymore; and there wasn't. Sooty had given birth to four and that was enough.

The weather had started to break, Mrs McGregor suggested they spend the night at the Big House rather than head out into the wild weather. They agreed; it also meant they could spend some time with Sooty. Roderick and Maighread wouldn't be expecting them home as it was already late afternoon and this was the arrangement made – that if they weren't home by late afternoon they would be staying at the Big House or Elspet's cottage.

Just before dark the girls disappeared into the shed for one last look at Sooty and her family. Once inside the shed they heard what appeared to be chattering. They found it difficult to believe because Elspet and Mrs McGregor were back at the house having another cup of tea. As they approached Sooty they couldn't believe what they saw. Here was a group of little people about twenty to twenty two inches high all hovering around Sooty, talking to her, stroking her and being very attentive to the kittens. Were these the Brownies? They decided not to proceed further but rather turned back towards the door. They needed verification from Mrs McGregor that these little people were indeed "Brownies".

They scurried into the kitchen with the announcement that there were Brownies in the shed with Sooty. Straight away the two women arose from their chairs at the kitchen table and went to the shed. There was lots of chatter coming from inside and Mrs McGregor knew immediately it was the Brownies coming to pay Sooty a visit. She knew from past experience; they spoke quite quickly and loudly. She also knew that Brownies were particularly drawn to animals. They had been around Sooty in the past, when on previous occasions, she had given birth. The twins couldn't believe their good fortune; they had seen Sooty give birth and they had seen Brownies. The Brownies themselves had never seen people like the twins before. They could see the girls were taller than they were but they weren't as tall as Mrs McGregor or Elspet. The way they wore their hair was different, their clothes were different and their voices seemed to be of a lighter quality. All of this led to the Brownies wanting to touch the girls. They moved closer whispering amongst themselves, while slowly running their hands down the girls' arms and touching their hair. The talking went on and soon they started giggling as the girls gently started stroking the Brownies' arms and hands. Mrs McGregor was amazed at this introduction, she hadn't realised that the twins would be of such interest to these little people. As the twins prepared to leave the shed the Brownies came forward clasping their hands around the girls' knees as if pleading with them to stay but Mrs McGregor ushered the girls toward the shed door with Elspet walking closely behind. When they were safely out of the building Mrs McGregor explained that sometimes Brownies could become quite troublesome; she didn't want any such behaviour around Sooty. The cat needed a period of peace and quiet around her kittens. The next time they met up with the Brownies there would, more than likely be less excitement. The twins understood the need for quiet for Sooty's sake.

Back inside the kitchen Mrs McGregor prepared a meal for Sooty consisting of fresh chopped meat and fresh milk. She invited the girls to go with her to the shed; they agreed. Mrs McGregor needed to make sure the Brownies had disappeared before entering the shed. The twins thought they had disappeared just as quickly as they had come because there was no sign of them inside or outside the shed. Sooty was comfortable, the food was left for her; the kittens were all suckling happily. Mrs McGregor would have liked to bring fresh straw to the cat but resisted because she didn't wish to cause a disturbance.

It had been a busy day. Mrs McGregor knew it was time to prepare the evening meal but she wasn't sure what to have; the twins may be fussy eaters. She needn't have worried about that as she found out when she questioned them. Basically the girls had been taught to eat what was put in front of them because whatever they were presented with had been dependent on what their parents could afford. Sometimes they had a stew which contained meat, sometimes it was a meal of potatoes and carrots at other times it was bread and soup. They never went hungry. Mrs McGregor decided on a stew which contained meat and home grown vegetables with apple pie and cream for dessert. When the twins tasted the apple pie and cream it was, to them, something out of this world. Mrs McGregor, like the good cook that she was, was flattered by the complements.

The evening was spent with Mrs McGregor and Elspet talking about the olden times; when Elspet was a child. Her childhood was different to that of Morag and Annag. She wasn't spoiled but she was, in some ways indulged. Money was not short and as a result many times during her growing years Elspet enjoyed holidays in England with her brother. On one occasion the family went even as far as France . She did not spend as much time learning about farming at such an early age as did the twins. Elspet was in her teens when she began to look at farming in quite a serious way but to be a farmer was not her destiny. Because she had a brother, he would be the one to inherit the farm. Elspet decided she needed to be independent, so through her father's influence, decided to take up nursing. This was something that would bring her independence; it didn't pay very much but she would never be out of work. From nursing, teaching followed. Like nursing though, teaching didn't pay very well but Elspet was assured that she wouldn't go hungry, taking up various positions as Governess or as a Private Nurse. The twins were in awe of the way in which Elspet's life unfolded.

Outside, the wind and rain battered against the walls of the house. Occasionally streaks of blue lightening appeared at the windows while thunder reverberated around the hills. The twins wondered where the Brownies sheltered while Nature unleashed its ferocity. Did they have any places in which to shelter? What Annag thought was the door of the shed banged and clattered with every gust of wind. At other times the only sound to be heard was the wind itself moaning and howling like a wounded man around every corner of the house.

When bedtime came Mrs McGregor clutching a candle led the girls upstairs to one of the attic rooms. Everything was snug and cosy, the little room was where they would spend the night. They didn't wish to go to bed immediately, but instead, watched the storm through the attic windows. The wind rattled the window panes; at times they thought the glass would shatter. Lightening persisted, appearing in brilliant crackling blue streaks – the twins were uncomfortable and moved away from the windows. After a time the thunder and lightning abated but the rain, in driving sheets, continued. It was deafening, the twins had difficulty speaking because they couldn't hear. Elspet came knocking at the door checking to see if they were alright. Only when the rain eased could they hear themselves speak.

The conversation for them was of great interest; about their future and what they wanted to pursue. They agreed they didn't want to follow Elspet and become a nurse or a schoolteacher. Becoming either meant that, more than likely, they would become separated. They both decided they would be better off if they were to continue with their original idea and become veterinaries; in that case they could stay on at the farm and work together. It may seem to us that already, at such a young age, the twins were in a rut and afraid to step out of it. Who knows? What they did know, however; was that they wanted to remain together, they wanted their life to involve animals, they wanted farming to be part of their lives and they wanted their artistic capabilities to still remain part of their lives in adult-hood. So it seemed with all of those sureties their lives were planned and would be a series of goals to be achieved. The girls had no desire to change anything. Perhaps the fact that they were surrounded by people many years older than themselves could account for such a seemingly planned course in life which they, unquestionably, would follow.

As the wind and rain abated sleep became attainable and the twins snuggled into their beds. Morning arrived with calmness and serenity one would have thought impossible after the wildness of the night. Everything was quiet and peaceful; the sun's rays were soft through the attic windows. Straight away the girls knew it was time to be up to greet the day. The cat would need some breakfast. Dressing hurriedly they went downstairs to find Mrs McGregor and Elspet in the kitchen preparing breakfast for Sooty. Both women had slept quite well and were eager to see if the cat family had survived the wild night. Sooty was there with her litter. The kittens were kneading and suckling; Sooty was contented and at peace with her brood. Mrs McGregor left the food – the same as the previous meal – and saw to it that the straw was clean. Then it was time to attend to their breakfast.

The twins ate with relish the porridge and milk that Mrs McGregor put in front of them. This was followed by oat cakes, honey and a mug of herb tea. With appetites satisfied Mrs McGregor asked the girls if they had spoken to their parents about having one of the kittens. Annag replied, giving the answer her father had expressed; that he would prefer to wait until Black Cat had passed away because he thought there would be friction between the two animals once the kitten had reached adulthood. He didn't want Black Cat to be fearful or injured in any way. Mrs McGregor was very polite in expressing what she thought was more likely to happen. Black Cat, being old and female, very likely would adopt the kitten and teach it the ways of the cat world, particularly if it was a female. In that way the older cat would have the authority. Also the fact that the older cat dominated from a territorial point of view made it unlikely that there would be any trouble. Mrs McGregor, who wanted to find homes for Sooty's kittens, suggested the girls talk again with their father. There was still time for him to change his mind as the kittens wouldn't be ready to leave their mother for several weeks. The idea appealed to the girls, Black Cat had been their friend for many years and for the new arrival to be taught by her was, to them, a rare privilege and it meant that some of Black Cat would remain with them. She had been in their lives ever since they were born and it was more than likely that Black Cat would teach the new arrival both wisely and well. It was now a question of convincing Roderick that such would be the case. It could also mean that Black Cat would take on a new lease of life because the new cat would be company for her.

It was time to leave and the twins went into the shed once more to say farewell to Sooty, who was gently washing her brood. It was during those few moments that the girls made their choice of which kitten they would like to keep; a tiny black one which they would call Raven. They mentioned this to Mrs McGregor who promised she would keep it aside for the girls.

Elspet appeared with the donkeys and cart having locked them up in the other shed the night before. The girls were relieved because they had been so preoccupied with Sooty they had forgotten about the donkeys during the storm. Now their attention was given to their friends who were both pleased to see them. Having made their farewells to Mrs McGregor, Elspet and the girls set off down the road to home. Elspet took the reins as it was a rough ride; the wheel ruts were all full of water which glistened in the early morning sunlight.

The journey home was given over to Sooty's birthing; the girls had some technical questions which required answers. Elspet was able to fill the girls in with the details. Having the knowledge would make it easier for them when it came to sketching and modelling the birthing process. The conversation shifted to the kitten they hoped to acquire. Elspet assured them that if Black Cat totally rejected the little one she would have it because Sooty would refuse to have it back.

Having seen the whole birthing process both Morag and Annag were keen to sketch the anatomy and physiology of Sooty as well as mould a clay model of the cat while giving birth. When Sooty's body had recovered from the birthing process they would then be ready to sketch and make a clay model of the body when it had returned to its relatively normal position.

This is what Elspet expected of the girls. If they wanted to attend University within the next couple of years, detailed knowledge of the subject would be required and, no doubt demanded, by the Dean.

The remainder of the journey back to Elspet's cottage was uneventful – quite peaceful in fact. Each was living within their own thoughts. The twins were thinking of their own future, both at home and as University students. There was an element of uncertainty within. They were in doubt about all the people they would have to be in contact with. Would they cope?

Both girls thought they would be homesick for their parents and for the farm itself. They would miss Elspet, she would no longer be there to answer their questions and reassure them when they had doubts. It seemed as though she could read their innermost thoughts because she tactfully opened a conversation which allowed the girls to open up and express their doubts and fears.

It was an intimate chat. Elspet encouraged the twins to discuss their fears with her. She could remember when she first moved away from home, she had doubts, fears and suffered from home-sickness. In time she adjusted to the different way of life by forming a friendship with a fellow student at the Hospital where she trained. Even some twenty years further on the friendship remained as solid as it was in the beginning. She pointed out that while they may not realise it they did have each other to rely on. This had not occurred to either of them but when Elspet pointed that out they were reassured and saw things in a different light.

On arrival back at the farm Black Cat was there to greet them; she had positioned herself down by the road being well aware of them before they were aware of her. She could hear their voices as she trotted along the road with her tail in the air, her saggy belly flip flopping from side to side. Black Cat had missed them, they had never been away from home before. It did not mean however, that she would display excitement and enthusiasm. On the contrary, she sat on the side of the road pretending to ignore them. The twins had to jump off the cart and go to her. She resisted being picked up, in fact moved away and sat with her back to them. Black Cat was letting them know her feelings had been deeply hurt – they had deserted her! It took persuasion for her to allow Morag to pick her up and be placed gently in the cart. Black Cat had made her point and she knew it. Even though she was in the cart with them enjoying the attention bestowed upon her, she was not prepared to willingly allow the twins to fondle her and offer sweet talk. These things take time and Black Cat was not ready for that to happen so soon – maybe tomorrow or the day after! The twins needed to be punished; they needed to know they had offended her.

If a human being takes time to know and understand a cat, the relationship becomes rewarding, fulfilling, challenging, intimate, amusing and, believe it or not, one of deepest loyalty and devotion. Even Black Cat's behaviour which may not signify those characteristics I have mentioned was a perfect example of deepest loyalty and devotion – twenty odd years of it.

The twins continued the discussion with Roderick regarding another cat, passing on to him Mrs McGregor's comments – Black Cat would train the kitten in the ways of the cat world and in this way would maintain her authority over the young cat. If the situation didn't turn out the way in which it was hoped Elspet would take kitten. However, both Elspet and Mrs McGregor were quite sure the kitten would find a permanent home with Black Cat and the twins and they approved of the name Raven.

The next three visits to the Big House saw the fish delivered as usual, much to Mrs McGregor's delight. During those times the growth of Raven was observed so that by the time six weeks had passed, Raven was ready to join them in the cart for the trip to her new home. Morag happily nursed her all the way. Elspet was dropped off at her cottage with a promise from the twins they would report on Raven's activities.

Back at the farm it was time to introduce Raven to her new surroundings. The little kitten, at first, was nervous but Morag gently talked with her in a reassuring way. Black Cat was nowhere to be found so Morag decided to visit the barn and there, sure enough, was Black Cat curled up on her straw bed. The old cat was aware a new creature was being brought home and that made her determined that the twins would need to find her rather than she go looking for the twins. Raven struggled to be released, while Black Cat sat up and glared at Raven, hissing and spitting as she did so. The little cat arched her back and stood sideways; it was what I would call a stand-off! Morag left the animals, confident that no real harm would come to either of them. Returning several hours later she found Black Cat meticulously grooming Raven who responded with a constant steady purr. Morag let out a sigh of relief; she wouldn't need to take Raven back to Elspet.

Several times during those first few days saw Raven being cuffed around the ears. It was a disciplinary action rather than one of aggression and usually one where Raven had gone too far; Black Cat did not feel like playing all the time. By week's end Black Cat was happy to have Raven share her straw bed. The twins left the furry creatures to their own devices but silently followed their activities as they moved around the farm. Black Cat always knew when it was fishing day because there was a particular routine adopted by the twins. The big cart needed to be brought out, the donkeys harnessed, the clay pots placed in the cart, the nets collected and finally the twins themselves carrying their oatcakes and cheese climbed into the cart. At that point Black Cat herself waited to be lifted onto the cart. All was well; the journey was ready to begin. Raven wasn't sure what was to happen next, BlackCat called to her, the little cat responded with a plaintive cry, before climbing into the cart. Black Cat positioned herself next to the clay pots; Raven joined her aware of a faint smell of fish which promised of delights to come.

Down through the Grove of Trees they went, a family of rabbits were scurrying around, Raven's whiskers twitched excitedly as her tail wagged. Black Cat made no attempt to jump off the cart, but Raven needed to be restrained. Black Cat licked the little cat on the top of her head as if to calm her down while promising of more exciting things to come. By the time they had rolled on through the Grove Raven had settled down and sitting by the old cat's side was aware of other noises and other smells; the loch was not that far away with its myriad of sounds and smells waiting to be explored. Raven found life exciting.

On arrival at the loch the usual routine was adopted. The donkeys were unharnessed and led to a patch of grass beneath a tree, the cart was unloaded and the boat was loaded with the clay pots, nets and other pieces of equipment which might be needed. Annag climbed gently into the boat whole Morag passed Black Cat to her, followed by Raven who protested more than a little. This was all new to Raven but once in the boat the little cat started to settle; she calmed down once Black Cat commenced washing her. Annag poled the boat away from the shore; their journey had begun.

Morag was nervous having to look after two cats on a boat but she needn't have worried because Black Cat set the example. Before long, Raven was sitting side by side with Black Cat looking over the side of the boat at the myriad of small fish darting to and fro. It was time to drop the net over the side; Black Cat showed more interest as Morag scooped the net from the water deftly positioning it into the mouth of one of the clay pots. The little creatures jumped, wriggled and twisted as they flopped into the pot. More water was required as there was more fish than Morag had anticipated but with agility she was able to top the pot up with additional water allowing all of the little creatures to be completely submerged.

The cats were mesmerised by what was going on in the mouth of the pot. With a cupped paw inside the mouth of the pot Raven managed to flip a small fish onto the floor of the boat. Morag was unable to retrieve the tiny creature from an untimely death; Raven was too quick for her. Black Cat, in all of their fishing trips, had never been guilty of such piracy. Secretly however, the twins were delighted with the little cat's dexterity.

The rest of the trip was reasonably without incident. Both cats remained attentive as to what was going on; there was a myriad of activity occurring both inside and outside of the boat. Annag poled the boat carefully through the reeds always on the lookout for birds' eggs while, on the boat, Morag remained vigilant as to the safety of the captured fish. The cats caste their eyes everywhere, particularly Raven who seemed determined to miss nothing in the way of a food morsel. It didn't take long before four clay pots had been filled with fish, signalling it was time to return to shore then head for home.

Taking everything ashore this time was more difficult than on previous occasions simply because there were two cats. First ashore was Annag holding the old cat in her arms, followed by Morag clasping a twisting, writhing Raven. Annag released Black Cat who was happy to go to Morag and the young cat, while Annag herself went back for the fish and equipment. Morag then released Raven who was more than happy to watch over the four pots of fish. The old cat joined Raven but she was not nearly so interested; at the back of her mind she knew a good feed of fish awaited her back at the cottage. Her presence, however, did restrain Raven. Soon everything was loaded onto the cart and they were heading for home.

The four pots sat between the wooden frameworks on the floor of the cart while Morag firmly held the framework in place. The old cat and the young cat stayed close to Morag. They were happy to keep a watchful eye on what was inside the pots.

On arrival back at the farm cottage Morag took three pots into the barn while the fourth pot was taken to the cottage kitchen where Maighread made them feel welcome. Black Cat and Raven warmed themselves by the kitchen fire ever attentive to Maighread's movements; they were waiting for her to prepare the fish. Maighread, however, was not to be hurried over this process; she had other things to do before she would be ready to attend the preparation of the little creatures. Black Cat was patient; she could wait. Likewise Raven, who with a gentle purr settled into a comfortable position by the fire. And so time passed.

The following day was busy; a trip to the market to deliver two pots of fish followed by a visit to Elspet's cottage before heading to the Big House. The twins were excited with the prospect of seeing Mrs McGregor and Sooty. The weather for this visit was sunny, crisp with some high cloud and a brisk wind. Raven did not participate on this trip, she was left at home to be watched over by Maighread and Roderick. It worked out for all of them. Roderick was encouraging Raven to be his friend; it took time but he could see improvement. A walk to the Standing Stones brought its rewards although the little cat was inclined to deviate; there were several distractions which needed to be explored. Roderick was patient with her because he knew that eventually, when Black Cat had passed, Raven would be devoted to him; as much as cats are devoted to their owners. There was much to see at the Standing Stones and Raven seemed to be attracted to the energy. Roderick was delighted with the outcome – he had the feeling the little cat would accompany him on many of his trips to the high country. It was difficult to say how long Black Cat would be around but in the meantime everything was moving along as it should.

Meanwhile the trip to the Big House passed quickly. Elspet was maintaining a strict eye on the fish but holding conversation with the twins on how their sketching and modelling were progressing. That of course led to future plans for University, it seemed as though time was running out for them. The life they now knew would soon be coming to an end.

Their arrival at the Big House brought expectation and excitement. The donkeys were released from the big cart and tethered to a tree in the back garden. Mrs McGregor came out of the house motioning the twins to be quiet. Elspet had an idea what was happening; there were visitors in the barn. She motioned that there were small visitors inside. Mrs McGregor ushered her visitors inside the house then proceeded to tell them the Brownies had been constant visitors ever since Sooty had given birth. They came every day, sometimes staying all day. Sooty was groomed gently and the kittens were carefully handled. The twins were excited to see them again so Mrs McGregor allowed the girls inside the barn. Strangely enough the Brownies remembered the girls; coming forward to stroke them. The Brownies seemed to remember the height of the girls; they were neither adult nor small children and this was still of interest to them. The twins in return stroked the little people. It seemed to be a way of greeting, both for the Brownies and the twins. The arrival of the twins diverted attention from Sooty; the Brownies were more interested in the twins and were keen to leave the barn and play with them. Elspet saw this as an opportunity for the twins to examine Sooty, they needed to check that she was back in good physical condition and that her muscles had settled back into position since the birth of the kittens. Elspet gently pushed the cat explaining to the girls why she was feeling each particular muscle. She gently picked up each kitten stretching and feeling along each leg as well as slowly running her hands along its spine. The girls repeated the process as Elspet explained to them how muscles worked and supported the body during birth. Elspet was keen that the girls noted down the results of the physical examination as this was to form part of an overall examination to be record in their leather-bound books. She produced from her pocket two small notebooks, one for each twin. Into these notebooks was to be recorded the details which the girls found to be a necessary part of each physical examination. These notes, accompanied by sketches and clay models, would provide a complete picture of each case history which would be presented to the Dean of Edinburgh University when the time came.

Elspet was happy to let the twins be outside and spend time with the Brownies. There were a few little people waiting for the girls; they were led to the bottom of the garden where the stream was still running. The Brownies had taken off their clothes and were scampering in and out of the water. The twins joined them. It was cold at first but soon the chill wore off and they warmed to the splashing of the water, the chattering and the games they were being taught how to play.

Mrs McGregor felt quite relieved that the twins were playing with the Brownies because it took the attention off Sooty, whom she felt needed to spend time alone with her kittens. The little people could be quite demanding at times.

The day came to an end when Elspet decided it was time to leave. Shadows had started to form and it was a good two hours drive before they would be home. Elspet did not want Roderick and Maighread to be worried about their safety so rather hurriedly they took their goodbyes from Mrs McGregor and set off down the bumpy path towards home.

A New Routine with Raven and Serious Study

Raven was starting to develop an independence and curiosity which led to many expeditions away from the farm cottage and Black Cat. Raven dearly loved the old cat but there were times when Black Cat's physical capabilities slowed the young cat down. Raven delighted in running, climbing trees, springing from behind the heather, stalking rabbits and indulging in the myriad of activities which young cats found exciting; Black Cat was no longer up to such invigorating exercise.

Unknown of course, to Raven, some of her escapades served to assist the twins with their study. One day, just on dusk, after considerable patience Raven managed to catch a young rabbit. She had spent, what seemed to be lots of time at the Standing Stones and had noted how many young rabbits seemed to frequent the spot. She lay in wait ready to spring when the time was right. There seemed to be one young rabbit that was slower that the rest, it wasn't lame but the creature moved more slowly. Throughout the game playing always this little rabbit would be last. If any rabbits were knocked over by boisterous play it was this little creature. Raven watched intently; this was the one in her sights. Slowly she inched closer; whiskers twitching, tail flicking, stifled little cries coming from her throat. In one swift movement she sprang from a crouching position to lunge at the rabbit, landing on its back, its needle-like teeth firmly sinking into the animal's neck. This was Raven's first kill. The little animal died instantly; if anything the shock of the impact killed it. Raven took a firm hold on the animal and with head held high moved swiftly down the path towards home; she needed to display her kill to Black Cat .

The old cat was outside the barn door when Raven arrived with her prize, the twins heard the cries of delight as Raven dropped the rabbit at Black Cat's feet. Neither animal attempted to eat it. What's more they appeared to lose interest; perhaps Raven was interested only in displaying her prowess to the older cat. Annag decided to take the rabbit to Maighread with the view to having rabbit stew. Maighread wasn't sure of this but Roderick assured her it was quite safe. That night there was a change in menu. When Elspet heard of this she was somewhat annoyed, the rabbit could have been dissected, models could have been made and everything could have been recorded in the big leather books. The girls never made the mistake a second time. It was of no consequence to the cats – there was more to be had when Raven visited the Standing Stones.

The next two years leading up to University admission were filled with the hard work necessary. A necessity prior to admission, the excitement stemming from new knowledge saw the twins become more absorbed in veterinary science. They knew without doubt this was where their vocation lay. However a dark shadow lay over all of this which was the cause of anxiety from time to time.

Roderick developed pneumonia leaving him unable to work for nearly all of one winter. In those days Social Security did not exist so families who suffered financial hardship had to cope as best they could. Maighread spent her time looking after Roderick who was not a model patient by any means. He was a man who needed to work; lying around caused frustration which he took out on Maighread and the twins.

At this point Elspet stepped in to assist. She had some heated conversations with Roderick. This was easy for Elspet who could speak her mind because there was no blood tie; in other words Roderick could take it or leave it. Eventually both parties developed total respect for each other and the running of the farm became a joint operation. Roderick knew the farm and the four seasons like the back of his hand. From the warmth of his bed he was able to instruct and advise Elspet on the sequence of tasks to be done. Elspet, in turn, passed the information on to the twins who were responsible for its implementation. The system worked extremely well. Sometimes after a very busy day Elspet would stay at the farm, the twins willingly sharing their bed with her.

Black Cat and Raven hung around the cottage, more to the point they hung around Roderick. Maighread allowed them to curl up on Roderick's bed; it was company for him and Maighread was convinced that allowing the close connection contributed to him overcoming the illness.

Quickly the running of the farm became a team effort, involvement of the cats followed by Mrs McGregor's contribution in the way of food lead to Roderick's complete recovery. It was a time when Morag's and Annag's sense of responsibility came to the fore, when they learned of the wisdom of setting priorities, when they realised that working the farm was not beyond their capabilities. All of these attributes led to an wakening within themselves that they had the self confidence necessary to attend Edinburgh University.

Elspet saw this unfoldment occurring; at a later stage she discussed it with Maighread and Roderick – at a time when Roderick was being very difficult – she pointed out that without Roderick's illness the twins would not have had the opportunity to develop. She urged him to look upon his illness in a positive light, it had not held his daughters back, it had in fact advanced their progress.

Once Roderick acknowledged this he became a different person; more positive, eager to be outside and moving around. He wanted to be with his daughters, showing them how they could embrace the finer points of farming. He even wanted to visit the High Country; ill health had prevented him from going there for several months. Maighread however insisted that he wasn't yet ready but the twins came to the rescue by offering to take him in the four wheeled cart. On the next fine day the twins and Maighread would accompany him to the High Country and that was a promise which they kept.

In the meantime Elspet went to Edinburgh to check on accommodation for the twins. She had been told the University was offering twelve months tuition in Veterinary Science prior to attending the University proper. This seemed worthwhile following up; Elspet believed it would be a preparation for the girls, gently introducing them to the rigours of serious study. They would need to be interviewed and present their leather bound books and clay models just as they would if attending University.

Finding somewhere to live for twelve months was easy; Elspet had friends living in Edinburgh, the people who had supplied her with paper and cardboard were more than willing to put them up. It wasn't for a full week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only. Elspet worked out that she could drive them in on Mondays and collect them on Fridays. In this way the girls would have three nights at home and four nights in Edinburgh; an ideal way to help alleviate any home-sickness. It would also help Roderick and Maighread adjust to life without them.

Without the girls, life would be difficult for many not only Roderick and Maighread. The list was long; Elspet would miss them as would Mrs McGregor, customers at the market who bought fish from them, the saw miller and clients who already brought their animals for healing. All of these people knew in their heads the girl's absence was of a temporary nature but it took a little while for them to realise in their hearts that what was happening was merely a change; it was not permanent.

Black Cat and Raven knew there was change afoot; they hadn't fully grasped what was happening. They knew, however, that somehow life was different. Roderick spent less time indoors which meant they spent less time curled up on his bed. It took a little time to adjust to this change of routine but they adapted and spent time following him around the farm. They even accompanied him when the twins harnessed up the donkeys and the four wheeled cart, as promised, and visited the High Country.

There was a feeling of joyousness as they set off; no one had visited the High Country for several months. Everyone was eager to know whether or not the red deer was still close to the sheep. Maighread had brought oat cakes and cheese which were shared by all including Black Cat and Raven. Roderick's heart was full as they travelled up to and beyond the Standing Stones. There was a time when he doubted he would even see the High Country again. It was though a cloud had lifted and his heart no longer felt heavy; life was moving forward and he was part of that movement. The twins and Maighread felt the change in his energy. It seemed, too, that the cats were also aware: why shouldn't they be, they were cats and knew of many unseen energies that humans were unfamiliar with. All in all it was a reawakening for the whole family.

They travelled past the Standing Stones and on to where they knew the sheep would be grazing. There was no sign of the red deer, he must have moved on. In his place however, was a doe and her offspring; they were contentedly grazing amongst the sheep. The family were overwhelmed; the red deer knew where to bring his kind for protection. The family watched in silence. Roderick allowed his gaze to wander. Instinctively he looked up to see, high above on a rocky outcrop, a red deer gazing down. Their eyes met, the animal was a magnificent specimen, its antlers silhouetted against the morning sky. Roderick's eyes filled with tears; he was unable to describe the emotion he felt. For that moment it seemed as if he and the red deer were one, both had sired offspring and both were responsible for their well being in the scheme of things. He and the red deer were no different. In one short glorious moment Roderick glimpsed eternity. Maighread sensing the intensity moved over to him and clasped his hand. Neither spoke.

Slowly they made their way back to the twins who had remained close to the doe. They had been examining her but could find nothing wrong, likewise the fawn. A quick examination of the sheep followed. Nothing obvious showed up that couldn't wait until their next visit.

Black Cat and Raven had remained close to the cart but when they sighted Roderick, who had regained his composure, they moved over to him weaving between his legs and purring.

The homeward journey was one of quiet contentment. The twins were excited that their father was ready to pick up the mantle of responsibility for the farm as was Maighread who had some doubts. She knew that Elspet would always be around if need be, but to know that Roderick's state of mind had improved considerably gave her a sense of peace and a knowledge that all would be well. She looked onward to the next stage of their journey.

The End and the Beginning

Finally the day came when the twins were to start their new life. Elspet arrived to drive the four wheeled cart into Edinburgh. She brought the donkeys from the barn; her own animals were to occupy the space overnight. Maighread accompanied them on the journey; she needed to know where they would be living. Roderick did not wish to travel with them; there were tasks to attend to on the farm. Maighread saw this as a positive sign.

Black Cat and Raven stayed close to Roderick who walked down to the road to wave them goodbye. It was a big moment for all of them but one which did not have room for sadness.

Their day spent in the High Country had seen to that. At the bend in the road the twins turned back to look at Roderick. He was there standing tall and proud cradling a cat in each arm.

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