Astrantian Tales – Part 3. Callistephus and the Total Eclipse (youngsters:fantasy, 3194 words) [3/3] show all parts
Author: Ian Hobson	Added: Apr 17 2004	Views/Reads: 3285/2541	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
...‘Be warned,’ she said, sternly. ‘Stay away from Warlock Hill. That old fool, Holcus, is up to no good.’... This is the third children's story, set in the fairytale land of Astrantia.

Astrantian Tales – Part 3 

Callistephus and the Total Eclipse 

©2003 Ian G Hobson 

Continuing the children's stories, set in the fairytale land of
Astrantia. 

*** In the autumn, when the days were shorter, and beautiful red and
gold leaves were beginning to fall from the trees, the boy, 
Callistephus, sat beside the river with his friend Luzula.  Caltha, 
Luzula's mother, had made a full recovery from her illness; and knowing 
of how Callistephus had helped the witch, Asperula, to cure her, she 
allowed her daughter to meet with the boy; provided she was always home 
well before sunset. 

The two friends watched the river; this part was normally safe for
swimming, but not today.  Thunderstorms in the north of Astrantia had 
swollen the river, and huge branches and even whole trees were being 
swept along in the turbulent waters.  This did not surprise 
Callistephus, greatly.  He had lived for many years; in fact, if not 
for the magic spells cast upon him, he would by now have been a man, so 
he knew that occasionally the river could become deep and treacherous.  
But he did feel a strange unease.  He had not seen Hesperis, 
Astrantia's pale pink moon, in the night sky for some time, yet with 
the bright flashes of lightning to the north and other strange lights 
near Warlock Hill, to the south, sometimes the night had been almost 
turned into day. 

Callistephus got to his feet, picked up a stick and threw it into the
water, watching as it was quickly carried downstream.  ‘We can't swim 
today, Luzula,' he said. 

‘No, Little Sparrow, we can't,' Luzula replied.  Little Sparrow was
Luzula's special name for Callistephus; because of the time he had 
spoken to her from a hiding place and allowed her to think that she was 
talking with a sparrow.  ‘Shall we go for a walk instead?  Perhaps we 
could find some blackberries to pick.' 

‘I know where to find some,' said Callistephus, taking Luzula's hand and
pulling her to her feet.  ‘Follow me.' 

The two friends set off, taking the track that followed the course of
the river, but before long they stopped as they heard a terrible 
scream. 

The scream had come from the witch, Asperula, who had been out searching
for herbs and wild flowers for her spells and potions.  She had 
happened upon Echinops, the porcupine, but she had startled him by 
coming towards him from behind.  This was always a mistake because, 
like all porcupines, Echinops had an armoury of very sharp spines, 
which he could fire if he felt he was in danger.  And of course he had 
fired some of them at Asperula. 

‘You fool!' screamed Asperula, as she pulled a spine from the back of
her hand and three more from her middle.  ‘I'll turn you into a toad 
for this!'  And just as Callistephus and Luzula arrived on the scene, 
she began to chant: 

‘Hog Weed and Borage Pennisetum and Bay Turn this prickly fool Into a
toad for the day' 

‘Pearlwort and Scabious Snake-Weed and Doc If he pricks me again Turn
him into a rock!' 

But, as you may know, Asperula is better with potions than with spells,
and before Echinops could even begin to apologise, his spines turned 
into feathers and he became a peacock. 

‘Oh,' said Luzula, ‘what a beautiful peacock.'  And as if in agreement,
Echinops fanned his long and colourful tail-feathers and turned full 
circle. 

‘Dear me,' he said. ‘I'm a peacock.  Whatever am I to do?'  And with


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