When Raven came to the part of the forest he knew, he began to run, and ran along the shady familiar paths, the red and yellow leaves dancing in the sunlight above his head. When he saw the smoke slowly rising from his house and smelled the familiar smell of applewood burning, he knew he was home! At the mere thought, his feet flew even faster, so fast that they didn't even seem to touch the ground anymore. He flew across the courtyard and called out wildly "Grandmother! Grandmother, I'm home!" Before he could finish his breath the front door was burst open like a storm was behind it and his grandmother filled the doorway. "Raven!" She said in a shaky, faltering voice, but it transformed almost instantly, hiding her emotion with overtones of scolding. "Where have you been you naughty, vagabond child? I was sure the wolves had made a nice meal of you last night!"
Raven was not fooled by her stern shell-he knew how much his grandmother loved him-and he ran up close to her and threw his thorn-scratched, grimey arms around her neck, "no, grandmother, I'm quite safe," he said in a muffled voice, because for a moment his face was buried in her apron. It was so good to feel safe again. "I'm so sorry I worried you all night--I didn't mean to stay away, I got lost, and then most curious thing happened!" "We can hear all about the curiosities that befell you on your overnight stay in the wicked woods," said his grandmother, "I'm sure your story can wait til you've cleaned the dirt from your face and put on fresh clothes. Go into the washroom and undress--I'll draw you a nice hot bath."
The hot water made Raven feel sleepy, but he was too excited to close his eyes. The whole time Raven sat in his bath this thoughts were far away in the forest with the raven and the marvelous, secret treasure. After his mind began swimming with the raven's memory he closed his eyes and held his breath and ducked under the water. While he was underwater he thought about the way the raven's eyes sparkled with an affectionate glow when he was amused. While he was underwater, Raven decided that this reminded him of when his grandmother was amused, her eyes sparkled in almost an identical way. He surfaced and let the warm water run down his face and his neck. He looked out the little, thick-paned window at the bright day outside and remembered the treasure: The way it sparkled and shone in the sunlight like living stars. He stayed in the bath til the water began to grow cold, and then put on some warm, woollen clothes that he usually wore to bed. After he got dressed he ventured out to the kitchen, where he found his grandmother stirring a pot of porridge over the hearth. The afternoon was beginning to grow rosy and long-shadowed, and evening crept up stealthily, close upon its haunches. "Come sit at the table and tell me what happened last night," she said. Raven eyed the steaming porridge and thought how delicious it looked. Ordinarily he didn't enjoy plain porridge so much as he tolerated it, but adventures made him hungry, so he made quick work of his bowl in no time. "Well, I met a raven in the forest yesterday," said Raven, "The curious thing about him was that he could talk! He led me to where a huge treasure was buried under an old oak tree. The raven said he wants to give the treasure to me-to both of us-to keep safe!" Raven had been chattering excitedly away, so engrossed in the retelling of the previous day's events that he didn't notice that since his first sentence, his grandmother had been looking at him through her spectacles. No, it wasn't so much looking, as it was peering, like one might do to try and discern if a tricky cluster of clouds were going to rain or not. For a long time she said nothing, and when she finally did speak she said: "Child, I fear you suffer from an overactive imagination. The stories I tell you by the fireside are just stories, my dear, and that is all.." Raven suddenly remembered something he had put into his pocket, and ran to get it. "Grandmother, I swear it's all true, here's one of the raven's feathers, and I also brought you back a gold coin from the treasure." He put his hand into the back pocket of his dirty trousers and put something in his grandmother's hand. "There!" He said delightedly, "do you see?" His grandmother looked confused, then disappointed. "what I see," she said, "is that I need to stop telling you so many fairy stories. It's clear they are mixing up in your head with reality. Look, your gold "coin" is nothing more than an acorn top, child, where ever is your common sense hiding?" Raven looked at what she held in her open hand and blinked, wordless. She was right, there was a ragged, black feather and an acorn cap. But what trickery was this! He had put a golden coin into his pocket and buttoned it closed. Somehow, the gold coin he had taken from the treasure had changed in his pocket overnight to a very ordinary acorn cap. What cruel joke was this! "It--it must be enchanted!" He squeaked desperately, "I'll take you to where the treasure is buried!"
"ENOUGH," said his grandmother firmly. "You shall go to bed now without any supper, and I don't want to hear any more talk of talking ravens or nonsense about magic golden coins that change into acorns overnight-do you hear me? I understand that spending the night in the forest must have been terrifying, but really, Raven!" And she would not hear another word, but shooed him into bed and blew out the candles before he could say another peep.
TO BE CONTINUED..... Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed reading Raven, DON'T BE SHY! Show your support by VOTING and COMMENTING! And come back for the next chapter next Friday or Saturday! Have a great weekend, my loves!
