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Sauk River, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
It was a mystery to observers how
Ralph could stay underwater so long. Some thought, among creatures not so
blessed, that it might have something to do with the size of his lungs. A worthy
conjecture. Others, more canny, thought that perhaps he was “breathing” somehow
using the water to extract oxygen. Early on, when we ourselves first met Ralph,
it was Ramona who told Millicent Price that they, the Forest People, had a kind
of gill which allowed them to breath under water. Perhaps she was kidding
Millicent.
It was the following day after Ramona’s night of drumming and singing. Ralph had sent her to bed to get some sleep, and he and Twigg and Cherry, accompanied by Bob and Berry, had gone off to the river to catch some fish, and to play in the water.
Ramona slept on.
It was quite early in the morning. Mist hung heavy, almost like stationary rain, over the surface of the rushing water. The light was diffuse, making all appear obscure. It was too chilly for most Hairless to get into a mountain river, but Ralph had no problem with that.
Ralph told Twigg to stay with Cherry, to not let her out of his sight. Berry and Bob, who had sworn themselves silently, in cat fashion, to be her protectors, were also on the job. Four golden eyes followed her movements, and four cat ears turned to listen to her songs as she played. Being Cherry, she was trying to convince some robins to wake up, even though it was sunless and chilly, to come and play with her. So far, there were no takers.
Ralph waded out waist deep into the pelting snow melt. He glanced at the riverbank, saw that all was well and dove under the surface. He was gone, completely out of sight.
If an imaginary camera could have followed him down, what a sight it would have been. There would be Ralph swimming powerfully to maintain his position, casting about for some handy fish. The water would be like green glass but full of action. Various things and even creatures would sweep past him in the glassy water.
Ralph carried in one hand a short length of line to thread his catch on. In the mouth and out the gills went the little rope controlling his catch. It worked pretty well. While he was down there he kind of silently sang his fish calling song. The poor silly fish couldn’t resist. He only needed a dozen or so, so this wasn’t going to take all morning.
Ah, but there was one of those unknown unknowns hunting that morning too.
Something observed the busy father at his work. Something was hungry. Large lidless eyes glanced past the father to the riverbank. A mottled, scaly body became alert, snakelike, it approached the golden child at her play just beyond the margin of the river.
Once more the water-goblin glanced back to ascertain Ralph’s level of awareness. Satisfied, he inched more of his slithery frame toward the child. His lidless eyes, easily seeing through the water, noticed that the cats were watching, but not on full alert. The large son was sitting on a rock, more or less watching his sister, because he knew she was fine at her play. This was the goblin’s moment.
One wicked green claw attached to a long, thin sinewy arm covered in scales, colored like nothing in particular, snaked out and grabbed Cherry’s leg. She had time for one piercing scream of horror. He pulled her under, wrapping that same arm tightly around her waist, preparing to make an escape with the child.
Twigg leapt up and hit the water as if someone had dropped a boulder there. He swam around searching. He came up and yelled for his father. Both Bob and Berry, also jumped into the stream, but cats aren’t that great of divers. Berry saw Ralph though and swam to him, looking frantic, and was able to get his attention. Both of them put their heads above water and Berry said, “Water monster has Cherry in the river…” Before Berry’s mouth closed Ralph was back under water, searching.
Looking upstream, Ralph saw his daughter in the arms of something long and scaly. While they were still visible, he caught up with the water goblin and pulled him and Cherry to the surface. He had his great hand tightly around the monster’s neck.
Monster in hand, he said, “Cherry, climb up on my shoulders.” She did, and Ralph walked to the bank of the river, where Twigg and the cats also appeared, dripping and frantic.
“Cherry, go to your brother and hold his hand until I am done here,” said Ralph.
Ralph brought the thing’s face around to where he could see it, without loosening his grip on its throat. He recognized the scaly thing.
“Beazor, I know you!” said Ralph. “You are a fool and now you will be a dead fool.”
Yes, Ralph knew the water-goblin. This was not their first meeting, but it was fated to be their last. Before, Beazor had contented himself with trapping deer, or birds, or whatever, but not Ralph’s own child.
Ralph dragged the long sinuous beastie out of the glassy rushing river and threw it down on the riverbank. He kept his foot on its throat and told the cats to deal with it as they saw fit. They did, and soon there wasn’t much river-goblin to throw back into the water.
Of course, Ralph has lost his catch of trout, though somehow he still had the bit of rope, so he had to go fishing again. But he was just as successful as he had been earlier. He caught 14 moderately large, spotty trout and decided that would do for today.
Ralph, Twigg, Cherry and Bob and Berry all trooped home in absolutely classical fairytale fashion, happy and full of a tale.
When they got home, Ramona was awake, tending to the fire, with Maeve hanging around and making wise comments. They both seemed to sense that something had happened.
“How was the fishing, Baby,” said Ramona.
“A little more exciting than usual, Mona,” said Ralph, and the whole story poured out in a jumble of voices.
Cherry climbed up into her mother’s lap. “That bad thing grabbed my foot, Mommy, but Bob and Berry ate him!” said Cherry.
Maeve gronked and couldn’t think of a thing to say. For once she was speechless.
Ramona cried. But you may be sure that she didn’t forget to honor the heroes with deeply felt thanks.
Then, since it was breakfast time, Ramona fetched her knife and began preparing the 14 trout, with tears still on her cheeks, and a smile on her face.
It was the following day after Ramona’s night of drumming and singing. Ralph had sent her to bed to get some sleep, and he and Twigg and Cherry, accompanied by Bob and Berry, had gone off to the river to catch some fish, and to play in the water.
Ramona slept on.
It was quite early in the morning. Mist hung heavy, almost like stationary rain, over the surface of the rushing water. The light was diffuse, making all appear obscure. It was too chilly for most Hairless to get into a mountain river, but Ralph had no problem with that.
Ralph told Twigg to stay with Cherry, to not let her out of his sight. Berry and Bob, who had sworn themselves silently, in cat fashion, to be her protectors, were also on the job. Four golden eyes followed her movements, and four cat ears turned to listen to her songs as she played. Being Cherry, she was trying to convince some robins to wake up, even though it was sunless and chilly, to come and play with her. So far, there were no takers.
Ralph waded out waist deep into the pelting snow melt. He glanced at the riverbank, saw that all was well and dove under the surface. He was gone, completely out of sight.
If an imaginary camera could have followed him down, what a sight it would have been. There would be Ralph swimming powerfully to maintain his position, casting about for some handy fish. The water would be like green glass but full of action. Various things and even creatures would sweep past him in the glassy water.
Ralph carried in one hand a short length of line to thread his catch on. In the mouth and out the gills went the little rope controlling his catch. It worked pretty well. While he was down there he kind of silently sang his fish calling song. The poor silly fish couldn’t resist. He only needed a dozen or so, so this wasn’t going to take all morning.
Ah, but there was one of those unknown unknowns hunting that morning too.
Something observed the busy father at his work. Something was hungry. Large lidless eyes glanced past the father to the riverbank. A mottled, scaly body became alert, snakelike, it approached the golden child at her play just beyond the margin of the river.
Once more the water-goblin glanced back to ascertain Ralph’s level of awareness. Satisfied, he inched more of his slithery frame toward the child. His lidless eyes, easily seeing through the water, noticed that the cats were watching, but not on full alert. The large son was sitting on a rock, more or less watching his sister, because he knew she was fine at her play. This was the goblin’s moment.
One wicked green claw attached to a long, thin sinewy arm covered in scales, colored like nothing in particular, snaked out and grabbed Cherry’s leg. She had time for one piercing scream of horror. He pulled her under, wrapping that same arm tightly around her waist, preparing to make an escape with the child.
Twigg leapt up and hit the water as if someone had dropped a boulder there. He swam around searching. He came up and yelled for his father. Both Bob and Berry, also jumped into the stream, but cats aren’t that great of divers. Berry saw Ralph though and swam to him, looking frantic, and was able to get his attention. Both of them put their heads above water and Berry said, “Water monster has Cherry in the river…” Before Berry’s mouth closed Ralph was back under water, searching.
Looking upstream, Ralph saw his daughter in the arms of something long and scaly. While they were still visible, he caught up with the water goblin and pulled him and Cherry to the surface. He had his great hand tightly around the monster’s neck.
Monster in hand, he said, “Cherry, climb up on my shoulders.” She did, and Ralph walked to the bank of the river, where Twigg and the cats also appeared, dripping and frantic.
“Cherry, go to your brother and hold his hand until I am done here,” said Ralph.
Ralph brought the thing’s face around to where he could see it, without loosening his grip on its throat. He recognized the scaly thing.
“Beazor, I know you!” said Ralph. “You are a fool and now you will be a dead fool.”
Yes, Ralph knew the water-goblin. This was not their first meeting, but it was fated to be their last. Before, Beazor had contented himself with trapping deer, or birds, or whatever, but not Ralph’s own child.
Ralph dragged the long sinuous beastie out of the glassy rushing river and threw it down on the riverbank. He kept his foot on its throat and told the cats to deal with it as they saw fit. They did, and soon there wasn’t much river-goblin to throw back into the water.
Of course, Ralph has lost his catch of trout, though somehow he still had the bit of rope, so he had to go fishing again. But he was just as successful as he had been earlier. He caught 14 moderately large, spotty trout and decided that would do for today.
Ralph, Twigg, Cherry and Bob and Berry all trooped home in absolutely classical fairytale fashion, happy and full of a tale.
When they got home, Ramona was awake, tending to the fire, with Maeve hanging around and making wise comments. They both seemed to sense that something had happened.
“How was the fishing, Baby,” said Ramona.
“A little more exciting than usual, Mona,” said Ralph, and the whole story poured out in a jumble of voices.
Cherry climbed up into her mother’s lap. “That bad thing grabbed my foot, Mommy, but Bob and Berry ate him!” said Cherry.
Maeve gronked and couldn’t think of a thing to say. For once she was speechless.
Ramona cried. But you may be sure that she didn’t forget to honor the heroes with deeply felt thanks.
Then, since it was breakfast time, Ramona fetched her knife and began preparing the 14 trout, with tears still on her cheeks, and a smile on her face.
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