Folksburywoods Story Blog

Tucked away in the ancient forest of Ãlskad is an ordinary swamp with an extraordinary tree known only to a few. Elly, the gardener, is one of them, and she named it the Yum Yum tree.

While talking to the Marsh Wizard Fern about how amazing the tree was, she mentioned that it started singing to her. “I swear, Fern, the music does not come out of the tree, but I hear it nonetheless,” remarked Elly.

“Wow, you know I have been seeing colors radiate from the tree in the morning,” said Fern.

After comparing their experiences, they asked Hendriks, the wizard, what he made of all this.

“Well, ladies, I believe we have a transmogrification on our hands,” exclaimed the wizard.

“A trans whatchamacallit?” asked Elly.

“Transmogrification, my dear Elly, means to change spectacularly into something else,” explained Hendriks.

“That answers a lot,” remarked Fern.

Over the next week, the tree grew brighter in color, louder in song, and even started to smell different. One morning, the three friends were surprised to see the tree gone, and in its place stood a Kirin.

“What in tarnation is that?” asked the gardener.

“Kirin,” said the marsh wizard, then went on to tell Elly about the ancient creature, “The kirin is a mythical animal with the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, and a single horn—an ideal of virtue.”

“Thank you for watching over me. My name is Ashitaka, and I was sent here by the Old Ones to warn you of the return of the one you call the Dark One. He has broken free from the void and prepares to spread his reign of terror across the nine kingdoms, beginning with Ãlskad your beloved forest,” explains the creature.

“The devil, you say,” exclaimed Hendriks.

“I will contact my sister, the hedgewitch, and the wise woman and meet you at the council chambers at nightfall,” said Fern. “Oh, Elly, may you also ask your magical flower to come. We may need her understanding of plant spells.”

“I, too, shall contact my friends on this side of the vail to allow them to arrange a defense against Mörken’s new minions, the Ratlings,” said the Kirin, then shimmered and was gone.

“As if the Troth were not bad enough, those Ratlings are vastly more destructive and far better organized than the Troth ever was,” said the ancient wizard.

The three bid a hasty goodbye and rushed to prepare for the council meeting. With the return of the Mörken, nothing was certain anymore.