“Two, four, six, eight, who do they appreciate? Zippo, that’s me!” said the strange little man sitting in the tree’s hollow.
No one knows where he came from or how long he’s been around. “He’s a strange one, that Zippo. Stranger still is he’s not changed since I first saw him,” said the miller.
“He, he, and ho, ho, tickle my toe. You will find a nugget of gold when you hoe,” Zippo says.
Sometimes, he speaks omens, which foretells coming wars or violent storms. Other times, he says nonsense.
“A fool on the hill that Zippo. He has predicted deaths. He has also predicted famine. Are we also fools for not listening to his counsel?” said Meisterburger.
Crones often carry baskets full of bread and sausages to the tree in exchange for help solving mysteries too complex for their abilities.
“Mrs. Drake’s wedding ring went missing, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t locate it. Zippo instructed her to cook the goose. While cleaning it, the ring fell from its gizzard,” claimed the wise woman of Warwick.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum, who is stealing the rum? It’s the vicar and his sassy lass,” giggled Zippo.
When he speaks of things others don’t want to be heard, the church tries to demonize him. Local folk know the facts, give the Bishop a cold stare, and send him on his way.
All agree that the strange little man who lives in a tree is not from this place. Some have hinted that he’s an outcast from the good people.
“Broke a heart, a door a closed. When the queen sings her blessing and opens the window while undressing,” Zippo says when blue.
Most don’t know whether Zippo is bad or good. He’s a part of the highland culture. Folks tip their hats or curtsy. They don’t want to offend if they should need to seek his counsel.
“A piece of pie, a link of sausage, or a bite of bread will bring luck when you need a tale told to wed,” the strange little man snickers.
The fool on the hill sees the world spinning around and wonders why you can’t. “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,” giggled Zippo, then slipped into his tree for a bite.
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