Story Hour
Fredo
Written by Gene B. Williams
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NOTE: All photos in this issue are credited to the Blair Family, with copyright of those images held by them. As usual, the story itself is copyrighted by Gene B. Williams.
School was out. Nicker was feeling lonely. He got to thinking about his friends – Tess in Paris, Gracie in England, Carsten in Wisconsin. He thought about his cousin Minne in Minneapolis, and that made him think about the Lake Elf.
Then he thought about his very best friend of all. “Danny, let’s take a trip.”
I don’t suppose you’ve ever had the chance to ride on the neck of a sea dragon. Not many have. Danny sure has, though, and he loved it! The idea of a new adventure with Nicker was a wonderful idea. And best of all, riding a sea dragon means you can go almost anywhere – and still be home in time for supper. (Sea dragons can be very fast!)
It didn’t take long before they were in Wisconsin. Danny had never seen a cranberry marsh before. Carsten took him around on a tour. He was proud because he knew so much about cranberries and could explain all of it to Danny. Carsten was also very curious about the desert. Then it was Danny’s turn to feel proud because he knew so much about the desert. The two boys were very happy.
Nicker was also happy. He was busy gobbling cranberries. (Danny and Carsten settled for tuna sandwiches.)
Danny talked about his friends in the desert. Nicker talked his friends in the oceans. (Some of those are … a bit … unusual? You can imagine.) Carsten said, “I have a very special friend I’d like you to meet. His name is Fredo and he lives in a hole in the ground. Fredo’s home isn’t very far. It’s that way,” Carsten said and pointed north. “But, it’s too far to walk.”
Nicker and Danny looked at each other. Both smiled. “Why walk when you can ride?” asked Danny.
And so it was that Carsten got his first ride on a sea dragon. As you can imagine, it was a little scary. No, it was a LOT scary! (It was also a LOT of fun!)
Do you know how to ride a sea dragon? Well, Carsten didn’t know how, either. But Danny did.
“It’s easy. Get on the neck, hold on tight with your arms and legs. It’s best if you close your eyes or you might get dizzy. He goes pretty fast.”
Before Carsten could ask, “How fast?” they were there.
Actually, it happened this way. Carsten said, “How …” and Danny was already sliding off Nicker’s back as Carsten asked, “… fast?” (Riding with Grandma, the drive took about a half hour.)
There they were, and there Nicker wasn’t. He spotted a large pond and had gone off to sniff and snoop. He slipped into the cool water without a splash – but with a big smile. The boys walked around the grassy hill that made the roof of Fredo’s home.
Carsten went to the door and knocked.
Fredo looked out from his small round window. “Carsten, how wonderful to see you again! Who is your friend?”
Carsten said, “This is my new friend, Danny. He’s from Arizona.”
The door swung open and Fredo stepped out with a big smile. “A friend of Carsten’s is always welcome here. Come, come, you must let me fix you tea and cakes. I have some fresh soup hot in the kettle.”
The two boys looked at each and smiled, then stepped forward.
Just then from around the side of the house came Nicker.
Fredo let out a screech. “DRAGON!!!” he shouted, ran back inside and slammed the door.
Nicker let out a screech and ran – as best as sea dragons can run. His tail got tangled in the feet of the two boys. They went rolling down the small hill. His tail got tangled in the chair on the porch, and in a statue on the lawn, and in a few other things. With a loud crashing and clanking, he disappeared into the tall grass at the side of the house.
Fredo’s face appeared at the window. “The dragon is attacking! Run, boys, run fast!” (He shut the shutters and moaned, “Oh, my guinea hens! He’ll eat my guinea hens!”)
Of course, the boys weren’t hurt. Carsten brushed himself off, went to the door and asked, “Fredo, what are you afraid of?”
At the same moment, Danny went to the shivering grass and asked, “Nicker, what are you afraid of?”
From behind the door came, “He’s a dragon!”
From the grass came more shivering, then a timid, “He screeched.”
Carsten said, “Please, Fredo, come out.”
Danny said, “Please, Nicker, come out.”
From inside the house, and from inside the grasses came, “NO!”
Well, there wasn’t much else to do for the moment. The boys began to straighten things up. They put the chair back on the porch. They put the statue up. They even did their best to get the flowers and other things back in place. It was hard work. Danny whispered to Carsten, “You’ll get used to this kind of thing if you’re around Nicker much – but he means no harm. He just tends to make messes.”
Through all this, Fredo was watching through the little round window. He was expecting the dragon to leap out and eat them at any moment. Meanwhile, Nicker had his nose (and eyes) poking farther and farther out from the grasses.
Danny called out to Nicker. Nicker was feeling sorry that the boys had to work so hard. He came over slowly, then curled himself around the two boys, and settled in with his head between their shoulders. But his eyes were on that door.
Carsten said to the door, “You said that my friends are welcome. Nicker is my friend.”
The door gave a very soft creaking sound. Fredo’s nose, then his whole head, came out. For many years he’d been told that ALL dragons were terrible. Hmmm, maybe they weren’t? He came out onto the porch.
Nicker moved to rush back to the grasses, but Danny’s arm was firmly around his neck. Nicker relaxed – not much, but a little.
“He’s a dragon,” Fredo said.
Danny shrugged and said, “Of course he is. What else would he be?”
Well, you can’t argue that, because it’s true. A cat is a cat, a dog is a dog, a bird is a bird, Gordie is a Tortie. Nicker is a sea dragon.
So, Fredo came out farther. Being very brave, he slowly reached out and touched Nicker on the nose.
“That tickles,” said Nicker with a grin. Then he gave Fredo a big lick that almost knocked Fredo off his feet.
Fredo rushed back inside, but not in fear this time. Soon he came out with a tray filled with all sorts of goodies – including a big bowl of peanuts for Nicker. The four sat on the lawn talking and laughing. Carsten told how he got to ride on Nicker from the cranberry marsh.
There was a moment of silence. Then Fredo asked, “Can I have a ride?”
Danny said, “Let’s ALL have a ride!”
Maybe next time I will tell you where they went.
FIND FREDO
Chris Blair and Sharon Hayward had an idea. It inspired this story. They decided to build a hobbit house, as the hobbit houses from “Lord of the Rings.” Here are some photos of it, and of the creators. If you get to Wisconsin – take Highway 29 east of Eau Claire to the town of Stanley. Go north on County Road H to very near where it comes to County Road F. Fredo will be on the east side of the road.
You can write to Fredo at:
chrisharon@centurytel.net
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