“Once in Narnia’s great history, there was a badger…”
The rabbit scratched her head and drew a line through the beginning line of the story and began again.
“One bright sunny day…” No, she thought that wouldn’t work either and scratched out that line as well.
A thought came into the animal’s furry head and the critter’s furry paw jotted it down.
“In the days of the Golden Age. The days of High King Peter, of King Edmund renowned for his Judgement, of Queen Susan called Gentle and of Queen Lucy the Valiant; healer queen and bearer of the healing cordial, there lived a badger.
He was from outside appearance an ordinary sort of talking animal, with the same black and the same white stripes as all the badgers of his kind. But to those that knew him, even as little as to ask of question of him, knew the truth to be vastly different. There were older Narnians (who’s friendships had been forged with trial and fire) who considered him their friend, yet he was always friendly to the younger ones as well and to those who came to him asking for help or wisdom.
King Peter had enlisted him sometime ago into a program he had instituted for the young boy furlings. It was the job of the badger to assist in overseeing the leaders who taught the young furlings.*
The program had begun when one young rabbit furling Edmund Bramblestream** had become lost from his mother only to be found by his namesake King Edmund who had been unhorsed by the mount he had gone riding that day. The little rabbit had expressed his desire to be a knight, but was disappointed by his size; small stature and the fact that rabbits are flight not fight type of creatures.
Nevertheless the program had been instituted to teach young boy furlings the things they might need to know."
“As well as assisting in supervision of the program, he was also a accomplished author and storyteller. Young aspiring writers could come to him and gain advise. But the thing the town’s people liked the best was in the evenings, he would gather the young ones around a bonfire (and some how adults would find there way also…) and tell marvelous stories. Stories of before the Winter and stories of great adventures across land and Sea. And sometimes stories just about furlings and Narnians just like them.”
The rabbit paused again scratching again behind her ears, and trying to remember her train of thought. With her chin resting on her paws, she began a quiet thinking session. Then quickly she began jotting down the words that came to her.
“To this day he continues to be an essential part of community”
Then she set the quill down, and stretched before blowing over the words to make make sure the ink was dry and rolling up the parchment. Grabbing her coat and hat, hopped out the door. She would have to show this to the Mage Scribe.
* - The term "Furlings" is borrowed with courtesy from EveningStar's exellent "Byron on Wells" stories which can be found at http://narniahome.com/
** Edmund Bramblestream belongs to me
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