The Enchanted Wood Read online

  Now whilst this fierce battle was going on, where do you suppose Jo was? As soon as he had heard the cry of "Enemies! Enemies!" he had hidden in a corner, for he didn’t want to be mixed up in any fight. When he saw the white bears going out, and he was left all alone, he began at once to think of escaping.

  He crept to the hole that led above-ground. The battle was some way off, so Jo did not see that the enemies were really his own friends! If he had he would have gone to join them at once.

  "What a terrible noise they are all making!" he thought. "It sounds like a battle between gorillas and bears to me! I’m not going near them—I’d be eaten up or something! I shall just run hard the opposite way and hope I’ll meet someone to help me."

  So Jo, dressed in his bearskin, and looking just like a little white bear himself, crept off over the ice and snow, not seen by any one. He ran as soon as he thought he was out of sight. He ran and he ran and he ran.

  But he met nobody. Not a soul was to be seen. Only a lonely seal lay on a shelf of ice, but even he dived below as soon as he saw Jo.

  And then Jo stopped in the greatest astonishment and stared as if his eyes would fall out of his head. He had come to the cottage of the Three Bears, standing all alone in the middle of the ice and snow—and, of course, its roses were still blooming round it, scenting all the air.

  "I’m dreaming!" said Jo. "I simply must be dreaming! A cottage—with roses—here in the middle of the snow! Well—I shall go and see who lives there. Perhaps they would give me something to eat and let me rest, for I’m very hungry and tired."

  He knocked at the door. There was no answer. He opened the door and went in. How he stared! There was no one to be seen at all, but on the table stood three bowls of steaming porridge, one big, one middle-sized, and one small. It was rather dark, so Jo lighted a big candle on the table.

  Then he sank down into the biggest chair—but it was far too big and he got up again. He sat down in the next sized chair—but that was too piled up with cushions, and he got up to sit in the smallest chair. That was just right, and Jo settled down comfortably—but alas, his weight was too much for it, and the chair broke to bits beneath him!

  He looked at the delicious porridge. He tasted the porridge in the biggest bowl—it was much too hot and burnt his tongue. He tasted the next bowl—but that was far too sweet. But when he tasted the porridge in the little bowl, it was just right. So Jo ate it all up! Then he felt so sleepy that he thought he really must rest. So he went into the bedroom and lay down on the biggest bed. But it was far too big, so he tried the middle-sized one. That was too soft and went down in the middle, so Jo lay down on the cot. And that was so small and warm and comfortable that he fell fast asleep!

  All this time the battle was going on. The. Snowman was so big and the polar bears were so fierce that very soon the teddy-bears, the children, and Moon-Face were driven backwards.

  Then a snowstorm blew up, and the snow fell so thickly that it was quite impossible to see anything. Moon-Face called out in alarm:

  "Bears! Goldilocks! Bessie! Fanny! Take hold of each other's hands at once and don’t let go. One of us might easily be lost in this storm!"

  Everyone at once took hands. The snow blew into their faces and they could see nothing. Bending forwards they began to walk carefully away from the white bears, who had stopped fighting now and were trying to find out where their enemies were.

  "Don’t shout or anything," said Moon-Face. "We don’t want the white bears to hear us, in case they take us prisoners. They might not listen to the teddy-bears. Move off, and we’ll look for some sort of shelter till this storm is over."

  They were all very miserable. They were cold, rather frightened, and quite lost. They stumbled over the snow, keeping hold of one another’s hands firmly. They went on and on, and suddenly Goldilocks shook off Moon-Face’s hand and pointed in front of them.

  "A light!" she said in astonishment. Everyone stopped.

  "I say! I SAY! It’s our cottage!" shrieked the baby bear, in surprise and delight. "But who’s inside? Someone must have lighted the candle!”

  They all stared at the lighted window. Who was inside the cottage? Could the Magic Snowman have found it? Or the polar bears? Was it an enemy inside—or a friend?

  “Wheeeeeeeeew!" blew the wind, and the snowflakes fell thickly on Everyone as they stood there, wondering.

  "Ooooh!" shivered Moon-Face. "We shall get dreadful colds standing out here in the snow. Let’s go in, and find out who’s there."

  So the father bear opened the door, and one by one they all trooped in, looking round the empty room, half afraid.

  XI

  MORE AND MORE SURPRISES

  "There doesn’t seem to be anyone here!" said Bessie, cautiously looking round.

  "Well, WHO lighted that candle?" asked Moon-Face, his big round face looking anxious. "We didn’t leave it lighted!"

  Suddenly the father bear gave an angry growl, and pointed to his chair. "Who’s been sitting in my chair?" he said.

  "And who’s been sitting in my chair?" said the mother bear, pointing to hers.

  "And who’s been sitting in my chair and broken it all to bits?" squeaked the baby bear, in tears.

  Bessie giggled. "This sounds like the story of the Three Bears coming true!" she said to Fanny. "They’ll talk about porridge next."

  They did.

  "Who’s been eating my porridge?" said the father bear angrily.

  "And who’s been eating my porridge?” said the mother bear.

  "And who’s been eating mine, and gobbled it all UP?" wept the baby bear, scraping his spoon around the empty plate.

  "It’s all very mysterious," said Moon-Face. "Somebody lighted the candle—somebody sat in the chairs—somebody ate the porridge. But who?"

  “Not me this time," said Goldilocks. "I was with you all the time we were snowballing, wasn’t I, Bears?"

  "You certainly were," growled the father bear, patting the little girl on the back. He was very fond of her.

  "I wish we had found poor Jo," said Bessie. "Whatever will he be doing in this horrid cold land?"

  "Do you suppose we ought to go out and look for him again?" said Fanny, shivering as she thought of the ice cold wind outside.

  "No," said Moon-Face decidedly. "No one is going out of this cottage again till we’re safely in the wood at home. I’m afraid we can’t possibly rescue Jo now."

  "What’s that noise?" said Goldilocks suddenly. Everybody listened. Someone was snoring softly in the next room!

  "We never thought of looking there," said Moon-Face. "Who can it be?"

  "Sh!" said Goldilocks. "If we can catch him asleep, we can tie him up and make him a prisoner easily. But if he wakes up he might be fierce."

  They tiptoed to the door of the bedroom. One by one they squeezed through.

  "Who’s been lying on my bed?" said the father bear, in a growly voice.

  "Sh!" said Moon-Face crossly.

  "Who’s been lying on my bed?" said the mother bear.

  "SH!" said Everyone.

  "And who’s been lying on my bed and is fast asleep there still?" said the baby bear.

  Everyone stared at the cot. Yes—there was someone there—someone in a white bearskin. Was it a polar bear?

  "It’s a white bear!" said Moon-Face, half frightened.

  "Tie him up before he wakes," said the father bear. "He’s an enemy now."

  Goldilocks got a rope out of the kitchen cupboard. Moon-Face went one side of the cot, and the father bear went the other, the rope held between them. They nodded to one another. In a trice both bent down, caught hold of the sleeper, and twisted the rope tightly round him!

  "He’s caught!" cried Moon-Face joyfully.

  Jo awoke with a jump. Who had got him? Had the Magic Snowman caught him again? He began to shout and struggle. Moon-Face tied him more tightly.

  And then Bessie and Fanny saw his face, and yelled out loudly:

  "Moon-Face! It’s Jo! It�
��s Jo! Oh, it’s Jo!"

  They rushed to the cot and flung their arms around Jo. The boy was too astonished to speak. He got out of the rope and hugged his sisters.

  "How did you get here?" he asked.

  "How did you get here?" cried Bessie and Fanny.

  "Come into the kitchen and we’ll all have some porridge and milk," said Goldilocks. "We can talk then and get warm."

  Jo went with the others, all chattering loudly about everything. Goldilocks ladled out porridge into blue bowls, and made some cocoa. Soon everyone was putting sugar or treacle on porridge and drinking cocoa. Jo poured some milk over his porridge and smiled joyfully at everybody.

  "What an adventure this has been!" he said. "Shall I tell my tale first, or will you tell yours?"

  He told his—and then Bessie told how Moon-Face had gone to the Three Bears for their help, and all about the fierce battle.

  "It’s a pity about the battle," said the father bear mournfully. "The white bears are cousins of ours, and have always been friendly—now they seem to be enemies."

  "Let’s hope they don’t discover our cottage," said Goldilocks, eating her hot porridge. "Moon-Face, hadn’t we better make some magic and get back to the wood?" ‘

  "Plenty of time, plenty of time," said Moon-Face, pouring himself out another cup of cocoa.

  But, you know, there wasn’t plenty of time. For just at that moment Goldilocks gave a scream and pointed to the window.

  "Someone looked in!" she said.

  "Don’t be silly!" said Moon-Face.

  "I’m not," said Goldilocks. "I tell you, somebody looked in! Who could it be?"

  "The handle of the door is moving!" yelled Moon-Face, and he leapt to the door. In a trice he had locked it and bolted it.

  The father bear got up and went to the window. He looked out into the snowstorm.

  "I can’t see anything," he said; and then he growled loudly, "Yes, I can—I can see the white bears! They have surrounded our cottage! Now what shall we do?"

  "Well, they can’t get in at the door, and they certainly shan’t get in at the window," said Moon-Face, looking fierce. The door shook, but it held well. Someone battered on it.

  "We shan’t let you in!" yelled Jo.

  "If anyone tries to open the window or break it, I’ll hit him with this kettle!" shouted Moon-Face, who had caught up the kettle and was dancing about with it.

  "Moon-Face, that kettle has got hot water in it," said Fanny. "Do be careful. You dropped some on me."

  "I’ll pour it down the neck of any bear that dares to come in here!" yelled Moon-Face, spattering the room with steaming drops.

  "Oh dear!" said Bessie. "Hide behind the bed, Fanny. It seems to me that Moon-Face is almost as dangerous as the bears."

  The father bear dragged the big table across the door. Things were getting exciting. Jo and the girls were frightened, but they couldn’t help feeling terribly thrilled too. Whatever was going to happen next?

  "Oooomph! Oooomph!" boomed the big bears outside, but they couldn’t get in at the door or window.

  But they found another way! The chimney was wide and big, for the fireplace was one of the old-fashioned kind and needed a wide chimney. One of the bears climbed up on to the roof, followed by three more. The first one slipped into the big chimney. Down he went, whoooosh! Down went another—and the third—and the fourth.

  They landed with a crash on to the big hearth, and hurriedly jumped away from the flames of the fire.

  "Surrender!" they cried to the startled children and bears. "Surrender! The Magic Snowman is outside! Let him in!"

  XII

  WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SNOWMAN

  Everyone stared at the big white bears in horror. No one had thought of the chimney. What a pity they hadn’t stopped it up!

  "I am going to let the Magic Snowman in," said the first white bear.

  Then the father bear spoke up, in a very sorrowful voice.

  "Cousin, why are we enemies? We have always been good friends up till now."

  The four white bears looked at him and at the mother bear and baby bear in sudden amazement. They rushed at them with loud ooooomphy noises.

  Jo thought they were going to fight the Three Bears, and he took up a jug from the table to help his friends. But no, the white bears were not going to fight—they were hugging the Three Bears as tightly as they could, and to the children’s amazement tears were pouring down their furry faces!

  "We didn’t know it was you!" said the white bears. "Why, cousins, we would never have fought you if only we had known you were the Three Bears we love so much!"

  "There, there!" said the mother bear, wiping the tears of a white bear off her fur. "It’s all right. But for goodness’ sake tell the other bears we’re friends. We don’t want the front door battered down."

  Moon-Face opened the door and yelled out of it,

  "Bears! It’s all right! This is the cottage of your

  cousins, the Three Bears! We’re friends!"

  But the white bears didn’t answer or come in—instead a big white shape came up and squeezed through the door—the Magic Snowman!

  A chill fell over the little room. The white bears were frightened of him, for he was their master. He shut the door and glared at Everyone out of his stone eyes.

  "So even my own bears have gone over to the enemy!" he said. "Oho! What will you say if I turn you into ice and snow, Everyone?"

  Nobody said anything. But, to Bessie’s surprise, Moon-Face shut the door, and then went to the fire. He piled on three great logs and winked at Bessie.

  The Snowman took up a white bear by the scruff of the neck and shook him. "So you found your voices, did you?" he said.

  "Didn’t I tell you that you were only to say ‘Oooomph’ and not speak a word to any one? I won’t have bears that talk!"

  He picked up another white bear and shook him. "So you are friends with my enemies, are you?" he said.

  The room became very hot. Jo took off his coat. So did the others. Moon-Face slyly put on another log. The fire crackled and shot great flames up the chimney. Fanny wished she could take off everything, she was so hot.

  "Whatever does Moon-Face think he is doing, making the room so hot?" she thought crossly. But just as she was about to tell him to put the guard round the fire, he winked at her, and she said nothing. Moon-Face had some queer plan that he was carrying out.

  The Snowman went on and on, grumbling and threatening. Everyone listened and said nothing. Moon-Face poked the fire and it blazed up higher.

  "Now this is what I’m going to do," said the Magic Snowman. "I’m going to take this nice little cottage for my own—and I shall live here. All of you others can live in a snow-house and freeze, for all I care. You will all wait on me and do whatever I say."

  "Yes," said everybody. They all knew now what Moon-Face’s plan was. He meant to make the room so hot that the Magic Snowman would melt. Clever old Moon-Face! A little trickle of water began to run from the Snowman’s broad white back, which was near the fire. Moon-Face pointed to it secretly and grinned.

  Fanny thought Moon-Face’s beaming face looked so funny that she began to giggle. She really couldn’t help it. Goldilocks giggled too, and stuffed her handkerchief into her small mouth. The baby bear gave a high squeak of a giggle and then wept bitterly because the Snowman cuffed him.

  "How dare you laugh!" shouted the Snowman angrily. "Outside, all of you! Outside! This is my cottage now, and not one of you shall stay here"

  They all crowded outside except Moon-Face, who crouched behind a big chair, determined not to leave the fire in case it burnt low.

  Outside it was bitterly cold. The white bears quickly dug up the snow and made a high wall to shelter the others from the wind. They crouched there, cuddling close to one another for warmth. The big white bears wrapped their furry arms round the children and warmed them beautifully. Jo thought they were very kind indeed.

  They waited and they waited. They could see smoke pou
ring from the chimney of the cottage and they knew that Moon-Face must be keeping up the fire. The bears ooomphed every now and again, and the children whispered to one another.

  Then suddenly the door of the cottage was flung open and Moon-Face stood there, his big face beaming like a full moon.

  "You can come back now!" he shouted. "It’s quite safe!"

  They all crowded back to the cottage. Jo looked for the Snowman—but he was gone! There was nothing to show that he had been there, except a very large puddle of water.

  "He melted very quickly," said Moon-Face. "He may have been very magic and very powerful—but he was just made of snow after all. So he melted like a real snowman on a sunny morning."

  The polar bears ooomphed with delight. They had hated being servants to the Snowman.

  "We’ll say goodbye to you now," they said to the Three Bears. "This cottage is cosy but it’s too hot for us. Come and see us again whenever you like. Goodbye!"

  Everyone hugged them goodbye, and Jo felt quite sad to see them go. Moon-Face shut the door after them.

  "Now we’ll get back home," he said. "I’m a bit tired of this land. Come on, Bears, help me to get the cottage back safely!"

  He didn’t do the same magic as before. He drew a circle on the floor in blue chalk and the Three Bears stood inside, holding paws. Moon-Face danced round them, singing strings of queer magic words. A wind rose up, and the cottage rocked. Darkness came down, and for a moment no one could see anything at all.

  Then gradually the darkness went and the wind blew no more. The sun shone warmly in at the window. Bessie gave a shout.

  "I say! We’re back in the little woody corner where we first saw the cottage! And it’ s daytime now, not nighttime!"

  "Well, we’ve been having this adventure all night long!" said Moon-Face, with a laugh. "It’s sunrise now—the night has gone. You’d better hurry off home, children, or you’ll be scolded for leaving your beds at night."