*
Louis had cried himself to sleep, as he had so many times before in his youth. Having red hair, freckles, being an only child and being small for his age had taken its toll on little Louis in his childhood. He had been bulled so many times before by the larger children in his school, or by the smarter ones, or the more privileged ones, or the better looking ones, this all just seemed to be a part of his growing up. He believed that all kids must suffer the same fate as he does, but not to the point that he does. He knew he was different in this way. It was always just a little tougher for him to survive the world. And that is the way he looked at it now...just survive this. Why is it always me he thought over and over?
Upon waking, Louis was not sure how long he had been asleep; minutes, hours or even days. Louis glanced once again at his pocket-watch. It still read twelve. Time had no meaning here, that had finally sunken into Louis.
He was lost in a purgatory, lost in nothingness, lost in another world that was both beautiful and delicate.
After Louis quenched his thirst once more, hunger now crept into his thoughts. After searching about the shoreline for a few moments he located a large vine strewn with ripe wild blueberries. He relished in their taste and believed they were the freshest and most excellent he had ever eaten. Noting there were more here than he could eat at one sitting he located a juvenile water-lily tube, he filled it to the top being careful not the crush the berries inside of his work. He gingerly placed them into one of the pockets inside his oversized robe.
After eating his fill he moved towards the fairy circle still found only a few yards away. With the heavy blue fogs at the present lifted he could now view the entire circle. Sleuthing about he counted and analyzed the footsteps and foot patterns found inside.
A curios fact entered his mind.
All of his friend's footsteps were there and all were the correct size. After placing a finger aside of his nose another curious fact became immediately visible. There were an extra set of footprints, if you could call them that. They were much grander in scale than an average mans or boys might be, and were much deeper in depth. They were webbed, with only three toes. Louis stepped into one of them, the depth was about a foot into the soft ground and his full foot fit into just part of one toe.
"This creature must be enormous, weighing well over three thousand five hundred pounds. It must be the size of a bull elephant and weigh as much as an alpha-male hippopotamus. I hope this is not in my immediate future, what would become of me if I stumble upon this creature, could I survive this?" Louis's voice was as shaken as his confidence at the prospect of a living thing of this size and weight residing with him, in this new world. Louis could not truly fathom that danger yet but it would now be in the back of his mind from this moment onward.
Searching once again about the clearing and partly buried in the very center of the fairy circle he found another strange difference. After digging in the dirt for a few moments to reveal the object, it became evermore apparent to him. It was now clear that a smooth, three sided runestone had been unearthed. There were remarkable numeric marking etched into the face and a raised runic alphabet that Louis could not decode. After clearing away the rest of the dirt from the base, the entire stone was now completely revealed to him.
Louis ran his fingers across the peculiar letters and strange numbers, firmly transplanting them into his memory. Not trusting his full senses just yet and not wanting to forget the inscriptions written across the face of the eccentric stone he grabbed for a piece of paper and pencil from his front upper pocket. He carefully wrote down the out of the ordinary markings and words:
krapsioultreborsyalereh
ecaepnitserehyam
dlosraey01
Louis looked forwards, sideways, indirectly and crossways at the odd writing. He could not for the life of him come to a conclusion as to what the strange letters or words meant. He gingerly placed the paper into his pocket, and did not give it another thought for the moment, other more important factors now pressed upon his mind.
Looking up the river stream northwards once again, the pathway was clear toward the Kingdom of Gwynedd. Placing one faltering foot in front of the other, his uncertain journey began. The stream was shallow but the flow was steady and swift. He dare not cross it or be swept away back into the large lake at its far south end.
As Louis landed foot after foot into the shallower waters at the shoreline, a myriad of fist-sized tadpoles scurried outwards in all directions. This alarmed Louis to no end. They were all so large and there were so many. "I wonder how large their mother's and father's must be if these tadpoles are this size at birth?" said Louis aloud.
He walked for the better part of what he estimated to be about five hours. Spotting a large...what appeared to be...a willow tree shading the bank ahead of him, and a flat area to lie upon Louis decided to take a well-deserved break. He placed the quagga-tail switch on the ground besides him, placed his wizard cap on his lap then opened up the lily tube holding his prized blueberries. After indulging again, he began to take stock of all that was on his person.
After searching about in his oversized pockets he dumped his belongings on the ground in front of him. To his surprise the two small books that he had been reading and had borrowed from Mr. Beamers' attic were present. He thought that odd and did not remember placing them there earlier the last day or the night before.
Louis had all of the normal belongings that a child of his age would carry in his pockets; a slingshot, magnifying glass, two cat-eyed marbles, a pocket knife, a pencil and paper, a pocket flute and chewing gum. Not exactly anything much of use thought Louis. But Louis did carry a few more handfuls of firecracker powder that was dry-wrapped in a small cloth pouch.
He glanced backwards to where he had just been, then eyed the shoreline ahead when a noticed a most peculiar stone that appeared to be floating in the water just off of the shoreline. It was about six inches across and wide, as smooth as blown-glass and bathed in red and purple hues. It was stunningly beautiful with a naturally occurring hole in the dead-center.
Louis removed his robe and shoes then cautiously waded out into the stream to get a better look at the strange object. As he gazed upon its prettiness, it wonderfully refracted the moons blue light across his face, temporarily blinding him. Looking sideways he placed the stone inside of his shirt to block the reflections, and as he did this the splendid colors inside paled and faded to an off-colored brown. Its life-light had diminished.
Although Louis was not yet sure of the purpose of this out of the ordinary stone, he knew he had found a rare treasure that may come in handy in the near future; it is a stone that floats and that appears to have a place in this new world for the living to manipulate.
As Louis was reaching the shoreline, a rustling was heard from under a canopy of bushes located by a large nearby tree at the shoreline. Louis was hesitant to investigate the noise and movement. He thought he heard what sounded like painful squeals and squeaks coming from the interior of some of the bushes. The cries began to get louder as Louis cautiously approached. With an unsteady hand Louis removed one of the largest branches, now exposed below was a medium-sized creature about four feet wide and five feet long. He was covered in bloody and matted, thick brown fur. It was held captive in place by a steal huntsman's trap.
Louis's natural kindness and instincts took a hold of him, "Do you need some help? You look like you are in pain."
A tainted smile masked his intense pain "Yes, some help would be nice. I have been trapped here for the better part of three days, and I feel my resolve and strength is fading. Death will come soon if I am not released from my unwarranted bindings." Another delicate painful smile crossed the creature's face.
A few more heavy branches were removed by Louis who stirred a large nest of tadpoles resting in a sinkhole at the base of the thickest root. This scattered the tadpoles into an angry stampede out of the f
arthest depths, they shot for the surface trying to escape the supposed invader of their den. One bit Louis on the top of one foot, thus sending pain signals into Louis's brain cells. A small amount of blood pooled at his feet, until the swift moving stream cleared the water around his foot. Louis reached for the wound as he called out in pain, this drowned out the cries of the real invader.
Grasping at the top metal clasp of the cage and then releasing two large swivel pins at the camouflaged door the cage door flew open. Cries of relief were now heard as the claws of the cage liberated its captive. Back-peddling from the metal trap and tadpole den with a slight limp Louis reached the rocky shoreline. He looked down at the bite on his foot which was now reddish and slightly swollen. It was still lightly bleeding when the furry creature approached the shoreline and Louis to offer his grateful thanks upon his deliverance.
"A mugwort plant will stop the bleeding and help in the healing. It is a bright red flowering plant you cannot miss the colors, when you see them you will know the plant. The bite was not that deep you will be fine if you place the root of that plant upon your foot to draw the poison out of the wound. Then eat a few mouthfuls of it. You were bitten by one of Spadefoot's children. You rustled one of their nests."
"Thank you I will look for that plant as soon as I can. Now as for you, so you were poaching your dinner from the tadpole nest and became trapped by a metal guardian of that nest?"
"Yes I was indeed foraging for my dinner. You see I am a thief like Digger the March Hair" said the grateful shoplifter.
"I see a bandit like Digger, there seems to be a lot of slick characters in this world."
"Yes a few I suppose. All worlds have unsavory types it balances out the good ones such as you. Thank you for saving my life" said the water-dweller as his strength began to return upon his freedom. I must be returning to my family. I have been gone for three days. Any more questions of me before I depart?"
"Just a few, what type of creature are you. You have longer claws and teeth than I have ever seen in one so small before, and your eyes have an unnatural color of orange. By the way I am sure happy to know that you do not like to eat small boys, or upon your release I could have been your dinner" said the curious child.
"I am a Trogontherium Cuvieri, genus...I come from the Castor family...nocturnal and semi-aquatic. My given, shortened name is Trog" stated the water-dweller as he now stood proudly upon the shore.
"And what does all that mean?"
"I am a common beaver in this world, but not so common in your world. Your world could not fathom the likes of me. I am quite wicked and appalling to look at. Well I have to be going now and thanks again for my release from that horrid trap. I will be more careful next time. I hate that Spadefoot, nasty piece of work is he."
"Who is Spadefoot? This is the second time I have about him."
"No more...I must be going now. Oh and by the way I do like the taste of small children. Just a thought, ponder on that as you must. So you see it is really you that are having a good day not me upon my release. I will take your lead and do this one good deed today like you have. Remember if you ever need a favor of me, just ask. Good luck in your travels I must be getting back to my beaver lodge" said the ever-hungry flesh-eating creature as it plunged back into the quick flowing stream and down into its deepest currents, looking for another tadpole to eat.
The most fortunate Louis exhaled a long deep breath of relief at his good fortune this day as he lay down against a large rock lodged in the shore. This offered shade to him from the glowing blue lights of the blue moon that rained down upon him from above. He rubbed his sore foot as he began to ponder all that had just happened. Somebody's dinner oh my...what could have been? I was on someone's menu thought Louis. He closed his eyes and pondered how his day was going for the better part of
a few hours. Lucid daydreams, a few nightmares, a few new fantasies and miles away thinking was his again. A daydreamer he was and a daydreamer he would be his whole life. Today was no different. But mostly he just thought of his family and friends and did they miss him or know that he was in deep trouble.
Hunger and a noise awoke him.
Up again and refreshed from his napping he looked about as he now heard another odd noise by the shoreline. Being on guard now more than ever Louis jumped to his feet as a small patch of soft ground parted and a small area of freshly dug earth rose to the surface. Louis was alarmed to no end as his curiosity overtook him. He was troubled at the grounds movement. He stood in place as a familiar figure emerged from below.
"So I see you have found an adder stone" said the wry rabbit Digger as he shook the loose earth off of his floppy ears "and a nice one I must add."
"Digger! It's you once again!" said the now enlivened Louis as he now sat down on a large rock found nearby. Digger took three large hops then jumped into Louis's lap. Louis was so happy to see his new friend that he welcomed Digger into his loving arms.
"You being a thief...I don't mind...as long as you do not steal from me. There are so many thieves in this world, oh my..."
"I would never steal from a friend and a friend you will be from this moment on."
"Good because I can use all the friends I can get at this time. You only get a chance to make so many friends in your life, and this appears to be as good as a time as ever" said Louis as he rubbed the top of Digger's fuzzy head.
"Friends it will be then" said Digger as he wrapped his overly-large, soft, furry ears around Louis's neck and shoulders.
Louis searched about his surroundings once again before he formulated a few questions for the kind rabbit. Looking to his left towards the west he spotted a high mountain range, looking upwards he eyed the stoic blue moon still hanging insecurely in the same position in the sky, he then looked towards the gentle stream and the rocky pathway that lay ahead.
"Digger I have so many questions to ask you, as you well know. First off where have you been for the last couple of hours?"
"Why of course, I have been plundering Mr. Beamers vegetable garden in our own world. I was starving. Care for a few carrots? Also I have a head of lettuce, a few small tomatoes and even a cucumber or two. They should taste familiar to you."
Digger dug into his pouch, he produced his bounty to Louis.
"Sure I want some carrots. I am very hungry. I have eaten only a few handfuls of blueberries that I found on a vine by this stream a ways back. I have saved some for later in case that is all the food I could find here."
Louis welcomed the nourishment then in turn gave Digger another warm embrace upon receiving his late afternoon lunch. Both dined by the inviting shallow stream as the conversation continued forward in earnest.
"First off how is your family, and did you get to see them before your return to the underworld?" asked a caring Louis.
"The little Miss' has had another litter. You know us rabbits and our large families. My wife's name is Honey Bunny Rabbit. And she had four more little bunnies. Now we are up to twenty five children, by my last count."
"You must be a very busy little rabbit?
"Well of course I am, in more ways than you know."
"Can you recite all their names to me?"
"Well of course I can, but I think you have more important questions for me now than that."
"I do but first what is your full name Digger? If I am going to make a true friend I must know more about them."
"My full name is Benjamin Bunny Rabbit, but everyone of course calls me Digger."
"What is your full name Louis, then onto business?"
"My full name is Robert Louis Parks, and if you like you can call me Red or Ginger. I don't mind those nicknames if the words drop from a friend's mouth. I have many nicknames, and some have not been very polite or kind as you know. When you are as small as we are, adults, kids and even bunny rabbits can tease and bully the smaller o
nes amongst us. And that is why I have been sent here into this world, am I right?" asked Louis as he looked up to the world above him, then around him once more.
Louis sighed.
"Don't be too sad Louis. This will not be your destiny. I mean you can pass through this world and back to your own if you do what is asked of you, just as I am doing now. You see I have passed many tests since I have been here, and have done as T?ngarar Spadefoot has asked and so much more. He now allows me to see my family, and to visit Mr. Beamer's garden every so often, which I do appreciate. He can be kind you know. If you do as he asks of you then you as well will be able to see your family once in a while."
"I do not want to see my family once in a while. I want to go live with them again. I need to go home now, not later. I also need to find my friends who are missing in this lost world" where are they and how do I find them? Then we all must go home, back to our world together? What does this T?ngarar Spadefoot want of me or my friends for that matter?" asked the careworn and very frustrated little boy.
"You have so many questions and we have so little time. You have done as I asked of you earlier in time. You have made great progress in moving forward up this stream inside the Kingdom of Gwynedd. You have done well and have traveled very far. I can see you are driven to start your quest and be rid of this place forever. I am only to be your guide for the first part of your journey, and to get you to this first destination that is what T?ngarar Spadefoot commanded me to do."
Louis was still in disbelief at what he was hearing.
"But where are my friends, are they held captive by this T?ngarar Spadefoot or are they lost in this world like I am?"
"I do not know of their plight. I am only assigned to you. He may have other purposes for them. I do not know the answer to your questions. You will have to find out those answers through your own journeys here. I believe the quest you will be sent on, that you will cross your friends in that course of action. Mr. Spadefoot can be a monster at times and may try to punish you along the way.
But now you are supposed to meet Atamo the Astral Fairy inside the Kingdom of Gwynedd here soon. He will lead you to the dark side of Northumberland where you are to meet Spadefoot. As for now we must find shelter and quickly, that is why I have returned to you at this time. The deep fogs will soon surround us again as before, as the celestial cycle of the moon returns. The moon will rotate on its axis soon and with this comes the cover of the fogs and then out will creep the sinister creatures of the night that dwell inside of this envelope. The blue lights will fade as the fogs return. We must find shelter, then onwards, and forwards through the Kingdom of Gwynedd the first thing the next morning.
"What creatures of the night are you talking about?"
"Mostly the winged creatures that patrol the skies above will appear first then the bottom dwellers will come into sight, those that are like me, who can burrow into the earth. There is Rukh the Fire-Breathing Dragon, he is master of our skies. His feathers glow the color of fire and are illuminated inside of this blue world with each downward stroke of his massive wings; he exhales an inferno of flames with each mighty breath released from his broad feathered chest. He creates death and destruction at will, if his mood is foul, or if his appetite for flesh has not been satisfied recently. There is no match for him above or below us. He is one of many horrid flying beasts that watch the skies for Apohasis the Destroyer."
"Who is this Apohasis the Destroyer?" asked Louis as his eyes widened and his breath fluttered.
"He is the mighty. He is the true king of this land. He is the slinking and slimy serpent who rules all things below us and all things above us. This king of all snakes lies mostly dormant in his lair at the very center of the Underworld. He sleeps on his bed of ill-gotten and stolen gems, pilfered gold and pinched diamonds. He leaves his underlings to do his biddings for him. If all goes well you will not have to encounter either of these two great beasts. It has been foretold and mostly believed in by all the good residents who reside inside of this world, and it is in your future, that you will one day entangle yourself with these two wretched creatures in the far off land know as The Valley of the Kings in olden Egypt.
But the writings in the ancient scrolls are murky and many are missing, so we are not completely sure about your factual plight, and what true place is yours, and ours will be in the future" stated the little rabbit as he looked upwards towards the softening light from the blue dwarf planet.
"What is this world you live in? It is total and complete beauty that surrounds us by the bright blue lights from the moon above during the so called day, then fear and death when the fogs come out from their hidden resting places. And what and how are these things foretold about me? I am just little Louis from Centerville, how can what you speak about me be true?"
"In time Louis all will be revealed to you. I should have not told you about these things in your future. As for now you have worst things to worry about my friend. There are: swamp giants, forest trolls, and menacing Minotaur's that will soon be lurking about. There is Hydrarchos the Water Serpent, evil Logherymen or as you might call them up above in our world, leprechauns. There are wicked Sleagh Maith fairies, black witches, goblins, and land draugs...oh Louis the list goes on and on. But the worst of all of these is T?ngarar Spadefoot, the King of the Undertoads. Atamo will take you to him, Spadefoot he calls you. Tonight I will bury deep into the ground and make sure the burrow is wide enough and full of meaning enough that the things that go bump in the night cannot harm us."
"It is all so over-whelming. I hope I am up for this quest."
"You will be but first, I was below when I saw you find the adder stone and I saw that you have met Trog the Water-Dweller. You are lucky to have escaped his ever-present hunger and his sharp teeth and claws. I could not help you, nor would I. His strength could have been both of our demise. I watched all that happened between you and him, but more important is now I see that your foot is swollen from a bite from our enemy. If we do not find a mugwort root soon you will be lost to the powers and evil will of the night's creatures.
Digger disappeared from view for the better part of twenty minutes as Louis ate another few carrots and some lettuce. Appearing back to the streamside, the little rabbit reached into his front pouch, he produced a brightly colored red plant with a long black, thick root.
"Louis bite into this root, mulch up the core then swallow most of it, spit the rest into the palm of your hand, then rub what is left on the outside of the wound. This should draw most of the poison of the bite that is already in your body to come forth up from your bloodstream and into your mouth, spit that out. And upon rubbing the rest of the mulch on the outside skin it should seal the bite area. But you will still have the evil spell of Spadefoot upon you and in you; you can never shed that entirely."
Smelling the root gave Louis pause.
"Will this make me sick if I swallow it?"
"If you do not swallow it, sickness from the root will be the last of your worries."
A hesitant Louis placed the foul smelling root into his mouth, upon chewing for a moment the full disgust of the taste covered the taste buds on his tongue. He almost choked up the pulp. After managing to get most of it down his throat he spit some on his fingers. A good long swallow and a rub here and there across the wound and all was over and done, or so he thought.
Digger jumped backwards as Louis violently coughed up that which he just ingested. Not a pleasant sight but most useful. Buckled legs, a stirred mind and sweaty palms followed Louis as he collapsed upon a small grassy area by the side of the stream. Digger jumped under Louis's head as it fell towards a wayward rock, thus saving Louis's present and future memories and possibly his life.
The seemingly lifeless body lay intestate and in a mild shock as the evermore resourceful rabbit looked about the small clearing by the streambed for a place to dig and where the earth appeared to be mor
e forgiving for his burrow for the night, now that all of the day's activities were finally over. Slowly disentangling himself from below Louis's head he headed towards the next task.
He plunged with full conviction into the earth as Louis gained back some of his senses. Working quickly and with great organization a large burrow began to appear out of the nothingness of the earth. Louis was enthralled at the mastery of his oversized feet in action. Like a surgeon at work on an operating table, Digger quarried a hole large enough to fit them both and complex enough to outwit any intruder. Louis had found a comfortable place to sit as he watched the rabbit's due diligence, then within a few more moments the rabbit popped up inside of a nearby thicket. He waved Louis over then both went missing as quickly as they could.
Both disappeared from sight just as the blue fogs encircled the clearing for the evening. Louis followed Digger towards the very back, and the deepest part of the burrow. As Louis was climbing downwards the adder stone fell from one of the pockets of his robe, to Louis's surprise the stone glowed brightly inside of the lair, dispersing out of the ordinary bright orange, green and yellow lights all about them. The prior darkness had disappeared. This comforted Louis to no end but also heightened his interests.
"I keep forgetting Digger that we are not in Centerville anymore. The more strange things are becoming the more normal they appear to be here in this world."
"That is so true friend. This is a going-against-nature world, just as you circled the fairy circle against the rotation of the earth ten times to enter, and to the counter-clockwise rotation of the earth, so do those equations still stand true for this world, remember that when the time comes for your salvation, it might save your life one day" said Digger as he shook the last of his days work from off of his head. As the last of the dirt left Diggers ears, Louis began to study the adder stone in more detail then quickly asked Digger a few more questions.
"Digger please enlighten me about this odd stone and what powers it might hold? They may be useful as you just stated at a later time, if need be."
"Adder stones are rare even for this land and you were lucky to stumble across one on your journey through the Kingdom of Gwynedd. Adder stones have many names: hag stones, witch stones, serpent's eggs, snake eggs or druids glass. They hold magical powers if you can figure out how to use them" stated the little rabbit as he produced dinner for the two of them from his pouch. Upon handing Louis a more few carrots, a handful of green peas and a half of head of lettuce he continued to speak as Louis welcomed the meal, "oh and here a loaf of baked bread I stole from Mrs. Beamer's kitchen shelf. I am sure she would not mind if she knew it was for you this evening."
The bread was warm from being inside of Digger's pouch. Louis thought it to be the best he ever tasted, it reminded him of home.
"This is not a hot meal but it will have to do. Atamo and the other astral fairies will have more life sustaining food for you. Sorry this is all I could find during my time back in our world. Now as for the adder stone. If you are a true wizard or fairy circle tender as I have heard you tell your friends before then you should be able to figure out its powers. This one was created here by the serpent Apohasis the Destroyer, the slimy snake ruler of the whole of this land. This is what happens to his droppings when they harden. This shows us he has been active in this area recently. That is why I had to dig this here burrow with many hidden passages and turns, so his tongue cannot lick the air directly around us, to taste our scent or to reach us. We would not fill his stomach, we are too small.
Of course he will be much too large to enter into our domain, but just the same we do not want him to know where we are, he could send into our borrow smaller problems than him, but they would be problems just the same if you know what I mean. Now again, as for the powers of this stone, I do know that this stone carries in its strength the power to protect you against; evil charms, they can prevent nightmares if you sleep with them, and if you look through the middle of the stone you will have the ability to see witches in disguises or wearing masks. Oh and of course they can cure snake bites, or can cure the bite of evil toads if the mugwort root does not. That is all I know about them. I do not know how to raise the energy of the stone though. You will have to figure that out by yourself."
Just as Digger was extolling his wisdom of the adder stone to Louis, Louis suddenly remembered the two small books that Mr. Beamer's robe hid. Louis dug deep into one pocket and immediately produced both books.
"These books Digger why of course..."
"What books are you talking about Louis?" asked Digger as he began to eat his dinner as well.
"Well the books that I stole...er...I mean borrowed from Mr. Beamer's attic. Look this one here is a book about child psychology whatever that is, and this one here is about magic spells, forest trolls, swamp monsters, fire-bogs...ET...ET..."
Digger continued eating as Louis's mind began to illuminate and expand.
"This is the one I need to read. I have been reading this one for weeks now. You know come to think of it Digger how did it get into this robe here in the first place? I did not place it here. The last time I was reading this book was when Chug was taking a nap at the edge of the fairy circle one afternoon a few days back then I remember placing it back into my backpack, now how did it get here? You don't think Mr. Beamer placed it here inside of this robe do you?"
Digger continued with his dinner lost in his own thoughts. He politely nodded his head up and down in agreement, not really knowing what Louis was talking about. I think it was just a rabbit and his carrots, Digger did have his priorities straight sometimes.
"Now let me see...what chapter...where do I start...?"
Chapter #1
Swamp & Bog Monsters
all you need to know about them
Chapter #2
Forest, Mountain and Cave Trolls
how to know the difference/ how to outwit them/ how to stay out of their bellies
Chapter #3
Leprechauns
how to contact one when needed and how to avoid an evil one
Chapter #4
Witch Smellers
what are they and do you really need one
Chapter #5
Water Serpents
how to stay on their good side and out of their bellies
Chapter #6
Can Animals Talk
spells/ incantations/ and magic to make your animals talk
Chapter #7
Abominable Snowmen/ Yetis and Big-foots
how to stay out of their bellies and on their good side
Chapter #8
Hobgoblins
how to turn the semi un-dead back into the dead
Chapter #9
Undertoads and the Underworld
there and back- how to survive the underworld and hungry toads