Granny's Tree

Katie and Harry are putting on their coats and scarves.It is the half term holidays and they are staying with granny in the country for a few days while mummy has to work.

Granny lives alone now with just Jasper the old yellow dog with his shaggy hair and Tiggs her old grey striped cat. His name is really Tiger but everyone calls him Tiggs for short. He spends most of his day on the window seat catching the sun.

Come on Katie hurry up

Harry calls to his big sister as he runs out of the backdoor.

I’m coming wait for me I just need to finish getting my wellies on.

Granny has told the children to be careful as the paddock is still muddy after the rain last week. Granny will watch the children from the kitchen while she is busy cooking their dinner and baking fresh scones for a special treat to have later. This morning they all got in a mess when Harry wanted to help with the chocolate fairy cakes.

Harry put on your pinnie if you want to help Katie stir the mix.

Granny can I lick the bowl can I can I

He had pleaded. When Katie was carefully spooning the mix into the little paper cases on the tray.

Now Katie pushes the door open and races out to join her brother, Katie loves her little brother even though he is only seven and still acts like a baby sometimes. Next week Katie will be nine then she will be even more grown up than she is now.

Harry must be hiding as Katie can’t see him anywhere. She sits down on the bench in the middle of the field.

I don’t care where you are I am just going to sit here and wait for you

She shouts.

The sun is shining but it is still cold and the leaves are falling from the trees. Katie watches them for a while. Harry comes out of hiding to kick the leaves around where they have fallen in piles under the trees at the edge of the field. Then Katie notices that the big tree on its own, granny says it’s an oak tree has still got most of its leaves.

She wanders over to the big tree. There are a few leaves on the ground some brown others still a bit yellowy but there are other things too. Granny told the children when they were little that fairies live in this tree and they use the acorn cups to drink from. But that was just a story for little kids wasn’t it.

Katie

Katie

Katie looks up into the branches thinking Harry must have climbed up there while she wasn’t looking. But he isn’t there she can see him over at the fence now talking to the old brown horse in Mr Cartwright’s field. Nelson must be getting old now, he’s even older than Katie is.

Katie

Katie

There it is again, that whisper almost as if the tree was whispering her name, but trees can’t talk.

Who are you and what do you want

Katie is trying to be braver than she feels now, she thinks of calling Harry over here or maybe she should run to him.

Katie it is me, I won’t hurt you, I have been watching you. You are a kind girl, I see you feed the birds and stroking the animals.

But who are you and why won’t you let me see you

She peers up into the branches looking for a clue.

Katie you can see me, I have been her for more than a hundred years, you have climbed into my arms I mean my branches. My little friends the fairies want you to become one of our friends.

But you have to promise not to tell anyone our secret.

Katie tries not to jump up and down with excitement

I promise I promise

Can I tell my granny though cos she told me about the faries and I thought it was a story.

Katie your granny knows our secret but as she got older she forgot about us and now she just believes we are a fairy tale that she remembers. We don’t need her to remember that we are here.

If you promise to keep our secret we can have lots of fun and adventures.


Shhhush now Harry is coming over. I will tell you more when you are alone.

Katie can’t sit still for the rest of the afternoon, she keeps going to the big window and looking out at the tree. She notices that it looks different now. If she looks carefully it seems to have a face half way up the thick trunk. He is winking at her she thinks and the wind blowing in the branches makes it look as though the tree is waving to her.

Granny can I go back out after dinner to look at the stars?

Yes but only for a few minutes and you must wrap up warm as your mum will never forgive me if you catch a cold.

Katie can’t wait to get back outside to her tree now that she knows its secret. Funny how she is thinking of it as her tree now.

Harry are you going to see the stars with your sister after dinner?

No granny I want to stay in here and keep warm its too cold out there.

Katie helps granny with the dishes after they finish eating before she rushes to the backdoor where her outdoor things are waiting. She smiles at the rustle of the leaves as she runs to her tree.

Hello tree I’m back and I’m on my own. Harry won’t get in the way this time.

Hello Katie did you have a nice dinner?

Tree?

Yes Katie what is it?

What should I call you? Do I call you tree or something else?

You can call me Chant if you like. That’s what the fairies call me. Your granny used to call me Chant and I liked that I think it suits me don’t you?

Katie thinks about it trying the name to see what it feels like, whispering it to see what it sounds like. She doesn’t know anyone called Chant, it’s a strange name to Katie.

Chant,……..Chant hmmm I don’t know maybe, CHAnt no chant, chant, yes I think I can get used to that.


Katie

Katieeeee

Come in now please your mum is on the phone for you.

Coming granny……Chant I have to go in now but I will see you tomorrow.

Bye Katie oh and Katie

Yes Chant

Goodnight

Kateeeeee

Coming!!

Katie skips back to the house throwing her coat off as she runs to the phone to talk to mummy.