It had never been the great love between your parents and me : As soon as they realized that their daughter was not becoming the quiet little housewife they had planned to raise, they concluded that it could only be the result of my bad influence on You. A girl who prefers to wear trousers and run in the forest instead of sitting at home like an angel, devotedly darning daddy's socks with adoration and blind obedience, there had to be someone to blame for it, and this someone had been me.
If they couldn't prevent you to run away almost every afternoon and meet me outside, they forbade me to enter their home.
Oh, my own house was not more welcoming, for other reasons, even if it had nothing to do with you though...
But the result was that when we were together, you and me, we were homeless. It was our curse, and even if we were not suffering much , there have been some times when, especially during the cold season, we would have enjoyed to share a cosy and warm afternoon inside too.
However, one day, i could enter your home for the first time. I remember well how it happened. We were ten and eleven years old then...
This day, we were exploring a forgotten jungle, far in the south continent. At one point, we had to cross a deep canyon, walking on a narrow fallen tree. You were as always faster than me, and you had almost reached the other side, when your foot has slipped, and i just could watch you, helplessly, fall ten thousands meters below...
But then, when i heard your scream, and saw tears in your eyes, i knew that you were not playing anymore... You really had hurted yourself !
You were holding your ankle and your pain was obvious. When i tried to help you to stand up, i saw well that you could not walk anymore in this state. We were not speaking, but we shared in our eyes the same worry : was your ankle broken ?
Normally, i'm not the strong boy, but at this moment, naturally, i took you in my arms and ran to your home, like if you were not heavier than the air we were moving.
I just had the time to tell your parents that you had fallen and wounded your ankle, before the door was slammed before my nose, and i heard your father yelling : "get off, you little devil, you've done enough troubles for today !"
The day after, i was of course worried for you, and wanted to know how you feel, how serious is your wound. This morning, i went to the library and took as much children books as i could, with the few coins i owned, i bought in Saddle a wonderful apple pie and a pouch full of candies, and, armed with my courage and will to know how you are and to help you as best as i could, i knocked at your door.
It was the start of the afternoon, and i remember very well the look your mother gave to me when she opened.
But then i spoke, i told her how much i was worried for you, how much i wanted to have news, how much i wanted to help you to feel better. I gave her the books, the pie and the candies, when i saw her face change. "Go bring it yourself, she'll be happy to see you, she's been asking after you since yesterday. I think a bit of company could do her well"
Not believing what was happening, i entered for the first time in your house, climbed the ladder she was pointing at, and reached the little room under the roof. Your bedroom !
We have spent one of the most beautiful afternoon i can remember in my life. I was sitting next to you, poor little Kuzgun laying on her bed with a big bandage around the foot and the ankle. By luck, the bone was not broken, had said the healer, but you'd have to stay at home for two weeks without walking...
We've shared the pie and the candies, your mother has even brought us two cups of hot milk with honey.
Then we opened the first book and i started to read for you the first story :
The greatest treasure in the world !
Mrs Shrew was puting on the grass, at the entrance of her hole, some flowers she had found earlier in the meadow. The blue flowers were looking so good, and smelling so well. Mrs Shrew was smiling while arranging them carefully, when she saw the silhouette of Mr Frog at the edge of the path, walking toward her.
When he was closer, Mrs Shrew noticed something strange in his expression : his eyes were too open, and too bright, and like not really watching what they were seeing. And this stupid smile on his face, and this big book under his arm... Oh oh... she thought, he has again been to the library...
Mr Frog had indeed a very fertile and enthusiast imagination, and each time he was reading or listening to a story, he was entering in it so much that he could not anymore make the difference between reality and imagination...
"Hello there, Frog" she tried, with a worried tone... "how are you today ?"
First Mr Frog was not answering, gazing stupidly in the air and walking on her flowers without even noticing them...
"Mr Frog !?"
Suddenly he became animated and his arms were doing the windmill in the air : "THE BIGGEST TREASURE IN THE WORLD !", he screamed, so loud that Mrs Shrew fled into her hole, covering her ears with her little hands.
"Are you crazy, Frog ? you've frightened me ! What an idea to shout like that ! And what is this story about a treasure !?
- not a vulgar treasure, Shrew ! but THE treasure ! The biggest one ! And it's me, Frog, who has discovered it ! Well... not yet found it, but its track, at least !
- Frog, you're again dreaming ! Such a treasure is a legend, and even if you were finding it, what would you do with it ? hmm ? You're not happy as you are ? Do you really need a treasure ?
-You obviously don't know what you are talking about... Look there, in this very serious and respectable book (it was a fairy tales' book) which i have borrowed at the library : they talk about it ! Look, all is explained in a very detailed manner ! "a deep forest, a terrible monster guarding an uncredible treasure, dangers, beasts, dark magery... forever rich... !"
- But Frog, sighed Mrs Shrew, if all this is true, in WHICH forest is your treasure ? It could be ANY forest in ANY country, she shaked her head, you don't even know where to seek !
- Popolop ! You're all wrong ! It's all written, scientifically : a dark forest, a path between the trees, turns on left, turns on right... there's no possible error : it's OUR forest, Shrew ! We are rich !"
Mrs Shrew rolled her eyes so strongly that even the dreaming Mr Frog noticed it.
"You don't believe me, i see. Very well ! i will go alone, and the treasure will be all mine ! After all a true heroe doesn't need any help ! Have a nice afternoon, Mrs Shrew !"
Mrs Shrew watched Mr Frog walking away, worried... who knows what could happen to such a dreamy creature... She decided to accompany him, at least to stop him before he does something really dangerous and stupid.
At first, when they entered the forest, Mrs Shrew thought that the adventure would end soon. But no. Mr Frog was talking and talking, his big book open, showing here a tree, there a bush, exactly as it was described in the book, even if, was thinking Mrs Shrew, there was trees and bushes everywhere in this forest, just like in every forest she could imagine... The joke was starting to turn sour as they were going deeper and deeper, walking where they had never dared to go before, and the forest was changing, becoming more dark, more msyterious. Mrs Shrew had no idea anymore were they were. They were lost, but Mr Frog was continuing to follow an imaginary route which only him could see...
"But, Frog, she asked, now really worried, what will you do when you will meet this monster you keep talking about ? You are not a knight, as far as i know...
- Ah ! A knight ! i don't need to be a knight ! I have that !
And he showed the needle he had hidden in his jacket all along this adventure...
- But Frog ! You are crazy ! A needle against a monster ! You have no chance ! And you will again wound yourself or someone !
Then she saw, behind him...
- Ah ! Shrew ! The problem with you, is that you are negative ! Think positive ! And please stop to shake ! You will see what i will do with your monster when i'll meet him !
But then, he realized that something was really wrong in the way she was looking behind him... and he turned on himself, slowly, not daring to breath...
He was here, at a few meters from them... the most horride monster he could ever have imagined... much more frightening than any creature described in all the books he had read before... because this monster was true...
Holding his needle with his two shivering hands, the crazy Mr Frog shouted to the beast : "Beware, foul creature ! i...i am Frig the knoght !... and... and.. i've come to claim my tt-t-treasure ! Give it to me and i will spare your life !
- A very deep and powerful voice came out of the huge mouth of the monster : A treasure, little frog ? Which treasure are you talking about ?
- AhaaaaAAH ! Don't try to trick me ! You... you don't know who i am ! Frog was now trembling from all his bones. I...I talk about THE Treasure !, the one you are guarding, the BIGGEST TREASURE IN The world !... his voice was becoming weaker and weaker...
- The biggest treasure in the world hmm ? said the monster, noticing the poor Mrs Shrew hiding behind this crazy frog. But i can't give it to you, little frog.
- wh..WHat !? but i will have t-to... to k...kill you then ! Why don't you give up, monster !? and.. and stop to call me little frog !
- The monster answered, quietly. I can't give you what you already have, big frog.
- What i already have ?
-Yes, behind you, is the biggest treasure in the world.
- Behind me ? Frog turned around. Ah Don't stay in the way, Shrew, where's the treasure ?
Shrew, shivering and crying, was not able to move, when the monster added : You did not need to come here for your treasure. It's her, big frog. See how she is holding you... the biggest treasure in the world, fool little animal, it's to have each others ! But now that you have been too stupid to come here to get what you had in front of your nose, i will swallow you raw !
And he marched toward them.
Frog took Mrs Shrew by the hand and started to run for their life, feeling their last moment had come.
But while trying to follow him, Mrs Shrew couldn't help peering behind her, and she saw the monster rolling on the floor laughing...
How they found their way back to their little land is not written in any book, but the day after, Mr Frog visited Mrs Shrew again, this time not holding a book, but a big bouquet of flowers, and a basket full of good things for a wonderful picknick.
What i will never forget, it's the look and the smile we shared when i finished to read the story...
