The Wonderland Walk

The woodland procession approaches, and lifted highly upon firm branches, all knotted in a crazy splendid mess, sits the Forest Tree King, and all about is perfect. The sunshine of the day perches upon his shoulder and he looks lovingly down into the gathered crowd.

Ribbons and bunting are everywhere, gold, green, blue, white, yellow, fluttering like butterflies in the light summer breeze.

'Welcome my friends' he says to the gathering, his deep voice, warm and welcoming. 'Now who shall sit on my throne for the day? Who shall bring me the most perfect leaf, for that is what you must do for me and then I will grant the winner a seat upon my throne for the day.'

Go in to the graveyard and round the back of the church and in that stone circle will be Buttercups the Evil rabbit.

He then pauses for effect though the words are the same every year.
'But there is one simple rule, do you know it?' and all about the crowd chant 'Yes, yes we do.'
'Well then that is good, but lets help our new friends freshly joined' and he turns to you and says.

'The leaves must fall naturally to the ground, none must be picked from the trees themselves, and be careful where you collect them from, it must be clean and free from litter of any kind. Now are you ready?'

Are you? Then nod to the Forest Tree King.

All about the courtyard the frenzy is about to begin, there is a magic hush as the King lifts his arm in readiness. Everyone holds their breath waiting for the signal, then he opens his palm and out spill hundreds of rose petals, and off like a gun the crowd goes, to the left and right, people scurrying and snatching at the leaves on the ground, along the side, on rocks, on the tops of the walls. When they have what they believe to be the best, then they head off across the grass at a mad pace.

Then the King of the Forest turns gently to you again and asks kindly. 'What are you waiting for, find one superb leaf each, make it different from each others, so no two should be alike if you can help it, then take them to the five judges in the field.'

'The winner will have the chance to sit upon my throne, it is always the prize going far back into history, further than books, and long beards, and perhaps even before shoes were invented, and that is a very long way back indeed!'

So your task is set, each take a moment to find a leaf, as perfect as can be and then when you are ready, come back to me and read on.

You all have a leaf?

Congratulations you found Buttercup the Evil Rabbit. These are the instructions for how to win his leaf competition. Buttercup is brown with no fur on his body and he is utterly evil. Buttercup the Rabbit lives in the stone circle behind the Church. Hold your leaves in the air and drop them to the floor, all at the same time. The one that floats down on the floor the slowest is the winner.

To get to Busy the Buzzard you will have to go through the gate into the Mead. Once through look up the field, on the left runs a long wall made of stone and half way up the field there is a little change in depth. This is where you must go, it is diagonal from here, and called The Big wall.

Here you will find the Busy Buzzard.

Busy the big buzzard says.
The walls have yellow moss, and the cars are very noisey. My friends don't care about the noise, but I care because it's my cave. My bright yellow eyes light up the cave.

Busy meets his friends once again, and the trees blow hard like mad.

Busy likes to save the day and likes saving animal's lives. He wants to find a flat, perfect leaf to use as a stretcher for injured animals. So put your hand at the end of the leaf and pull down tight and the stretchiest leaf wins.

To find Buzz the Bee you must stand looking at the play park, make your way to the top right hand corner of the Mead, near the gate to Budgens. She has a bushy green tree and that is where she lives. The tree is like no others and on the right of the path.

Congratulations, you have found Buzz the Bee. She is yellow and black and has a deadly sting. Buzz has had a hard time sleeping lately because of all the leaves rustling around. She has searched all over the mead for a leaf that has the most colours on. Now you have come along she has a better chance of finding the leaf that she wants. But Buzz is usually out with her friends so you must count to three and then all together say bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Then you will have summoned Buzz, lay your leaves on the path and who evers leaf has the most colours on will not only win a point but will win her heart.

To get to Holly the Hare go to the top of the Mead, into the play park. Go to the blue apparatus and you are there, well done!

Holly the Hare lives under the blue apparatus, she has chosen this
spot so no animals can get her. Holly is white and brown. Holly would like a leaf with 2 spiky bits that look like her ears. Put the leaves on the bench, the one with the longest spikes wins. Holly especially likes sycamore leaves!

by Amelie Vowell.

Holly the Hare

Cactus the cat lives in the middle of the cricket field, and he likes the long wavy grass. If you find him congratulations!

Cactus the cat likes the grass to play in and the flowers. He likes to sleep in the long wavy grass, It tickles his tummy and nose. Cactus the cat would like a big leaf to curl up to sleep on. The biggest leaf will win.

To get to Holly the Hog you must go to the brown building. Stand infront of the cricket pavilion and to the left of it is where Holly lives.

Hello you have found Holly the Hog, she is little and brown with muddy trotters. She lives by the side of the pavilion. Holly would like the spottiest leaf because she is spotty too.

Go back to the church yard gate and pass through into the Church yard. Now turn right and follow the wall on your right hand side, stop when you get to the bench on a slope. Harry the hare will be wating.

Harry the Hare is the bounciest hare in the world, He is very massive so you will spot him. He is in the church yard, near the Mead gate on the bench. Harry the Hare eats a lot of grass, and drinks water. He plays with his friends. Harry would like a really soft leaf so that he can sleep on it. Lay your leaves in a row in the grass, the softest leaf will win. Harry will decide the winner. WELL DONE!

From Harry the Hare go back to the Tree between the Church and the school for that is where your story will end, and the Forest Tree King Awaits to judge your leaves.

The King waits eagerly, he has judged many leaves already, but lots of faces are a little glum as nobody has won yet today, but then you place your leaves on the church yard wall, and the Kings wise eyes light right up.

'All these leaves are so beautiful,' he says 'but every competition needs a winner and the throne can only hold one person, so . . . ' and he pauses thinking for a moment.

'Is there one leaf which has been chosen more than the others?'

Who's leaf has been chosen the most times?

But the King shakes his head, 'We can't leave it like this, I have an idea, you can take it in turns on my throne.'

And an enormous roar of applause erupts from the crowd, hats are thrown into the air and music begins to start.

Then the Forest Tree King lifts you up high onto the throne of branches and all cheer at the first winner.