Which Way?

We continued along the Serpentine Road.  It was much quieter than when we’d arrived.  The snake festival was to last another day and with fewer people travelling the road it made our journey easier.  We wandered along, following the bends and twists in the road until I asked myself  ‘Why?’  The surrounding countryside was perfectly flat; mostly meadows with the odd tree here and there.
‘I think we’ll take the short-cut, Maria’. I guided her onto the grass. We could see that the road was heading for the low hills and going ‘as the crow flies’ would cut some considerable distance and time off our journey.

We’d been on the grass for about ten minutes when there was an ‘Oi!’ I gave a big sigh, rolled my eyes and muttered, ‘Now what?’ I turned towards the voice and saw a stout little man waddling towards me. He was clad all in olive green and had on a deerstalker and wellies. His face was quite round and sported a bulbous nose and red whiskers. His skin had a green tinge to it.
‘Hello’, I said. ‘Are you a leprechaun?’
‘NO!!, I’m not!’ he shouted, and glared at me. ‘I’ve just not been well, that’s all.’  I had the feeling I was not the first person to ask this question.
‘Oh, sorry to hear that. Did you want me for something?’
‘Aye. You’re not allowed on the grass.’
‘Why’s that? We aren’t doing any damage.’
‘That’s got nowt to do with it. You’re just not allowed. Everyone has to use the road.’
‘Then why wasn’t the road built in a straight line? It meanders about all over the place, but it’s not going around anything or visiting anywhere.’
The non-leprechaun seemed a bit nonplussed. ‘I don’t know. It’s allus bin like that. Them as came before built it, and the rules are – you must stay on the road.’
‘I’m heading for those hills,’ I said, pointing, ‘and I am not travelling three times further than I need to, to get there, and there’s not much you can do about it. So I’ll bid you good-day.’
‘There’ll be trouble, missus.’
‘Not for me there won’t. Now you go back to whatever it was you were doing and pretend you never saw me. I’ll be over those hills in no time.’ I left him scratching his beard and wrestling with his conscience.

An hour later we were back on the road where it started to rise gradually into the hills. As we ambled up the incline I turned in the saddle to look at the view. The Serpentine Road looked more like a lazy, meandering river than a road. If we’d stuck to it, it would have taken three hours longer to get to where we were, and I couldn’t see that the cavalry had been called out to deal with us, either. The only other people travelling on the road, in the same direction as us, were two small groups in the distance, dutifully sticking to the road. What rebels we were!

We reached the top of the crest and started down the other side, between the two hills. Half way down, the road, which was now more of a wide track, divided into two. There was a weather-beaten signpost at the junction. The wider track to the right said ‘The Road More Travelled’ and the other, narrower track said ‘The Road Less Travelled’.
‘Well, that’s extremely helpful, Maria. I think it’s time for a drink and a biscuit.’ I climbed down and got us both some refreshments. It was almost noon so I decided a little siesta might be useful. I settled myself against a tree trunk and pulled my hat over my eyes.
‘Don’t you wander off, Maria, and I’ll give you another biscuit when I wake.’ There were decisions to be made after we’d rested.

Moving On

The next morning I was up bright and early. Spending two nights in a real bed had worked wonders. I washed and dressed and set off for a stroll around the village. As with all mass-gatherings there was a lot of cleaning up to do, and there were one or two people already out making a start.

I grabbed a bag from one of them and collected rubbish as I walked. The morning was fresh and crisp and the ducks had returned to the pond now that all was quiet again. Several of them were cleaning up food scraps that had been left behind by the revellers, which was good because I didn’t want to do it. Paper and bottles, yes. Food, no.

After about an hour I’d worked my way back to the inn. George, the landlord, was busy behind the bar cleaning and sorting his glasses.
‘Morning, love. Beautiful day. Can I get you anything?’
‘I’d love a small pot of tea, please, and is there any chance of some breakfast?’
‘Depends what you want to eat. Tea I can do, but the cook doesn’t start ’til half past seven. My cooking’s rubbish.’
‘Would it be alright if I cooked myself some eggs and bacon? I’m leaving today and would like to make an early start.’
‘Fine by me, as long as you leave everything clean and tidy. Cook’s got a very short fuse where the kitchen’s concerned.’
‘Of course I will. I’ll just nip outside and let Cedric know to get Maria organised. Would you like some breakfast too?’
‘Oooh, yes please! I’ll just have a bacon sandwich though. Nice and crispy.’

We had a most enjoyable breakfast and a bit of a chat about the festivities. He’d had a good time but, like me, hadn’t stayed out late.
‘Can’t lie in bed of a morning in this place. There’s too much to do.’
I cleared away our dishes and made sure the kitchen was just as I’d found it, then went up to pack my saddlebags. I was looking forward to continuing my journey.

All packed, I went back downstairs to find George. ‘I’ve come to settle up with you, George. How much do I owe you?’
‘Bless ya. Nothing! It’s all been taken care of.’
‘By whom?’
‘Bella.’
‘Then I must thank her. Do you know where she is?’
‘If she’s running true to form, she’ll still be snoring. Doesn’t usually get up until ten o’clock.’
‘Oh dear. I really do want to get away early.’
‘Why don’t you write her a note and I’ll make sure she gets it?’

Dear Bella,
It was so nice to meet you and your sister, Hecate.
I’ve really enjoyed my stay at the inn, and all the
festivities. You are quite the showman!
George tells me that you’ve settled the bill for the
stay, for which I thank you very much.
You and your sister are amazing women and I can
see that your communities hold you both in high
regard – and rightly so.
I would’ve loved to thank you in person, but you need
your sleep and I need an early start, so please accept
this with my sincerest thanks and best wishes. Maybe
one day we will meet again. I hope so.
Beryl
P.S. Don’t forget Hecate wants you to go and stay with
her for a while.

I gave the note to George; thanked him for his hospitality and went to get Maria. She was tethered outside the inn. I gave Cedric a few dollars for taking good care of her and climbed into the saddle.  All this travelling and donkey riding was making me quite limber.
‘Which way for Rainbow Beach?’
‘Go back to the main road and turn right. Head for the hills.’
‘Thank you.’ I gave a little wave to George and Cedric, and Maria and I walked back through the village. People were starting to appear and a small gaggle of children escorted us back to the main road.
‘It feels good to be on the move again, eh Maria?’ She gave a little snicker, which I took for a ‘Yes’.

The Feast

At precisely one o’clock a horn sounded and all the talking was silenced. With the help of a loudspeaker Bella welcomed everyone to the feast. She told us that children would pass amongst us and collect the snakeskins. (Someone on our table didn’t have one, so I passed down my spare.) Once they were all collected, the ceremony for calling in the snakes would begin. Dozens of children ran about and the task was completed in about five minutes.

All the snakeskins were put into a bright copper cauldron and set alight. Bella sprinkled something over the pot and produced a miniature fireworks display, which was cheered and clapped. After this she and Trevor wove their way through all the tables singing a song in a strange language. I couldn’t understand the words, but it was pleasant to listen to. They ended up in front of the gong and Bella raised her arms and shouted an incantation. Then she brought her arms down swiftly. At this point hands shot over ears – except I was a bit slow – and Trevor struck the gong with the mallet. It was a very deep tone, and not only made my ears ring but made me feel a bit nauseous too. He struck the gong three times and then all eyes turned to the woods. As the ringing died away the snakes appeared. The ground appeared to be seething with them – every size and colour.

As soon as the snakes appeared, so did the food. There was meat, fish and fowl; hot seasonal vegetables; salads, soups, fruit; puddings, pies and cake. Jugs of mead and lemonade were placed on the tables too.

We were asked to lift the snakes onto the tables; offer them tiny morsels of all the foods and then set them back on the ground. This seemed less than hygienic to me, but we did as asked. Fortunately, the snakes were very docile and didn’t slither all over the food. When they had been fed and were placed back on the ground, they all headed back to the woods and the feast got underway for us humans.

There were acrobats, clowns and jugglers to entertain us while we ate. The food was delicious and after we’d finished eating, the tables were removed and replaced by a wooden dance floor. A lively band played jigs and reels, and we all had a whale of a time. The dancing continued through the night, but I caved around ten thirty and went to bed, thoroughly exhausted but very happy.

I passed Bella on the stairs and winked at her.
‘I know your secret,’ I said.
‘What secret?’
‘The snakes. It’s the gong, isn’t it? Nothing to do with charms and incantations.’
She put her finger to her lips, ‘Shhhh!’ she said. ‘Don’t let the cat out of the bag. The visitors like a bit of pomp and circumstance.’
‘Don’t worry, Bella. Your secret’s safe with me.’ I gave her a big hug and went to my room.

The Day of the Serpents

I woke the next morning to sounds of activity outside. Trestle tables and benches were being arranged in circles around the duck pond, and more were being placed on the part of the common that was not cluttered with tents. The children were all helping and there was a great deal of merriment.

I washed and dressed and wandered outside. The landlord seemed to be directing things.
‘Good morning. I’m glad the rain stopped.’ I said.
‘Yes. It’ll be a good day for it.’
‘How will you cater for so many people?’
‘Oh, we don’t do it all. The whole village is involved in providing the feast.’
‘How do the snakes get here?’
‘Bella sings to them, and they come out of the forest.’
‘But, snakes are deaf aren’t they?’
‘Are they? I never knew that. It must be the charm she uses.’

Just then Bella emerged from the inn and came to join us. Only three hats this morning, but all of them different from yesterday.
‘Would you like to take a stroll with me?’ she asked.
‘I would. You can tell me all about how you charm the snakes.’
‘Oh, if I did that, dear, I’d have to kill you,’ and she chuckled at her joke. At least I think it was a joke.
‘How can you sing a charm to snakes when they can’t hear?’ She tapped the side of her nose and winked at me.

We walked to the far side of the pond as we talked. She asked me how Hecate was and we talked of her little cottage. Apparently it had been in the Lemurian branch of the family for centuries. When we reached the other side of the duck pond we met a group of men hauling an enormous gong onto the grass. It must have been about six feet across and was mounted on a large timber frame on wheels. Another man was carrying a large, leather covered mallet. A dinner gong that could call people from miles away! Bella shouted ‘hello’ to the group and we made our way back to the inn.
‘Join me for breakfast, Bella?’ She agreed and we went inside.
‘Will you be attending the Gorgon ceremony tomorrow?’ she asked.
‘I’m not very fond of smelly cheese.’
‘Huh!?’ She looked puzzled. ‘It’s not a cheese. Its ‘The Gorgon’, like in mythology.’
‘Oh! What’s involved in that then?’
‘Well, you have to perform for her, and if you do a good job she removes one of her veils and imparts some wisdom.’
‘It’s not painful karaoke, is it? I don’t do karaoke.’
‘It can be anything of your choosing.’
‘Hmmm. I’ll have to think about that. I don’t sing; can’t juggle or do magic tricks and my dancing days are over…….I might just watch.’
‘Oh, and while I think about it, don’t forget to take your snakeskin to the feast.’
‘Aaand what snakeskin would that be? I don’t have a snakeskin. Do they skin the snakes?’
‘No, the skins that the snakes slough off each year are collected by the children and decorated.You have to have one to be seated at the feast.’
‘Where will I get one?’
‘One of the stalls will be selling them.’
‘OK, I’ll go and get one.’

Bella went off to prepare herself for the calling-in of the snakes, and I wandered through the stalls on the common, looking for the snakeskin merchant.

The stall was painted all over with brightly coloured snakes, and the proprietors were a couple of children about nine years old.
‘You have a beautiful tent,’ I said.
‘We painted it ourselves. Not just us………all of the kids.’
‘Well, you’ve done an excellent job of it.’
‘Do you want to buy one?’ asked the little girl.
‘I do indeed. Which one would you recommend?’
‘I painted the purple and orange one,’ she said, ‘An’ I did the spotty one,’ said the boy.
‘Those were the ones that I like the best, too. I’ll take them both. How much are they?’
‘Three dollars each.’ They beamed. I handed over a ten dollar note and told them to keep the change.
‘Carry them carefully,’ said the little boy, ‘ ’cause they tear easy.’
‘I will. Thank you very much.’
I carried my purchases back to my room and laid them carefully on the bed.

At twelve thirty I made my way through the tables looking for ‘E’ and the others taking the donkey trek. They saw me first and waved and shouted. I sat down, together with my snakeskins, and we all swapped tales of our adventure so far.

At the House of Serpents

I wandered back to the larger front room of the inn. The landlord, a tall, beefy fellow, beckoned me to a corner table where a ploughman’s lunch was laid out – thick slices of crusty home-made bread, sharp cheese and some pickles.
‘Are you Beryl?’
‘I am, yes.’
‘Will this be alright for you? Only we don’t do hot meals at lunchtime.’
‘That looks delicious. Thank you.’
‘You’re a friend of Bella’s, then?’
‘No. More a friend of her sister’s, really.’
‘You’ve come for the festival, have you?’
‘That was not my intention when I came through the tollgate, but events seem to have overtaken me somewhat.’
‘There’s no need to be scared of the snakes, you know. Bella does her thing, and no-one’s ever been bitten.’
‘I’m not scared of snakes. Now if it was spiders, I’d be looong gone! Don’t like spiders. What actually happens at the festival?’
‘It begins tonight, at sunset. Bella and Trevor – he’s a warlock – go into the woods with incense burners and incantations to mollify the snakes. They’ll be out there all night. Come sunup they’ll be back in here getting ready for the next phase. Visitors are welcome to follow them at a discrete distance, if you’d like to go.’
‘I think I’d rather have an early night than be wandering about in the woods in the dark.’
‘Well, dinner’s served from six thirty and your room’s number seven. You’ll join in the fun tomorrow, won’t you?’
‘Oh, yes. It’s just that I’ve done enough communing with nature to last me for a while. What happens tomorrow?’
‘Tomorrow’s the Day of the Serpents, when the snakes are invited to dine with us.’ He gave me a wink and went off to serve someone. I wondered if rats and mice would be on the menu.

I ate my lunch then went outside to get my saddlebags. I was met by a wiry young man, who tugged at his forelock and introduced himself.
‘I’m Cedric, Missus. Th’ ostler.’
‘Oh good. Can I leave Maria in your capable hands then?’
‘You can. What’s your room number? I’ll put her in that stall. All her tack will be in there as well.’
‘I’m in seven.’
‘Seven it is then.’
‘Thank you very much.’ I took the saddlebags and went up to my room.

It was not a large room, but the bed was soft and there was a washbasin and jug of water on a stand. The window overlooked the duck pond and common. I slipped off my shoes and lay down on the top of the quilt. I could hear all the people on the common, but before too long it all became a murmur and I nodded off.

………………………………

I was awakened by the sounds of shouting and cheering. I hurried to the window to see what was happening. It was almost dark and a small procession was heading off around the pond. The diminutive Bella was in the lead. Gone was the assortment of hats. She now wore what once might have been a pointy, witch’s hat. Now it was sort of………….limp. The brim had lost its stiffness and the point had collapsed in on itself. The sad hat was offset by a bright red gown and Bella’s beautiful smile. She was followed by a very tall, gaunt, serious man – obviously Trevor of warlock fame – whose hat still had some substance. They carried lamps and were swinging incense burners. A small group of children was capering along behind them, but when they left the confines of the village the children didn’t follow.

I washed ready for dinner and as I opened the door of my room I saw that someone had pushed an envelope underneath. I picked it up. A card inside said:

You are invited to attend the Banquet for the Snakes, tomorrow.
 Please be seated by 1pm.
Signed ‘E’

I really hoped it was not going to be rats and mice.