Raeburn was cold so hurried along the path into the woods to his little shack. His ragged coat flapping about his legs, pockets filled with a rabbits for his supper. He spied a movement in the bracken and slowed his steps. He had heard there were robbers in the forest and did not want to lose his supper before he had even had a taste. Gradually, he crept nearer the place he'd spied movement, and pounced. To his amazement there was two squeals, He dragged out his catch and found he had two children in his hands.
"What are you doing here in this cold." he asked them.
"We're norphans and no-one wants us" said what looked like a six year old boy. Mind you, he was in a worse ragged state than Raeburn. In fact both children were,and muddy and real scruffs.
"What, have you no family at all, Aunts, uncles and so on? queried Raeburn. "Nope, me 'n' milly are on our own an' we don' care 'cos we is 'appy togevver, replied the boy, "We is going to build anouse 'an live there on our own,"
Raeburn looked at the boy in disbelief. "How old are you both", he asked. "Dunno, I fink I'se six 'an Milly is four, but I could be wrong. Yew see, no-one tole us." the boy said.
"Oh well, I think you had better come and share my home and supper for the night because it is very cold and is getting colder. At least you will be warm and fed. How does that sound to you?" he asked the boy, the little girl still hiding behind her brother.
Raeburn felt so sorry for the mites. They were blue and shivering from the cold and he bet his last whisker they had not been fed recently from the look of them.
The little lad looked consideringly at Raeburn, then at Milly, then said, "Okay, we'll give it a go, by the way, I'm Griffin 'an this is Milly. So who're you?"
"My name is Raeburn and I live in a shack in the forest. Although not a big house it is well enough and warm." Raeburn replied. "Right, let's go then. The two children quickly folowed him.
RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
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starlite271043
RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
Last edited by starlite271043 on Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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starlite271043
Re: RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
They reached the Raeburn's shack and all trooped in. It was indeeed warmer than outside and the children looked about goggle-eyed. There was indeed much to look at for Raeburn seemed to collect everything that didn't run from him. Well, he could find a use for it all sometime, at least, that's what he told himself.
"Right you two sit here by the fire and get warm." he told the children as he added more logs and the fire flared up in response. The children crept forward nearer the warmth. "Cor you ain't half gorra lotta stuff, mister," said the lad."Wotcha saving it for?" "Oh, in case it comes in useful", Raeburn told him.
He busied himself preparing the rabbits for supper along with some wild vegetables. "I think a stew would be best." he mumbled to himself. Millie came over and timidly watched him and said," me mum made them, I likes them.", "I'm so glad 'cos that's what yer getting," he told her. "It will fill you up and warm you inside as well."
He put the stew on the hob and told himself he was getting weak in the head for taking in two kids, but his soft old heart just wouldn't let him leave them behind. He knew another few days and they would have been dead in this cold and no food. He heaved a big sigh for his foolishness, but then thought, at least it would be company and once they were fed properly, they would be lively company. But, he didn't know just how lively they were going to be.
"Right you two sit here by the fire and get warm." he told the children as he added more logs and the fire flared up in response. The children crept forward nearer the warmth. "Cor you ain't half gorra lotta stuff, mister," said the lad."Wotcha saving it for?" "Oh, in case it comes in useful", Raeburn told him.
He busied himself preparing the rabbits for supper along with some wild vegetables. "I think a stew would be best." he mumbled to himself. Millie came over and timidly watched him and said," me mum made them, I likes them.", "I'm so glad 'cos that's what yer getting," he told her. "It will fill you up and warm you inside as well."
He put the stew on the hob and told himself he was getting weak in the head for taking in two kids, but his soft old heart just wouldn't let him leave them behind. He knew another few days and they would have been dead in this cold and no food. He heaved a big sigh for his foolishness, but then thought, at least it would be company and once they were fed properly, they would be lively company. But, he didn't know just how lively they were going to be.
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starlite271043
Re: RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
Two weeks had gone by and the two children had now filled out and looked very healthy....and lively. Unfortunately, Raeburn wasn't sure he could last another two. So far, they had turned his home upside down find something to play with, taken his only hat hat to use as a collecting basket for berries. Sadly the hat and berries had gotten squashed when Millie had accidentally sat on them. They , of course were useless.
Only yesterday they had gone out playing and little Millie got stuck up a tree. Why she had to climb a tree just to see if it was easy he would never know.Then to make matters worse, she fell asleep in her dinner. He had seen her eyes drooping and her head lowering but hadn't realised why till she fell in her dinner, and it wasn't pretty either,she had stew with vegetables running all down her face and in her hair.When she started crying it had caused little streaks of white, like little rivers.
What were they going to get up to if they stayed with him he dreaded to think..maybe he could give them to someone else.
But he had a feeling he would miss them."I don't know maybe I've gorn soft but they seem to have got to me somehow."
he thought.
Only yesterday they had gone out playing and little Millie got stuck up a tree. Why she had to climb a tree just to see if it was easy he would never know.Then to make matters worse, she fell asleep in her dinner. He had seen her eyes drooping and her head lowering but hadn't realised why till she fell in her dinner, and it wasn't pretty either,she had stew with vegetables running all down her face and in her hair.When she started crying it had caused little streaks of white, like little rivers.
What were they going to get up to if they stayed with him he dreaded to think..maybe he could give them to someone else.
But he had a feeling he would miss them."I don't know maybe I've gorn soft but they seem to have got to me somehow."
he thought.
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starlite271043
Re: RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
One morning a week or so later, Raburn was awoken by Millie, "He can't get in " she told him. "What? Who?" Raeburn asked, alittle blearily, Well, he wasn't awake properly yet. "Me bruvver. E's hanging orn," she complained. oh, help, what is that imp up to now," he thought. Swinging his legs out of bed he asked "Where is he?" thinking mistakenly that the young scamp had gotten stuck up a tree.
"Hup there", Milie replied, finger pointing towards the roof. Raeburn was mystified. They were up in the roof space already. It was where they slept. "Oh no, he's not on the roof is he?he asked. Millie looked at him pityingly and said Well, I pulled the rope in but he's can't get back." "Show me "he said heroically, dreading what he would find. "Okay" said Millie and trotted off to the children's room.
She pointed to the little window in the eaves and the rope tied around the wooden support post. Raeburn went to the little window and looked out but couldn't see anything. "Where?" he said."I can't see anything." But just then he could hear a little voice saying so plaintively "I'm stuck,." Raeburn went back to the window and leaned out as far as he dared and there below him him was the boy, Griffin.He was standing on the overledge above the door and shivering. Raeburn stretched his arm down and could just about reach to grab Griffin's wrist. He hauled him in to safety. He was so relieved he clouted him and said "You idiot. What do you think you were doing?"
Griffin sniffled and said ""She pulled the rope in and I couldn't get back. We was playing tree climbers only she pinched my rope." "Well, you told me to 'elp you so I did an' got the rope in." Millie squawked. "Yes, you stupid nellie an' left me out there. 'an it's freezing cold."yelled Griffin disgustedly.
"Hup there", Milie replied, finger pointing towards the roof. Raeburn was mystified. They were up in the roof space already. It was where they slept. "Oh no, he's not on the roof is he?he asked. Millie looked at him pityingly and said Well, I pulled the rope in but he's can't get back." "Show me "he said heroically, dreading what he would find. "Okay" said Millie and trotted off to the children's room.
She pointed to the little window in the eaves and the rope tied around the wooden support post. Raeburn went to the little window and looked out but couldn't see anything. "Where?" he said."I can't see anything." But just then he could hear a little voice saying so plaintively "I'm stuck,." Raeburn went back to the window and leaned out as far as he dared and there below him him was the boy, Griffin.He was standing on the overledge above the door and shivering. Raeburn stretched his arm down and could just about reach to grab Griffin's wrist. He hauled him in to safety. He was so relieved he clouted him and said "You idiot. What do you think you were doing?"
Griffin sniffled and said ""She pulled the rope in and I couldn't get back. We was playing tree climbers only she pinched my rope." "Well, you told me to 'elp you so I did an' got the rope in." Millie squawked. "Yes, you stupid nellie an' left me out there. 'an it's freezing cold."yelled Griffin disgustedly.
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starlite271043
Re: RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
A year had passed by and Raeburn was absolutely certain he was now as white as driven snow. He felt ancient. He thought of the antics these two imps from hell had put him through. What about the time they went to the local farm and thought of playing a game with the chickens. "OH my god," he thought "I still can't believe what they'd done," and then remembered the face of the farmer.
He started to giggle and then was soon laughing uproariously. "Oh my, they will be the death of me, but they had certainly enlivened his life.
Still laughing, his mind went back to that day a few months ago, when after working for the local woodsman, he had got wearily home only to find the irate farmer in his yard. The man was almost apoplectic and ranting at the kids. "What in the world is going on" he had asked and wished he hadn't.
The farmer looked at him and growled "You, you, he stuttered. "what you doing keeping these hellers here. You want to get rid of them 'cos they are a menace."
"Ok, what have they done this time." he had asked. And wow, didn't that farmer tell him.
"Those two thought of having a game of soldiers with my chickens, and when I went into the yard to feed them this evening, thought it was strange. It was so quiet, not as usual. Anyway, no chickens were there. I looked everywhere. Knew if wild dogs had got at them there would at least be some evidence, nothing. So.... off I went to get the cows in, feeling rather mystified like. There they were, all in a row along the path."
He had been wondering when the man would tell him the answer. "Like I jest said, there in a row all along the path, twenty five chickens dotted one after the other... an' all with their beaks stuck to the ground." That was when he had collapsed laughing.
He could just see these perishing chickens, beaks stuck to the ground dotted along the path like soldiers. He became almost hysterical with laughter which hadn't helped in the least. Eventually he had soothed the man and promised to string the kids up in the trees. But oh dear, he didn't think he would survive their imaginitive antics much longer.
The funny part was that if one scraped a line in the dirt and placed the chickens beaks to the ground, they wouldn't move, thinking they were glued there. And off he went again laughing at the memory.
He started to giggle and then was soon laughing uproariously. "Oh my, they will be the death of me, but they had certainly enlivened his life.
Still laughing, his mind went back to that day a few months ago, when after working for the local woodsman, he had got wearily home only to find the irate farmer in his yard. The man was almost apoplectic and ranting at the kids. "What in the world is going on" he had asked and wished he hadn't.
The farmer looked at him and growled "You, you, he stuttered. "what you doing keeping these hellers here. You want to get rid of them 'cos they are a menace."
"Ok, what have they done this time." he had asked. And wow, didn't that farmer tell him.
"Those two thought of having a game of soldiers with my chickens, and when I went into the yard to feed them this evening, thought it was strange. It was so quiet, not as usual. Anyway, no chickens were there. I looked everywhere. Knew if wild dogs had got at them there would at least be some evidence, nothing. So.... off I went to get the cows in, feeling rather mystified like. There they were, all in a row along the path."
He had been wondering when the man would tell him the answer. "Like I jest said, there in a row all along the path, twenty five chickens dotted one after the other... an' all with their beaks stuck to the ground." That was when he had collapsed laughing.
He could just see these perishing chickens, beaks stuck to the ground dotted along the path like soldiers. He became almost hysterical with laughter which hadn't helped in the least. Eventually he had soothed the man and promised to string the kids up in the trees. But oh dear, he didn't think he would survive their imaginitive antics much longer.
The funny part was that if one scraped a line in the dirt and placed the chickens beaks to the ground, they wouldn't move, thinking they were glued there. And off he went again laughing at the memory.
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starlite271043
Re: RP/ The Vagrant and the Ragamuffins
Millie woke up and charged across the room to Griffin's bed and grabbed his arm to shake him awake. "Oy. Wake up! you said we were going somewhere special today." she yelled into his ear. "Wassup," he moaned. He struggled to awake and climb out of bed. He looked at her groggily and wondered what had happened to his brain, it hadn't quite caught up to being awake yet.
Within a short space of time he was downstairs and eating his breakfast. Raeburn told the children they had a job to do before going out that day. Both their faces fell. What now? He informed them they had to tidy up and make a good job of it.
He knew he was asking the impossible but they had to learn they had to help in keeping the place clean, after all they lived there now.He gathered his bag ready for his work in the forest and set off.
"Right get the brush,"said Griffin. He knew it wouldn't be hard because Raeburn had got the local woodsman to help himto lay a wooden floor.They swept the floor and then tidied up and Millie looked at the floor , then turned to Griffin and said,"It don't look very shiny does it." He looked and no, it was very dull. They looked at each other and promptly turned to the little place where Raeburn cooked. "Look in that cupboard,Milie and get that bowl you see." Griffin instructed her.
Millie got the bowl and Griffin promptly upturned it. "Right lets get some rags and get this polished in." he said.
They got rags and diligently polished the floor. When they had finished they collected their bits and pieces and off they went for their day out.
Raeburn looked forward to getting home and having a well-earned rest befpre getting the evening meal. He arrived home and wentin. His feet straight away disappeared from beneath him. He slid straight across the room, hit the wall, bounced off and slid back across the room and straight out of the door. His brain not quite realising what happened did not yet instruct him not to return to the room. He did so and truly regretted it.His feet once again departed with the floor and off across the room we went into the opposite wall hit several items and ended up crashing into the cupboard and that too went along with him. It stopped at the door but unfortunately he didn't. Once again, he departed the little hut and outside he went, swearing blue murder on the way.
Both the kids were just coming down the path and hearing Raeburn swearing fit to bust, decided it would not be politic to stay around, at least not yet, so off they went again to their hidey place till he cooled down. An hour later they crept home, hopefully thinking all would be well.It was misguided thinking.
As they crept through the door Raeburn put out his hands and grabbed both of them before they had a chance to run.
He shoved them both in a chair and thundered at them "What in the holy hell did you two do with this floor?" "Umm, we polished it." whimpered poor Millie, "What did you use? "he asked and then wished he hadn't. "Well there was a bowl of fat in the cupboard so we used that," replied Griffin. "It made the floor nice and shiny didn't it?" Raeburn gurgled and struggled to finds the words as he remembered his sudden trip across that shiny floor. "Do not ever use fat on the floor again." he enunciated very carefully, as he recalled his sudden stops outside the house. "Get your supper and bed, now."
Carefully both children did as they were bid, knowing that tomorrow he would laugh bout his problem.
Within a short space of time he was downstairs and eating his breakfast. Raeburn told the children they had a job to do before going out that day. Both their faces fell. What now? He informed them they had to tidy up and make a good job of it.
He knew he was asking the impossible but they had to learn they had to help in keeping the place clean, after all they lived there now.He gathered his bag ready for his work in the forest and set off.
"Right get the brush,"said Griffin. He knew it wouldn't be hard because Raeburn had got the local woodsman to help himto lay a wooden floor.They swept the floor and then tidied up and Millie looked at the floor , then turned to Griffin and said,"It don't look very shiny does it." He looked and no, it was very dull. They looked at each other and promptly turned to the little place where Raeburn cooked. "Look in that cupboard,Milie and get that bowl you see." Griffin instructed her.
Millie got the bowl and Griffin promptly upturned it. "Right lets get some rags and get this polished in." he said.
They got rags and diligently polished the floor. When they had finished they collected their bits and pieces and off they went for their day out.
Raeburn looked forward to getting home and having a well-earned rest befpre getting the evening meal. He arrived home and wentin. His feet straight away disappeared from beneath him. He slid straight across the room, hit the wall, bounced off and slid back across the room and straight out of the door. His brain not quite realising what happened did not yet instruct him not to return to the room. He did so and truly regretted it.His feet once again departed with the floor and off across the room we went into the opposite wall hit several items and ended up crashing into the cupboard and that too went along with him. It stopped at the door but unfortunately he didn't. Once again, he departed the little hut and outside he went, swearing blue murder on the way.
Both the kids were just coming down the path and hearing Raeburn swearing fit to bust, decided it would not be politic to stay around, at least not yet, so off they went again to their hidey place till he cooled down. An hour later they crept home, hopefully thinking all would be well.It was misguided thinking.
As they crept through the door Raeburn put out his hands and grabbed both of them before they had a chance to run.
He shoved them both in a chair and thundered at them "What in the holy hell did you two do with this floor?" "Umm, we polished it." whimpered poor Millie, "What did you use? "he asked and then wished he hadn't. "Well there was a bowl of fat in the cupboard so we used that," replied Griffin. "It made the floor nice and shiny didn't it?" Raeburn gurgled and struggled to finds the words as he remembered his sudden trip across that shiny floor. "Do not ever use fat on the floor again." he enunciated very carefully, as he recalled his sudden stops outside the house. "Get your supper and bed, now."
Carefully both children did as they were bid, knowing that tomorrow he would laugh bout his problem.