Gabriel's Tale - Chapter 8: A New Day

Chapter 8 – A New Day

The next morning Gabriel heard the old rooster crow but it was something touching his whiskers that caused him to open his eyes.  It was Sally.

“And just who might you be?” she asked sweetly.  Gabriel quickly jumped to his feet.  “Relax,” she urged him, “I’m not going to bite you!” then giggled.  Gabriel chuckled, too, and soon was telling Sally his story.  “You must be starved!  Wait here.”  Sally went to the back of the farmhouse and scratched at the door.

“Oh you want your breakfast already little lady?” the woman asked.  “Well… OK.”

After the woman put down the dish and went back into the house Sally carried the bowl between her teeth to the barn.  Gabriel gratefully cleaned the bowl and then realized he’d eaten all of Sally’s breakfast.  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said.  “I could stand to lose a few pounds anyway.”

Gabriel learned that he was outside the village called Far Sawrey and that he should follow the footpath to Near Sawrey where he’d find the road that would take him to Hawkshead.  This would only take him about an hour.  From there he might be able to hitch a ride, she told him, because there were several businesses there that had delivery vans coming and going.  Gabriel thanked her again and set off along the footpath.

Gabriel was soon standing in front of a church going over Sally’s directions in his head:  at the church cross the meadow, follow the path to Wilfin Beck crossing over it on the farm bridge; follow the path alongside the stream, then go through the kissing gate to the left.  This would take him past Hilltop Farm and into Near Sawrey.  There was more, but there was just so much a little white dog could remember all at once.  Gabriel hoped he’d find someone in Near Sawrey who could help him remember the rest of Sally’s directions to Hawkshead.

After he crossed Wilfin Beck and went through the kissing gate Gabriel began to relax a bit and enjoy the countryside.  Off in the distance he could see farms with sheep lolling about.  He could hear a dog barking and noisy children playing.  He slowed his pace as he came near a stone wall hoping it was Hilltop Farm.  That would mean he was in Near Sawrey.  As luck would have it three kittens were standing on top of the wall.  Gabriel stopped.

“Hello there,” he said.  “I’m Gabriel.”

That’s when he noticed a hat lying in the road.  “Is this yours?” he asked.

Two of the kittens exclaimed together, “Yes!  It’s our brother Tom’s hat!”  At which Tom cried, “But I don’t want to wear it!” and promptly jumped off the wall back into the garden.  His sisters apologized for their brother’s rudeness and asked Gabriel if he was new to their village.  Gabriel told them his story and asked for directions to Hawkshead.  Before they could answer, though, several geese came waddling down the lane toward him.

The kittens told him he should run immediately because the geese would chase him and bite him if he didn't!  So he did so they wouldn’t!

As he ran past the Tower Bank Arms Hotel Gabriel noticed a collie dog and remembered his run-in with another two days before so he crossed the road into the meadow.  There a little Pomeranian puppy named Duchess lay in the grass enjoying the sweet smell of wildflowers trying to forget about the mouse pie she’d accidentally eaten at her friend’s house after all her efforts to switch pies with the one she’d made earlier that day.  “Oh, who are you?” she asked when she looked up to see Gabriel approaching.  Gabriel did not want to take the time to tell his story yet again so he just told her his name and asked for directions, hoping he’d get his answer this time.

Duchess plucked a flower from the tall grass and waved it in the direction Gabriel should go as she explained where he was to turn right and where he was to turn left.

Soon Gabriel was on his way.

©CathyGilleylenSchultz

Chapter 9:  On to Hawkshead