Chapter 1: Don'f fall into the stinging nettles little Druid

© designed by Emilien Dumoulin Chaparu

‘ Ouch ! This is the second time a nut has fallen on my head ! That can't be right!

‘ Is anyone there ? ‘ Riwal turns round but sees no one

‘ I've been walking through this forest for hours now and I was told there was a hut waiting for me. But all I see so far are stinging nettles and all kinds of trees ’

‘ Ouch ! One more time! No matter who you are, show yourself! ’

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees something reddish-brown scurry past.

‘ I repeat: show yourself! ’

Suddenly he sees a bushy tail and large spherical eyes,

‘ I thought you would never notice me ! ’

Riwal is not even surprised that the squirrel is talking to him.

He has always talked to animals, even if it has always been the birds in the garden and the horses in the meadow.

‘ Why are you throwing nuts at me? ’

‘ Because you're going the wrong way! ’

‘ How that, the wrong way?! There's only one road here, it's been straight ahead since the railway station and the sign said : Broceliande, the school of Waldoria. ’

‘ You've been here for an hour and have already walked past your hut three times. If you don't listen to the forest, you'll never find it. ’

Stunned, he sits down on a stone and scratches his head : ‘ I assure you, the first one I hear is you ’

‘ And you didn't hear the oak?! I've never heard it that loud...

Then you were at a stream and the weeping willow also tried to talk to you...

Out of sheer desperation they called me, I have to do everything myself!

You want to become a druid? Are you sure about that? I already feel sorry for your teacher....’

‘ Hey, ‘ replies the young man, ’ that's enough, I'm telling you, I haven't heard anything....Maybe they should have told me that trees can talk to me, too ! ’

The squirrel slowly realises that he is serious and gives in.

‘ All right, in any case, you have to turn off here now, otherwise you'll walk past your hut a fourth time. ’

‘ Right here through the stinging nettles? ‘ he asks in horror

‘ Yes, concentrate on them. What does they want to tell you when they burn you?

‘You look tired, I can wake you up and bring back the fire of life"

A stinging nettle is full of important vitamins and minerals, everyone who is ill here in the forest knows that. But it also puts you in your place. The limits you set for yourself. If you are worthy of the stinging nettle, it will let you pass without burning. If you ask it for help, you can pick it. It offers you protection when you wear it around your neck, nourishment and vitality when you prepare it properly.

‘ Breathe in and out slowly and count to five each time ‘ the squirrel commands him

‘ Smell the earth around you, feel how you become one with the ground and talk to it like you talk to me ’

‘ Hello stinging nettle ‘ he says uncertainly, ’ It's me, Riwal the third, from the Soazic family ’

‘ Hello Riwal ‘ comes a rustling from the leaves of the stinging nettle and he almost falls into it out of sheer surprise.

‘ How can I help you ? ’

‘ Er... I'm looking for the way to my hut for my training as a druid ’

‘ Follow the squirrels, I'll leave the path clear ’

And suddenly the stalks bend to one side, revealing a path that seems to lead to a clearing in the forest.

‘ Thank you dear nettle ‘ he replies and the squirrel also seems relieved.

‘ Perhaps you have what it takes to become a druid after all.... ’

They follow the path for a quarter of an hour and it gets lighter and lighter in the forest. Astonished, he realises that they are approaching the edge of the forest.

He turns round once and sees that the path closes up behind him again and there is no longer any sign of the path.

He is also no longer sure whether the stinging nettle was really talking to him.

Suddenly the forest opens up and he could have sworn he could see the sea in the distance.

Even though he knows that he is in the heart of Brittany and that this is not really possible.

To his left is the little hut he has been looking for for hours

It has a moss-covered roof and, for some unknown reason, looks like a pile dwelling.

The closer he gets, the more he realises that it looks a bit neglected. The grass is as tall as a man and you can't even see the entrance, let alone the steps.

‘ Let's go, there's no time to lose ‘ urges the squirrel ’ tonight is the big party and we still have a lot to prepare ’

He rubs his eyes tiredly and asks ‘ the big party ? ’

‘ Yes, the moon festival Samhain, my goodness you don't even know that ?!

The novices introduce themselves to the guild and have to take care of the food, there are about 50 invited guests ’

‘ What ?! And you're only telling me this now? ’

The little druid jumps up the stairs and almost falls into the hole in a missing batten on the terrace.

The squirrel rolls his eyes and clutches his head in bewilderment.

‘ Didn't they tell you to look for ideas for a menu ? ’

‘ Euh... I was so excited after being accepted for the apprenticeship that I didn't read everything very carefully... Didn't you say you could eat the nettle... ? ’

‘ Yes, you can.... ’

© Illustration Emilien Dumoulin Chaparu

----- To be continued ----