The Salt Krasnals by Richard Monte

Author:Richard Monte [Monte, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Richard Monte
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Ogre’s Cave

A thick, white, soupy fog was clinging to the top of the hill like a head of hair on an old man. Gappek and Bulbek trailed behind, following a rocky path which wound its way towards the summit.

“Nasty looking fog,” remarked the ogre. “Sinking towards the ground.”

The two krasnals could hardly hide their disappointment.

Gappek squinted and tried to peer through the dense mist.

“They say on a clear day you can see the lofty spires and towers of Krakow.”

“And the White Forest, away towards the west,” added Bulbek.

The krasnals sighed with resignation – they had been speculating on the size and shape of the salt queen’s castle, and hoped to get a peep at it from the hill.

“We could easily get lost in this mist,” observed Bulbek.

“Never mind. The fog won’t last forever,” said the ogre, hurrying upwards in his eagerness to get on.

Suddenly the air was filled with a wild screeching sound. Gappek tumbled over a rock, his legs and arms waving and his bottom in the air, causing Bulbek to trip over him. The ogre turned his head towards the clouds and peering through the mist with his crystal eye, detected that the whole sky was bright red. Above he could see the crimson tips of an eagle’s enormous wing and watched as she swooped down over the hill. The two krasnals covered their eyes, as the great bird circled round them and rose up again into the thick fog.

“What was that?” asked Bulbek, recovering his wits and picking up the leather bag which Gappek had dropped in panic.

“The White Eagle. You must have heard of her,” replied the ogre.

“They say she lives in Gniezno, in a great nest in the sky. I have seen her flying over Krakow before. She once had friends and relatives in the White Forest, but there are rumours they’ve all been captured by the wicked witch…”

Gappek, hardly listening to these remarks, started brushing down his waistcoat.

“Well, I wish this enormous bird had a bit more respect for the smaller creatures in this world. I could have broken a leg,” he said contemptuously.

But as they picked themselves up and continued on their way, no one spotted the salt globe rolling quietly downhill. It had slipped out of Bulbek’s bag when he’d dropped it and was now lying under a fallen tree trunk.

The ascent was getting steeper and the krasnals stumbled again, rolling downwards.

“It must be difficult for you to negotiate your way in the mist.

“Pass me your rope and we’ll use it to keep ourselves together,” suggested the ogre, gently looping the cord around their little waists.

“Good job we brought this,” said Bulbek.

“When we get to Krakow safe and sound, we must ask the salt queen to reward you.”

As they got nearer to the top of the hill Gappek was convinced that the mist was getting thinner. Soon it was apparent to them all that the sun was breaking through.

“Just a few more steps…” muttered the ogre, looking over his shoulder to make sure the two krasnals were keeping up.

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