Seleke and the Balloon

One day there was a girl named Seleke. She lived with her mother, not at the bottom of a cliff, and not at the top, but right in the middle half way up. Above lived the Snarling Wolves and below lived the Ugly Giants.

Today, Seleke was out weeding her garden. When you put plants into a garden, like vegetables or flowers, you want them to grow. But sometimes other plants come into the garden. Those are weeds, and you pull them out of the ground and throw them away.

Seleke had a beautiful flower garden. She grew many different kinds of flowers, and she was always very careful to weed. She was just thinking how she needed some new flowers when she heard a noise from above.

(make the noise of a hot air balloon burner)

(burn, burn) Seleke looked up. Above her she saw the biggest balloon she had ever seen! It was as tall as her house. Hanging below it was a great big basket, and in the basket, a man. He pulled a chain and a special device called a "burner" sent hot air up into the balloon.

"Is that a hot air balloon?" Seleke called.

"Indeed!" called the man, "But I am lost. Can you direct me to the land of the Snarling Wolves?"

"Why would you want to go there?" Seleke asked, "It is so very dangerous!"

"I am on a quest," said the man, "to find a very rare flower called the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. It grows only in the land of the Snarling Wolves."

"But if you go there, won't the wolves eat you?" Seleke asked.

"That is what my balloon is for!" said the man, "I plan to fly high above and spy out the Orchid with this." and he pulled out a great, big, long telescope as long as you are tall. It was shiny, and brass, and the biggest Seleke had ever seen.

Seleke said, "The land of the Snarling Wolves is just above us, at the top of this cliff."

"Thank you," said the man, "Is that your garden?"

"Yes it is." Seleke replied.

"I could use a person who understood plants." said the man, "Perhaps you could come with me."

"I would love to," said Seleke, "but we do not know each other."

"My name is Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster." said the man as he put out his hand to shake.

"And mine is Seleke." said Seleke as she shook his hand.

Seleke ran inside to ask her mother if she could go with Sir Peter to find the Wolf Jaw Orchid.

At first her mother thought it was a bad idea, but when she peeked out the window and saw Sir Peter she said, "Oh! It is Sir Peter. I know all about him. You can go, as long as you promise not to set foot in the land of the Snarling Wolves. Do you promise?"

"Yes." said Seleke.

She ran outside and hopped into the basket.

Sir Peter pulled on his chain and the burner went (burn, burn). Slowly the balloon rose into the air, higher, and higher, and up above the land of the Snarling Wolves.

Below, Seleke could see the Squirrel's tree above her house, and Wolf's Head Rock where she had once followed Captain Slipjack, and even the Wolf's den. But no Orchid.

"When we find the Orchid, we are not going to pick it." said Sir Peter, "I would not want to harm such a rare and beautiful thing. We are just going to pick some seeds."

Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster handed Seleke the telescope. Seleke looked through it and the ground seemed very close. It really worked well!

Sir Peter said, "We may have to search for quite a while, Seleke, so try to be patient. Just let me know if you see the Orchid."

Sir Peter was right. It was three hours before Seleke said, "I see it! I see it!"

"Excellent!" cried Sir Peter, "Now, all we need is an open area where we can land."

"But all I see are trees," said Seleke, "There is no open field."

Now balloons are delicate things. If they touch trees they can pop (make the noise) or get ripped, or even snag on the branches (show how snagging works on a shirt).

"This is quite a pickle!" said Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster, "How will we get to the Orchid?"

Sir Peter and Seleke thought and thought. Maybe they could fly far away and find a field, but then they would have to travel through Wolf Country to reach the Orchid. Finally Seleke had an idea.

"We can tie a rope to my ankles and dangle me from the balloon," she said, "Then you can lower me down and I will get the seeds from the Wolf's Jaw Orchid."

Sir Peter tied the rope securely to Seleke, and to the balloon. Then Seleke crawled out and lowered herself. She dangled by her ankles, like this (give an example). Her head was below her feet, and her long hair hung down as far as her arms could reach.

Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster opened the vent at the top of the balloon gently to let some hot air escape. Slowly the balloon began to descend.

When Seleke reached the Wolf's Jaw Orchid she reached inside and pulled out three white seeds.

Just then she heard, "Arooo! Arooo!"

It was a pack of Snarling Wolves. They had seen the balloon and followed it. When they smelled Seleke they came to investigate.

Seleke called up to Sir Peter, "Quickly! Raise the balloon! Up! Up!"

Sir Peter pulled on the chain for all he was worth. (buuuurn, buuuurn) went the burners. But balloons are not fast movers. The wolves were getting closer!

Then the balloon began to rise. As Seleke went up she realized that a bit of her hair was tangled in a bush. But she was pulled up anyway, and some hair was yanked out of her head. Worse yet, and Snarling Wolf jumped at her, but she was too high and the wolf missed.

Sir Peter pulled Seleke up with all his strength. Because he had put so much hot air into the balloon they were rising fast, and quickly entered a freezing cold cloud.

"Here are the seeds!" Seleke said.

"Quickly, pop them in your mouth!" said Sir Peter.

"Why?" asked Seleke.

"Because the seeds are very delicate. This freezing air will kill them."

Seleke popped a seed into her mouth, but it was so big that only one would fit. Sir Peter put the other two into his mouth, like this (pop them in and push your tongue into each cheek to show it).

Seleke said, (mumble as though your mouth is full) "We must get out of this cloud!"

Sir Peter pulled a cord to release hot air and mumbled, "I will lower us, Seleke."

Soon they were below the clouds and heading for the edge of the cliff and Seleke's house.

(mumble) "I see wolves below." said Seleke, "They are following us through the forest."

(mumble) "We will soon be away." said Sir Peter.

He was right. In no time they were back at Seleke's house, and the wolves were left up on the cliff's edge.

Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster said to Seleke, (mumble) "Thank you for helping me gain the seeds of the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. If you wish you may keep the seed in your mouth."

"Thank you!" said Seleke.

Then they said goodbye and Sir Peter floated away. Seleke went and planted the seed right away.

The next Spring she had a great, big, beautiful Wolf's Jaw Orchid. She was so proud.

And that is the story of Seleke and the Balloon.

The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest