Yvonne Fleece: The Rescue Mission

The Rescue Mission

Once upon a time on a small farm near Billingshurst…

As Magnus and Poppy were snoozing away one late December afternoon, Poppy started twitching and jerking in her sleep. Magnus growled and told her to stop. But when she woke up, Poppy was terribly upset. “Oh, Magnus,” she wailed, “I’ve had the most terrible dream.” She went on, “It was dark and foggy and a man and a woman were lost and couldn’t find their way and they had to get there really soon because a baby was on the way.” It seemed so real I knew I needed to help. What shall we do?

Magnus had her explain it all again, nodded and began. “This is an emergency. We must go now! We have to go back to sleep and send ourselves back in time and space to where they are and help them. Come close to me and I’ll help you.”

So they snuggled down together and dreamt themselves back into time and space. The stars sped past and with a whoosh, Poppy and Magnus landed on a path covered with stones in the dark and fog. Not a light could be seen.

Poppy shuddered with the cold and wailed, “Ooh, it’s too dark and I’m soooo cold.” “Sshush,” countered Magnus. “Listen.” Soon they heard the plop, plop of animal hoofsteps. They smelt the animal too – a donkey, and the humans.

With relief the dogs approached and bowed, “May we be of assistance?” Magnus enquired. The man noticed the little dogs and asked, “Can you help? I think we’re lost.” Magnus turned to Poppy: “You’re faster than me and your nose is better. Go ahead a bit and get us on the right road. I’ll go with the humans and make sure they are OK.” (Actually he was rather hoping for a bit of a lift on the donkey because his legs weren’t too good.)

So Poppy raced ahead, her little nose in the air, and soon found the right road. “Follow me!,” she barked as she sprinted on. She kept coming back to make sure they had kept to the right road. Before long they came up out if the fog and there ahead were the lights of a busy town. Magnus meanwhile kept the lady warm with his snuggly fur, because he indeed had got a lift.

The humans and the dogs came to the town’s only inn but were turned away because there was no room. The humans were frantic because the baby was coming. Poppy did what she did best. She raised her little head, opened her mouth and out came the most horrible, plaintive, screaming howl. The innkeeper came out to see what was making all the noise looked down saw the little dog, her mouth ready for another howl. “No, don’t!” he cried. “You’re freaking out all my guests. What do you want?” Magnus spoke up in his most authoritative voice, “My man, this lady needs a place to stay. Her baby is coming. Do you want her to have it in the street? And Poppy to keep howling in protest?” The innkeeper thought for a bit and quickly weighed up his options – street and howling and lost reputation, or find a place. No brainer.

“Well, we do have a little shed out the back for the animals. Will that do?” Magnus looked up at the man and off to the shed they all went, unpacked and had a little rest.

That night the baby came and the lady wrapped him up and put him in a food trough on a bed of soft sweetsmelling hay. The dogs joined the other animals to look at him. The baby’s little eyes opened and he smiled at them. The lady said, “Thank you little dogs, God answered our prayer through you. You are very special in his eyes.” Magnus and Poppy swelled with pride. Just as the sun came up some shepherds came and there was sweet singing.

The little dogs could have stayed for ever, but Magnus said, “Nanny will be up soon. We’d better get back.” So, they snuggled together and dreamed their way through time and space to their own home on the sofa of their own little house on that little farm near Billingshurst.

Yvonne and the farm friends wish you all a lovely Christmas. Yvonne Fleece

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