The Maplebrush Tales: Saga Of Ralph


Chapter One

Ralph the Raccoon woke up from his soft leaf bed. He yawned and looked
outside. "What a beautiful Day!" he exclaimed. Sure enough, the sun was
shining like the beautiful color of the serene lily. Ralph was a small
raccoon, but he was strong. He could lift a sword that was five times
hevier than himself. He lived in a land called Trefolia. He lived with
his mother, Iris, and his father, Temphjaques. His father used to be a
king, and that meant the small Ralph would be heir to the throne soon,
but he never knew that! Iris had worked as a Medicine Woman during the
time of when Temphjaques was young, during the long war.... he was a
legendary warrior and he was sometimes known as Temphjaques the Brave to
many who had been in the war. When he had got shot by Fireheart, the
evil Polecat, in the shoulder, he was rushed to Iris so she could take
care of him. That's how they met. His family's domain was but a humble
hole in the ground. But Ralph liked it that way, and so it be. It wasn't
what you might think. Not just a simple hole in the ground, but a
beautiful home, which had the scent of very aromatic flowers, which were
dried, Smells of Sage, Rosemary, and Chervil also floated delightfully
in the scent of the air. A big fireplace was at the end of the burrow,
and a strong quilt flew over the doorway rippling delightfully. But that
did not bother the quiet and peaceful family of Raccoons. they were
quite contented with their little house. Besides the door and the
fireplace, there was also rooms that were tunnled branching off from the
main room. One was Ralph's room. Ralph had a Chronicle of books on his
table intitled "The History of Trefolia" His bed was a simple, uncostly
dried-leaf mattress bed. Ralph also had a beautiful sword under his bed.
that sword had been passed down from raccoon generation, to raccoon
generation. It was now Ralph's turn to wield that beautiful sword with
the wound gold handle and the royal Trefolia insignia on one side, and
the Raccoon symbol on the back. The beautiful sword's handle was made
out of twisted gold, adorned with gems of all colors and studded with a
great diamond on the very end. The sword had many small triangular
indentions where acient raccoon warriors had dealed with vermin, or had
a swordfight with another. The raccoons had wielded this sword for as
long as anyone can remember. And no matter who the owner fought with, he
would almost always win. But there was no need for that sword at those
times. It was a time of peace. It was so peaceful a church had been
built in the center of the land of Trefolia. It had been made as a
sancturary and a peaceful place for weary travelers to stay. The owner
of the church was father Harold. Ralph often went to the church, and
talked with father Harold. They exchanged jokes and read the chronicles
of "The History Of Trefolia" together. One day, it was as cold as ice,
Ralph walked to the church. He wore his dacket, that is a furry
coat-like cape. He walked in and looked around. The whole church was
ruined! The candles were all broken, and the glass vaces were shattered.
The gold cross that used to be over the door had been cut in half! Who
could have done this? He called out "Father, father Harold!" he heard a
slight moan from the bed. There was the Father, lying stiffly on the
bed. "Father! What happened??" Ralph cried. "Vermin, attack,
dagger...stabbed me, bring help..." he said palely. Ralph covered the
father with his dacket. "You'll be fine, you shall see." Ralph said
softly. He ran swiftly out the door. He ran through patches of thorns,
he leaped over frozen streams, he tripped and hurt his leg, but he ran
faster then anyone in Trefolia had before. He finally came to his house.
"MOTHER! BRING HERBS, GO TO THE CHURCH! THE FATHER HAS BEEN WOUNDED FROM
VERMIN, HURRY!" Ralph screamed. Iris got her basket of herbs, and ran
after Ralph. So did Temphjaques. "Wait Ralph!" his mother said to the
fast-running raccoon. "NO! This is an emergency!!" Ralph called back to
his mother. They got to the church. They were too late. The father had
died, about five seconds ago. "I'll slay those Vermin, if it is the last
thing I'll do!" Ralph shouted.

"Bloooodddddshhhheeeeddd!" said a sturdy group of weasels, while
marching. "Kilakilakilakilakilakila!" shouted the ferocius leader. It
was Bloodtooth! He was in the outskirts of Trefolia! Bloodtooth was
known as a savage, a ferret and a weasel mix, he was strong, and he
wielded a heavy sword. He also had poison darts in his Tramula pouch. He
had a bow neatly on his back with a case of poison-barbed arrows. He
swept over the land like a prarie fire, killing everything in his path.
He wanted the world to be in the clutches of his Blood-stained hands! He
wanted to be the ruler of everything! The sounds rang out, above the
trees, louder than the howling wind, or the noisy owl.
"Kilakilakilakilakilakila!!!!!!!" They stopped near a beautiful sight.
With a stream gurgling happily. Runtga the ferret wanted to to be the
leader of Bloodtooth's horde! If he could destroy him, he could be the
leader. He pulled out his brass dagger and attempted to kill Bloodtooth.
Bloodtooth turned around and shot him in the heart. Runtga was surprised
at his master's quick reflex! He gurgled out Blood and dropped instantly
to the ground. The horde of Bloodtooth Gasped. Bloodtooth went on with
his work calmly. "Now, this is where we build our fort. Scratchlip,
Palstreleye, go chop down some trees. Ganbabe, Wstinatodd, go gather
mud. Noaroaora, Musinles, gather stones. Vatrana, Harat, gather food for
my army. Tonight we feast for victory of destroying the Ravativia lands.
Our next spot is Trefolia. They have warriors here, but don't worry,
they don't have many." the army cheered. "Get back to work!!!"
Bloodtooth shouted. He wandered off into his tent. "Is there something
you need sir?" a maid asked him. Bloodtooth took her tray and flung it.
"No!" he roared. He had a strange feeling, a tingling feeling. In his
brain, he felt his body being whisked away. He had a vision of a strange
young raccoon. He was only a baby, but then, the picture morphed into a
warrior raccoon. He had large teeth and a beautiful sword. He was
walking on a mountain saying "I am Ralph, heir to the throne of Trefloia
and..." "Sir? Are you alright?" asked the maid. Bloodtooth nodded,
dazedly.

Chapter Two

Ralph hugged his mother and father. He was going to the castle of
Trefolia. He wished to become a knight and train with the other knights.
He walked along into the dark woods and he waved goodbye and walked
along singing:
"Trefolia! Trefolia! The Warriors cried out loud,
Trefolia! Trefolia! Sang the roaring crowd,
The Raccoon Apollo, and his knights a three,
will make the lands safe for you and for me,
He weilded the sword at Santa Bay,
Find it in the Amouints for that's where it lays,
In the Amouints, that's where it stays."
Ralph crossed a bridge, and entered the snowy, frozen-over meadow. He
walked along singing the tune over and over again. He walked and sung
and walked and sung, until his voice could not take anymore. He walked
on over to a small farmhouse and then walked to the white, snowy
grasslands. He passed the church, then he sang another tune:
"Amouints! Amouints! I shall find thee there,
Amouints! Amounints! The Blade of rightful heir,
Amounints! Amounints! Apollo calls to me,
Amounints! Amounints! From far above the acient tree!"
Ralph loved those songs and he knew them by heart since but when he was
a child. He wondered where they came from, and who was Apollo, and what
were the Amounints? Why does it talk about warriors and heirs? He had
many questions, but knew not the writers of these mysterious songs. He
walked along humming until he came to a small ferret. "Pweez! I em
plost!" the ferret said in a baby-ish tone of voice. Ralph had been
taught to stay clear away from ferrets, weasels, Martens, and
Polecats.... he learned that they are very tricky actors, and you can't
tell if they are lying or not, Ralph hated Vermin! They were so crafty!
Suddenly, the Ferret attacked with a large battle ax. Ralph pulled out
his sword and shield and jumped backwards. He circled the ferret and he
lept out in front of him. The ferret swung the battle-ax wildly and
struck Ralph's sword hard. Ralph clung tightly to the sword and pushed
the battle-ax away and threw the ferret backwards. The Ferret stumbled
up and clashed his big battle-ax against Ralph's big, gold, sword. Ralph
stared at the weasel and clashed his sword hard on the battle-ax. They
clashed together, back and fourth. Cling! Cling! Cling! Cling! Ralph
made a quick move and aimed near the stomach. The ferret guarded it with
his battle ax. Ralph made a quick blow at the shoulder. Ralph struck,
and hit! The ferret gasped in a horror of pain and fell down. He hastly
got up and ran into the deep woods. Ralph sighed, wiped his blade on the
grass, and sheathed his sword. He walked fast. He was very cold! He had
a hankering for a nice bowl of lentil soup right now. He walked toward
the direction of the castle and sung more songs, and before he knew it,
he was there! Oh! What a castle! It was so beautiful... the most amazing
sight he had ever seen! He gazed upward and saw the large turrets,
flags,windows,doors,statues, and a beautiful moat around it all. The
castle was made out of heavy stone blocks from the cliff and the windows
were made of the finest stained glass- and those statues were very
beautiful, Ralph reckoned they were Marble. The turrets had little red,
round sun-dried clay shingles. The Door were made out of a beautiful
golden Oak, and the knobs and knocker were made out of gold. The castle
seemed to touch the heavens... Oh! What a sight! The children were
ice-skating on the moat, for it had not yet thawed. They played happily
pushing each other and skating in big lines. They were singing childish
ryhmes that they supposedly made up. Ralph listened:
"I like souuuuup! I like souuuup!
I like it warm, I like it hoooot!
I like it with rosemahahary!
I like it with flour goooop!
I love souuuuuuuup!"
"Well," Ralph thought, "So much for that." He knocked on the large
knocker on the huge door. A raccoon guard scampered out. "Who are you?
And what are you doing here?" he said timidly. "Hello! I am Ralph, I
have come here to train with the knights could I have an a-" he started.
The young raccoon guard Covered his mouth. He gasped. "A-a-a-a-a-a You
have the sword of Trefolia! Please come in, your highness!" Ralph looked
at the raccoon incredously. Yet he followed the timid raccoon guard. He
walked into the room. Dust motes scattered across the Great hall.
Bannners with the Trefolia insignia lit up the room with their flashy
colours. Ralph stood there, astonished. "Follow Me!" the young raccoon
guard squeaked at Ralph as he ran up the stairway. They walked in the
upstairs hall to a door. The Guard opened it. There was the King's room!
It was more beautiful then I could ever explain to you!
And there! Sat the old king in his long flowing cape, on a gold throne!
He said to Ralph "Come here Ralph." Ralph said "How do you know my
name?" "I am your grandsire, Selth the Strong, Son of Apollo the
Warrior, father of Temphjaques the Brave!" he stated. "Since you are
next in the family, you have the choice of taking heir to the throne.
Your father, Temphjaques, always fasioned country life. He didn't have a
fondness for big, dark castles.. he loved the country life, that's why
he is a Gardener now. That's why he never was called a prince or King.
So, would you like to wield the throne?" he said. "Oh My! I mean I never
knew.... but I suppose it shall be fun, so I should say I will." Ralph
uttered. "Good!" Selth said. "I am so old now, I couldn't possibly look
over the castle." he finished. Selth walked out and went to to the
teacher's bedroom. He would now teach Ralph how to be a King. Ralph sat
down and looked at the mirror on the wall. "You vowed to kill Vermin!
You are breaking your promise, by being a King!" A ghostly white raccoon
figure looked at him, from in the mirror! "Go to the ancient tree! Go to
Amounits!!!" and with that his disappeared. "What are those?" Ralph
shouted. He then went to bed, sobbing, wondering, what these mystical
instructions meant. But alas, he still found time to drift into the land
of slumber. He woke up and told the young raccoon guard about his dream.
"That's very strange. I reckon' it was Apollo. He says those kind of
things to me too, and at the strangest times. He has been reminded that
I vowed to kill Vermin, ever since my father and mother were killled by
Bloodtooth the Savage." the guard said. "Bloodtooth the Savage? Who is
he? I have truly not even heard of him!" Ralph Questioned. "He is a
ferret-weasel mix, and sweeps over the land like a prarie fire,
destroying everthing in his path. He has captured ten lands already:
Lonkia, Ravativia, Honslute, Karltite, Galflandia, Utopianhavern,
Farklitian, Salshuming, Haranka, and Acientry. He is going to destroy
Trefolia next, so you have become king in the darkest hours of what may
not be Trefolia. (Later On)"
"Acientry, Acientry? Where have I heard that before?" Ralph said in his
brain. "Oh! I didn't introduce myself!" squeaked the guard. "My name is
Dafnul. I am a trained fighter and spy, and I will serve you as long as
I can." "Thank you, Dafnul, I will serve you as long as I can too."
Ralph said. "My friends call me Daffy." he said shyly. "Well, okay! Then
Daffy it shall be!"
~Samri the Warrior

Go on to Chapter 3.


This is Copyrighted by Samri the Warrior!!

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