The Wishme

[Palustris]

The Wishme.

Chapter One

Low Water.

Zennor turned the handle on the well to raise the bucket. She could tell from how easily it was raised that there was very little water in it. She poured the cup of water out of the bucket into a bowl. There was hardly enough to wash her hands. She sighed. Every day there was less and less in the well. Once it had given enough good clean water to drink, wash, water the garden and for her animals. Even in the worst drought the well had never dried up, until now.

Zennor had already sold off the hens in the market. She could not keep them without water. The two piglets which would have kept her in meat for the winter had gone that morning to the Farm along the road. There was no reason to stay in the cottage now. She had already packed a few belongings and was ready to leave the home where she been born and raised.

She lowered the bucket one more time, hoping to get enough water to fill her water bottle. When the bucket came up, there was little water in it, but what there was glittered in the sun. She put the bucket down on the side of the well and poked her finger in the water.

“Hey, that tickles!” said a quiet bubbly voice.

Zennor stepped back. The bucket wobbled dangerously and almost fell back into the well.

“Careful,” said the voice

Cautiously, Zennor looked in the bucket once again. There was a thin silvery skin on the surface. She poked her finger into it again.

“Ow,” said the voice. “That was right in my eye.”

Without thinking Zennor, said “Sorry.” Then she asked. “What, er, who are you?”

“I am a Wishme,” said the voice.

Zennor was puzzled. “What's a Wishme?”

“I am,” replied the voice. “What are you?”

“A girl,” replied Zennor rather surprised at the question. “Zennor, a human being.”

There was silence from the bucket for a few moments. “How can you be three things?” The Wishme sounded very puzzled.

“I am not three things” said Zennor, “I am just me.”

“Now you are four things, said the Wishme. A human, a girl, an Zennor and me. Which are you?”

Zennor laughed. “I suppose I am all four of those things. I am the girl kind of human being which is called Zennor.”

The Wishme said nothing for a minute. Then it asked.” Are all girl human beings called Zennor then?”

Zennor laughed. “No, that is just my name. Don’t you have a name?”

“No, I am just a Wishme,” it replied.

“And now we are back where we began,” said Zennor. “What is a Wishme?”

The bubbly voice sounded rather sad. “I am just a Wishme, that’s all. I live at the bottom of this well.”

“Oh,” said Zennor. “I did not know there was anything living at the bottom of the well. Are you the only Wishme down there?”

“I am now. There used to be lots of us down there, but when the water stopped coming in the others swam away before the hole closed.”

“Why did you stay?” asked Zennor.

“Silly really, “said the Wishme. “I wanted to see the Light Day again for the last time.”

Zennor did not understand. “Light day?”

“Yes, once a year the Sun shines right down the Well. It fills the whole of the sky with light. We call it ‘Light Day’. It does not happen every year. Sometimes the sky is grey or white and the Sun does not shine. I have been watching it for many hundreds of years and I wanted to see it one more time.”

“Hundreds of years?” exclaimed Zennor. “How old are you?”

“I don’t know,” said the Wishme. “We don’t count time that much.”

Neither of them spoke for a minute.

“Please, don’t put me back in the Well,” said the Wishme. “Once the water dries up I will stop being.”

“But I am leaving here, now,” said Zennor. “How do I carry you?”

The Wishme made a faint splashing noise in the bucket. “Put me in something. It does not have to be very big. I am only small.”

Zennor went back into the cottage and found a glass jar. She brought it out. “Will this do?” she asked holding it over the bucket.”

“Perfect,” The Wishme sounded excited. “I can see through that stuff.”

“How do I get you into it?” asked Zennor

The Wishme laughed. “Just pour me out.”

Zennor carefully poured the contents of the bucket into the jar. The water came about half way up. Now when she looked at it, all the water in her Jam jar had that silvery sheen to it. “Can you hold yourself in or do I need to put a lid on?” Zennor asked.

“No, I won’t fall out, “replied the Wishme. The water in the jar swirled round. “Oh, “said the Wishme. “I did not realise the sky was so big. I have only ever seen it as a small blue circle. And the Sun, I can see the sun.”

The water splashed dangerously close to the top of the jar.

“Careful,” said Zennor.

“And there are green things against the sky,” went on the Wishme.

Zennor was puzzled for a moment. “Those are trees,” she said.

“And I did not realise humans were so colourful,” exclaimed the Wishme. “You are red and yellow and pink and brown. This is wonderful.”

Zennor protested. “Surely you have seen people before? I often look down the Well.”

“Yes, of course I have seen humans before,” said the Wishme. “But I thought they were all just shadows, blocking out the light. And there is more of you than I had ever imagined.”

Zennor laughed.” Yes, I suppose you have only ever seen the top half of people before.”

The Wishme went on, “It was you humans who gave us our name. They used to lean over the Well and speak. We could only hear ‘Wish’ and ‘Me’. We thought they were calling to us so we took the name. None of them ever heard us talk back though.”

Zennor thought for a moment, then she laughed. “I know what they were doing, they were asking you to grant them a wish.”

“Oh,” said the Wishme. “They would be very disappointed then. We cannot give wishes.” It sounded sad.

“Never mind,” said Zennor. “Most people only want silly things anyway.”

“Now, “said the Wishme. “Let’s go and find some more Wishmes.”

Zennor began to protest, but then shrugged her shoulders. “Why not,” she said. “Neither of us can stop here without any water.”

Carefully she locked the cottage door, slung her pack over her shoulders, picked up the Wishme jar and started off along the Lane.

[Palustris]

Chapter Two.

Bad Water.

Zennor walked along the country lane without meeting anyone. The Wishme swirled around in its jar and wanted to know the name of everything which caught its eye. By lunchtime Zennor was exhausted with trying to answer the questions.

They came to a run-down cottage.

“I think you had better keep quiet now,” warned Zennor. “We do not know how nice the people who live here are and they may want to hurt us.”

The Wishme began to ask a question, but Zennor shook her head. A woman came out of the cottage door and waved to Zennor. “Please help, my children are all sick and I do not know what to do.”

Zennor took off her back-pack. She followed the woman into the cottage. In a small bedroom there were two small children. Both of them were clutching bowls and looked very sorry for themselves. The girl had just finished being sick.

“Oh dear,” said Zennor. “Let me get you something to drink and wash your face, then we will see what we can do for you.”

“The well is out in the back,” said the woman. “My husband has gone into town to see if he can find some medicine and I feel rather ill myself.” She did indeed look very pale faced.

Zennor went out to the well.

“Put me in the bucket,” said the Wishme. “There might be more of my people down there.”

Zennor did as he asked and lowered the bucket into the water. When it felt full she pulled it up again. The Wishme was still in the bucket, but his silvery light was much paler and when he spoke his voice was very weak. “Please, I need some clean water. The stuff down there is bad, very bad.”

Quickly Zennor poured him back into his jar and rushed back into the house. The woman was seated in a rocking chair and looked very ill. She was drinking a glass of water.

“Stop,” shouted Zennor. “It is the water which is making you all ill. It is bad.”

The woman dropped the glass in surprise.

“Do you have any other water?” demanded Zennor.

“There is a rain water butt by the back door,” said the woman. “But it is not really for drinking, just for the garden.”

“It will have to do,” said Zennor. She took the Wishme jar out to the rain water butt and gently tipped him into the rain water.

Within a short time his light got stronger and he spoke. “The water in that well is awful,” he said. “If I had stayed there any longer I would have disappeared forever. No wonder those humans are ill, if they have been drinking that stuff.”

Zennor lowered the jar into the rainwater and the Wishme went back into his jar. “This is not very nice water,” he said, “But better than the other stuff. I wonder why they drink that when there is lots more water, over there.”

“Where?” asked Zennor turning round and looking round the garden. “I cannot see another well.”

“Walk up and down and I will tell you when to stop,” ordered the Wishme.

Zennor did as she was told. At the back of the garden there was a small hollow with a few rushes growing. “Here,” said the Wishme. “There is plenty of water under there.”

Zennor put the jar down next to the hollow and went back into the cottage.

The woman was still sat in the rocking chair with her head in her hands. “I am sorry,” she wept. “I feel terrible. I am too dizzy to even stand up.”

The children in the bedroom were crying quietly.

“We need to get some decent water in all of you,” said Zennor. “Do you have a spade?”

Puzzled, the woman said, “My husband’s spade is in the little shed out side, why?

“I am going to get you some decent water,” said Zennor.

She found the spade and began to dig in the hollow. She had only got about a spade’s depth down when water began to seep into the hole.

“What are you doing?” asked a man.

“There is plenty of good water here,” said Zennor, “And the people inside need clean water and soon.”

“My wife tells me that the water in the Well is bad,” said the man. “I got some medicine from town, but it is no good without clean water.”

“Then dig,” said Zennor and handed over the spade.

Before long the hole was half a man’s height deep. Zennor helped the man out. Even as they watched the bottom of the hole disappeared under water. “Let is settle for a bit and then we can use it when it is clear,” said Zennor.

She picked up the Wishme jar and went inside with the man.

Inside the woman was calmer now and the children were quiet. The man went and knelt down next to her. “We will have water soon,” he said. “Don’t worry.” Then he stood up. “My name is Hugh and my wife is Mary. The boy is John and my daughter is called Poppy.” He held out his hand.

“I am Zennor,” said Zennor and shook his hand.

“How did you know the water was bad?” asked the man.

Zennor held up the Wishme jar, “This is a friend of mine. It told me about the good water too.” She did not say that it was a Wishme though. The Wishme swirled around in the jar sending little light beams around the room, but did not speak.

“Well, we are very grateful,” said the man. “Can you stay with Mary while I go and get some of the water?”

“Of course,” said Zennor.

It was not long before he was back with a pan of clean water. It was set to boil and soon Mary and the children were able to take the medicine.

Zennor explained about her well going dry and that she was going to look for work.

“You are welcome to eat with us and to stay the night,” said Mary. The medicine was beginning to work and she looked a lot better now. The children had fallen asleep.

“I am sorry we cannot offer you any work,” said Hugh. “There is little enough for us and now I will have to find the money to dig a new well.”

Zennor shrugged her shoulders. “Then I will just have to keep on looking.”

[Palustris]

Chapter Three.

Fast Water.

After breakfast Zennor left her new found friends. The medicine and the clean water had helped them though the children still looked weak. Once they were out of sight of the cottage, the Wishme began talking. “It is very hard not to say anything,” it said. “There is so much that is new.”

Before long they came to a bridge across a stream. A group of children were playing by the water’s edge. They sounded very happy. One little boy was trying to sail a model boat. Zennor stood on the bridge and watched them.

“Put me in the water, please” said the Wishme interrupting her thoughts. “Do you see those sparkles in the water. I am sure they are Wishmes.”

Zennor took the jar down to the water and gently poured the Wishme into the stream. She left the jar just in the water, so that the Wishme could get back in if it wanted to. She took off her shoes and dangled her feet in the water. It was ice cold, but very pleasant. She sat and watched the sparkles on the water.

“This is impossible,” said the Wishme from its jar. “They move so fast I cannot keep up with them. And all they say is ‘Run, run.’”

“I am sorry,” sympathised Zennor. “Are they Wishmes like you?”

“I don’t think so, a Wishme does not move quickly like that. I wish one would keep still so I could talk to it,” said the Wishme sadly.

Zennor looked at the water and realised that the Wishme was right, the sparkles moved past them at incredible speed. “Oh,” she exclaimed.” Look at that branch over there in the water. There is a sparkle there. It has not moved for a while.”

The Wishme flowed out of its jar and into the stream. Zennor watched as it made its way across the surface. Soon there were two sparkles by the branch. After a couple of minutes, the branch moved and one sparkle disappeared down stream as fast as it could. The Wishme flowed back into its jar.

“Quick,” it said. “We must get those children out of the water and as far away from the stream as possible.”

“Why?” Zennor said as she quickly put on her shoes and scrambled to her feet. She picked up the jar.

“There is a log up the Valley and it is holding back the water. That one told me that the log is about to slip and when it does all the water behind it is going to come rushing down the stream. That’s why they were shouting, ‘Run, run’.”

Zennor did not wait to hear any more. She ran down the bank. She screamed at the children, “Run, get away from the stream. Go home now.”

Her screams frightened the youngsters and they began to run away, all but the one trying to sail his boat. He paddled out into the water to collect his precious boat.

“Be quick,” warned the Wishme. “I can hear the water coming.”

Zennor did not hesitate. She wedged the jar in the branch of a tree, as far up as she could reach and prayed it would be safe. She went into the stream after the child and grabbed him. He fought her, but she was strong. She turned and ran up the bank, shouting to the other children who had stopped to watch this mad woman who was chasing them. They turned and fled away from her, up the valley side.

Zennor joined them at the top of a bank, put the little one down and turned to look back at the stream. Down the valley roared a wall of brown water. It swept everything away before it. Riding the top of the wave like a spear was the log. It smashed into the bridge. For a second the timbers of the bridge held and then with a terrible cracking noise, they gave way. The whole mess of log and timbers roared on down the stream. Right at the top of the wave, riding along, proudly upright was a small toy boat.

The frightened children began to scream. The noise of the water brought the people from a small group of cottages running out. They grabbed their children and hauled them further up the bank. Zennor handed over the one she had been carrying to a frantic looking woman.

Zennor turned back to watch the water. The tree where she had put the Wishme was now in the stream, but still standing. She could not take her eyes off it, even when one of the mothers tried to drag her away to a higher part of the valley. The water lapped at her feet, but Zennor could not move.

She stayed there until the water level began to drop. Slowly the water changed from dirty brown branch filled horror, back to clear. After an hour or so the water level was back to where it had been before. Both side of the stream had been scoured clean of bushes and grass. The banks were just brown mud. The bridge no longer existed, only a few broken beams showing where it had been.

Zennor rushed across the mud to the tree where she had put the Wishme jar. To her relief it was still there, unbroken and still with its silvery light, glistening in the afternoon sun.

“Wow, that was exciting,” said the Wishme.

“I am so glad you are safe,” said Zennor. “You saved the lives of those children.”

The Wishme sounded excited. “And I found out what I am,” he said. “Now I have two names.”

“What are you then,” asked Zennor.

“I am a Water sprite.” The Wishme said. “Those sparkles in the water were sprites.”

“Were they Wishmes?” asked Zennor.

“Sadly, no, they were Stream sprites. They have never seen any Wishmes.”

Before Zennor could say any more, the people from the cottages came and almost dragged her up to their homes.

“You saved our children,” said one mother. Zennor was fed and given a bed for the night. Next morning she went down with the men to look at the ruins of the bridge.

“This is going to cost a lot of money to repair, “said one of the men. “And we need the bridge to get our Vegetables to the Market.”

They were full of gratitude and wanted Zennor to stay with them, but sadly they could not offer her any work.

“We have little money as it is and what we have will go towards the Bridge,” said the small boy’s father.”

Zennor shrugged her shoulders. “Then I will just have to keep on looking.”

[Palustris]

Chapter Four.

Deep Water.

“You could have stayed with the Stream water sprites,” said Zennor, once they were away from the cottages.

“They were not Wishmes,” it replied. “And they were too quick. They would not stay anywhere for long. All they wanted to do was flit along the stream.”

They walked along in silence for half the morning. Eventually they came to a wide, slow flowing river. Zennor slipped the Wishme into the water and sat on the bank to rest. She watched as his silvery sparkle swam out to join some others on the other side. About half an hour later a sparkle swam back and climbed into the jar.

“Well?” asked Zennor.

The Wishme sounded pleased when he answered.” I have three names now, just like you. They said I was too quick for them so they called me ‘Speedy’. Now I am a Wishme water sprite called Speedy.”

“But they were not Wishmes, were they,” said Zennor.

“No,” replied Speedy. “They are River water sprites and so dull. All they want to do is stay where they are. They did not even want to go and look round the next bend. I don’t want to run about like the Stream sprites, but I did like exploring the underground rivers below the Well.”

“We will just have to keep looking then,” said Zennor.

She picked up the jar and carried on walking along the rive bank. Soon they came to a fisherman. As they got near to him, he pulled his net out of the water and sighed. It was empty.

“Good morning,” said Zennor.

“Wish it was,” said the man gloomily. “I have not caught a single fish today. And if I don’t catch at least one, then we will have no supper. Really I could do with a net full, then I would have some to sell tomorrow.”

“I am sorry,” said Zennor. “Are there plenty of fish in the river?”

“Usually,” replied the fisherman. “I am sorry, I was being rude. Good morning to you.”

“I wish I could help,” said Zennor. Then an idea struck her. She walked off up the river a little way to where the fisherman could not hear her talking to Speedy.

“Can you see fish when you are in the water?” she asked.

“Of course,” said Speedy. “The river is full of them. Why?”

“If you went and sat over where there are fish, the man could throw his net there and he might catch some of them.”

“I could do that,” said Speedy, excitedly. “That might be fun.”

“Just don’t get caught in the net,” warned Zennor.

Speedy blew a bubble in the jar. “They don’t call me speedy for nothing,” he said.

Zennor gently poured the water out of the jar into the river. She went back to the fisherman. He pulled his net out of the water once again, empty.

“One more cast and then I am off home,” he said.

“Do you see that beam of light dancing on the water over there?” Zennor asked.

The man nodded. “So?”

“Well, cast your net where it is and see what happens,” ordered Zennor.

The man shrugged his shoulders. “It is as good a place as any.”

He threw the net and hauled it back in. There was a fine big salmon in it.

“Wow!” He sounded really pleased,

“Try again,” said Zennor. “Throw the net where the light is sparkling.”

An hour later there was a fine catch of fish on the bank.

“That is plenty,” said the fisherman in a much happier tone of voice. “I have enough for my family to eat and lots to sell tomorrow in the Market. I am so grateful. You must come and eat with us.”

“Thank-you,” said Zennor “I will just get my things and join you.” She went to where she had left the jar. Speedy flowed in.

As they walked towards the fisherman’s home they chatted. Zennor told him how she was looking for work.

The fisherman shook his head. “There is no work round here. It was different in my grandfather’s day. You see those big dips in the ground?”

Zennor nodded. Along side the river were a series of quite deep dips in the ground.

The fisherman went on. “They were fish ponds back then. They were full of fish just waiting to be caught and taken to market. There was work for everyone then, catching them and cleaning them. We even had a place where we could smoke them so they kept for winter eating.”

“What happened to them?” Zennor wanted to know.

He shrugged his shoulders, “No-one really knows. We came down one morning to find them all empty of water. We had to throw as many of the fish as we could into the river to save their lives. We tried filling them up with water again, but it just drained away every time. We got a quarryman down from the hills to look for us and he said that the river bank had moved a little and opened up a crack in all the ponds. He said they could be repaired, but we had could not afford the cost.”

Zennor spent the night with the fisherman and his wife. His name was Bill Stews. They ate a good fish supper and Zennor helped Mrs. Stews clean the fish ready for the market.

“I am sorry we cannot give you work,” said Bill next morning.

Zennor shrugged her shoulders. “Then I will just have to keep on looking.”

[Palustris]

Chapter Five

Hidden Water.

Zennor felt as if she had been walking forever. The road was dusty and dry. Along side it was a deep valley which looked as if it ought to have a river flowing down it, but there was only a tiny stream with hardly enough water in it to wet her handkerchief.

She was very glad when a cart overtook her and stopped a little way along the road.

“Can I offer you a lift?” said the man. “It is a hot day for walking and there is little shade along here.”

“Thank-you,” said Zennor and climbed up on to the cart next to the man.

“Bob Wheatsheaf is the name,” he said. “And growing wheat is what I do too.” He laughed at his own weak joke.

Zennor introduced herself and explained that she was looking for work.

“There is precious little work round here,” he said. “Bad times at the moment. Even the quarry up in the hills is closing down. It is a sad day when no one wants stone for building things.”

“There is no work any where from what I can see,” said Zennor sadly.

They rode on in silence for a while until the road turned and led to a ford across the stream. Bob stopped the cart and allowed his horse to drink from the tiny stream.

“You know,” remarked Zennor, “This valley looks as if it ought to have a river running down it not such a tiny stream.”

Bob sniffed. “I wish it did have a river,” he said. “Then I would not have to drive down to the plains to get my wheat ground into flour. We could have a Water wheel and a mill of our own. The Miller down there knows we have to come to him and he charges us through the nose.”

“Can you not build a windmill?” Zennor asked.

“Not really, “replied Bob. “The Valley is rather sheltered and we don’t get enough windy days to make one work.”

“Shame,” said Zennor.

“Anyway, you are most welcome to stop with us for the night. My wife gets a bit lonely on the farm and I am sure she would love to hear the story of your travels.”

After supper Zennor went for a walk down to the stream. Under a tall willow tree someone had widened the stream so it made a small pool.

“Put me in there please,” said Speedy. “I need to swim around for a bit. It is a bit cramped in the jar. You can come and get me in the morning.”

Zennor gently tipped the water sprite into the water and went back to the farm.

Next morning she helped Bob and his wife Joan, pack the flour into smaller bags, ready to be sold to people up and down the valley.

“I am sorry, we cannot give you more work,” said Joan.

Zennor shrugged her shoulders. “Then I will just have to keep on looking.”

She picked up her pack and the empty jar and went down to the pool. Speedy was waiting for her. She could tell by the way the light sparkled that the Sprite was very excited about something. She put the jar down and let him swim into it.

“Good morning,” she said, “You look happy.”

“After you left me last night I swam up the stream.” Speedy was almost bouncing out of the jar in  excitement. “It starts from a spring coming out of a hillside. I followed the water into the ground.”

“You can do that?” Zennor interrupted.

“Of course,” said Speedy. “Anywhere water can go, I can too, but that’s not important. I found a river. There is a huge one flowing inside the hill.”

“What?” Zennor sat down on the bank.

“It’s true, inside the hill is a huge cave and in the cave is a river. All the people here would need to do is dig away the hill side and they would have a river. Oh, please tell, them, the water is desperate to escape into the light.”

“Were there any Wishme water sprites in there?” Zennor wanted to know.

Speedy’s light dimmed a little. “No, there were no water sprites at all.” Then it brightened up again, “But once the water is free I bet some turn up.”

Zennor picked up the jar and ran back to the Farm. Bob was rather astonished to see her again and even more so when she told him about the river.

“How do you know,” he asked.

“I just do,” said Zennor. She still did not want to tell anyone about the Wishme, just in case.

Bob was still reluctant to believe her though.

“I know,” said Joan. “John Stoneman will be down for his flour in a short time. He will be able to tell, if anyone can.”

Zennor must have looked puzzled.

Joan explained. “John is a quarryman and he used to be a miner too. If anyone knows about rivers in caves it will be him.”

“Was a quarryman,” added Bob. “’Til they closed the quarry down.”

Half an hour later Zennor was introduced to the biggest man she had ever met. He was not very tall, but his shoulders were broad.

Zennor was introduced and the river situation explained to him.

He thought for a moment. “Well.” he said. “I have seen water coming out of cracks in the rocks before and certainly the rocks round here could have caves in them. Let’s go and look at this hillside. Bob, you go and get some help with some tools so we can clear away the soil and I can look at the rocks.”

Zennor watched Bob go off into the farmyard.

"Now,” said John, “While there is no one here, how did you find out about the water in the rocks. I’ll bet it was that sprite you have in that jar, not you.”

Zennor was too flustered to answer.

“Oh, don’t worry,” went on John. “Your secret is safe with me. I was a miner and there is not a miner in the world who does not believe in sprites and how to keep them secret. Many a miner owes his life to a sprite warning of rock falls or bad air.”

Zennor held up her jar. “This is Speedy. It is a Wishme water sprite. We kept it  secret because people might expect it to grant them wishes.”

John laughed, “And does it?”

“No,” said Speedy. “I can’t.”

“Hello, Speedy. I am very pleased to meet you,” said John. “And your secret is safe with me.”

Zennor said. “Speedy, this is John Stoneman, a quarryman.”

“Oh, now that is just not fair,” grumbled Speedy. “I have just got three names and now I find someone with six.”

John turned to Zennor with a puzzled look.

She laughed. “You are a male, a human being, a quarryman, a miner, a John and a Stoneman. Speedy is very taken with names.”

“May I borrow Speedy for a few minutes please. I will be very careful with it.” asked John.

Zennor nodded.

John walked off with Speedy out of Zennor’s hearing. He returned two minutes later and handed Speedy back to her.

Before they could talk any more Bob returned with a couple of farmhands and some spades and a pick axe. They walked along the stream bed until they came to where it began. John pointed out where the hand should dig to remove the grass and soil from the hillside. It did not take long for them to uncover the rock of the hillside.

“Now,” said John. “Lend me that pick axe and I need every one to stand absolutely still.”

He put the handle of the pick axe against the rock and put his ear to the other end. He nodded and moved to another part of the rock and did it again. This way he went over the entire exposed surface.

He handed the pick axe back to Bob and rubbed his hands together. “The lass is right. There is a huge amount of water behind this rock, just waiting to be let out. Not just a river, but a whole lake of it.”

Bob gave an excited cry and swung the pick axe over his head ready to attack the rock.

John gently took the axe from the Farmer’s hand. “Whoa,” he warned.” Break it open the wrong way and you will drown us all and the valley too. This needs careful opening up so that the water is released slowly.”

“But will there be enough to drive a waterwheel?” Zennor wanted to know.

“I would say so,” said John. The farming folks cheered.

John held up his hand. “But you are going to need to hire quarrymen to clear away the rock properly and then you will need stone and wood and metal to build a mill. It is going to cost a fair amount of money.”

Bob threw down the spade he had grabbed. “You mean that the water in there is no use to us with money.”

“I am afraid so,” said John.

It was a very disappointed group of people who walked back to the farm.

Zennor and John walked behind them. “Can you really hear the water with a piece of wood like that?” Zennor asked.

“Good heavens no, “smiled John. “I was just going by what Speedy told me. It stopped them asking how you knew about the river though didn’t it?”

[Palustris]

Chapter Six

Rough Water.

Next morning Zennor said her good byes to the Wheatsheafs and set off on her travels again. She had not gone very far when John Stoneman caught up with her. “I hope you don’t mind if I walk along with you,” he said.

They chatted about this and that and covered miles without realising it.

Soon they came to the seashore. They stood on the sand and watched the waves.

Speedy got very excited and asked to be allowed to go in the water. Zennor poured the sprite gently into the waves.

“Oooh, “he cried. “This is fun!” and then it was gone.

Zennor explained that Speedy was looking for more of his own kind. She and John walked up and the down the beach, collecting shells and coloured pebbles and looking at the things brought in by the waves.

After about an hour, Zennor began to get worried. “It has never been gone a long as this before,” she said.

“Perhaps it has found its own kind and gone off with them,” suggested John.

“I hope so,” said Zennor, “But I thought it would come back and tell me if it has and say ‘Goodbye’”

They walked back to where she had put Speedy into the water and laid the jar on its side near to where he had first gone in to the sea. A few minutes later a silvery sparkle flowed into the jar. Zennor turned it the right way up.

“Thank-you,” said a breathless Speedy. “I was beginning to think I would never get out of there.”

“Why?” John asked.”

“The Sea sprites are huge,” said Speedy. “And so rough and bad tempered. One moment they are flitting from wave top to wave top and the next, for no good reason they make the waves huge and bring them crashing down. I have never been so scared in all my life.”

“And no Wishmes?” Zennor said.

“They have never even heard of them,” replied Speedy. He was silent for a minute. “Please, may we go home? I don’t want go on looking any more. If there is no water in my Well then I will dry up and be gone and not have to worry again.”

Zennor was nearly in tears. “I am so sorry, I did try. She sniffed and blew her nose. “I think I would like to go home too. Speedy wanted to find more Wishmes and I set out to find my fortune and I have not done that.”

“What’s a fortune?” Speedy asked.

“Gold, silver, money,” said John with a laugh.

“Don’t know what they are,” said Speedy

John fished in his pocket and brought out a silver coin. “This is money, a silver coin.”

“There you go again giving things lots of names,” complained Speedy. “Drop it in my jar, gently, please.”

John did as he was told.

“Thank-you,” said Speedy. “You can take it out again now.”

John did as he was told.

“Wish I had known that was what you wanted, said Speedy. The bottom of my Well is covered in those round things. People have been throwing them in for as long as I can remember. In the beginning, before the Well was made properly it was just a hole in the ground and people used to put bits of bone or stones with lines on them in the water. Later on people used to put other things in. They looked like that shiny thing you use to hold your hair in place.”

Zennor’s hand went to the slide she always wore in her hair.

“Yes, one of them,” went on Speedy. “Funny though they were always broken. Then men came and built the Well. After that people used to drop those coin things in. That’s when we got our name, Wishme. It is the coin things which have blocked the hole where the water comes in.”

“Then home is where we go,” said Zennor.

“It is a long journey for you on your own,” said John. “I had better come with you to make sure you are safe.”

Zennor did not tell him that she had travelled alone, apart from the Wishme.

“And, you will need someone to go down the well and clear out the coins,” added John. “You need a miner or a stone man to do that.”

[Palustris]

Chapter Seven

Clean water.

Back at home, John looked down the well and discovered that when it had been built, the builders had left stones sticking out from the wall in a sort of staircase. They were covered in green, slippery moss so he had to carefully scrape them clean one by one as he went down. When they were clean he climbed back up.

“There is no water at all down there,” he told Zennor. “It has been very nicely made. At the bottom it opens out and I can bend down easily. Everything is covered in green slime, so I will just dig it all out and put it in the bucket. Can you haul it up?”

Zennor thought that she could.

John took a hammer and a chisel and a trowel and went back down the well. Zennor let the bucket down when he shouted that he had reached the bottom.

Speedy sat in its jar by the side of the well and sparkled happily.

There was a tug on the rope and Zennor turned the handle until the bucket reached the top. She emptied it on to the path by the well and sent it down again.

John filled it again and Zennor hauled it up and emptied the contents on to the path.

When Zennor hauled up the third full bucket, John climbed up after it. “The water started to pour in when I cleared that lot,” he said. “Listen!”

From the bottom of the well came a series of gurgles and splashes.

“Oh, please, put me in the bucket and lower me down,” begged Speedy.

Zennor gently poured him out of the jar for the last time. The bucket went down into the water. Zennor left it there for a minute then pulled it back up. Speedy was still in it.

His light was so bright it dazzled. “They are all there,” he shouted. “My friends are all there. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.”

Zennor let the bucket down once again. This time when she brought it up, it was full of cold, clear, clean water.

They used it to wash the slime and muck off the stuff John had sent up from the bottom of the well. As Speedy had said, most it was indeed, coins.

Zennor held one up,” Oh,” she cried “This is not gold or silver, it is just copper.”

As more and more of the coins were cleaned, they soon realised that there were no gold or silver coins in the haul at all.”

Zennor was bitterly disappointed. “This is not a fortune,” she cried. “There is not even enough here to buy some hens.”

John sat on the edge of the well. He held a handful of the coins. Carefully he examined each one of them. “You know, he said slowly. “These are all very, very old. There are people in the City who collect old coins. I wonder if they would buy them.”

“Some money would be better than this heap, “said Zennor. “But I was hoping for just one silver or gold coin, so I could buy some hens and maybe a piglet and start selling eggs in the Market again.” She began to cry.

John put his arms round her. “Do you trust me?” He asked.

Zennor nodded.

“Then let me take these old coins into the City and see what I can sell them for.”

He reached into his pocket and took out a handful of coins.” This is my last pay from the Quarry, Go and buy some hens with it and some food to keep you going until I return.”

Zennor protested, but John insisted.

Zennor watched him walk off towards the city.

Everyday after that she watched the road for his return. The hens she bought settled in nicely and began to lay. There was enough money to buy some seeds and vegetable plants. Soon the garden began to look cared for again. There was at least plenty of water for it. Every time she took water from the Well she looked and listened for Speedy and its friends, but there was never a sign of them.

Three weeks later, just as she was ready to give up ever seeing John again, a coach pulled up at the cottage door. Zennor rushed to see who it was. A familiar figure got out and helped another, well dressed, older man out.

Zennor did not quite know what to do. She wanted to throw her arms around John’s neck and kiss him, but not in front of this important looking man.

“May we go inside,” asked John. He looked very pleased with himself.

At round the table in the cottage John began his story. “I took the coins into the City as I promised. I found a shop which had lots of coins like that in the window, so I went in and showed yours to the shop-keeper. He was so excited, but he said that he could not afford to buy them. So he took me to a place where they sell things like that. People came from all over the country to look at your coins and they all wanted to buy some. I sold them all.”

The older man nodded.

“I could not bring all the money with me so I thought it best to put the money somewhere safe,” went on John. “This is Mr. Wells, he is a banker. He looks after people’s money for them.

“Indeed, “said Mr. Wells. “Now there are a few papers to sign and then the money is ready for you to do with as you choose.”

Zennor was utterly confused. “But, but, how much money is there?”

Mr. Wells showed her a piece of paper with the amount written on it. “You are a very wealthy young woman,” he said. “You could sell this cottage and buy a large house in the City. You could buy all the clothes you could ever want and still have lots left over. You will have every young man in the City coming to call on you.”

“But I don’t want to sell the cottage, it was my parent’s home and my grandfather built it. And I don’t want lots of dresses and since none of those young men ever came to visit when I had no money, they can stay away now.” Zennor said fiercely.

Mr. Wells smiled. “I was just making a few suggestions. You do not have to spend the money at all, it can stop in the bank and you can take out a little at a time for whatever you need when you need it.”

Zennor took a deep breath and walked around the room. She came back to the table. “Is there enough there to dig a well?”

“Dozens,” replied Mr Wells

“Would there be enough to build a bridge across a stream?” Zennor went on. “And to dig out a series of fish ponds by a river?”

“Easily,” said Mr. Wells.

“How about building a Mill with a water wheel?” Zennor asked.

“Probably,” said Mr. Wells. “But there would not be much left after doing all those things.”

“Enough to buy a little boy a toy boat,” Zennor said.

“Definitely,” laughed Mr. Wells.

“Then I know exactly what I am going to do with the money,” said Zennor.

She signed the papers which Mr. Wells brought and waved him off in his coach.

John sat on the edge of the well, turning his cap round and round in his hand. Zennor went and sat next to him.

“They will need a good stoneman to build the well, you know,” said Zennor.

John nodded.

“They will need someone to make sure the bridge is built properly,” said Zennor

John nodded

“They will need a good quarryman to set the river free,” said Zennor.

John nodded.

“They will need someone who knows what they are doing to oversee the building of the Mill,” said Zennor

John nodded.

“And someone needs to buy a boat for a little boy,” said Zennor.

John nodded.

“And I need someone to help me do all the things this cottage needs doing to it,” said Zennor.

John looked up and gave a great big smile. “Me?”

“You," said Zennor

“You know,” said John. “There are lots more of those coins down the Well. I could probably get them for you.”

“No,” said Zennor sharply. “They belong to Speedy and  friends. And I am going to put one back.”

She took the last coin of the ones which John had given her and held it out over the Well. “I wish.”

John put his arm round her. “What do you wish for? He asked.

”Wishes only come true if they are kept secret,” said Zennor and let go of the coin.

From the bottom of the Well came a faint. “Thank-you.”