Wagoneer Too

  It was late afternoon, but still the sun was quite hot! Ahead on the road, right after the bend, they came upon a stream that ran right over the narrow road? It was a shallow stream, which sparkled as the water ran over the rocks from the now setting sun! On the other side, the road wore up into a forest. There was a bit of a beach, and then a high bank with a grove of large trees above it. These trees offered cool shade, as they formed a bit of a tunnel as they bent over toward the beach. The scene ahead looked so good to the old man, that he thought to himself, We will make an early camp, I am tired, and the horses will need a rest, it is enough for today! Whata ya think Max, he said, make camp? Max of course on hearing this bolted straight up from his seat, his tail wagging wildly!
  After they were well into the stream, John released the reins, so that the horses could stop and drink their fill. One less chore he figured! When they did stop again on the other side, He sat for a long time in the cool of the glade, before at last he climbed down to unhitch the team. Max was busy chasing something over at the waters edge, and the old man must have fallen asleep somehow?
  When he awoke, he found himself lying on his bed roll near a cozy fire, with max sprawled out comfortably at his feet? But the old man could remember nothing of any of this? The last he knew, he had just unhitched the team? But their were the horses, tied to the post, munching on their feed bags? Who could have done this, he thought? Your horses are well taken care of, and it is we who made your camp! We? When he turned to look in the direction of the voice, his eyes fell upon a most queer looking little man, who sat upon a snail? Who are you, he said to the little man? Who I am is not the question, but rather it should be Who are you, as you are in my land? But because you are new to this land, I will answer your question, my name is Thomas, and I am king of the Gnomes, and this glade that we are in, is on the outskirts of my Kingdom! Kingdom, what kingdom John said. Why the Kingdom of Snail Rock of course, and we are the keeper of the mushrooms! Mushrooms are a very important food, and ours are the finest in three kingdoms! Our people have been the keeper of the mushrooms for generations! My father and his father before him were all mushroom tenders, and mushroom tenders are a very proud people!