"THE WONDERFUL GROVE" "Grandpa, that's the Slap Taller gnome mill?" "No, my dear." "That is on the Moldova River." "This is The Dog's brook." "Hey, we have arrived at Musurenilor Grove." "Old and untouched by the man's hand." "See that fir over there?" "Yes, Grandpa." "He is the first one to announce the arriving of the winds." "With a deep hoot." "What birds are these?" "Those blood-colored spots are thistle finch" "Those with gray and black spots are claffinch." "And those tile-colored are just finch." "Grandpa, look, the bear!" "Leave him alone, he didn't saw us." "The wind blows from the other side, so the human smell couldn't touch his nose." "Patrocle!" "Come here!" "I, if I'm with you and Patrocle, I'm not afraid of Father Martin (the Bear)." "Look at this, Grandpa!" "Bushy-tailed cat!" "Those are not cats, my dear." "They are squirrels." "What a shame that we don't have some cobnuts or a few walnuts." "But why, Grandpa?" "Well, if you beat the two nuts like this, the squirrel climbs on your shoulder and comes to eat from your palm." "If she feel that you are good man." "But now, what's that sound?" "This is the voice of the deer, who calls his roe's herds." "What large horns he had, Grandpa!" "Only good to defend himself from the wolf." "There are wolves here, Grandpa?" "There are, my dear, there are." "But badger?" "Well, that is showing himself more at night time." "But if we will have a bit of luck, maybe we will see him." "But why the badger is shown at night?" "Because it is very crabby and grumpy!" "But he does not bite?" "Well, if you do not give leave him alone, he might bite." "But his not afraid of Patrocle?" "The badger is an brave animal!" "And it is the cleanest of animals, which are living in burrows." "Let's go, my dear!" "The storm has arouse!" "Faster Grandpa, we will get wet!" "Faster, faster, my dear!" "But after my strength." "Patrocle, Patrocle!" "But why do you think, that the girl is like a thorn between us?" "George mary me out of love." "And all that is dear to him it is natural to be my dear to me." "And, as a father, I think I have the right to decide myself what education should my child receive." "In our house she has different conditions!" "Incomparably better than here!" "Without our Lizuca [diminutive for Elisabeth] we can not live!" "Hey, George, it is so hard to understand?" "They don't want to give you the girl share from my predecessor legacy!" "Therefore it is difficult for them to part with Lizuca!" "You grab the girl and let's go!" "I know that you don't have time to spare And you must leave." "But I like to tell you a story from which you would see that there is a certain so called lady who would enjoy to be over and done with the little girl!" "As has been happend with the mother." "And after that, she will enjoy the yeoman wealth." "Well, that my dear, that can not be!" "Mia, my dear!" "Water, water!" "Please hurry!" "Mia!" "My dear!" "My darling!" "Please!" "I do not allow such insinuations to be addressed to my wife!" "From today on, our family ties has ended!" "My Maricica!" "My Maricica!" " Who is this Maricica?" " Never mind, daddy will buy another doll!" "A real doll, big and beautiful, from Bucharest." "Patrocle!" "Patrocle!" "George, she's slashing my dress!" "Do something!" "Get away!" "Away!" "Home!" "Stop!" "He will fill the house with fleas!" " Not with me!" " Let him!" "He'll sit down, my dear." " Come on, go!" " Go!" "Obnoxious dog." "He scratched all the doors!" "The main thing is that I feel good and I am happy!" "And George is fulfilling all my whimsicalities." "My troubles, my dear lady Emilie and dear Mrs. Micu are of entirely different nature." "George's daughter!" "A mannerless child." "What is wrong with the skivvy?" "She's late!" "Forget it, Mrs. Basil do not bother, she will come!" "Until then, I'll light a cigarette!" "Finally!" "And as I said George's child." "Can your imagine, that I can not make her to wear an embroidery or a ribbon?" "It is acceptable, at her age?" "But how old is she?" "She's six!" "Can you imagine?" "Can not curtsey in front of the elderly!" "I was raised differently." "For my, these things are horripilating!" "You called, Madam?" "Coca, my dear!" "We are waiting for some coffee, which seems to be late!" "Immediately, Madam!" "Beautiful day!" "However, it seems too hot." "At once, she will bring us the orange sherbet and iced water!" "This girl is very smart." "And she knows all my tastes!" "Madam, Mr. Lieutenant Lazar Micus asks if you condescend to welcome him." "How not?" "Walk him in!" "He is always welcome." "Mrs. Micus!" "I have not seen you for a century." "Madam, I am very happy that you didn't forgot me." "How-do-you-do, Madam!" "At ease, you pickle!" " Madam!" " Micu." " The wife of the new dean of the bar." " ... recently transferred into our bourg." " ... by the Tory government!" " I'm honored, Madam!" "Mr. Micus, take a sit!" "I'll bring your a raspberry confiture, that I made it." "By myself." " With your own hand?" " Yes." "Must be delicious." "I do not know if you'll like it." "A...!" "Good grief Madam!" "What is it, my dear?" "It's awful!" "See what kind of habits she bring from her grandparents!" "This child is a disgrace and a misfortune." "Do not know what I'll do!" " Madam Vasilian!" "Madam!" "Madam Vasilian!" "Madam Vasilian!" "Why you dumbfounded, Frusina?" "If I have to see her for another instant, you'll have to call the doctor." " Madam Vasilian!" " Oh!" "Come here!" "Madam, please forget everything!" "Come here!" "Damn bug!" "Because of you I have to endure reprimands and abashments?" "I gone tell you to daddy!" "Really?" "You'll tell me?" "Well, Mr. will not come soon and until his coming back from Bucharest, I'll hang your skin on a stick!" "What?" "You look like thieves?" "Madam was right!" "Why are a wacker!" "Take it!" "And with interest!" "Go away!" "And come back when I'll call you!" "Madam Gherghina, Madam Gherghina!" "Do you know what devilish bug did to me?" "She enter upon us in the sitting room and she claws the sherbet in such a way that" "I thought that the madam will faint!" "Do you get me?" "Patrocle, come!" "Come, Patrocle!" "They beat yesterday, they beat me today." "They beat me every day." "Since we were taken from grandparents we are doing very bad." "Listen!" "Mommy laughs all the time!" "Our mother didn't laughed like this!" "What is the matter, little girl?" "Did you cry?" "Oh, bad child!" " Poor little girl!" "Proof that any hump is easy forgotten!" "Patrocle!" "I'm not staying here anymore." "I going to my grandparents!" "God beat you, beat you!" "And may you never get it there!" "Damn peat!" "Why do you carry the bread in your mouth?" "Because you don't have pockets?" "Then let's lay it in my room so we can have it when will be in need." "But we need something else!" "After that we run away." "We're going to our grandparents." "Bran or flour are not good!" "Grandma told me a story with children who get lost." "From which we can learn that rabbits and foxes eats bran and flour." "And children can not know the way back." "Therefore we have to sprinkle ash." "Are your feet hurt, Patrocle?" "Me either." "I think that this are Mihalcea's poplars." "From now on we do not have much." "We should hurry because nightfall will come soon!" "Patrocle, we run out of ash!" "What do we do now?" "It's nothing." "It's even better." "We do not go back there anyway." "These corn moves and sounds like swords, but I'm not afraid." "Patrocle, do you know that corn can defend us from many bad twerps?" "Patrocle, Patrocle!" "See, Patrocle, the corn has a princess, too." "How are you, Sunflower, Sister-of-Sun?" "Glad to found you tall and beautiful!" "At home, I could not stay there anymore." "The new mommy beat me all the time." "But I was not crying." "I slip in Patrocle's doggy house and sit there hidden and I thought of mother, who leaved and did not come back." "My mother died, Sunflower." "Isn't true that this is the way to my grandparents?" "Thank your!" "See, Patrocle?" "If you're not leave them alone, they bite!" "Stay put so I can clean your muzzel!" "This is the Ant's Queen!" "She'll give us a straw, because we saved her from harm." "When will be on need, we blow three times and she will come quick to help us." "Along with all her ants." "Look, the straw!" "Thank you, Ant's Queen!" "Here, Patrocle, see what Ant's Queen gave us!" "Now, we have nothing to fear of!" "Stay well and in good health, Mighty Queen!" "But which is the way to my grandparents?" "Lock here, the trees leaves are turning in that direction!" "That's our way." "Let's go!" "Patrocle!" " Kiss your right (hand), Aunt Wednesday!" " Isn't right that you are going to Grandma?" "So far, I've never seen you, but now I know you!" "Where's your dog with iron teeth and grinders of steel?" "I left home to look for my household." "We are not afraid of her." "We are good people!" "Kiss your right Aunt Wednesday!" "The nightfall is near and Patrocle fears we are linger." "Go, my dear!" "You're a poor little girl, as I can see." "Who's that?" "What about her?" "Who's that?" "What about her?" "See Patrocle?" "These trees are men and beasts." "They've been taken aback since ancient times, by a witch!" "Patrocle!" "It's a little cheeky, him." "What I did to you, that you say that I'm ugly and squinty?" "I am a poor little girl." "That's what Aunt Wednesday said." "Patrocle, they are the frogs who guards the footbridge." "Patrocle, Patrocle!" "Patrocle, the road is not visible anymore!" "What if we have lost?" "I never saw the moon so big and so close as now." "I know you're a brave doggy but we will not be able to walk like this." "I say to look for a shakedown." "Who can we ask for lodging, in such loneliness?" "This is a firefly, Patrocle!" "Look, you scare him!" "Look, Patrocle!" "A good bed for us." "Look, Patrocle!" "A good bed for us." "Aunt Wicker, are you allow us to enter your house?" "Here is very good." "So, we found a soft bed, with a moss cushion." "Come on, Patrocle, it's room for you too!" "He sings nicely." "I do not know why but I'm not feeling sleepy at all." "I've never knew in this grove." "Now I see that is a forest is like in stories, my mother use to said to me." "The cricket isn't chink anymore." "He pipe down." "That's good." "He chinck beautifully, but he didn't let me sleep." "Patrocle, you are talking?" "Of course!" "But why did not you say anything before?" "Oh, why do children ask so many questions?" "Look, Patrocle, how big is our little house and how beautiful!" "Patrocle, you know?" "My heart is beating hard." "I feel that here something special will take place." "I do not think we should fear of the Beldam." "Here are safe places." "You know what I fear, Patrocle?" " What are you afraid?" " The badger." "I heard that the badger is very bad." "He can come." "I'll have a rod to pickle him!" "Now, if we have broken our sleep ..." "Look, the badger!" "Patrocle!" "Patrocle!" "Do not leave me alone!" "Patrocle!" "Hey, hey!" "Lizuca, don't worry!" "Don't you know me?" "Aren't you Slap Taller gnome, the miller from the Moldova river?" "Exactly!" "I heard many intriguing stories about you." "You are not to be worry about the larks I play to the people." "I do larks only to those stupid and evil." "Who we I lived in the world have pulled my beard and laughed at me for my tiny body." "Then I hump on my old rabbit I ran from them in these lonely places" "Good people know me and are not afraid of me." "They like to hear the sound of my silver horn." "This horn is charmed and can mimic the voice of any man or any creature." "Even Patrocle's voice?" "Of course." "Want to hear?" "Funnel your hands and shout him!" "Patrocle!" "I'm coming, I'm coming!" "Patrocle, Patrocle!" "How nice!" "It is like there are many little girls into the forrest!" "That wasn't the badger." "It was just a rabbit." "It was my old rabbit." "I didn't know, I beg your pardon!" "He was fearing you so badly!" "He was fearing you so badly!" "What is this?" "Those beatings announce that it is time to gather in the Magic Groove." " One, two, three, four, five and ..." " It is not polite to count us ..." "You know that we are seven!" " Well, I do not count you" " And we know that you are seven." "Missy Lizuca!" "Isn't true that you like the tips and stories?" "Mother said that without stories Human life would be sad and dull." "Nice to see you and kiss right (hand), you nuncles!" "Wish you good, my dear!" " Oh, you are resembling my grandparents!" " Come to me!" "My dear." "I knew that you come to us." "I the put the Earth Tromtit on watch at edge on the forrest who descended into our caves and gave us the news." "This is better than elsewhere." "But now The Grove is in great danger." "What kind of danger?" "Do not you remember?" "Your father came to your grandfather and asked him to sell The Grove, because he needed money." "For a long time Mommy has hassel and bustle Daddy to sold The Grove, but neither I nor Patrocle we want that." "By all means, that's your forrest, my dear." "And ours." "And now then." "Now we have to go to court." "George took me out of love ..." "It's time!" "I'm wondering a lot!" "How such an crabby thing like the badger can play and by so happy?" "I do not wonder at all." "I think so." "You're a wonder dog." "Well, well, it smells nice this gold dust." "Patrocle, Patrocle!" " Mighty Queen, the fin!" " Keep it, Lizuca!" "It is not the time yet to give it back to me." "Glad to see you, brothers!" "But who are they?" "That's Stone-Crusher, Wood-Warper and other giants from ancient times." " Are we all?" " All!" " No one is missing?" " No one!" "Then let call to call the litigants." "The Fancy Fairy will be here too, for which Forest Eldmother is fearing the most." "But who is Fancy Fairy?" "A long, long, time ago" "When Buciumeni Grove was held together with other groves ..." "And villages were scarce and boroughs here and there ... around these places has lived a flimsy and white Fairy." "And her beauty was so great that son's of King's and Emperor's took their weapons, mount their horses and came here with their armies to search the forrest and find her." "Prince Charming!" "I know that only you believe in me and carry me in your heart." "From now on my love will guide your life." "And your troubles will be redempt." "And at the hour of your death I will bring you the solace flower." "Lovely Fairy!" "If I will have to look for you by the end of my days, it will still not seem me to long." "Because without you my life will be empty and flat." "There you were, my lord?" "And we think that you met with the Fairy, and she has harm up." "Or she has turned into a tree or a any twerp." "But here she is!" "She is so beautiful!" "And her voice is like a chord of gold." " Do you see anything?" "What is to see?" "This light?" "It's the glitter of water." "How do you not see?" "Here she is!" "It's here." "He lost his mind!" "He compares the water glitter with the Fairy." " Bring my sorcerer!" " But there's no need." "I'm more healthier than ever." "Only that I'm so happy." "Like nobody else on the earth before." "Do not be mad!" "We would like you to give us a vouch about the Fairy." "Do us this favor!" "And you'll stay grateful to you till the end of our days." "From your talking I presume that you are in doubt of the honesty of my word." "And that really surprised me." "What is right for you?" "We are only mortals and a mortal heart is subject to doubt." "Forgive me, beautiful Fairy!" "But knowing my helpmate eager to find you perhaps you will forgive my boldness." "Show yourself to them as well!" "Prince Charming, only the power of longing in your heart make you to see me." "You must know that the other King's son's do not deser it." "Their mind eyes are blind, and their hearts are dry." "Do you heard somebody to answer him?" "Nothing of that kind!" "I do not hear else then the water chatter." "And yet look at him listening bewitched!" "Do not be upset, cousin, but just not to get the impression that you are laughing at us let me know the truth!" "Ask Fairy for her ring and give me proof that she is staying in front of us." "I beseech you, beloved of my soul!" "It's so earthy." "I do not wear empty jewels." "Love cherishes more than the frothies of mortals." "At least cut a lock of her golden hair so we can see!" "And us." "Allow me!" "This proves that in heart has snuck doubt." "From now you will of me as as something forever lost." "Because I will can not lighten the haze of your hours." "Do not leave me, lovely fairy." "From now you will of me as as something forever lost." "Because I will can not lighten the haze of your hours." "I lost her forever." "Solace, your highness, at least you get her goldielock." " It's gone" " But never ever has been." " Well, Fancy Fairy did not exist." " So it would be time to go back at home." "Saddle up, brothers!" "And Prince Charming's to his kingdom." "But he had a sore soul." "And he died with his soul empty and old." "And poor people, who were soldiers in the Prince Charming's army settled in our lands" "and continued to believe in the Fairy with golden hair." "Because they saw her." "But they were considered too fool to be heed by the nobleman and well-known sorcerer." "I was a soldier in the Prince Charming army and I saw her!" "And local people still see her from now and then." "In the twilight near the springs." "I would like to see her once." "But scholars say that Fancy Fairy does not exist." " They are taught." "What do they know?" " I saw her and I know her." "Then, look!" "How-do-you-do, My dear!" "Welcome, our good Fairy!" " How are you, Patrocle?" " Did you see that she knows me?" "Lizuca, because you are a good and gentle child I'll fulfill you a wish." "Ask me anything you want!" " I'd like to see my mother." "Close your eyes, Lizuca." " Mama!" " When you want to see me, be alone." "When you think of me and I'll come." "I will be only a shadow." "But I will caress you and I will hug you." "What is this girl doing here?" "Ma cher!" "How many times have I done caution about these things?" "If I have to see her for another instant in the Grove, you'll have to call the doctor." "Why you dumbfounded, Frusina?" "Lock her in the hollow immediately, in the hollow!" "Madam!" "You'll pay me!" "You do not imagine as soon as you pay it to me." "Chair!" "Well, now we can begin!" "All the litigants are present?" "We could not find the father of the child." "Master went to Bucharest and he'll not return soon." "And until then we will skin you." "Hush, you rattle!" "Shame on you!" "What reason brought you to court?" "Honest Fairy and wise assembly we, the inhabitants of these lands, call" "the Forest Eldmother for impair justice, who wants to sell our grove!" "The Grove is not yours!" "It belongs to Vasilian!" "You mean to the Madam;" "no one asks him." "But you who asked you?" "Quiet!" "Speak only when is your turn!" "I need money!" "A lot of money!" "I am not accustomed to live in poverty." "23 years ago, when the stork brought me on to my parents home  23 years, without Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays." "... in Buzau." "Crews, chasseurs, governesses." "With that I was born and raised." "And only for that to sold The Grove?" " This is the Lizuca's Grove!" " And ours!" "And mine!" "How you prove it?" "I need evidence, not empty words." "Your Lordship will have prove you rights that you claim to have here." " That's right!" " I will!" "But first I ask that child to be given to me!" "I do not want!" "I do not want!" "Good fairy, do not leave me!" "The girl will stay were she is." "Vasilian leave this child to me to be taken care of and be educated." "And if you do not give it to me I will all you drown you in darkness." "You will remain so until the end of the world!" "Fear not!" "I'm here." " I feel that I'm losing my strength!" " Madam Vasilian!" "Here, it says here that I and I alone I have the right to decide on the child and on these places." "This is the power of attorney that Vasilian give it to me." "That's right." "I was there when he sign the paper." "Yes, 'and she had a dress so beautiful, that all her friends were having a grudge." "Like we are talking about dresses!" "Damn peat!" "Quiet!" "If you do not shut up, will evacuate you from the glade!" "You see then that rightness is on my side." "Upon these places, I am the master." "So give me the girl and perish from my sight!" " Yes Madam, let's show them who we are!" " Sincere congratulations!" " Otherwise it could not be!" " Otherwise, my husband, Dean of the Bar..." " Slowly!" "Judgement has not yet finished." "We have our own documents and testimonies." " That's right!" " You can show them." " The charter of the Yeoman from Buciumeni." "By which King Stefan, Lord of Moldavia appoint this places to his Highness yeomans." " That's right!" "That's right!" "To make country, to keep order and be ancestry for them and the descendants." "King Stefan, Lord of Moldavia." " By thy name praise for ever!" " By thy name praise for ever!" "We do not have documents." "But we can call a The Seasons as witnesses." "The Seasons may come!" "We know why you called us." "So we rushed to come to your aid." "And for me is hot, too." "I'll not put out my tongue, even if I'm cut." "Just to spite them." "We all bear witness that these tykes were born here, in front of our eyes." "In these places, where their ancestors were settled at same time with the forest." "The bones of those ancestors are here." "On this land, which we covered centuries in a row with a thick layer of leaves." "Give me a grape to get cool!" "It must be very sour." "By law, therefore, they deserve this grove, because they were born and lived here and gave their soul in hear deep, people after people." "Mighty Fairy, here are the documents that proves that we lived on these parts when the Yeomans from Buciumeni established their settlement." "On winter we gather together with the giants and chase away our loneliness." "We, after we helped Prince Charming to kill the griffins and the dragons, does not had anything else to do on world and we retired to the calm of these places forever!" " We sit on beds of saving and moss and whispered stories, because we remember the facts of our old life." "If the forest will be sold, trees will be cut." "The springs will dry up, the grass will die, the rocks will fall down, and we'll have to wander who knows on which wilderness." " I do not want the forest to die!" " It will die!" "Otherwise, even they do not have long to live." "All are good for nothing." "They'll pass in eternal darkness and how people love stories ever less and forget their friends easily, will not take long and you all will close your eyes, and the caves will forever remain empty." "This can not be." "If there will no longer be fairy tales, what children will do?" "I will never live you." "You will live!" "You will live forever." "As long as people will live on earth." "This is the voice of innocence and this child has told the truth." "So, live in peace and understanding!" "As you lived before." "And the joy may not leave your hearts ever!" "As for the Forest Eldmother..." " Let's cast her out!" "Let's banish her from our land!" "Let's banish her from The Magic Groove!" "I am stronger than you." "And I will overcome you all." "Take the Lizuca and close her in the hollow forever!" "The cold wind from the nook stream to sting her eyes and fade her cheeks." "Why are you dumbfold?" "Catch that girl!" "Oh my, oh my!" "Oh my!" "madam!" "Enough!" "From today forward you will not harrow this child." "I do not want!" "Help!" "I do not want to die!" "Stop them!" "You are mortal, only time is everlasting!" "Stop them!" "I do not want to die!" "It's time to break off, my dear!" "Mommy, don't you want to hold me in your arms slightly?" "Hush-hush baby," "My dear flower." "'Cause other has cradled you and washed your face." "With water from springs, To be torn from the sun." "Hush-hush baby," "And grow up as a flower." "Be tall as a reed," "White as a lily." "Good as a dove And beautiful as a star." "The child is asleep!" "We could not carry her to our caves." "When she will woke up, I'm afraid that she'll be afraid." "Then let's let the people on the hillside know about her!" "Your thought is good and honest, our dear Fairy." "If there will no longer be fairy tales, what children will do?" "I will never live you." "You will live!" "You will live forever." "As long as people will live on earth." "This is the voice of innocence and this child has told the truth." "So, live in peace and understanding!" "As you lived before." "And the joy may not leave your hearts ever!" "We'll trail the dog." "It will lead us to the child." "Oh, you are alike my grandparents!" " Slowly, father!" "Do not shake her!" " Don't worry!" "The sleep had fully numb her tired little body." "My dear!" "Well, you can be so kind give me an explanation?" "Last night, when I sent the maid to see if the girl didn't came here," "Your told her don't know anything about that and looked like you were dismayed." "And even mind that Lizuca had been go astray and lost." "And now, as I understand from what you say, the child is here." "Yes." "I understood finally where to search." "I found her at the end lost in the forest." "That's something unacceptable!" "What do to you, that I can move me such baby stories?" " I understood everything last night." "What are these words, if I may ask you?" "What stories for children?" "What have you understood last night and what are not understand now?" "And after all, what do you want from me?" " I came to take the child." "To leave here is to impossible!" " Shut up, Patrocle!" "Let's hide!" "Curious thing!" "You came to take her and I do not want to give her." "I endured enough." " But you know that Vasilian absolutely forbid me to sent her over." "And when he'll return from Bucharest he will held you accountable.." "I do not think you'd enjoy to find yourself with a lawsuit." "Then, I would not be upset, my dear." "This yeoman knows well the way to the court." "And we have enough to tell to the Judge." "As ordinary people as we are." "So why don't you leave alone the little girl and the dog." "Give me the child!" "If not, I'll come with the police." "And you know what?" "I do not need that cur full of fleas." "Madam, calm down!" "And stop saw the airs or you'll get yourself in trouble." "Extraordinary!" "Unbelievable!" "Do you hear, Patrocle?" "From now on we do not care about anything." "My dear, isn't so that they wake you up?" " Help!" " It has happened as grandfather said." "They come too close to the bee's house and the bees spring at them." " And the maid?" " And." "Oh, I can not walk!" "I strike my leg!" "Look, Grandma, how happy is Patrocle!" "Hey, fin!" "When I'll see my dad I'll tell him that I rather die but not leave from here." "Do not fear, my dear, Grandpa will not allow it!" "Nor me!"