The Splendiferous Tale of

Ferdinand Fox

Rose Morris with illustrations by

Karolina Smorczewska

This book is available to buy online, in print and e-book editions. For more information please visit:

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The Splendiferous Tale of

Ferdinand Fox by Rose

Morris

with illustrations by Karolina Smorczewska

Copyright © Rose Morris, 2015 The author has asserted her moral rights Illustrations copyright © Karolina Smorczewska, 2015 The illustrator has asserted her moral rights First Published in 2015 by The Manuscript Publisher ISBN: 978-0-9571157-9-8 A CIP Catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library Typesetting, page design and layout, cover design by DocumentsandManuscripts.com Maps and cartography used courtesy of Google Maps. Additional artwork used courtesy of OpenClipArt.org

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox Copyright © Rose Morris, 2015 The right of Rose Morris to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the copyright, design and patents acts pertaining. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this work may be made without written permission from the author. No paragraph of this work may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission of the author or in accordance with the provisions of the copyright acts pertaining. This work is made available subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the author’s prior consent. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this work may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claim for damages.

Dedication This book is dedicated to Ethan (fox expert extraordinaire!) and Senan, Lilymae and Eleanor, Lilah Rose, Lee, Jade and Étain, Dylan, Adam, Ashlinn Mai and Darerca, James and Stephen, Colin, David and Alison, David, Ronan and Paul, Eoin, Clare, Theresa and Kathleen, Isabella, Aisling, Olivia, Michaela and Teagan, Séamus and Mairéad, Martin, Brian, Sheila, Liam and Seán, Kieran and Katie, Alice, Michael, Carmel and Lauren, Niamh and Caragh, Laura, Dylan and Amanda. To Conor Gavigan and Toby Mc Carthy. Also the Morris, Mannion, Brennan, Cox , Tupponi, Piggott, McCarthy, McCluskey, McGill, Beirne, Kelly, Garvey, Neilan, Corcoran, Gavigan, O Neill, Dawson, Murray, Byrne, Campbell, Coogan, Johnson, Culleton, Dempsey, Stroker, Bailey, Martin, Egan and Compton families, and all the pupils and staff, past and present, of Abbeycartron N.S. Elphin and St. John’s N.S. Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon ......... and Rossies everywhere!

Contents The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox

1

Ferdinand’s Little Book of Knowledge

27

Ferdinand’s Maps and Charts

35

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox “Ferdinand Fox, pull up your socks,” His Mammy said one day, “And keep in mind, you’ll fall behind If you dally along the way.” “I’ve had a premonition; it is our earthly mission To make this world a better place to be, So that Man and Beast, from greatest to least, May co-exist in peace and harmony.” “I told you before, when the clock strikes four, We must head for an elfin site, Where there is hidden, in an ancient midden, The Annals of Darkness and Light.” “In Reynardland, to give a hand To creatures young and old, The Annals tell how to live life well, To grow up brave and bold.” “The Annals were lost, to our great cost, With the arrival on Earth of Man; When Reynard roamed free, by river and tree, Before the Great War began.”

1

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox

“In animal lore, on the woodland floor, A fox would be born in spring, ’Neath a hawthorn bush, with a magic brush, Who one day would be King.” “He would carry the mark of a floating barque Beneath his amber left eye. When the time was right, he would champion the fight So no fox would needlessly die.” “I’m telling you this,” said his Mam with a kiss, “I feel you’re the one that’s been chosen: You carry the mark of a floating barque.” Said the cub, “Mam, let’s go, I’m frozen!” “I know I was born, beneath a hawthorn, As were my sisters and brother, But what’s all this lark regarding a barque? One bark is the same as another!” “My bark is a howl – to scare the fowl! Some think I’m an eerie Banshee. When they hear me at night, they get such a fright, For they rarely can spot me, you see.” “You silly young kit! Have you no wit? A sailing ship is a barque. It’s not on your brother, nor indeed any other; You alone are the one with the mark.” “And a magic brush?” he replied in a hush. “Look! I really can’t do magic. 2

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox

No rabbit in hat, all juicy and fat: Now! That is simply tragic!” “But if I could, I certainly would; What wonderful tricks I’d do. I’d hocus, I’d pocus, I’d carefully focus, I’d summon up hot Irish stew!” “I’d get me some chickens. Yum! Tasty pickins. I’d conjure a warm cuddly coat. I’d ride on the tail of a giant blue whale And I’d hornpipe with a stoat.” “You just want some fun, my little one, To frolic awhile and play But your gift will shine through; you’ll know what to do And your valour will win the affray.” “Let’s begin our travel; our trail will unravel As we roam where’er fate decides, ’Till we come to the midden in the elfin site, hidden. To the Annals, as our destiny guides.” “OK Mam,” said he. “It’s quite clear to me That Mother always knows best. I’ll catch me a fish, a viaticum dish Then we’ll head off, west south west.” He dillied, he dallied. He shillied, he shallied. He jumped a meandering stream. He decided to nab a big juicy crab That stung him and made him scream! 3

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox

Ferdinand Fox climbed over the rocks In search of a razor shell. At half past one, he was having such fun, He heard not the roaring swell. “Look what I found, right here on this mound: A razor shell, just what I need. I’ll run to the ocean and make a great potion Of periwinkle and seaweed.” “Time is flying,” said his mother, sighing, “We must be on our way. We must on this date, fulfil the fate That awaits us, come what may.” His Mother grew frantic with his every antic, She was fit to pull out her hair. On the stroke of two, a bolt from the blue Hit young Ferdinand. “Watch out, Son! Beware!” She rushed to his aid, in anguish, afraid, As he lay there, inert, without stirring. The razor shell lay where he fell Mid the ocean’s constant whirring. Her heart was sore, rent to the core, She uttered a wailing cry, “My precious one, so full of fun, Is it time to say goodbye?”

4

The Splendiferous Tale of Ferdinand Fox

“I fear he is dead,” she caressed his head And lovingly licked her son. He lay quite still, atop a sand hill The fun and the frolics done. The howl of the swell was like a death knell, Her body numbed with dread, When a voice called, “HEAR AND HAVE NO FEAR: IT WILL COME TO PASS JUST AS YOU SAID.” She looked towards the skies in utter surprise, Was this but an aural illusion? But the voice from on high, with a fatherly sigh Called, “A FIRM HAND WILL SAVE MUCH CONFUSION.” “FERDINAND, ARISE AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO A NEW ‘RAISON D’ÊTRE’ FOREVER. HENCEFORTH I NAME YOU, ‘VULPES VULPES SUPREMO’; YOU SHALL CONQUER THROUGH VALIANT ENDEAVOUR.” “YOUR BARQUE IS AT HAND; YOU ARE IN COMMAND; IT WILL TAKE YOU O’ER LAND AND SEA. YOU MUST SEEK AND FIND YOUR OWN TROUBLED KIND AND RECTIFY WRONGS THAT YOU SEE.” From the tip of his nose, to his very toes Ferdinand started to shake. Now re-energised and once more vitalised, He knew the path he must take. Filled with verve and dashing nerve, Ferdinand addressed all creation, 6

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Ferdinand is a dashing, playful young fox, born with a mark that seems to set him apart somehow. A message from on high, delivered in the form of a ‘bolt from the blue’, sets him on his way, recalling an admonition previously given to him by his Mammy, to pull up his socks! Ferdinand and his Mammy, soon to be joined by Seagull Sam (a geographer and a famous oceanographer from Amsterdam), set off in search of The Annals of Darkness and Light, hoping that they will shed some light on the nature and purpose of Ferdinand’s calling. Their journeys take them around the world, eventually finding the Annals, hidden away for centuries in an Elphin site: a pastoral paradise and calm retreat located somewhere in the west of Ireland. Ferdinand learns that he must go wherever creatures are in need, and to help to protect the Earth so as to ensure its conservation and re-birth. This he does with great gusto and determination, making friends and gaining much respect and admiration along the way. Finally, Ferdinand realises that his efforts to end the Earth’s sad retrogression will be in vain, unless he can somehow get his message across on the world stage. He makes a daring bid to persuade the world’s most powerful men and women to take action for the planet. Otherwise, as he says, “The Earth will die through your great lack of caring.” A children’s fable, told in the form of illustrated verse that is suitable for all ages but particularly aimed at reading levels of 7-12 years. A glossary of difficult words and phrases is also included, along with map illustrations that help the reader to chart Ferdinand’s travels.

TMP Publications