Melchior awoke with a start. It was still dark. Completely dark, for clouds had rolled in, blocking out the stars. Only the embers of the campfire gave off any light at all. Suddenly he remembered his dream. He had been looking at the star – the new star that they were following – when it began to speak. “Melchior,” it said, “the way out of this valley is longer than you think. Evening is morning. You must continue your journey at once. Arise and make haste.” Melchior didn’t know how to make haste, so he stirred the fire back to life and made coffee instead. Then he woke the others.
Melchior: Guys, wake up! We have to get going.
Caspar: Melchior, why this ruckus? It is too early. We need our sleep or the journey will be too difficult.
Melchior: The star has spoken to me in a dream! It says we must go now because the valley is longer than we think. It also said, “Evening is morning,” but I don’t know what that means.
Caspar sat up, rubbed his eyes, and accepted the cup of coffee that Melchior handed him. Wise men take dreams very seriously, so Caspar thought hard about what Melchior had told him. A few minutes passed before Caspar suddenly stood up, spilling a little of his coffee.
Caspar: Of course! We’ve been thinking about this all wrong. We must indeed go now. If we are to avoid being trampled by medium-sized giants we will have to make it to Storage Heights in Fellowship Pass by Sunday MORNING, not Sunday evening. The giants could already be in the valley in the morning. If we leave now we might just make it.
Balthazar: I thought medium-sized giants don’t travel the valley in midwinter.
Caspar: Not usually, but one cannot be too careful.
Predictably, Camel was not happy about being woken from a deep sleep. He spit at Balthazar as he was loading the packs. (Camels like to spit, you see.) But soon he was up and they were all on their way. Melchior had grabbed a torch, lit it from the fire, and led the way down the valley. At daybreak a fluorescent glow filled the overcast sky, but there was no dramatic sunrise. The travelers pressed on until midday when they reached the entrance to Preschool Hollow. They looked up and saw a castle on a hill in the middle of the hollow, but it took them another hour or so to make it over the strange-yet-colorful formations strewn about the whole area. When they finally reached the castle, they found a very small knight asleep at his guard post. Caspar shook him gently awake.
Caspar: Good knight, we have come seeking safe haven. Is your master about?
Knight: Good night? What a strange greeting. It’s the middle of the day! And no, I’m afraid my master is also on a journey.
Caspar: O dear. Well, he is a friend of mine. We have been on the road since midnight and are very weary and hungry. You of all people will know what it is like to have a short knight’s sleep. We seek food and a few hours rest.
Knight: Well it’s your lucky day. We had a huge lunch today. That’s probably why I fell asleep. There are lots of leftovers. Come on in!
As they approached the castle they noticed the knight’s mount up on the rampart. Balthazar saluted, shouting, “Hail, noble steed!” The very small knight walked over to Balthazar and said quietly, “Don’t expect him to answer. He’s a little horse.”
Melchior: Guys, wake up! We have to get going.
Caspar: Melchior, why this ruckus? It is too early. We need our sleep or the journey will be too difficult.
Melchior: The star has spoken to me in a dream! It says we must go now because the valley is longer than we think. It also said, “Evening is morning,” but I don’t know what that means.
Caspar sat up, rubbed his eyes, and accepted the cup of coffee that Melchior handed him. Wise men take dreams very seriously, so Caspar thought hard about what Melchior had told him. A few minutes passed before Caspar suddenly stood up, spilling a little of his coffee.
Caspar: Of course! We’ve been thinking about this all wrong. We must indeed go now. If we are to avoid being trampled by medium-sized giants we will have to make it to Storage Heights in Fellowship Pass by Sunday MORNING, not Sunday evening. The giants could already be in the valley in the morning. If we leave now we might just make it.
Balthazar: I thought medium-sized giants don’t travel the valley in midwinter.
Caspar: Not usually, but one cannot be too careful.
Predictably, Camel was not happy about being woken from a deep sleep. He spit at Balthazar as he was loading the packs. (Camels like to spit, you see.) But soon he was up and they were all on their way. Melchior had grabbed a torch, lit it from the fire, and led the way down the valley. At daybreak a fluorescent glow filled the overcast sky, but there was no dramatic sunrise. The travelers pressed on until midday when they reached the entrance to Preschool Hollow. They looked up and saw a castle on a hill in the middle of the hollow, but it took them another hour or so to make it over the strange-yet-colorful formations strewn about the whole area. When they finally reached the castle, they found a very small knight asleep at his guard post. Caspar shook him gently awake.
Caspar: Good knight, we have come seeking safe haven. Is your master about?
Knight: Good night? What a strange greeting. It’s the middle of the day! And no, I’m afraid my master is also on a journey.
Caspar: O dear. Well, he is a friend of mine. We have been on the road since midnight and are very weary and hungry. You of all people will know what it is like to have a short knight’s sleep. We seek food and a few hours rest.
Knight: Well it’s your lucky day. We had a huge lunch today. That’s probably why I fell asleep. There are lots of leftovers. Come on in!
As they approached the castle they noticed the knight’s mount up on the rampart. Balthazar saluted, shouting, “Hail, noble steed!” The very small knight walked over to Balthazar and said quietly, “Don’t expect him to answer. He’s a little horse.”
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