Forest Guardians Chronicles: A Matter of Humanity by Beth Roose (i wanna iguana read aloud txt) 📕

make noise, he could get someone’s attention and get help for Bitty. Tiny thought to himself, If only my friend Freda, the Great Blue Heron, was here. She could fly to the tribe and tell them what happened. He thought and thought to himself, trying to figure out what he could do to help Bitty.

Just as he started to think all hope was lost, he remembered what he was taught by the elder turtles: When you think all hope is gone, pray. God is always listening. Tiny closed his eyes and whispered, “Please help and protect my friend Bitty, and please let one of the tribe come to the bank NOW so I can tell them what happened to Bitty. Please hear me, dear God.” As Tiny opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Freda flying over the river.

Freda had spotted her friend Tiny and soared on the wind current down to the riverbank. Freda landed right beside Tiny and greeted him. Tiny immediately started to explain what had happened to Bitty and asked Freda if she could help. Freda flapped her wings and said, “Of course! I will go circle above the forest and see if I can find Cleg.” Off she flew to go in search of help so they could save Bitty.

Tiny was relieved that God had answered his prayer and that he had Freda’s help. He now had hope that he would be able to find Bitty!

3

Hope and Arrival

Around and around Freda flew as she circled the forest looking for help. Finally, she saw Cleg in a meadow that was filled with yellow buttercup flowers. It looked like a sea of yellow with Cleg in the middle of it. As Freda soared on the wind currents to reach the ground, Cleg looked up and waved to Freda. As Freda landed, Cleg could tell immediately that something was wrong. Freda was already yelling to Cleg as her feet touched the ground to tell him that Bitty had been kidnapped by the Pukwudgie Tribe. Cleg ask Freda to calm down and tell him everything. Before Freda could answer, Cleg let out two big whoops to call the tribe to come right away. Then he put his hand on Freda to try to calm her down so she could tell him what happened. Freda took a deep breath and told Cleg that Tiny the Turtle witnessed the kidnapping of Bitty and the Pukwudgie Tribe had taken her to the far side of the woods close to the riverbed.

Just as Cleg wiped a tear from Freda’s cheek, the rest of the tribe came running through the meadow to reach Cleg and Freda. Also arrived was a Meadow Sprite named Ellie. They all looked concerned as Cleg explained the situation. Ellie suggested that they call for Princess Celia to come right away. Cleg told the tribe, Ellie, and Freda to get in a circle and hold hands. He told them all to close their eyes and see Princess Celia in their mind so they could call for her. As all closed their eyes, they felt a strong wind blowing. Everyone opened their eyes and saw Princess Celia arriving in a flash of light. It was so bright, many had to rub their eyes from the brightness.

“Princess Celia, we need your help. It’s Bitty. She has been kidnapped by the Pukwudgie Tribe,” Cleg told her. All were crying and terribly upset.

Princess Celia held up her hand and said, “All will be well. We will find Bitty. I need you, Ellie, to scout on the ground. You will need to be cloaked invisible, please. Cleg, we need the tribe to quietly head for the far end of the forest, but stay out of sight. Freda, I need you to fly over the whole area and keep an eye on everyone in their places. I will be in the light that circles the clouds. Let us go get Bitty,” said Princess Celia.

Off they all went on their assignments to rescue Bitty from the Tribe of Pukwudgie.

4

Execution of Plan

Meadow Sprite Elle was cloaked invisible behind the big hickory nut tree that stood about 200 yards away from the Everett Road Covered Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park at the edge of the forest. Elle could see the Pukwudgie Tribe on the bridge, and they had Bitty. Bitty was upset and crying. Elle could see Cleg off to her right in the big pine trees. Two of Cleg’s tribe were hiding up in the trees, but Elle couldn’t see the rest of the tribe. She grew so afraid that war would break out on the bridge and someone could be hurt.

Oh my, we need to hurry, Elle thought to herself. She looked up and could see the ring of light in the cloud where Princess Celia was. It was directly above the covered bridge. There was no lookout from the Pukwudgie, so Elle knew that the Pukwudgie had no idea Cleg and his tribe were only about 500 yards away and that Elle was close, as well. Elle wondered where Freda went. However, though Elle could not see her, Freda had the best advantage because she could see everyone. Freda brought seven friends with her to help stake out the Pukwudgie Tribe and observe and listen to what they had planned for Bitty.

Once Freda had heard the Pukwudgie’s entire plan, she sent two hummingbirds to deliver the message to Cleg and Elle. She knew the birds would be too small for the Pukwudgie to see. One bird went to Cleg and the other to Elle. She knew that there would be a chance the Pukwudgie might see her take flight to let Princess Celia know the plan. She hesitated for a moment and decided that they would all take off, but would skim the water with their feet and all but her would land back in the water. She would continue to fly straight down the river and then circle back