steep, mountain path, asusual, and her first Ding!went to plan, but when sheswung the mallet to strikethe first Dang!, it whizzed outof her hands and disappearedinto the forest. Felicity wentwhite: The mallet had beenhanded down to her throughcenturies from past MountainRinger to Mountain Ringer,like an Olympic torch, itsflame, as-yet, undying… Thenshe went scarlet: And therewas only one mallet like it inthe whole wide world… Thenshe went back to her normalcolour.‘Shame,’ she thought.‘But it’s obviously fate. I shallbecome a seamstressinstead, and grow dainty.When the men see what asplendid creature I really am,I’ll marry the pick of the lot.The village will simply haveto learn to wake itself upfrom now on.’And with that, Felicitymade her way down the long,steep, mountain path, backto her house, and beganlearning to sew.Before long, there was abashing on her door. It wasthe baker. “I didn’t wake uptill half-way through the dayand burnt all my bread!” hecomplained grumpily.Next came the farmer.“I slept in, and the cowsescaped! There’s no milk, nobutter, and no eggs either,for anybody!” he moaned.The butcher followed.“Where were you thismorning?!…” he barked.They all blamed Felicityfor not waking them up andinsisted she go and look forher mallet right away. Sheargued she’d never find it inall those trees, but thevillagers begged and bulliedher till she reluctantly put hersewing down, and set off forthe dappled forest.In the forest, Felicitycame across a young manshe’d never met before; thewoodcutter. He lived on hisown in the forest, in awooden house he’d built withhis own hands.“Hello, I’m SethSilvester,” he said, smiling.“Well, I’m FelicityPringle, The MountainRinger.” said Felicity, feelingrather sulky about still havingto call herself ‘The MountainRinger’ rather than the daintyseamstress she wanted to be.“I know: Like you, I risebefore dawn. I see you goingup the long, steep, mountainpath every day - and downagain. You’ll be looking foryour mallet.” said Seth.“Ay, that I am,” saidFelicity sadly.“That’s good - becauseI’ve been looking for it too -and I’ve found it!” he saidpicking up the mallet fromwhere he’d hidden it behindhim, and holding it out to heras if it were no heavier, orless beautiful, than a rose.Felicity thanked him politely,but none too graciously.“You don’t seem toohappy to have it back!” Sethcommented.“I thought it was fate I’dlost it!” she sighed.“I think it is!” said Seth.“No,” said Felicity. “Itwas merely a blunder. If itwas fate, my life would bedifferent, but now you’vereturned it, I’ll be ringing themountain on and on same asever!”The very next morning,Felicity was back up the long,steep, mountain path to themountain top. Today, notonly was Felicity’s first Ding!perfect, but so was her firstDang! Unfortunately though,when she was about tostrike, Dung!, the mallet flewout of her hands again, thistime, landing in the middle ofthe deep, fast, river at thebottom of the dark, dark,ravine.‘I shall become aseamstress after all!’ thoughtFelicity, and set offhomewards down the long,steep, mountain path, tocarry on sewing andbecoming dainty. When thevillagers hammered at herdoor, Felicity shouted atthem: “The mallet’s lost forgood, in the ravine! No pointlooking this time!”And eventually, theywent away. One of the callerswas Seth Silvester. When heheard Felicity bellowing thatthe mallet was in the ravine,he went away too.By the evening, Felicitythought the villagers hadgiven up banging her door,beseeching, and bossing; butthere was another knock.“The mallet’s gone I say!”called Felicity, exasperated.She was no daintier, and thesewing wasn’t going too welleither.“No! The mallet’s here!”the caller declared.Felicity opened the door.There was Seth, dripping wetfrom the river, on his bendedknee, presenting the malletto her as if it were no lesscumbersome, or lessprecious, than anengagement ring. He’d divedto get it back.“Felicity Pringle,” Sethdeclared. “You dropping thismallet is fate! Don’t becomea seamstress! Marry me, andcontinue being The MountainRinger!”Felicity looked at thetangled mass of thread andmaterial she’d accidentallystitched to her dress - andlaughing - she agreed. Sethpicked her up in his strongarms, kissed her, then gentlyput her down again.A strange thinghappened… Felicity felt athrum and a rattle and arumble coming from themountain, tingling throughher hefty mountain-stompingIssue 1 www.newfairytales.co.uk 6
feet. “Oh my!” she said, insurprise: “DONNGGGGG!!!”rang the mountain!Everyone in the villagecame out of their houses,amazed.“I’m getting married!”Felicity announced, holdingSeth’s hand in one hand, hermallet in the other andwaving them at the villagers.“And I’m The MountainRinger again!”“Hooray!” cried thevillagers, and music anddancing began there andthen, with Felicity and Sethtaking turns to throw eachother round in joyfulcelebration.Illustrations by Kevin DeanIssue 1 www.newfairytales.co.uk 7
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