Last Chapter

Ru'Di ran quickly to the fork in the road by the old chestnut tree and saw that which he searched for. The palest of pale green light was resting comfortably upon a branch of the tree where he had spoken to the “voice in the breeze”.

Quietly, not so much as a single sound was made as Ru'Di climbed up the tree and out on the limb where the palest of pale green light was.

Ru'Di scooped up the palest of pale green light in the locket around his neck and secured the latch. Down the tree he went in a careful, but hurried way, as his time to enter the world's oldest tree was now.

Ru'Di stepped inside.

In an instant, Ru'Di,,, Sir Ru'Di, that is, was back in his own time. Only, when he walked out of the world's oldest tree and back down J'oMeoKee, there was no one to greet him.

Sir Ru'Di was perplexed,,, to say the least. The locket around his neck began to bounce around his furry chest as if trying to escape when all of a sudden, every Majdelene in the village came running up to him, shouting, “Ru'Di is back! Ru'Di is back! His “Great Adventure” is over”.

Ru'Di was so happy to be back amongst those he loved so much.

“Sir Ru'Di is it now? There will be no living with you I can tell. Why! You even have knees,,, How grand!” The excited Ke'Mo was the first to speak to Ru'Di.

Ru'Di looked around and then spoke, “Indeed, Merlin has been more than kind. Look down everyone, Merlin knows what is good for one, is good for all,,, now all Majdelene have knees.”

Every Majdelene began to “ooh and ah” in amazement that after thousands of years, every Majdelene, including all baby Majdelene, had knees.

During all the “oohing and aahing”, Ru'Di felt the locket around his neck begin to bounce around and make noises again.

“What is that locket around your neck?” the great and wise Ke'Mo asked.

“It is for you, great and wise Ke'Mo.” Ru'Di answered and then took the necklace from around his neck and opened the locket.

An almost blinding pale green light burst from the now opened locket and a not so sweet voice said,

“Great and Wise is it? My foot! Come and kiss me you hunk of burning Majdelene, you!”

No one, not even the eldest of the Majdelene could remember a time when Ke'Mo had smiled in the past 720 years, or so.

so^Ng was once again a real live Majdelene.

After a long and passionate kiss with Ke'Mo, the kind of kiss that only true love could wait 720 years for, so^Ng broke from Ke'Mo's returned kiss and looked at Sir Ru'Di.

“Now you know why I called you a Majical Majdelene, Sir Ru'Di. You have given me the greatest gift I could ever imagine, this gruffly old beat-up rag of a Majdelene back in my arms.

“Come with me, Ke'Mo, you have so much dust on you. Have you been playing “goff” like a second stage Majdelene?”

All was peace,,, in the deepest of forest, back where man had never cast a din in folly or war,,, all was peace.

The End

(Well, not quite.)

so^Ng,,,

Hand in hand with Ke'Mo,,,

Turned her head back,,,

And, spoke,,,

And, all the Majdelene listened:

“Ru'Di, the greatest of all the Great Adventures, that any Majdelene has ever taken, now complete, will you name your wife?”

“Sarah, the joy friend, if she will have me?”

“Have you?” Sar'Ha replied, “Only if you promise to take a bath on a regular basis.”

Much laughter. Much laughter.

“Ru'Di,,, Sir Ru'Di, name your bear. Wanonka, the bravest bear of the Plains Indians,,, or a grizzly, perhaps?”

“so^Ng, I know it unusual, but I was not kidding, I wish to be one child's teddy bear so that he or she will always have a friend that he or she can talk too,,, and someone who will always be there to listen.”

“Sir Ru'Di, you will not be one child's teddy bear! Your love and friendship is far too great, from this day forth your loving and friendly spirit will be in every child's teddy bear.

“And you will be called Ru'Di, the boy friend bear.”

Now, the end.