Forest Tree King Scarlet

As you step out the woodland procession approaches, and lifted highly upon firm branches, all knotted in a crazy splendid mess, sits the Forest Tree King, and all about is perfect. The sunshine of the day perches upon his shoulder and he looks lovingly down into the gathered crowd.

Ribbons and bunting are everywhere, gold, green, blue, white, yellow, fluttering like butterflies in the light summer breeze.

'Welcome my friends' he says to the gathering, his deep voice, warm and welcoming. 'Now who shall sit on my throne for the day? Who shall bring me the most perfect leaf, for that is what you must do for me and then I will grant the winner a seat upon my throne for the day.'

He then pauses for effect though the words are the same every year.
'But there is one simple rule, do you know it?' and all about the crowd chant 'Yes, yes we do.'
'Well then that is good, but lets help our new friends freshly joined' and he turns to you and says.

'The leaves must fall naturally to the ground, none must be picked from the trees themselves, and be careful where you collect them from, it must be clean and free from litter of any kind. Now are you ready?'

Are you? Then nod to the Forest Tree King.

All about the courtyard the frenzy is about to begin, there is a magic hush as the King lifts his arm in readiness. Everyone holds their breath waiting for the signal, then he opens his palm and out spill hundreds of rose petals, and off like a gun the crowd goes, to the left and right, people scurrying and snatching at the leaves on the ground, along the side and all about. When they have what they believe to be the best, then they head off across the grass at a mad pace.

Then the King of the Forest turns gently to you again and asks kindly. 'What are you waiting for, find one superb leaf each, make it different from each others, so no two should be alike if you can help it, then take them to the five judges in the field.'

'The winner will have the chance to sit upon my throne, it is always the prize going far back into history, further than books, and long beards, and perhaps even before shoes were invented, and that is a very long way back indeed!'

So your task is set, each take a moment to find a leaf, as perfect as can be and then when you are ready, come back to me and read on.

You all have a leaf?

Once when Harry was in the forest, he found a old pencil sharpener which was very dirty. So he brought it to his puddle and made it very clean , ever since he couldn't stop sharpening his spikes.

Harry sees you all coming and asks if you have a lovely, clean and beautiful bigger sharpener!

So we say "sorry, but we don't have one. Though we do have some leaves."
One day he thought he might want to travel a long way to the beach so he can sun bathe. But he needs the biggest leaf so it will cover him.

He wants the biggest and thickest leaf! If it is thick his spikes won't go through. If it is big it will cover him and not let him get sun burnt. For once he would like to enjoy his time sunbathing on the beach.

Harry kindly thanks the group and sets off happily to enjoy his leisure time relaxing on the golden shore.

As you approach the judge shes lounging on the door handle of the hobbit house looking extremely happy , a little pink umbrella is shading her from the bright summer sun that is shining on her new pink dress, fresh out of her wardrobe. shes reading a book about a blue meadow. Dust falls on her black silky nose, She had just absolved Ratty`s problem. Suddenly a shaft of sun hits the leaves she needs help deciding who`s won.

The judge asks you to place your leaves on the ground in a line,
she would like the roundest, softest and the greenest and the lightest
leaf to nibble on if shes hungry. because she get`s hungry very quickly,
you wink at her she winks at you again and again bye she then whispers.

As you approach the judges James was prowling through the jungle and spots a spiders web and starts playing with it and gets stuck in the sticky,slimy and thin web.

Then James growls at you to put your leaves on the ground. he doesn`t like it crumbly and not to break easily no dents nice flat and smooth.It also needs to be spiky because James has just had his nails done in the jungles spa.So try and get him the most spiky leaf or James will get angry.

James prowls through the jungle over to his house lays down and smiles at you.

As you approach the judge, perched on a log was Chip the cheetah his tail was swaying from side to side swiftly. Everyone placed their leaves on the mud ground and Chip gased apon the leaves and turned away from all of them apart from one. Chip was looking for the most smoot jusy and green. He wanted

As you approach the judge Butterfly Fluttershy hides away in the whispering dark willow, she need your help.why is she trying to
hide her bright coloured wings? is she cared of the wolves?They are yellow, red and blue but when she folds them up the underside is dark green. Butterfly Fluttershy needs the brightest coloured leaf to hide behind. Her friend Rosetta deer wants her to show her beautiful coloured wings so she ties bright ribbons on the willow.
The judge asks her to place her leaves in a line on the ground. Butterfly Fluttershy lines up the leaves that have fallen from the tree. They are bumpy with four sides. The autumn red colour looks like the glow from a campfire which reminds her of a nice place.

As you approach the judge you see him, he is swinging in the trees, grasping leaves, looking at them then dropping them and shaking his furry head. In one flash Lenny swung down and landed neatly on a smooth glittering rock that dazzled in the light. You can see his black beady eyes glance in your direction and his ears twitch. As you reach him he starts to speak.

"Please place all your lovely leaves down on the floor."Then with one swift glance he spat at them all, except one , which he lifted up and placed back on the ground. The one with the smooth body, not crumbly, big and I can wrap up in with out it breaking. The one that will protect me,
No holes, no sharp bites and SOFT very SOFT.

Finally Lenny scrambles back up the trees, turns his head and smiles happily at everyone then goes back to the other leaves. Scrambling about looking for more leaves.

The King waits eagerly, he has judged many leaves already, but lots of faces are a little glum as nobody has won yet today, but then you place your leaves on the ground and the Kings wise eyes light right up.

'Tell me,' he says, 'Which did Spider choose?

And which did Miss Fly-by-night the moth?

And what about Squire Squirrel, he likes shiny, which did he choose?

And Captain Cricket, he always chooses for worm, which did he like the best.

He talks so fast that you find your head gets dizzy, but you point as quickly as he asks.

'All these leaves are so beautiful,' he says 'but every competition needs a winner and the throne can only hold one person, so . . . ' and he pauses thinking for a moment.

'Is there one leaf which has been chosen more than the others?'

Who's leaf has been chosen the most times?

But the King shakes his head, 'We can't leave it like this, I have an idea, you can take it in turns on my throne.'

And an enormous raw of applause erupts from the crowd, hats are thrown into the air and music begins to start.

Then the Forest Tree King lifts you up high onto the throne of branches and all cheer at the first winner.

Did you enjoy the adventure?

How would you make it better?

Should there have been another judge creature? Fly, Rook, Robin, Field Mouse, Pigeon?

If you were one of the judges what would be your criteria for the best one?

What would you change about the story?

Who's leaf should really have won?