the endless rain - 15. the hat in the wind

by nick nelson

part fifteen of twenty-eight

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the new queen’s rule was troubled from the start. with the departure of the baron and his army and retinue, the castle was largely occupied by two factions - the rats and the spiders. org, the ogre, who had always treated the cook with the respect due her station when they were both under the supervision of the chief steward, began to show signs of surliness and rebellion. the cat, of course, had always been at odds with the rats, and remained the queen’s most loyal ally. the ogre decided to take the side of the spiders. he attempted to enlist the support of jonathon, the wandering minstrel and madman who had stayed behind on the fateful morning when the warlike baron had vanished into the mist. food, for all the participants , was the great issue. the baron had taken all that could be carried, leaving only a few opened sacks of moldy grain behind. the bread that the new queen had been able to make from the grain was found wanting. the queen ordered the ogre to search the surrounding area for something - anything - to eat. the ogre agreed with a bad grace to undertake the task. he had his own ideas as to who the real ruler of the castle should be, and did not care to submit to the cook’s orders, no matter how reasonable or graciously phrased. so it came to pass that on a cold foggy morning the ogre set out from the castle, going he knew not where. he had not gone a hundred yards when he heard mad jonathon shouting behind him . he waited until jonathon had caught up with him. let me go with you, jonathon pleaded. suit yourself, the ogre replied. but it will be up to you to keep up with me. i did not wish to be left behind with the queen and the witch, jonathon said. by the witch, he meant the cat. the ogre did not bother to reply to this, but turned and strode along with jonathon at his heels. they came to a broad expanse of barren heath with a fierce wind blowing across it. a man’s beaver hat, with a forlorn blue feather in it, rolled in the wind up to their feet. the ogre put it on. it fitted him perfectly. someday, jonathon cried, i too will have a hat. maybe a hat like that, maybe a king’s crown. the ogre looked across the windy heath. there must be a town there somewhre, he said. or a circus. wherever there are hats, there are towns. and circuses. and crowns, jonathon added. and kingdoms. and something to eat, said the ogre. let us push on. 16. the hunter