Read Online The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

won’t you?’
    ‘I will. I promise.’
    ‘If we can help you in any way just let us know.’
    The Gnarles gave a great collective sigh and one by one their eyelids closed. Jack continued along the path. It wasn’t long before he stood before what had once been a great oak, just like Arrana. It was still, tall and proud. Its branches touched each of the other dead trees around it but all of them were strangely still. Jack bowed as he had done to Arrana. He went over and touched the bark. He could feel the hollowness, the emptiness, and knew the whole tree was dead. He was overcome with sadness. If he didn’t succeed Arrana would become a Gnori too and the whole of Glasruhen Forest would die. He now knew why Nora had sent him into Newton Gill Forest. He couldn’t let this happen again. The bottom of the great oak had already begun to decay. He looked inside. It was hollow as far as he could see. He needed to go home; he’d seen enough. As he stood he caught a glimpse of something red behind the Gnori. Then it moved.
    ‘Hello. Is anyone there?’
    ‘Who wants to know?’ came the reply.
    Jack stepped back in surprise. On a rock sat a small man in a dark green suit. A bent black feather had been tucked under the headband of his bright red hat. A pair of glasses were perched on the end of his long pointed nose. He glowered at Jack then leapt up and blocked his exit with his knobbly walking stick.
    Jack tried a smile, which didn’t help.
    ‘I didn’t think anyone lived here.’
    ‘You’re trespassing. This is my tree now.’
    The little man looked angry. He raised his stick in the air and waved it about.
    ‘I’ve got permission to be here,’ replied Jack.
    ‘Well, if you want to pass you’ll have to give me something. If you don’t I’ll beat you. There’s no escape and there’s no one here to help you.’
    The stick came very close to Jack’s head. He took another step backwards. Was this strange little man like Jennet? Did he want something shiny? Jack felt relieved he’d put a small silver dolphin in his pocket. It used to be on a key ring. He’d thought it might appeal to a water nymph if he ever needed help.
    ‘Something shiny would be most acceptable,’ the old man crooned as if he’d read Jack’s thoughts. ‘I’m sure you’ll have something I’d like.’
    Jack produced the dolphin.
    ‘Silver, bah! I need gold. Give me your gold.’
    Jack had no intention of handing the only golden object he possessed to this angry little man. What could he do? He seemed very confident he could prevent Jack from getting past. Did he have some special kind of power or did he just rely on his own strength? He wasn’t like any man Jack had ever seen before. He was sure he could outrun him if he got past the man’s knobbly stick. Jack felt worried but then had an idea.
    ‘I’ve got something in my backpack you can have.’
    The little man’s face crinkled. His eyes became slits as he stepped eagerly towards Jack.
    ‘Take that!’ exclaimed Jack as he whipped his wand out of his backpack.
    Sparks erupted in an uncontrollable shower. Each one made the little man jump and shout as it singed his skin. Jack didn’t waste any time. He dodged sideways to avoid the stick and ran as fast as he could down the path. To his surprise the little man was faster than he’d imagined and Jack could hear his footsteps not far behind. The fallen twigs and branches crunched noisily as they ran along the path. Jack saw the Gnarles blinking their eyes as the light from his wand lit the murky grove. There was a loud crash. Jack looked back. The little man lay face down on the path. His pointed nose was stuck in the ground and he was beating his fists wildly. A large branch pinned him to the ground.
    ‘Stinking Gnarles,’ the man cried. ‘I’ll beat you sore for this.’
    Jack looked at the trees. He didn’t want them to suffer on his behalf.
    ‘Don’t worry, he can’t hurt dead wood,’ the Gnarle next to Jack