The Brooch, the Fur, and the Magic Hat from Virginiazstan.

Read Time:10 Minute, 36 Second

Table of Contents

Authors: William & Malinda Van Zyl

PUBLISHING DATE: 1 October 2019 – download for free – search products on this website (ebooks/pdf)

Link – download – https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/the-brooch-the-fur-and-the-magic-hat-from-virginiazstan/

Preface

The fantasy novel portrays Camilla (Nena Van Zyl – Jacoba Cornelia Windell) as a young girl in a challenging forest. Barbarossa, an accursed adjacent forest, holds many mysteries and secrets. Could Camilla reverse the curse and save Virginiaztan? Her character traits and personality are illuminated throughout the story. The story is mostly fiction. However, this fun story reflects events in Nena’s life throughout the years. It endeavours to capture some of the real events in a creative and innovative way. For that reason, this fantasy story borders on a ‘true story.’ Bill Windell, Nena’s late dad was a shoemaker. Also, the shoemakers who loyally worked for Bill and wife Tieka Windell for many, many years in Alberton (RSA) – John and Maboetie (Mabootey) – are included as characters in the story. Bill’s influence in Nena’s life is recognised in the novel. Some family members are also included as characters – however, you have to read the novel to find out. A surprise awaits! The fantasy revolves around hobbits, fairies, spiders, a bowerbird, and the animals of the forest. A devastating destroyer is also in the mix. Virginiaztan is cursed. What are the plans and intentions of the evil creature? In this novella, Camilla’s true temperament, passions, interests, love, care, faith, and dogged determination are highlighted. Will she achieve her ambitious goal? Will her audacious plan work? Is it a bridge too far?

Nena’s biography, life’s experiences, and challenges are woven and entwined into this extravagant rich fantasy. Interesting notes on her past – including some of her memoirs, some pictures, references to adventures, and intriguing facts – are included at the back of the novella. A truly unique and intriguing biography!

The fantasy novel had been inspired by the Windell sisters. Mum Tieka on her 80 th birthday with her daughters. Just look at the glamorous photo of the sisters with their proud mum! Front (left to right): Nena (Camilla), Tieka (Teekah), and Marie (Mahrey). Back (left to right): Aileen (Ous), Rachel (Ray-ray), Nevillin (Neevlin). Credit: Ray DaSilva.

*The many brooches of Nena had inspired the fantasy novel. Here is a brown cluster brooch that she has worn for many years. Credit: Nena Van Zyl.*

Excerpt from the novel:

Chapter 1: A buttressed secret

A mysterious velvet-blue butterfly led her. The butterfly – beautiful and enchanting – had floated deeper and deeper into the lush, green, moist forest. Camilla was singing and orchestrating the birds and butterflies. The forest was her choir. Right above her was a tiny black cloud – she was unaware of the fleeting shadow. It was dark – and behind her.

She sung:

Oh, what a beautiful morning,

Oh, what a beautiful day,

Everything is going my way…

Not everything had gone her way. What she did not notice was that the tiny black cloud was slowly increasing in size. It was not a fleeting shadow.

The shadow of the black cloud – now behind her – had stretched, and stretched. It was stalking the young, innocent girl. Shivers ran down the spine of a mockingbird who looked up at the sky – the bird looked worried. The long shadow continued to grow. It was getting longer by the minute. Camilla unaware of the looming danger – caught up in her singing and mesmerised by the colourful butterfly – skipped and hopped further into the forest.

Oh, what a beautiful morning,…

The shadow of the wings of the butterfly had become the size of a large crow. It darted wildly up and down, left and right. It floated slowly and dove occasionally like a mad kite out of control.

A strong wind had been slowly churning up trouble – right behind her. A small dust cloud had crept in closer – following.

The forest was lush green; it seemed calm to Camilla. The bright sunlight filtered a mesh of abstract art on the forest floor through the canopy of leaves and branches. Camilla – hypnotised with eyes transfixed on the velvet blue floating butterfly – was following as if under a spell. Camilla, mesmerised by the sound of birds and the beautiful hues on the butterfly’s wings, was immersed. Camilla painted beautiful pictures with her arms and hands. She waved her arms, conjuring up a wonderful fantasy world. She was in a world of her own.

She had lost track of time.

“Oh, what a beautiful d-a-y,

Oh, what a beautiful f-o-r-e-s-t.

The colour of the butterfly,

Is my p-a-l-e-t-t-e.

I dip my brush and paint

My world is now p-e-r-f-e-c-t,

My fantasy is complete

Oh what a beautiful forest

Oh, what a beautiful d-a-y…”

The dim sunlight was now struggling to reflect off the butterfly’s wings. The light in the forest dimmed.

Camilla stopped.

She looked around.

‘What is happening?’ she wondered.

Perturbed, she looked over her shoulder at the dim sunlight; her eyes scanned the tall trees. Up and down, up and down. Had she just seen something move?

‘The birdsong stopped, that is strange…’ she thought.

She was wearing a red skirt with white polka dots. Her top was royal blue – her two favourite colours. She wore these clothes for her special walks in the forest every day. A furry cape was draped over her shoulders to keep her arms and shoulders warm. Her walks had become her morning escapes. The white dots on the red skirt reminded her of a beautiful mushroom. However, in the dim light it had started to look sombre and sad. The royal blue top had no pattern, but the colour matched the blue of the butterfly. It had friendly, quirky, short sleeves. The collar was standing up, as if it wanted to support her neck. A small brooch adorned the lapel. The cape she had on was made from furry animal skin with a strip of black fabric lining the perimeter. A golden loop and knot button, made from golden threaded rope, secured the cape around her neck and shoulders — fox fur.

Camilla was a beautiful young girl – 12-years old; she had long, dark red hair. Tiny rusty brown freckles covered her waxy-white skin. She looked like a character from a fantasy story. She had no shoes on. The red nail polish on her toenails contrasted with her white skin. Her feet looked like poisonous red mushrooms on the green forest floor.

She grabbed her large straw brimmed hat with both hands for comfort. She had made the hat with her mum some time ago. A small collection of colourful bird feathers adorned it. Three large tall feathers towered above the shorter feathers. It made a statement. Glamourous. She looked down at her feet.

‘The nail polish will reflect in the sun; someone will see me.’ she worried.

She took her hat off and in a flash; she covered her toes. She was a little unsettled and looked around. ‘Did anyone see her ‘deadly mushrooms?’

She thought about turning back and going home. However, as a lover of adventure, she ignored the thought. She pushed the thought aside. She had been in this forest so many times. The adventure of exploring the forest and following the beautiful butterfly pulled her like a magnet. The enchanting butterfly had lured her deep into the forest.

The butterfly was still fluttering ahead of her. She decided to follow, even though it seemed against her better judgement. She placed her hat back on her head. A light wind tugged gently on it. The feathers rustled in a sudden breeze. She loved her hat. A cream coloured silk band held all the feathers together. She looked extravagant. Little did she realise the ruffling of the feathers on the hat was a warning:

‘An unexpected headwind is coming your way – beware!’

“What just happened?” she asked herself again. The forest had become quiet. Very quiet; you could hear an acorn drop.

In front of her, vaguely recognisable in the crowded forest were two lanes of oak trees.

‘This path must be leading somewhere,’ she mumbled.

‘I have never seen these trees before. Should I venture further or should I turn back?’ She was unsure.

A light wind had been blowing from behind her for a while. The wind nudged her gently into the direction of the path.

An owl hooted. “Whooo-whoo-whooooo.”

A large black spider slipped off a branch, lost its grip and fell; it grabbed onto its web – just in time. A squirrel peeped carefully out of a hole in one of the large oak trees. It had dropped its acorn. A white dove perched relaxed on a branch and tried to comb its feathers. The light wind ruffled some. The wind started to tug on the dove’s wings, almost causing it to topple. It clung tightly to the branch, spreading its wings to right itself. Another sudden gust caught the dove off guard and sent it hurtling downwards. It tumbled over and over before it grabbed the lowest branch of the tree – just in time. It looked uncomfortable. The dove turned its head into the light wind and pulled its wings closer to its body and slipped its head under its wing – to protect itself.

Camilla had been walking down the lane of oak trees for a while. She noticed a dim light shining in the distance. Could that be someone’s house? She had never encountered any houses in the forest before. The light was like an imaginary hand waving to her – inviting her to come closer and closer. The butterfly was now out of sight. It had disappeared.

‘I will keep going for another couple of hundred meters and then turn back,’ she thought.

‘Could someone be living in the forest? She had been roaming this forest for most of her childhood, and she had never before encountered any person or house.

She looked over her shoulder; it seemed safe. Camilla walked towards the dim light.

The silhouette of a massive tree slowly grew in front of her. She was now very close to the light. The trunk of the tree was enormous. The massive bulbous trunk was knobbly and uneven. The bark’s texture was rough but beautiful. Atop of the fat trunk was grey-zigzagged sprawling ‘hair.’ Chunky, buttressed roots anchored the large bulbous tree into the ground – it looked like a giant’s hand. It anchored the big tree securely. She looked up. The chunky tree had a crown that resembled a root ball. ‘Who has turned this tree upside down,’ she thought. There were no leaves on the branches – it had been stripped bare.

‘I have never seen such an enormous, bulbous tree in the forest before.’ The thought raced through her now alert mind.

She had ventured deep into the forest. Too deep.

She was now very close to the large tree; there were large holes in the tree trunk. The dim light was coming from the holes. They’re windows! Someone must be living here! But, who can it be? Who lives in a hollow tree trunk deep in the forest?

Camilla carefully tiptoed closer to look inside the mysterious large tree. She could see through one of the openings. It was a furnished house! The furniture and utensils were slightly smaller than usual.

Who could live here?