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| Sunday, 10 November 2002 |
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Quince came bounding into the garden quite early one morning, a few days after the historic inaugural one-dayer between our Forest X1 and Robin O' the Hood's team-which was drawn. But that's another story. This time Quince was announcing that we simply had to go to Sri Lanka, hot or not, because British transport was gifting the island with a fleet of two thousand buses-including London double-deckers-and our presence was absolutely necessary. 'Your Majesty, Oberon. Oh dear, where is that king'? Quince had been looking for Ob for some time and was coming to the end of his patience; he had to rush off to the telecom centre to send off all the necessary instructions in connection with the 'invasion' of Colombo by the forest population. Oberon had been out hunting from quite early in the morning which he does not do too often. But this was a particularly good morning, dawning with mist and very chilly as it is autumn and he liked to go hunting on such days and get back to an enormous breakfast with everyone in attendance and eating to keep pace with him; Ob does not suffer those who have no nose for food. Just then, Ob came galloping along on his favourite horse named Lysander but much more attractive than his name. 'What is it, Quince?' 'Oh, Your Maj, there is an urgent fax which came in just now,inviting the whole forest community to Sri Lanka for the inauguration of the British Transport buses which are being gifted to the local fleet. They want you to be present at the ceremony with Queen Titania, of course, and the rest,' said Quince quite breathlessly. 'Go at once to the Com centre and send off a fax saying we are graciously pleased to accept. I shall inform the queen. Also, send Starveling and the rest to see us immediately.' Quince was off like greased lightning to perform his part of the job. I did not feel too bright-eyed and bushy tailed this morning as it was rather chilly and my idea was to have a breakfast of mead and honey, with quaker oats and scrambled eggs, in my room on my favourite part of the tree. But Ob was having none of it; I had to join him at breakfast and get through the swan pasties and roast beef he likes on cold mornings while we discussed the clothes for the trip with poor Starveling who would be standing by, starving, to be briefed on the requirements. Soon the sweet smell of savory roasts filled the forest as the cooks got breakfast ready. Whenever there was an invitation or some other important event in the offing, Oberon always insisted on a celebration to herald the event in the forest. Starveling came in, bowing to Ob so deeply that he almost fell of the bough. 'Starveling!,' commanded Oberon. 'Yes, Your Majesty,' 'You will go into immediate discussions with the queen about her clothes for the tour to Sri Lanka and then I would like to talk to you about my own clothes.' 'Very good, sire,' said Starveling, looking slightly worried about the short notice. But he was used to these things, and besides, he would get extra payment from the royal treasury for his work. It was then that much merriment was heard coming from the forest around; Bottom and Puck and the rest had been having a celebration of their own in anticipation of the forthcoming trip to that distant part of Asia. They had been having some mead and ale and were quite merry-at that time of the morning. But the forest is like no other place in the world. Celebrations can be held at any given moment and at the mere drop of an acorn. As we would have to climb the stairs of double-decker buses, I decided to order Starveling to make the most glamorous pants suits he could think of-with the help of Mustard seed, Cobweb and Peace Blossom as well-and show me the sketches. Over the suits would be flowing shawls, rather like what the ladies wore in the Holy Land in the days of the Crusades. 'But people might think we are Saracens,' said Bottom, when he heard about the clothes. 'They wont,' said Snout, adding, 'Oberon will be there with his crown and no one will ever think we are Saracens when they see that,' said Snout, who was very clear in his thinking-when he did get down to that activity. The wardrobes were to be ready in the next three days and everyone hands to pull his/her weight to see that everything was in order. I was quite happy with my clothes which were in brilliant colours to match the climate in Sri Lanka, and Ob was happy with his which would have lots of plumes and cloaks and other accessories to match the occasion. But Bottom's was the best-he was going in a body-stocking of black entirely covered in winking sequins. His ears would be encased in silver satin and for shoes he had chosen hooves of green plastered over with Odel's special paints. We were to leave the forest a week later. In the meantime,all arrangements going smoothly,it was cocktails on the lawn to talk about the forthcoming trip. -Tit |
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