The Golden Acorn Read Online Free PDF Page B

something he did well, something he doubted Camelin could do at all.
    Arrana addressed everyone when the singing stopped.
    ‘This is our only chance to succeed. Everyone must help.’
    She bent over and presented Jack with a gnarled twig. It wasn’t very long or impressive but he accepted it with a bow.
    ‘This will help you. Use it wisely Jack Brenin. Carry it always and a part of Annwn will be with you. Keep it close.’
    ‘Thank you,’ he said solemnly.
    ‘We will meet again,’ Arrana said sleepily inside Jack’s head before she began to shimmer and fade back into the trunk of the oak.
    The whispering began again; one by one the Dryads disappeared back into the trees.
    Camelin hopped around Nora’s feet and cawed loudly.
    ‘Why should he get a lath? Only the Druid’s acolyte gets a lath.’
    ‘I don’t understand,’ replied Jack. ‘It’s only a twig.’
    ‘Only a twig! Only a twig!’ spluttered Camelin. ‘Just you wait till you see what that twig can do.’
    ‘Camelin,’ snapped Nora, ‘you heard Arrana. She said everyone must help Jack and that includes you.’
    Camelin turned abruptly and waddled off before he could be chided again. Jack could still hear him muttering to himself as he flew away.
    ‘I’m sorry Camelin is so rude,’ said Elan. ‘He feels responsible for a lot of our problems and helpless to do anything about them.’
    ‘Once he starts to teach you to fly he’ll feel important and won’t be so grumpy,’ explained Nora.
    ‘Fly!’ exclaimed Jack.
    ‘All in good time,’ said Nora. ‘I think we should be making our way back now for tea; it’s been quite an afternoon.’
    Jack felt light-headed after his experience with Arrana. Nora had started talking in riddles again. Why did he need to fly? Camelin would never be able to teach him. He was terrified of heights. Even if Nora wasn’t a witch, if she thought he was going to sit on a broomstick she was mistaken. He would have to ask her later what she’d meant. Right now he needed to know more about the lath. It was obviously very special. His head filled up with questions.
    ‘What’s a lath?’ he asked Elan as they walked back through the forest.
    ‘Lath means wand, but once you’ve empowered it with your symbol it will become a hudlath, a magic wand. That’s why Camelin is so upset. A mortal can only be given a lath by a dryad. Your wand is very special. It’s from the Hamadryad Oak and contains all the magic of Annwn.’
    Jack’s mouth was open again, only this time he didn’t close it. He was too busy trying to think about the ordinary looking twig in his hand. It was only when they came to a clearing and he felt the sunshine on his back that he realised they’d taken a different route. They entered a large meadow full of knee-length grass and tall buttercups. It looked like a golden carpet in the sunlight. Nora stopped in front of an open well. A crystal clear stream ran down from the hillside and trickled into it. Pieces of rock, covered in moss and strange carvings, surrounded the well. The clearing was almost circular and looked as if some ancient building had once stood there. Nora knelt down and put her lips to the water. At first Jack thought she was drinking but then he realised she was speaking.
    A multitude of bubbles broke the surface and a mass of long dishevelled green hair, entwined with waterweed, old twigs and some dead leaves, rose from the water. Underneath the tangle was a pale green face with strange slanting eyes. The creature shook its head and sent a spray of water everywhere. Jack could see its ears were pointed and it had unusually long arms. The foaming water clung to its body like a gown. When Nora said he might see some strange things in the forest she’d not been wrong. This was the strangest creature Jack had ever seen.
    ‘What is it?’ he whispered to Elan.
    ‘A water nymph.’
    ‘A water nymph!’ exclaimed Jack. ‘But aren’t they supposed to be beautiful?’
    ‘She thinks