Jemima
Jemima is our unit’s
mascot. She is a true Blacktown girl guide. Since she made her promise
earlier this year she has gone every where with us. She has attended
camps, service activities, unit meetings, state award presentations and
parades. And in true Blacktown style she advocates the danger of Tree
Roots. What you don’t know what we mean by Tree Roots being
dangerous?!?!?!?! Well then grab your camp blanket and pull up a seat by
the fire…
Our story begins many
terms ago, at 3rd Blacktown’s favourite camping site Tara. Kellgelli
asked two of the new young girls Amanda and Sarin to help her collect
wood for the fire. Both girls willingly agree, who wouldn’t they were
going to get out of washing up duties. Before they set out Kellgelli
warned the two new girls, to only collect fallen branches and sticks
from the ground. They were Never to break branches off a tree, for there
would be terrible consequences. Amanda listened to every word her leader
had told her. But poor Sarin didn’t because she was too distracted by a
shiny spoon and the threat of a near by butterfly.
The girls and their
leader soon set out from the campsite collecting fallen sticks and
branches as they walked. Amanda and Sarin were soon in deep conversation
and with out noticing they wandered away from Kellgelli. Sarin in her
absent minded way started breaking sticks and branches off a near by
tree, ‘Sarin! What are you doing?’ cried Amanda. ‘Didn’t you listen to
Kellgelli; we must not take branches off a tree, only off the ground’.
‘But there could be bugs and creepy crawlies on those sticks, or even
worse BUTTERFLYS’ Cried Sarin. Amanda shook her head and headed off in
the direction their leader had gone leaving; Sarin behind, nervously
eyeing her pile of sticks for any signs of butterflies.
Sarin continued to
break branches off the tree she was standing next to, turning around
every few seconds to check for butterflies. She notices something moving
out of the corner of her eye. But when she looked up all she could see
was a cluster of trees, about 20 meters away. So she went back to
breaking branches. Then she heard what sound like a twig breaking, she
whipped around expecting to see Amanda or Kellgelli, but there was no
one there, just the cluster of trees, only now they seemed closer. Sarin
started to panic. She screamed and ran in the direction Amanda had gone
yelling ‘the trees are alive the trees are alive’. Then she tripped
over. She looked down and there was the root of a tree coming up out of
the ground wrapping itself around her ankle. Sarin screamed
‘AAAAMAAANNNNDAAAA’.
Kellgelli and Amanda
heard the scream and came running, they found Sarin lying on the ground.
‘The tree roots have got me help!’ she whimpered. Kellgelli and Amanda
looked at each other. ‘Sarin, you’re an idiot, you just tripped over a
tree root that’s all’ laughed Amanda. Kellgelli and Amanda helped Sarin
to her feet and took her back to camp.
Once the unit had
calmed Sarin down they set about having their campfire. And it wasn’t
too long before Sarin had forgotten all about her horrible ordeal. It
was getting late and the leaders told the girls it was time to go to
bed. The girls said their good nights and headed off to their respective
tents. Sarin folded up her camp blanket and put in back into her pack,
(Im kidding, it was thrown on the floor)unzipped her sleeping bag and
started to climb in, then she let out an ear piecing scream.
Tree Roots had come up
through the bottom of the tent, wrapping themselves around her ankles.
Girls and leader came rushing out of there tents to see what was wrong.
Sarin was screaming for help so the unit sprung into action to release
her from her leafy captures.
Once she was free a
unit meeting was called to discuss what should be done. They came to a
unanimous decision; Sarin would have to apologize to the Talking Tree.
The girls grabbed their torches and headed down the path. When they
arrived Sarin walked forward and apologized to the Talking Tree,
promising to never break branches off a tree again, and to always listen
to her leaders. A slight breeze rustled through the leaves of the great
old tree, acknowledging the young girls apology.
Many terms and camps
had passed and Amanda and Sarin became older(notice I didnt say wiser),
some new young and enthusiastic girls had joined the unit and were
excited to be going on camp. They were asked by there patrol leader,
Amanda to collect some wood for the fire and excitedly agreed grabbing
Jemima by the arm heading off toward the talking tree. Amanda stopped
the girls in their tracks. 'Girls whatever you do dont forget the story
of the tree roots!! and what happened to Sarin all those camps ago.'
The girls laughed and
headed off to collect the wood. Jemima who was with the girls didnt
listen to Amanda's warning and began breaking branches, just as Sarin
had done all those camps ago. This enraged the Talking Tree so he order
for the capture of the doll. Jemima being a smart little girl guide used
the sticks and branches she had collected to leave a trail of tracking
signs so the girls could find her,
Once the girls had
realised that Jemima had been taken captive they followed the trail of
arrows and leaves, right up to the talking tree, where they found Jemima
tangled in branches and vines (we still havent discovered where the
vines came from but we do know that the talking tree works in mysterious
ways!) The Guide Unit apoligised on Jemima's behalf and she was set
free. The girls all now knew that the ledgend of the tree roots was true.
And to this day the
Blacktown guides have never had a problem with tree roots again. So heed
this warning, Listen to your leaders and always
BEWARE OF TREE ROOTS!
This is a true story,
even if it is some what slightly exagerated by Heather
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