Episode 6 - Chapter 37

“How can you know that?” my wife asked, “How can you know what someone is doing at home, in private.”

“We are the Forest,” Oak replied, “We have eyes everywhere.”

“So the Forest watches everybody, all the time.” She was obviously very upset at the thought.

“It's not as intrusive as it sounds,” Oak said calmingly. “There is more than just you that lives in your home. If these other occupants see something unusual or unexpected, the Forest knows.”

Suddenly the penny dropped. “The insects,” I exclaimed, “You're using the insects, and mites, and whatever to spy on the world.”

“Not using, they would be here anyway, but they are of the Forest. They help maintain the balance.”

“Nobody is ever hidden from you?” Mary asked.

“Some manage it, from time to time, in laboratories mainly. But only one man has ever hidden for an extensive period, Howard Hughes, and look what happened there. Now, the last legend, if you please?”

Episode 6 - Chapter 36

“There's hardly much of a link there,” I said.

“A devoutly religious man has just turned his back on his faith,” Oak replied. “He has performed activities for which he has had no training, and copied an aspect of the legend. It is enough. Two more!” He slapped Edward on the back. “Continue.”

“Right here,” Edward tapped the map again, several times, “Was the cottage of Auntie Norrel, a soothsayer of sorts, the local version of Mother Shipton really. Her real name was Ethel Northfell, judged a witch by the local Abbot. A few prophecies, most of which did happen, from what I understand, but no apocalypse, so she didn't catch on like Shipton did.”

As he finished speaking, my husband looked at Oak expectantly.

“A woman in the dwelling there is zealously scribbling prophecies in a notebook.”

Episode 6 - Chapter 35

“How is it that you know so much, Mister Oak?” My wife asked.

“That urchin, I'll bet,” I said.

“His name,” Oak declared, “Is Blue Bottle, and yes, he did bring the information. I believe you have three more stories to tell me.”

“How did you know that?” I asked, astonished.

“Because I know that three more rather unique incidents have occurred out there. So let's hear them then.”

“Right then,” I replied, tapping the map. “These are Cowley Woods, said to be the home of Jack o'the Cowl, a giant who wore the heads of his victims, travellers, waifs and strays that got lost. What's happened there?”

“The tallest Hindu man to ever have lived has trapped, skinned, gutted, cooked and eaten four rabbits, before turning their heads into a necklace.”

Episode 6 - Chapter 34

“There's this place, of course,” Edward tapped the map over our house, and a fourth spot materialised. “Alice French and all that. Then over here is Anston Mound.”

“Mmm?” Oak responded, as a fifth spot popped up.

“Not really folklore,” I continued, “But there were stocks and gallows there until the seventeenth century. The mound is in the centre of a large field, visible from all sides, so was perfect for public executions.”

“There's a tree there now, isn't there?” Oak asked.

“Yes, another lord wanted to put something living in the place that had seen so much death. How did you know?”

“A man accused of murder hung himself from its branches an hour ago. He was innocent.”

Episode 6 - Chapter 33

“Oh my word,” I said, “The poor things.”

“Indeed,” Oak replied, “So this Greenteeth creature could well be relevant. Continue.”

Edward tapped the map again. “Right here there's a stone circle known as the Devil's Claw.”

A third spot appeared.

“Why, I wonder,” Oak pondered, “Does there always have to be something of the Devil's in every parish?”

“A Victorian aristocrat wondered the same thing.” Edward was in his element now, being able to show off his research. “He took offence at having something so sacrilegious on his land,” Edward continued. “The stones used to stand around twelve feet tall but now they're just boulders. He ordered them torn down, but they proved harder to shift than he reckoned on, drove him doo-lally in the end, died in an asylum. There's not somebody there now with a sledgehammer is there?”

“What? No,” Oak replied, “But there is a chap shouting at the sky about making a deal.”

Episode 6 - Chapter 32

“That doesn't seems very likely,” I said, “Old English bears little relation to our modern tongue. Did he know it before his coma?”

“He was a builder,” Oak replied, “So it would seem unlikely.”

“Well that's certainly quite...”

“Save your astonishment,” Oak interrupted, “I believe it will be needed later. Continue with the map.”

“Just there,” I said, pointing at the bend of the river as it makes a horseshoe. “There are a number of drownings there attributed to Jenny Greenteeth.” A second dark spot appeared on the map. “But that's a Yorkshire tale really, so probably not relevant.”

“Two children,” Oak said matter of factly, “Playing there this evening, slipped on the rocks and fell. One of them has cracked their head. Both are hysterical about some green haired monster that's trying to get them.”

Episode 6 - Chapter 31

“Now then,” Oak said to my husband once the map had been brought up to date. “I want you to point to all the places on this map that are significant, in terms of legend and folklore.”

“Well,” Edward replied, leaning over the map to scrutinise it, tapping it with his finger. “The hospital there was built on ground that was once known as Arthur's Rest.”

A dark spot appeared on the map where his finger had been.

“Arthur's Rest?” Oak inquired.

“Yes. The legend has it that his army camped there on their way to Mount Badon, where he fought his final battle.”

“Interesting,” Oak replied, rubbing his chin in thought. “Two hours ago, a man who has been catatonic for three years woke up and claimed he was King Arthur, in Old English.”