Off to Nowhere..

Follow the mouse...here

HI FRUG....lets hug..

The Dutchess and Miss Moussie rushed to the kitchen...there they listened carefully..the knocking continued...

Its coming from the Cabinet....squeaked Miss Moussie...maybe a lost moussie is in there and can't get out...lets open the Cabinet and see..
Very slowly the Dutchess opened the big Cabinet...the doors squeaked..they sounded a bit like a noise Miss Mousie sometimes makes when you tickle her..

Cups and saucers..pots and pans..napkins and tablecloths...a thee pot ..a sugar bowl..a cookie jar..Well...twittered Miss Moussie,I don't see anything that could be suspicious..

But there is..there is ...said a little voice coming from the cuckoo clock..
Its in a secret place...you have to look again...
It was our little Gnome..sitting in the clock,next to the cuckoo,looking down..

-A secret hiding place you say...then I think I know what to do...said the Dutchess whilst pulling up a chair very close to the Cabinet...
-Do you need to sit down dearest..squeaked Miss Moussie ..are you not feeling well..
-I am fine Miss M...said the Dutchess,now standing on the chair...and don't be scared now..hold on to your whiskers...I am going to open the secret drawer..

She pulled and pulled...the drawer didn't open..it was stuck..the knocking now got even louder...

O my Goodness...twittered miss Moussie..what's in that drawer..better let it stay there..

The Dutchess pulled again...and then, tumbled down from the chair holding the drawer in her hand...

Timber...shouted the Gnome in the clock...an avalanche...

Miss Moussie and the Dutchess took a dive under the kitchen table ,holding on to each other..
-Its the Alphabet..twittered Miss Moussie..I saw it..it fell out of the drawer..I almost got hit by a B...how marvelous..Dearest,do you think its safe to come out now..

Then they heard the little Gnome yelling...come out come out where ever you are...we got company..

The Dutchess lifted miss Moussie up and placed the little mouse on her shoulder..sitting on the ground they both looked up to the ceiling and this is what they saw..

THANK YU

The letters were making words...a welcome message

LETS HUG

Twentyfour letters swooped down and twirled around the Dutchess and the Mouse...It was like they were sitting in a whirlwind....like there was a troupe of birdies circling there heads...You could here the twitter of Miss Moussie...squeaking something like..O dear..and, O Goodness me.....
Then...Suddenly, the letters flew up to the ceiling again..

HI FRUG

-What ever could they mean by that..said Miss Moussie...whats a FRUG..
-Don't forget whispered the Dutchess in Miss Moussies ear...there are two letters missing...

A familiar croak sounded through the kitchen...
-The Name Is Gustave...croaked Gustave who just came in.....and I am FROG...

LETS HUG

Said the Alphabet...and they all swooped down on poor Gustave who completely disappeared under a pile of 24 hugs....

S.O.S

Miss Moussie looked the little Gnome deep in his eyes ..."Well little man..we are waiting for you to tell your story...why are you wandering through Hilltop Hall in the middle of the night... For a time it was very still in the living room...the only sound came from the crackling fire...And just at the very moment when the Gnome openend his mouth to speak...there was a knock...and another one.. Was there someone knocking at the door?...No..this sound came from the kitchen..and this knocking sounded very persistent.....'Listen' whispered The Dutchess ..'this knocking has a rhythm... Oh, squeeked Miss Moussie ..like the Tango... No..silly mouse..hissed the Gnome..Like a mayday.. A May day...what's wrong with a day in may...twittered Miss Moussie offended by the way the Gnome reacted.. Dearest...said the Dutchess...our "Jolly" old chap here means that this knocking sound is a signal..someone needs our help....

JOLLY.....

I'm not decent...yelled the little Gnome whilst clutching on to the Dutchess her hair...I am only wearing my hat..
We won't look..we swear,squeaked Miss Moussie...please be a gentlemen and come out of there...
For a minute nothing happened...The Dutchess was standing very still...waiting..and Miss Moussie tried to get a glimpse of the Gnome...where was he...

OK then..said the Dutchess..if you won't come out yourself I will just have to come and get you...and she walked towards the mirror to take a good look..
This helped....suddenly with a big leap the Gnome flew out of the Dutchess hair and disappeared behind a piece of soap..

You better be careful...a little voice said...don't come any closer...I am very dangerous in this condition..

Then tell us dear Gnome what are you doing here in our house at this time of night...asked the Dutchess.
Well...Its the season...answered the Gnome..
The Season, squeaked Miss Moussie ..what do you mean by that...its the season to swim in tomato soup..?
No No..Its the season to be Jolly said the Gnome...But I started of on the wrong foot..I fell out of the cuckoo clock!
You poor thing,said the Dutchess with a smile...are you alright..I do remember you you know..from long ago ...
Then, a little face with a big grin appeared from behind the soap...Yes ,it said..and didn't we have happy times...

The Gnome gathered his clothes...Miss Moussie and the Dutchess politely looked the other way...then the three of them went downstairs.
My dear Fellow..said the Dutchess when they were sitting warmly by the fire in the living room ..Its so good to see you again..but you must tell me...did you really come here to be Jolly..or is there something else we must know...
O goodness,squeaked Miss Moussie..I knew it ,I knew it...this is going to be very suspicious ..she then sat herself closer to the Gnome...looked him in the eye..whilst saying..Well Mister...the truth and nothing but the truth...and no funny business...

Splish splash

In the middle of the night our dear Dutchess came home..she entered through the Kitchen door...dropped her bags on the doorstep...and sighed.
It had been a long long day and she was very tired. What I need now is a cup of hot cocoa before I go to bed..she said to herself. She turned up the lights and walked towards the stove...

-O how lovely...Tomato soup...Gustave must have made this today..he is such a darling...but...well..as always he made a terrible mess...there's soup everywhere..!

Then...the Dutchess found something very peculiar...on the stove,next to the pot of soup she saw tiny footprints...

-Strange,she whispered...tomato soup footprints....

Suddenly....a noise behind her startled her! It came from under the doormat..

-Dearest..Its me ,Miss Moussie...I can't get in ...your bags are in the way..Yoehoe..
Quickly The Dutches removed her belongings from the doormat and helped Miss Moussie enter the kitchen.
-So Happy to see you ,squeaked miss Moussie..brushing of her coat..you know dearest its quit dusty under this mat..you should sweep the floor more often.
-This I will do..said the Dutchess with a smile...My dear Miss Moussie its so good to see you again..and at this time a night...did I wake you up..
-No No...I wanted to say goodnight ...and to be sure you are fine..
-This is so sweet of you my dear Miss M...I was going to make myself a cup of cocoa..would you like to join me? And now that you are here...there is something I must tell you..I discovered something very strange...
-You did...squeaked Miss Moussie...and what might this be..
-Look..said the Dutchess pointing at the stove...footprints...tomato soup footprints...and they look familiar..
-O dear...twittered Miss Moussie...not Gustave again..I told him not to spill the soup..and now you tell me he even walked through it..
-No dearest..I wasn't Gustave..these footprints are to tiny..I did see them before,when I was a little girl...These footprints are from...a Gnome..
-O Goodness me...twittered Miss Moussie nervously...is it HIM...the humming Gnome....just a few ours ago we were talking about him...at this table..I wonder..
-Wonder WHAT..dear Miss M..do you think he was all ready here...in the Kitchen..listening to what you were saying ..
-This could very well be possible...said Miss Moussie...and when Gustave and I were cleaning up the Kitchen..something fell in the soup...
-AHAA,said the Dutchess...you are so clever Miss Watson..this was elementary..this explains the footprints..the Gnome fell in the soup!
-He did..twittered Miss Moussie..and this means we have to solve the next problem...
-So we do...so we do...said the dutches taking a sip of her cocoa...just where might this Gnome be...

-I am staying the night...I am not going to leave you alone with this creature..I will be back in a jiffy...just going to get my pyjamas....twittered Miss Moussie whilst she took a dive under the doormat ...
Within minutes she came back..in her robe...
-Darling,this is so sweet of you but I am sure I will be fine...I know this little fellow..he was always very nice to me..
-Gnome's are not to be trusted and I find them very suspicious..twittered Miss Moussie with a firm tone of voice...I am staying!
-Very well then..You can sleep next to me....This will be fun...a pyjama party..Come ..lets go upstairs..its very late and us girls we do need our beauty sleep..

It was a dark night on Hilltop Hall...nothing was stirring..not even a mouse..
Well..not this time...the Mousse in question was very jumpy and nervous..She was laying in bed ..listening to every sound..watching every shadow..
The Dutchess was sound a sleep...you only could see her nose above the blankets and a whirl of tangled curly hair..
-I must stay awake...whispered Miss Moussie...I don't like Gnome's..you never know what they are up to..She started counting sheep...this to help her NOT to fall in sleep..
-Thousand and one ,thousand and two, thousand and four, thousand and..WHAT WAS THAT...
Miss Moussie jumped up and started to run to the Dutchess...this wasn't easy to do in such a big soft fluffy pillow..she almost disappeared in it...It was like she had to climb a very high mountain...She struggled to reach the Dutchess...she crawled next to the Dutchess's ear and pulled it..whispering...Dearest..wake up...wake up..listen, do you hear what I hear..?
-The Dutchess opened her eyes..its him ,she said..I can hear him humming..its the Gnome..
-O Dear ...O Dear...squeaked Miss Moussie...Now what...and then she slipped under the blankets..mumbling..I think I will stay here for a while..
-That's a good idea..whispered the Dutchess..wait there..Don't worry..I will be right back....I think these humming sounds are coming from the bathroom...Then she stepped out of bed and tiptoed towards the door...
Miss Moussie couldn't stand the suspense...she ran after the Dutchess as fast as she possibly could....Then ,they very slowly opened the bathroom door...to see splishing and splashing in the bathroom sink..a tiny Gnome...taking a bath..whilst humming a merry tune..

Together,Miss Moussie and the Dutchess yelled OOOOooOOOoooo....
The Gnome in the sink...scared out of his wits by these two ladies ....yelled..AAAAaaaaaaaaH...and then he jumped...into the Dutchess her hair.....

-He's in you hair, he's in your hair...Squeaked Miss Moussie....
-Get out of there..you silly Gnome..get out..said the Dutchess...OUT NOW...

Then they heard a tiny voice hum...No can't do...I am not decent.....

The Beginning.....

Let me start at the beginning ,croaked Gustave sitting on the table...He leaned against the sugar bowl..took a big sip from his tea and cleared his throat...

Once upon a time ,a long long time ago there was a little girl....she was born in a far far away land across the big blue see in the year 1888...Of course I am not this old to live and tell...this was told to me by my great great great etc etc...grandfather frog Gustave the first..He traveled together with the little girl and her parents on a big ship..coming from a deserted Island called, The island that was..
It wasn't his intention to go and leave The Island that was......he accidentally was shipped into a box of waterlilies...Lillie's who were to be planted in a pond..a pond on a Hilltop,far far away!After a long journey they arrived at a beautiful house...in a warm and cosy kitchen..the kitchen we are sitting this very moment..The Kitchen of Hilltop Hall.
The little girl grew up very happily until on her seventh birthday something tragic happened...her father disappeared..They searched desperately for days and months..but couldn't find him..leaving the little girl and her mother being ever so sad!
You must know the father of this little girl wasn't just an ordinary man...He was very clever ..he owned more then a thousand books..and the story goes that he also kept a treasure hidden on a secret place on the Hilltop ..A treasure he took with him from The Island that was....a treasure he gathered roaming the seven sees when he was still a Pirate..Yes my dear..you heard well...the great great grandfather of our Duchess was a Pirate..
When you go up the stairs you can find a big painting hanging there...before your very eyes you can see a man looking down at you ..smiling a mysterious smile..a man with a secret...Mr Pirate himself!
At the time of his disappearing strange and wonderful things began to happen...Do you remember what Miss Moussie told you about the magical Cabinet standing in this Kitchen..and the enchanted Alphabet? It was in these days the Alphabet started to wander through the Hilltop Hall..it was in these days they began to follow the little girl..and it was in these days the Gnome appeared..
The Gnome scared the wits out of everybody on the Hilltop..he attacked every visitor..he tied knots in shoelaces..tied knots in ties...he tied knots in every thing he possible could ....even in your hair ,jumping out of a dark corner when you would least expect it!
He was ever so sweet towards the little girl....he never bothered her...he used to sit next to her bedside to watch the little girl sleep...like he was guarding her..to keep her from harm...like the alphabet did!
The tiny Gnome and the Alphabet weren't the only ones to stand guard....
In the Hilltop Forest a strong and mighty creature..a very big and powerful Bear was also guarding something ...The Pirates Treasure..The bears from the Hilltop forest promised they would keep the treasure safe...only to give it back to The Pirate on his safe return on the Hilltop..!
One day...one fine day in the midst of Summer..The little girl from Hilltop Hall found it was time...time to go on a quest...She was going to search for her father..and how she did that..well dearest that's a very very long story...I believe our Dutchess is writing a book about it...For now we must end our little get together..it allready dark outside...you must go home or you will not be able to find your way through the forest...Let us give you a lantern to light the path you have to walk to the gate and further..be safe my dear...watch out for the bears...and when you hear a humming sound...hold on to your hairdo..
Please come back anytime...you are ever so welcome...hug from all of us...and remember...stay warm and stay happy..

A few minutes later....Miss Moussie and Gustave were cleaning up the Kitchen...the Cuckoo clock cuckood twelve....At the last cuckoo something tumbled down..it came from behind the cuckoo...and it fell in a cooking pot...a pot of soup which Gustave made that day..
-What was that...squeaked Miss Moussie...I am sure I saw something taking a plunge into the soup.
-You did..croaked Gustave...Well...lets hope it was something elementary..I will give it a good stir..
Gustave stirred the soup and took a taste.."O my...wonderful soup as I say so myself..as far as you can tell from cold soup...we will enjoy this tomorrow..
Then they turned down the lights...crawled under the doormat to slide through the crack in the wall to leave through the flowerpot entrance..
Together arm in arm they went home.
-See you,Dear Gustave ..twittered Miss Moussie..sleep well...
-Sweet dreams Miss,croaked Gustave..meet you in the kitchen tomorrow...

Then everything was quiet at the Hilltop....well,not everything...in the kitchen a tiny little Gnome was splashing around in a pot of tomato soup...humming, and not at all pleased..

Something's brewing...

Just when Gustave was about to speak..Miss Moussie squeeked...O goodness, look outside darlings...Its getting ever so dark..and look at the trees....I think something's brewing...and its not the tea... I believe there is a storm coming up ,croaked Gustave...Seems we will be sitting here for a while..All the more time I'll have to tell my story...

Soon darkness fell around Hilltop Hall..
The wind was howling through the forest.. the trees bended to his power.. Don't worry..inside this Kitchen you will be safe...There is Miss Moussie who will take good care of you...Gustave, who will protect you...and..wait a minute..I do believe there is another creature present..one you can hardly notice because its so very small...on top of the Cuckoo clock..behind the cuckoo...sits a tiny Gnome...He is humming a tune...not to be heard by the others because of the many different songs the wind is singing in the chimney..

NO!

Are you sitting comfy Dearest...Will you pour us a nice cup of tea..I am afraid this teapot is to big for a little moussie like me..we will treat ourselves to a piece of chocolate cake..and then I will continue my story..
Isn't it warm and quiet in the Kitchen..you can hear the clock ticking and the fire softly crackle..you could almost fall asleep after this lovely walk we had in the Hilltop Forest..
Well,where was I....O Yes...About the Alphabet,the Alphabet that's hidden in the old Cabinet!
There you see the cabinet..standing before you..isn't it marvelous...What did you say...Its bigger then you expected it to be..Yes my dear...its grand..and full of wonderful and magical things...Later we will take a piek inside...
I am so sorry that I'm not aloud to show you the secret drawer where the Alphabet hides..because then it wouldn't be a secret anymore now would it..!
There is another little something I have to tell you about the Alphabet...and I would like to ask you a question..How many letters has the alphabet as you know it..?
In Hilltop language there are 26....and if you remember well, I told you that the Alphabet in the secret drawer only counts 24....So...Yes My dear..You are absolutely right...two letters are missing...
When our Dutchess was young,she was a very headstrong little girl..
It wasn't easy to teach her something..She always had to find out herself why things were as they were!
She always started to answer a question,(like for instance this one,"Is it so that one and one makes two")with...NO.....This, to be on the safe side ..she could always change it in ,yes, if she was absolutely sure that, even in a very exceptional case, it would never be possible that one and one could ever make three!
The alphabet had a lot of patience with this sweet stubborn girl...all the letters loved Victoria very dearly.. they told her many many stories and often kept her from harm by warning her and giving her messages..Now, you may ask ,what has all this to do with the missing letters..Well...Dearest...two of the letters from this magical alphabet did also learn something ...They learned to say..NO!
You may have experienced yourself how hard it can be to just say No when you have to do something you really don't feel like doing...wasn't this easier when you were a child...like little Victoria..when you just could have a terrible fit from time to time and scream NO!
The letter N and the letter O thought so too and decided it would be marvelous to scream NO together ,so...one night they secretly sneaked out of the drawer and ran away...never to be seen again..They can only be found when you can scream louder then they do..I must say its fun to try...I did ones....together with Gustave..there we were..a moussie and a frog ..screaming at the top of our longs...NOOOOOOO..we did feel ever so much better after that..
Speaking of Gustave...he told me he would come and join us today...we must pay attention to the doormat..
There is this entrance under the flowerpot...I always use it..You enter the flowerpot...then slide through a crack in the wall..and you appear from under the doormat..We've done that more than a thousand times...never a problem..
O...there he is..one leg that is..and there follows the rest of the frog..including his bow tie..
Gustave ,sweet friend..so good to see you..may I introduce to you a Kindred Spirit..who came to visit Hilltop Hall and listen to all our stories of wonder..
Come sit on our table...make yourself comfortable and tell us about the secrets of the Hilltop known to thee...whilst we sip our tea..

Counting the days...

Dear you...Lets walk while we talk..Today I would like to take you on a tour....we are going to visit the kitchen of Hilltop Hall...a marvelous place to be this time a year...it's warm and cosy, and there is always food on the table..Scrumptious stews..marvelous marmalades..delicious dumplings..terrific tea..wonderful waffles..crunchy cookies,and more yummy stuff..Food for the soul..I love to sit by the crackling fire that's burning in the heart of the stove.In the kitchen,very proudly ,stands a very old cabinet...The grandfather from our dear Dutches made it himself..from a Cherry tree..a tree that blossomed every year in the garden but sadly,one cold winter night.. died..Rumour goes the tree died under a spell..the curse of the Garden Gnome...a magical creature that wanders the Hilltop grounds..it sometimes visits Hilltop Hall by night. He is the tiniest Gnome you ever did see..if you ever DID see one that is...most people never see a Gnome in there entire life...So,better be ware when you walk the Hilltop grounds...you might step on it..Its possible to hear him coming...he likes to sing..well,its more a humming sound..like from a Bee..it sounds a bit creepy if you ask me...And there is another thing you need to know about him! When the moon comes out and stars are shining bright...the Gnome haunts the rooms of the Hilltop Hall and can attack you from out of a dark corner...jumping into your hair, twisting it in a thousand knots...whilst humming his spells..
They say he casted a spell on the Cherry tree..so it would never bloom again... all this because this horrible creature wanted to eat Cherries in wintertime...and the poor Cherry tree asked him to please wait until summer....Our beautiful tree withered and died..The Dutchess's grandfather then decided to make a cabinet.This man was a great carpenter..He carved Cherry blossoms and wild Ivy in the cabinet doors to honor the tree,and so ,in a wonderful way it is like she is still in bloom..and now for ever and ever.. When we arrive in the kitchen ,please say something nice to the cabinet..then you will be able to smell the sweet sent of Cherry blossom and see the Ivy grow..
In a secret drawer..hidden inside the cabinet...you can find the cabinets wonder...it really is something like a miracle..A little drawer filled with 24 letters ,letters carved out of that same enchanted wood from the Cherry tree...24 letters forming the Alphabet.When our Dutchess was a little girl she used to play with the letters...soon to find out that this alphabet wasn't just an ordinary one...It could spell on his own....and it was to be found everywhere..hiding under the table..running down the stairs..walking through the forest,playing hide and seek..But always doing so by making words..like when they ran,they formed the words..VERY FAST..
Later, when our Dutchess grew up to be a girl who knew many many words..the alphabet retired..Now only to come out when it was absolutely necessary..if there occurred a spelling problem of some sort..last time we did see it was last Christmas,when we didn't know how to spell..'gorgeous'..because that's how I looked in my red Christmas dress..Speaking of Christmas dearest..I am counting the days...please promise me you come visit me on Christmas day...
Almost there now...we are about to enter the kitchen..Come inside dear one..and lets sit at the kitchen table...there I will tell you more..about the Hilltop Hall and its secrets..