Serpents and Werewolves Read Online Free Page B

Scotland is on the northern edge of Europe, and the end of the world is often just over the horizon.
    So the girl faced a long walk, but not as long as an expedition or a quest. She spent the morning striding along, swinging the empty jug with every step.
    When she reached the white stone well, she sat on the edge and looked in.
    The well was empty. The Well at the End of the World was dry.
    The girl sighed. “I’ve walked all the way to the end of the world. Now I’ll have to walk all the way home again with an empty jug, and there won’t be oatcakes for tea.”
    â€œOatcakes!” said a soggy voice. “I love oatcakes.”
    A frog jumped onto the edge of the well.
    A shiny frog, with a yellow belly, a green back and a long tongue, jumped up right beside the girl. But this frog was shiny like slime rather than polished jewellery. It was green like poison rather than leaves. It was yellow like mustard rather than daffodils. And its long tongue was black and sticky.
    The girl stood up quickly and stepped away from the frog.
    â€œI love oatcakes,” the frog said again.
    â€œThere won’t be any oatcakes, without water,” she said.
    The frog smiled a gummy wide-mouthed smile. “I can bring the water back to the well, if you make me a couple of promises.”
    The girl looked at the frog, at the empty well and her empty jug, then back at the frog. The frog flicked its tongue out and caught a fly. Then ate it.
    â€œYuck,” said the girl.
    The frog said, “If you want water, you must promise to let me into your house when I knock on the door tonight, and you must promise to let me sit on your lap and eat oatcakes from your plate.”
    The girl took another step back and watched the frog flicking out its tongue.
    She didn’t want to let the frog into her house, or onto her knee, or at her oatcakes. But she thought, “This frog doesn’t know where I live and it can’t possibly hop as fast as I walk, so I can safely make those promises and never see this frog again.”
    So she said, “Yes, I promise that if you knock on my door tonight, I’ll let you in, let you sit on my knee and let you eat my oatcakes. But first, you have to find me water.”
    The frog hopped round the well three times, and as he completed his third circle, the well flooded with pure clean water.

    The girl dipped her jug in and filled it to the brim. Then she walked off, swinging the heavy jug.
    The frog called after her, “Remember your promise!”
    She turned round and saw the frog, with a fly half in and half out of its mouth, one tiny clear wing flapping feebly by the frog’s cheek. The frog crunched and the wing drooped.
    The girl made a face. “Oh yuck! I mean, oh yes, I’ll remember.” She walked off, swinging the jug, drops of water flying out at every step. Leaving a trail of dark dots on the ground behind her.
    She walked all the way home from the end of the world.
    She helped her mother mix the oats and water, roll and cut the oatcakes, and bake them in the oven. When the oatcakes were still warm, they set the table with soft butter, crumbly cheese and hot broth.
    As they sat down to eat, there was a knock at the door. A soft, squelchy knock. The girl put her head in her hands.
    Her mother said, “Answer the door, please.”
    â€œErm... no. I really don’t want to. Let’s have a quiet evening, just the two of us.”
    There was another soft knock.
    â€œAnswer the door, my girl.”
    â€œ I can’t, my legs are stiff after that long walk.”
    â€œNonsense. Answer the door, now.”
    â€œNo, I won’t!”
    â€œThen I will!” Her mother stood and walked towards the door. “Who’s there?”
    â€œIt’s me, the frog your daughter promised to let in if I knocked on the door tonight.”
    The mother looked at the girl. “You made a promise? To a frog?”
    â€œErm...