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The Four Seasons of Rufus

      It was Christmas Eve and children (some adults, too) were still hoping for a white Christmas – their entreaties weighed heavy on Rufus for he could hear them and he decided to act -- there was little time to lose.   Old Man Winter slumbered in a cave at the top of the mountain.  Rufus entered the frosty lair, grabbed the sleeping old man by his long white beard, slung him on his back like a sack of toys and walked down the mountain path in to town.   When it began to snow, the smiling faces of children appeared in candle-lit windows and Rufus felt happy.   Part II     Old Man Winter stayed in town for several months.  Then, as our sun slowly got closer he became lighter and lighter.  So light he became that he started to float in the air, moving higher and higher until he was back in his cave at the top of the mountain.  Weary, he settled in for a nice long nap.   Rufus smiled....

Max and Rufus, in Four Parts

                      The Quarry Trail           Max could see the quarry from Route 88, its’ rock face shone in the brilliant October sun.   “So that’s where Rufus lives,” he said to himself, anxious to find the giant.  The quarry trail was steep and narrow, but Max climbed skillfully and quickly.   It was shortly after noon when Max arrived at his destination.   He stopped for a second to catch his breath and then made his way out onto the quarry cliff; the pitch made his stomach tingle.   “Wow,” he exclaimed. “What a place.”   For the next three hours, Max sat watch but he did not see Rufus.   The sun began to sink.    Max grew sad.   “Maybe I’ll come back tomorrow,” he wondered, and then began to inch his way back across the quarry face to the trail.   He took one last look down at the ...

The Great Flood

    The Great Flood       On the eve of the great royal feast, the poor children of the royal city were starving.   Purple sent for Rufus.   Under cover of darkness The two devised a plan and later Rufus stole into the royal stables and single-handedly slaughtered 10,000 fatted calves.   The giant and Purple then saw to it that all the starving children of the royal city were fed.   On the morning next, the day of the royal feast, a great furor arose when the King found his fatted calves missing..   "Find the thief," he ordered.   When spies reported the poor children were no longer starving, but happy, dancing, playing in their streets, the King ordered his soldiers to "kill them all."   And, the soldiers obeyed.   When Rufus heard of the slaughter, he cried so hard, it begot a river which flooded the royal city, killing the king and all his loyal subjects....   Rufus' river of tears thus cleansed Dingee.