The Willows at Christmas (28 page)

Mole’s sister then listened to the story of how he had been incarcerated, how he had escaped, and how Toad had been tried and acquitted.

Finally, the Badger and the others heard how she and the Mole had spent their childhood years, especially at festive times.

“My, was she a home-maker, was she a cook!” they exclaimed concerning their mother.

“Yet there are some things you did even better” said the Mole, “such as, for example, mince pies. Here, have some more, you fellows, for I’m sure you’ll never taste better than these!”

“That reminds me, Mole,” said his sister, pulling a piece of paper from her apron pocket, “here is a belated Christmas gift?’

The Mole looked at it, read it, folded it and tucked it into his jacket pocket.

“What is it?” asked the Badger.

“The recipe for these mince pies!” said the smiling Mole. “Which reminds
me
…”

He went to his larder and emerged a moment later with a jar of candied angelica. As he handed it round, and they exclaimed at its perfection, he told his sister, “And as promised, in return
you
shall have my recipe for angelica.”

So did brother and sister, and friends as well, see that Twelfth Night through.

As midnight approached, they all helped the Mole take down the decorations as tradition demanded they must. Then Mole and his sister walked down the little lane to his crab-apple tree, and they wassailed its health for the coming year.

Later, back in front of the fire, the Mole gave them each a pot of his crab-apple jelly, blushed with blackberries, made to a recipe his mother had taught him. Then they continued to talk till midnight came and with it the end of the festive season.

Finally, with great reluctance, Badger, Ratty and Otter bade their farewells to as happy a Mole as ever lived. They stood briefly together upon his threshold and made their wishes for the coming of Spring, of Summer and of Autumn that joys might be many, and fruits plentiful.

“Goodbye for now, you fellows,” he called softly after them, “and may your every wish come true!”

THE END