S'TOO ARTSMITH AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGICAL SHOES

We have all been thrilled by the adventures of S'Too Artsmith and his magical powers. His visits to our dimension are too few and far between. However, due to my ability to pass through the portals of time and space it is possible to bring you another instalment of magic, mystery and mayhem. As well as some pictures illustrating our walk in Glen Strathfarrar.

 

Glen Strathfarrar is a secret world and entry is given only to the chosen few. Not only is entry to this world of wonder difficult to attain, there are dangers and horrors to face before you can reach the other side.

Travel through the shifting world of Strathfarrar is made easier if you have with you a pair of magic shoes. Not everyone has these shoes and sometimes they have to be borrowed from the all-seeing and all-knowing greatness of Bee Tee Ell.

Certainly, this is what Jimi did when he came to find himself in Strathfarrar without his shoes and in great fear that Ja Aki would wreak great havoc upon his sorry, worthless soul for this omission.
Luckily, the wonderful and venerable Bee Tee Ell gave to Jimi a pair of luxurious and special shoes, guaranteed to make his journey smart, speedy and to the point - things Jimi had never been before.

Jimi had brought with him some companions as well as his grandson S'Too Artsmith to help him navigate the dangers of Strathfarrar. Soon they approached the portal to the Glen. They were warned of the impending doom of the Po Tholes. Great caverns that could appear on the way at any time and could swallow a man whole and no sign of his passage would remain - and that is not a pretty thing.

 

S'Too Artsmith led the small band of adventurers through the portal and along the winding road to the centre of this new and unknown world.

 

Soon, however, there were signs that they were passing through strange and possibly dangerous lands. In the wild west of the country were Injuns, living in their fantastical tepees. 

 

 

 

In the east there was evidence of the T' ire' peoples who lived in strange circular encampments. They were feared far and wide for treading on people.

 

In the north lived the great iron deer peoples. They were impossible to harm, but they were also very slow to move. Indeed, many thought that they could not move at all.

In the south there were thought to be Bra Kens, but no-one had ever seen them, but their nests had occasionally been espied by the careful traveller.

 

 

S'Too Artsmith had been clever and wise, remembering his travelling shoes. There was no prospect of the vengeful Ja Aki wreaking havoc on him. Although his mother might give him a clip round the ear if he got them dirty.

 

The intrepid band of companions stopped outside the infamous spiky caves of Culligran to study their instructions which you can see were held by the ever dependable Pam Ella.

The entrance to the Culligran caves.

Soon Jimi and Ugh had taken the instructions from Pam Ella. They felt they knew a better and shorter route to take. Ugh, in particular, had a poor record in this regard.

 

Next to the caves was the repository of the power of Culligran.

Despite the danger of death from squiggly arrows.....

 

....and the omens in the skies above.... 

....Pam Ella and Sharrywarry were sent by the rather timid Jimi and Ugh to investigate.

They came back with news from the oracle of the gates that Ugh had left behind essential equipment and that their journey would be doomed unless he retrieved it immediately.

 

So, off down the path he trudged to retrieve the mythical Chimera he had left sitting on the wall.

And here he is having found it and rather sheepishly bringing it back.

 

 

Pam Ella and Sharrywarry are rather doubtful that this is actually Ugh's Chimera and send him back again to get the right one.

Meanwhile S'Too Artsmith tries to decipher the meaning of the strange stone towers left behind by an ancient race of creatures which had long since disappeared, but whose messages might have some meaning even today.

 

 He soon gave up trying to make sense of anything this ancient race did and carried on along the winding road. Soon, he came across the helmet of a class warrior known as a Corbyn - long thought to have been extinct. This made S'Too Artsmith think - maybe the world could be a beautiful place again. Was Utopia really possible? Could people of all races really be pals and live happily ever after?
It must be a fairy tale....but you never know.

S'Too Artsmith looked to the east for inspiration. He knew he had been brought here for a higher purpose, but he didn't know what that was and how he should fulfil his destiny.

Sharrywarry was scratching her head too.

 

They needed to find out what lay beneath the gaze of the crooked tree in the west.

There was a strong and silent power stalking the landscape. It needed to be tamed and brought into people's homes.

 

The skies had become darker and the omens were not good....

...when they sat down to lunch at a strange and out of place beach.

A beach that had no right to be there. They should have recognised that something was not quite right. That there was a bit of magic and luck about this place. 

 

All was not as natural as it had seemed at first. In fact, they were close to a creation of the Damned Hy Dro.

 

 

Strange stone-like creatures swam against the flow of the waters controlled by the powerful Hy Dro.

But S'Too Artsmith knew that there would be something of value here. Something that would help him succeed in his mysterious quest.

Sure enough there was. It was a key. He didn't know what it would open and when would he use it?

 

After finding the key and pondering its meaning , S'Too Artsmith leapt into action.
He moved at lightning speed across the ground by virtue of his magical shoes that he hadn't had to borrow from the great benevolent Bee Tee Ell - unlike Jimi, who was still worried what Ja Aki would do to him.
The sequence of photos below only span the fraction of a millisecond.

Jimi did not even have time to blink before S'Too was by his side.

 

S'Too Artsmith then explained the meaning of the stone tower that had mysteriously appeared. It was a sign. They needed to find the symbol and the two rings of power. These would be the key to success.

S'Too Artsmith realised he needed to act as a conduit to pass the deep and ancient knowledge of the crooked tree onto Jimi. He did this with barely a brush of his hand on the bristly head of Jimi, who noticed nothing.

The tree also told S'Too where best to lead the band so that they might find the artefacts that they would need in their quest.

In no time they had found the first of the mystical objects they needed. Giant metal thread, whose purpose would become clear soon.

 

They needed to see what lay to the west and to do that, they needed to climb, hopefully to find the lost path back to the east.

 

So off they set, against the better judgement of S'Too Artsmith, who knew the lost path was called that for a good reason. No-one had seen it in many long years.

Eventually they gave up and Sharrywarry led them off the hill of despair.

 

Following Ugh and Pam Ella into the slough of despondency.

They passed signs of previous travellers who had failed in their quest.

 

S'Too Art soon spotted the giant cotton reels by the side of the path.

 

He knew immediately that was where the giant metal thread came from. It was all to do with the Norns. Female beings who ruled the destiny of gods and men. ( We all have one at home). They weave the fate of us all and can alter that fate if they can be persuaded to do so. Jimi needed that to avoid the wrath of Ja Aki.

 

 

 However, before the Norns could be persuaded to alter fate, they needed the gifts of the rings of power. Only S'Too Artsmith could find these.
And sure enough he did.

Once the Norns had been given the gift of the rings of power by S'Too Artsmith, they sent a sign that Jimi's fate could be altered.

That sign was a silk weaving caterpillar. If it was to live to make it across the road, then Ja Aki would never know that Jimi had forgotten to take his walking shoes with him and he had to borrow a pair from the ever wonderful Bee Tee Ell.

 Only Jimi and Ja Aki can tell us if the caterpillar made it and Jimi escaped without retribution.
S'Too Artsmith felt his age creeping up on him. He had been around these old people for a long time. He was beginning to act and think like them. The time to join his own kind was fast approaching. He didn't know how many more adventures he might have with Jimi and the Dinosaurs.
Nonetheless, he felt a debt of gratitude to Pam Ella and Ugh for helping in this quest. He felt at ease retiring to the Priory for some peace and sustenance.