The Giraffe

 a mystery to be continued

Hermann Grubb, a wandering mountain-loving Bavarian chemist decided, one spring day, to travel to St. Andrews in Scotland to complete his studies. And so, thanking his lucky start (which was the Dog Star) he packed his litmus paper, test-tubes and climbing boots and set off on the Long Road North.

He had not gone very far before an old lady of about 80 came up to him and asked for his socks. Our Hero was much surprised and refused to give up his foot attire at such short notice. Then the old lady explained that her pet giraffe had a set of very bad blisters at the moment and she was too hard up at the moment to but it a pair of socks. “I will give you a nice cup of tea though” she said in a very small voice “if you will come along to my cottage and remove your socks”.

Now Hermann’s socks were of fine Bavarian silk and had cost him £37.50 and so naturally he was rather attached to them, besides he had no others. However, our Travelling Chemist was a kindly lad and the thought of the old lady’s giraffe hobbling around the stone floor of the cottage with blisters almost made him weep. Then he remembered that houses of any kind rarely have blisters and so bit back the tears.

Nevertheless, Hermann decided he would go along to the cottage and bear his toes. The cottage was well back from the main road and was at the very end of a long track that wound through a very dark and rather damp forest. Further more, judging by the cobwebs hanging right across the path, Hermann reckoned no one been this way for a very long time — apart from the little old lady who (as her name suggests) was on the small side and could walk under the cobwebs without disturbing them. As they neared the cottage Hermann began to get just a little jumpy — who was this woman, where was she taking him and why? Then he remembered the giraffe and the socks, and … well, she looked such a sweet old person. His suspicions momentarily allayed, Our Hero, followed on behind right past the heavy oaken door of the cottage: it was only then it occured to him that giraffes have four legs and he had only two socks! But it was too late, the door slammed shut behind him and the old lady scuttled round behind him and locked it with a huge oaken key (well it was an oaken door wasn’t it?). It was then he saw the Thing in the corner.

What did Hermann see in the corner? Did the stone floor really have chilblains. Will our hero come up smiling? To be continued.