- Harry AnderS -
Dutch psychotherapist and alternative writer

The wonderful adventures of a little Gypsy boy

Born as a Prince 1
Book 1: Heir to the Throne
- by Harry AnderS -

A children's series of stories

http://www.harryanders.com
harry@harryanders.com

In book 1 'Heir to the Throne'; a little Gypsy boy narrates the story of his first five years in a secluded place in the Rumanian mountains, surrounded by huge woods and dense forests.
He is the Heir to the Throne, and soon he will be our Chief Cook(ie) and a Real Trapper...

Book 2 'Our Lucky Mascot' will follow; where he discovers the gadjo world outside, is imprisoned during a police raid, has his own little snow scooter, and finally travels to foreign countries...

Chapter 10 ended with:

    "From now on, you will have to be very careful not to make any noises that could chase the animals away. I will go first, and both of you will follow me at a short distance.
    "Be careful to keep a close eye on me, and look out not to get lost in the dense forest."

    Jonno started to shiver, got goose bumps all over his body, and looked at us with fear in his eyes:

    "I don't want to get lost in ANY forest! It's too creepy here, and I want to go home..."

    We tried to convince Jonno to join us to our new places, but he was too scared and started to cry.
At last, Misha allowed him to go back to our waterfall, and wait there for us until we showed up again.
Together, we brought him back to the ravine where he knew the way, and left him alone carrying our string bag.
A happy looking Jonno went to our waterfall, nearly skipping, and swaying the string bag containing our caught animals.

    Misha and I looked at each other; and both of us saw the relief in each other's eyes...
I was a bit sad for that poor scared Jonno; but, at the same time, I was happy to leave our mad porcupine!
Now, I could really train myself in sneaking around, noiselessly, like a hunting cat...

    Misha and I cuddled some; both of us feeling happy and enjoying our special friendship.
He ruffled my hair a couple of times, and proudly grinned at me.
Now, he seemed to feel around for a moment, before he pointed to somewhere in a distance.
    He whispered into my ear:

    "There's where we are going today, to set up our new traps. Let's go!"

    His voice sounded happy, and his eyes started to beam.
I followed him, trying to feel around, and wondering about what Misha had been feeling...
Maybe, I could ask him about it, the next time we were allowed to speak aloud again?
It looked like he was using some sort of built-in compass...

    We started to sneak away in total silence, both of us trying to slide noiselessly, like hunting cats...
At first, I was causing a couple of unintentional noises; and I muttered to myself inwardly.
Would I ever learn to be a real trapper, like my older friend Misha clearly was?
I slowed down a little bit, letting him lead the way; and carefully looked at what he did and how he did it...
After a while, I picked up how I should avoid dry branches and look out for nasty hidden potholes.
NOW, I did it a lot better, and I started to have a lot more fun as well!

    At last, I paced up and walked alongside Misha; proudly, without making any noises at all.
I pretended to be a hunting cat, sneaking around, looking for a wary prey...
Suddenly, Misha stopped, looked at me, and proudly smiled.
    He put his arms around my shoulders, and whispered into my ear:

    "Now, you are even outdoing me! You're a fast learner, and I'm very happy to have you as my companion."

    Was I, a four-year-old baby-trapper, really outdoing a fourteen-year-old experienced boy who had been crossing our woods all his life?
I could hardly believe it; but the sneaking and sliding did feel as if I had done this many times before...
Was I really a natural, as Misha always told me?
Maybe, I had been a real trapper in one of my past lives?
I wished I could remember when and where...

    We arrived at the border of a steep ravine, and sneaked towards its far end without making any noises at all.
Here, Misha stopped, and pointed to a dense bush showing a faint animal track...
I nodded and took my snare, while Misha sneaked towards another dense bush.
We understood each other without using any words at all!
I folded my snare, firmly attached it to a heavy branch, and covered it with some litter to make it invisible to the animals.
Then, I crawled back, on the way carefully wiping my own trail.
Misha returned, looked at my snare, and nodded approvingly.

    Together, we sneaked back to the steep ravine, and sat down on a flat boulder.
I settled in between Misha's legs, and he put his arms around me and held me close.
Both of us enjoyed the beautiful sight of a small stream, meandering along the bottom of the ravine and disappearing into nowhere.
I could feel our love, radiating between us; and felt happy about our special friendship.
Now and then, we looked at each other, and smiled.

    After a long time, we decided to go back to our waterfall and to poor waiting Jonno.
Again, Misha led me across the dense forest blindly, only now and then stopping to feel around.
I followed his footsteps, being more and more curious about what he was feeling...
What was he doing, every time when he stopped?
I tried to feel around myself, but didn't know what I had to look for...

    Slowly, I started to recognize the surroundings; and, from now on, I was proudly leading the way.
Misha followed me with a broad grin on his face...
Soon, we reached the steep ravine, where a happy looking Jonno saw us and climbed up from the waterfall.
    He raced towards us and greeted us enthusiastically:

    "I've been swimming a lot of laps in our lake, and that felt wonderful!"

    A couple of other kids had decided to leave the dense forest a bit early as well.
Therefore, fortunately for Jonno, he wasn't the only youngster who got too scared...
We huddled together, and I told them about our sneaking around like hunting cats.
However, I didn't tell them about my outdoing Misha; not wanting to hurt his pride...

    All the other kids returned, a couple at a time, carrying the few animals they had caught.
We heaped the animals into a pile, and descended the steep ridge to our waterfall.
Again, the more experienced kids helped the smallest ones, by holding their hands until they reached the bottom.
I was happy to see Jonno climb up and down the ravine all on his own!
Even he had something he was really good in...

    We dived under the forceful water stream, jumping up and down until our bodies were used to the cold.
Yelling and frolicking, we started to chase each other towards our lake...
During the remainder of the day, we swam and dunked each other; having lots of fun.
Finally, our stomachs started to grumble aloud, and we decided to call it a day.
We put our animals into a few string bags, and went home.

    We raked our campfire, and prepared our animals to be roasted.
In the meantime, I went into the bushes to gather some nicely smelling herbs.
We didn't have enough animals to fill our hungry stomachs, but divided them so that everybody had the same share.
Fortunately, the grown-ups had some more food; and that helped.
Tired and feeling happy, we went to our caravans to greet our parents.

    From now on, the days were shortening fast, and the weather became colder and colder.
Soon, I had to wear at least some clothes outside our caravan, to protect my body from the cold.
That was quite an experience, as I wasn't used to wearing any clothes at all!
The sticky things started to itch, and I shucked them every time I reentered our caravan, feeling relieved and freer.
Every day, I waited impatiently until the sun had warmed the air sufficiently and I could shuck them for the rest of the day.
That is, until the evening cold was forcing me to wear them again...
All the others were complaining as well about the sticky things they had to wear now, so I wasn't the only one who hated my clothes!

    We went on setting our traps every day; but, from now on, it was nearly impossible to catch any animals at all.
They seemed to have retreated into hibernation, or they were hiding deeper into the mountains where we couldn't reach them.
Now and then, we caught a lethargic marmot or a stray hare, but that was never enough to fill our hungry stomachs...
Fortunately, our parents were there, to care for us and properly feed us.

    Every morning, a couple of men and women left our camp in a few cars, trying to find some work in a nearby 'gadjo' town.
At the end of the day, they returned, sometimes carrying a little bit of money when they had found some work and had been paid for it.
After they had gathered enough money, they went to a gadjo 'market', to buy some cheap food or a few used clothes.
Now and then, one of our older kids joined them to the market...
    At the end of the day, the kid returned, bubbling over with enthusiasm:

    "Michail had to bargain and hassle quite a lot, to get those clothes cheaper! Finally, they got tired, and sold them to us for a lower price..."

    Of course, I wanted to join them, to have a look at that strange gadjo world, and maybe even help Michail with the bargaining!

    However, every time I wanted to join them, the grown-ups told me I was still way too young and too small.
I had to stay in our camp until I would be old and mature enough to fend for myself...
Every time, their words were making me pout and feel sad.
Maybe, my small body was still a bit immature, but my bright mind certainly was not!
Why didn't they allow ME to have a look at those strange gadjo towns...

    One morning, my Dad gathered everybody around our campfire, and told them with a sad voice:

    "We are out of food, and we don't have any more money to buy it. I'm very sorry, but we will have to visit a few gadjo towns today and gather some food and money, just to be able to stay alive...
    "A couple of men will take our children to a nearby town to beg. Our other grown-ups will visit a town far away, to try to gather some clothes and maybe more valuable things, to sell them and buy the necessities we will need to survive the approaching winter."

    I jumped up, nearly cheering, and feeling very excited!
YES! Finally, I would be able to see a real gadjo town!
    Unfortunately, my Dad looked at us with sad eyes, and went on:

    "All the children under seven will stay here, watched by a few older women."

    I was MAD at him!
My friends were allowed to visit a gadjo town; and I had to stay behind, only because he thought I was too young?
    I pounded towards my sad looking Dad, and angrily pulled at his arm:

    "Dad, I want to accompany my friends to that gadjo town! Everybody knows I'm a valuable part of our group, and I am already a skilled trapper. I was the only one who caught a fat pig this summer, I'm our Chief Cook, and you KNOW that I can fend for myself. I have proven enough that I'm no longer a toddler!"

    My Dad took my hands in his, and looked even sadder:

    "Harry, Harry... I know that you are very bright; but you're only four years old, and you are the smallest boy in the group that's allowed to enter our woods. I know that you can fend for yourself, and you are certainly no longer a toddler, but you have never visited a gadjo town before. Begging and gathering things can be very dangerous, as all the older children can tell you from their own experiences. I'm sorry, but you will have to wait until you are at least seven years old, just like the other children. Now go back to the others, and stay there."

    I stamped away angrily, went to our caravan, and slammed the door with a loud bang.
Why had I to wait until I was at least seven years old, to be able to visit those interesting gadjo towns?
Couldn't I just skip those... counting on my fingers... one... two... three too immature years of my life?

    After some time, I heard Michail's big truck, pulling up from our parking lot and entering the circle.
Of course, my curiosity won from my anger, and I left our caravan to have a look...
All the older kids climbed into an attached caravan, accompanied by one of the grown-ups.
Another grown-up helped a couple of youngsters climb into the backseat of Michail's enormous truck.
The youngest toddlers had to stay behind, longingly looking at the truck...

    The truck-and-caravan combination left our camp and disappeared into the woods.
Soon, another couple of cars filled up with many other grown-ups, following the truck.
Now, our camp was silent again, and suddenly everything felt very empty...

    The older women started to prepare some leftovers, and the left behind kids crowded around them rubbing their hungry stomachs.
Reluctantly, I joined our toddler-group to have my share of the food, because my hungry stomach started to rumble too!
The food helped a little bit to dispel the yearning feeling, but not much...
After the scanty meal, I sauntered towards our waterfall, wanting to be alone.

    I sat down along the ridge, staring at the beautiful colors, moping and feeling disappointed.
Why did I have to be such a small runt for such a long time?
Even for a four-and-a-half-year-old boy, my body was still very immature...
I threw a couple of pebbles into the water, trying to hit the same place twice.
In the meantime, I tried to remember what Misha had told me, about too small children having their 'growth spurt'....
When would I have MY growth spurt?
Or, would I be a little cookie for the rest of my life?

    By now, Misha and the other kids were having lots of fun in that interesting gadjo town!
In the meantime, I had to bore myself to death here...
My eyes started to tear up, but I wiped them angrily using a tuft of grass.
I was NOT a cry-baby!

    One of the older women showed up, maybe being a bit worried about me:

    "Why don't you join the other children, and play with them? We are missing you..."

    "I don't feel like playing with those toddlers. I was always with Misha, and together we had lots of fun. HE didn't think I was too young to set up traps on my own, and I was even beating him at sneaking around. I wanted to be with Misha today..."

    I started to cry, but immediately suppressed my tears so that she wouldn't think I was another of those toddlers.
I hoped she hadn't seen my tears, and furtively wiped them with a brownish leaf that hadn't fallen off yet...
Together, we went back to our group of too small children.
They were playing hide and seek around our caravans, as I had done many times before when I was a toddler myself...

    I slumped down onto one of the wooden benches surrounding our campfire, and moped on.
Why did my life have to be so difficult?
Why didn't my Dad allow me to accompany my friend Misha to that gadjo town?
All the other kids were there, having fun; and only a couple of small toddlers and I had to stay here...

    A couple of them approached me hesitantly, and looked at me pleadingly:

    "Please, Harold, we're looking for some more kids to play hide and seek..."

    "I don't feel like playing today. I wanted to join Misha to that gadjo town today..."

    "Please, Harold, because you are the best. It’s less fun without you..."

    "Well... Okay, I will join you for a while. Where’s the border?"

    To be honest; during the remainder of that day, I had more fun than I could have imagined that morning!
I seemed to be very good at hiding; and, all the time, the others weren't able to find me...
They looked everywhere, crossed all the bushes, nearly tripped over my legs that were buried under some litter, but didn't see me.
At last, they gave up, and called me!
I showed up, triumphantly, from within a dense bush only a few steps away...
Most of them were older than four-and-a-half years... but, in my eyes, they were just toddlers, and it was fun to outdo them all.

    At the end of the day, our cars returned into our camp, having their trunks filled with valuable goods.
The men stowed the goods immediately into our nearly invisible caves along the ravine, to keep them cool and hide them from unwanted eyes.
They gathered around our campfire, and told us how they barely escaped a mistrustful police officer who tried to arrest them.
They ran away in different directions, and waited patiently until they were sure that none of them were followed.
Then, they sneaked back to their cars they had parked somewhere outside the gadjo town, and drove home in an excellent mood.

    Michail's truck-caravan-combination returned, and Michail tooted the horn a few times, obviously feeling in a cheerful mood.
The kids left the truck and caravan, carrying several bags filled with nicely smelling food.
They were in a cheerful mood as well, and gathered on the wooden benches around our campfire.
Michail emptied a couple of bags onto a big platter; and everybody started to munch on all those delicious gadjo things!
For the first time in several days, we were able to fill our hungry stomachs to the brim, and that felt wonderful.

    The kids started to tell us about their adventures while begging in a nearby gadjo town.
In many places, they were chased away, spit at, and called names.
In other places, they were helped and fed by a couple of nicer people.
Now and then, they even got some money!
The best place for begging seemed to be the 'central market', in the middle of the town.
There, they got paper bags filled with the most delicious things, as there were brownies, cakes, hotdogs, rolls, and even loafs of real gadjo bread that tasted strange but very nice.

    I felt delighted to have my stomach properly filled; but, at the same time, I also was sad...
Now and then, I got tears in my eyes, by thinking about all the adventures I had missed today!
Couldn't I skip those three years, and go with them the next time they were begging?
Maybe, the next time I would have had my growth spurt...

    That evening, we had a real feast, having all of us gathered around our campfire.
Our violin players played wonderful melodies, full of joy and longing.
Several people started to dance, the children climbed from lap to lap to be held and feel safe, and everybody had lots of fun.
Misha had a little dance with Biny; and, soon, both of them started to fool around, leaving us bellowing with laughter.
We were having a really good time!

    At last, I was too sleepy to keep my eyes open, and asked my Mom to put me to bed in our caravan.
My Mom washed me, draped the blankets around me, and tenderly kissed me good night.
Within a few minutes, I was sound asleep.

    That night, I dreamed of a gadjo town where I chased away all the nasty inhabitants, just by spitting at them!
I went home, carrying lots of money; to buy many bags of delicious foods and nice looking clothes for all of us...

************************************************************************************************************

Thank you for reading the next chapter of my story 'Born as a Prince 1'.
This is the first book of the series, called 'Heir to the Throne'. Many more books will follow...
Enjoy the reading, and help us make our world a better place!

Have a look at my OTHER story, about a retired psychotherapist taking the now eight years old and severely burnt little Gypsy boy into his house and raising him.
The story is on Nifty in adult-youth, contains NO sex, and is callled: 'Born to be a King'...

All my stories are on my own homepage as well: http://www.harryanders.com

I would LOVE to receive your comments...
Please, write me an email now and then.
Harry AnderS, Dutch psychotherapist and alternative writer.

harry@harryanders.com
http://www.harryanders.com