- Harry AnderS -
Dutch psychotherapist and alternative writer

The wonderful adventures of a little Gypsy boy

Born as a Prince 2
Book 2: Our Lucky Mascot
- 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...

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

Book 2 chapter 2 ended with:

    Now, we went to my trap, being set up in some bush a little bit further away.
I went into the bush, crawled towards my trap, and stared at my snare open-mouthed, not believing my own eyes...
There was that stupid porcupine, being strangled in my snare!
I HAD CAUGHT MY STUPID PORCUPINE!

    I forgot to be silent, loudly shouted my victory, and danced around Misha like crazy.
Now, I could roast my stupid porcupine over our campfire, as I had promised it in my thoughts!
Misha joined my enthusiasm, and we started to dance around, swaying his marmot and my porcupine.
After a while, we swung our caught animals onto our shoulders, and went home.
This time, Misha led the way, because I was way too enthusiastic to be able to properly think of our camp...

    That evening, we shared a delicious roasted porcupine and a fat marmot with our friends, both of us still grinning.
I burped loudly, to thank my porcupine for offering us its healthy meat.
I thought I heard its spirit answering me 'you are welcome', but wasn't absolutely sure...
However, being thankful felt great.

    The following day, we returned into the dense forest and walked across it for about half an hour.
From there, Misha told me to try to find our waterfall all on my own...
I looked around for a forked twig, found one, took it in my hands, and started to strain it to build up some muscle tension.
I thought of our waterfall, and almost dropped my dowsing rod!
Out of the blue, I seemed to KNOW where I had to go, even without using my forked twig...
Suddenly, I was able to FEEL our waterfall, as if it was pulling at my energy and telling me where I had to go!

    I turned towards Misha, feeling very surprised and not knowing what to think of my new ability:

    "Misha, suddenly I am able to feel our waterfall, even without using my twig! It feels as if the waterfall is pulling my energy towards it. Isn't that strange?"

    "No, that is not strange at all! Many kids and grown-ups in our camp are able to feel those energies. For example, I can feel them; and, around my eleventh year, Michail taught me how to use them...
    "I think your father knows you are one of us as well, and that's why he asked me to train you. Welcome into our growing club of sensitive people, and I am very honored to be your teacher!"

    We hugged each other and romped around for a long time, both of us feeling happy and enjoying our special friendship.
I threw the forked twig away, thought of our waterfall, and immediately sensed its energy, eagerly pulling at my aura.
I started to walk, letting my feeling lead us across the dense forest, straight towards our ravine and the splashing waterfall, without any other help.
Now, I knew how Misha had been finding his way through the densest of forests all the time, and why he couldn't explain how he did it...
I had to discover my valuable 'gift' all on my own, without any outside help!

    From now on, I was leading our way all the time, without ever getting lost.
I only had to think of a certain thing or spot; and, at the same moment, that thing or spot started to pull at my aura, being my personal energy field around my body.
Misha helped me extend and perfect my abilities, until he was really satisfied and thought I could pass every possible test.
He told me he was very proud of his pupil, and wanted me to be the youngest tested real trapper in our Gypsy community!
I didn't mind at all...

    Misha also showed me a couple of restrictions, and I had to seriously reckon with them:
My abilities didn't work when I had a fever, or when a thunderstorm raged and disturbed the cosmic energies.
In certain places, the earth itself was radiating too strong magnetic energies that tended to send me into the wrong direction.
It was very difficult to trace other people or living animals, as they are naturally tending to protect themselves and their auras against 'energy intruders'.
A forked twig and my sensitivity certainly weren't enough to be sure I could always find the correct way...
I also had to look at the sun, orientate myself, and listen to the wind; to check, recheck, and double-check everything until I was absolutely sure!

    Later, when I was a couple of years older and lived in another country, I discovered that not everybody was able to accept my, in their eyes, 'strange' abilities...
However, those abilities are exactly how Bedouins are knowing their ways through the desert and finding their oases in the moving sand dunes without ever getting lost.
It's how Native Africans are always able to find their temporary huts blindly through the densest of rain forests.
It's how Eskimos are always returning to their small igloos in the ever-changing and blinding North pole snow, even if those are snowed under and practically invisible...

    Everybody, young or old, who is able to feel those energies, is also able to train the abilities to find 'home', just like every dog, cat, or dove does.
Unfortunately, too many people are 'living in their heads', and they don't 'feel' anything any more except for their own emotions...
I am very grateful for being taught at a young age to rely on my feelings, rather than on my thinking!

    After a couple more training hours, Misha finally was satisfied with my trapper abilities, and we went to my parents to tell them I was ready.
Of course, my parents were very proud of their little trapper, and they thanked Misha abundantly.
Misha blushed fiercely, and told them they could always count on him.
He saw me as his little brother, and would do everything he could to help me!

    The next morning, my parents took me to our Wise Woman, to be tested.
The Wise Woman stared at me for a long time, all the time shaking her head in disbelief...
Obviously, she thought I would be way too young to be able to pass her test.
Finally, she closed her eyes and went into a trance, to ask our Ancestors for help.
    Within a minute, she woke up, looked at me in wonder, and asked me:

    "Are you absolutely sure you are ready, and willing to take on all the responsibilities that are coming with being such a young real trapper?"

    "Yes, I am absolutely sure I am ready."

    "Then, it will be as it is. I wanted to wait for another couple of years, but our Ancestors told me you ARE ready, and I have to go on with your test..."

    She let me sit down onto her own wooden bench, next to herself, and carefully blindfolded me.
Next, she took her small magic pouch from her neck, and let me feel its energy.
She told me it contained a couple of very powerful things she had been gathering over the years...
I took the pouch in my hands, and could clearly sense several very strong energies, bundled together into a whirling and twisting center of magic power.
I also had a strong feeling of recognition, as if once I had possessed such a powerful bundle of energy myself!
Had I once been a Wise Man myself, maybe in one of my past lives? Or, was I turning into a Wise Boy, without knowing it?
I wanted to know more, but didn't succeed in getting my vague feelings more clear...

    After a few seconds, the Wise Woman took her pouch out of my hands and tiptoed away.
I kept my aura connected to her, followed her with my inner eye, and sensed how she tried to hide her magic pouch somewhere in the bushes.
    She rounded our campfire from the other side, tiptoed back to her bench, and sat down next to me:

    "Now, go and bring me my pouch! And don't cheat..."

    I rose from the bench, thought of the small pouch, and started to feel around.
Immediately, I felt its magic, as if it was pulling at my energy or calling me.
I started to walk towards it in a beeline, but soon felt the warmth of our campfire being in my way...
I sensed where the campfire was, carefully rounded it, stopped, thought of the pouch, and felt around again.
There was the small magic pouch, now pulling at me even stronger!
I grinned inwardly, and went straight to the dense bush where I felt the Wise Woman had been.
Now, I only had to find the thing...

    I started to grabble around at the damp earth beneath the bush, but didn't find anything but empty nutshells and fallen leaves...
Where had our Wise Woman hidden her small pouch?
I stopped my efforts, straightened my back, and felt around again...
NOW, I knew where it was! This time, I could clearly see it with my inner eye.
I reached for it, and triumphantly took it from the branch where our Wise Woman had put it, cleverly hidden behind a small bird's nest.
This time, its magic power almost burnt my fingers, as if it felt enthusiastic and tried to welcome me!

    I turned around, feeling myself smiling from ear to ear, and started to go back.
I rounded the warmth of our campfire, stopped, and felt around for the Wise Woman...
This time, I chuckled aloud and shook my head in disbelief.
My inner eye was clearly outlining our Wise Woman, now sitting on another bench far away, silently waiting for me...
Did she really think she could trick me like this?
I trotted towards her, performed a deep bow, and offered her the pouch, smiling all the time and still being blindfolded.
Everybody started to cheer and applaud, while the Wise Woman took my blindfold away.

    She motioned me to sit down, this time looking PROUD:

    "I thought you would be too young to be a real trapper; but I cannot deny it any longer, you are absolutely ready...
    "Our Ancestors are with you and guiding you, because you have an important task to fulfill in your life. Always listen to the inspirations they are giving you, and you will be protected...
    "Accept my sincere congratulations, my beloved Royal Prince! From now on, you are our youngest Real Trapper, and you are allowed to enter our surrounding woods on your own."

    I felt myself swelling with pride, and didn't know what to do...
I crawled onto my Dad's lap, buried my head in his broad chest, and started to cry from all the emotions.
My Dad folded his strong arms around my sobbing body, while my Mom tenderly ruffled my hair and told me she was very proud of me.
Many others around us tried to cheer me up, by telling me I was a very special boy and they deeply loved their growing little Prince.
At last, Misha started to tickle my ribs, and that helped.
I pulled myself together, hopped off my Dad's lap, and tried to tickle him back.
Soon, both of us were rolling around in the fallen leaves and squealing with joy, as usual.

    My proud parents thanked the Wise Woman abundantly, and asked Michail to prepare a Big Feast.
Our violin players took their instruments, and started to play a beautiful song full of joy and happiness.
Of course, I helped Michail prepare the food, by gathering lots of nicely smelling herbs.
Misha accompanied me, and I tried to let him sense which herbs were appropriate and could be used together.
He wasn't very good at it; but, after a while, I succeeded in letting him feel which plants were poisonous and couldn't be used at all!
At last, we decided in unison that he was our youngest Chief Trapper and I was our little Chief Cookie, and both of us had our own unique qualities.

    The next morning, I went outside and joined our yawning kids group as if nothing had happened.
Two minutes later, Misha left his caravan and joined us.
    Hesitantly, he went to me and asked me, looking at his feet:

    "Now that you are allowed to be on your own in our woods, do you still want us to go together?"

    I was a bit surprised, but grinned and playfully punched his arm:

    "Maybe, now it's MY turn to teach YOU a few lessons? Come on, let's go!"

    Misha looked very relieved, and heaved a deep sigh.
I smiled, took his hand, and gently pulled him towards our dense forest.
Now, he started to smile as well, and squeezed my hand a couple of times.
Together, we crossed the dense forest towards the steep ravine, to have a look at our traps.
Of course, I was leading the way all the time!

    Soon, we reached the border of our steep ravine, and I halted.
I felt the energy around our traps, and sensed them with my inner eye.
    Feeling satisfied, I whispered into Misha's ear:

    "I think I've caught a small marmot, and you've caught a hare. Can you feel them?"

    "What? You are able to feel those things as well? Who are you in reality, a clairvoyant, or our new Wise Boy?"

    "Well... I'm not sure, but you might be right! Now, try to call your snare, and use your inner eye to sense the energy around it. What do you feel?"

    Misha tried to sense the energy around his snare, holding his breath...
Slowly, he got a confused look in his eyes, wiggling his head and breathing again with a hissing sound.
    His eyes started to sparkle, and he pulled me into his arms:

    "I think I am sensing a dead animal in my snare, but I'm not sure. Maybe, I'm only making it up..."

    "Well, I don't think so. And, just to prove it, let's have a look..."

    We went to our traps, and returned grinning like crazy.
Misha was carrying a fat hare around his neck, and I was swaying a small marmot...
    We hugged each other gleefully, and Misha remarked:

    "You were absolutely right. Every time again, I'm impressed a bit more by your strange abilities!"

    "Every time again, I'm impressed a bit more by your wanting to be my special friend!"

    We set up our new traps along other animal trails, and carefully covered them with some litter.
Now, we went to our waterfall, all the way skipping while walking hand in hand, swaying our caught animals.
At that time, I was sure that nothing in the world would be able to stop our special friendship...

    One day, my Dad looked at me with a serious expression on his face.
 He beckoned me to follow him; and, together, we left our caravan.
    Outside, he turned around and told me:

    "Son, I want to show you a couple of things that might be very important..."

    He lifted me high into the air, and sat me onto his broad shoulders.
Together, we went to our secluded spot where we always parked our spare caravans.
I was in a joyful mood, and tried to tickle his ears.
Of course, he tickled my feet in response; but I felt that, this time, he had something else on his mind...
    He put me down, next to a small and ugly looking caravan that was already attached to an old car:

    "Now, listen carefully! Whenever I am telling you to flee, you will go immediately to this caravan and hide inside, without any hesitation or asking any questions...
    "Outside our mountains are people who are hating us Gypsies, and it's very possible they will even want to harm us. I am afraid they will be looking for you and for me in the first place; as I am our King and you are our beloved little Prince...
    "From now on, always keep in mind what I've told you; and, please, follow my instructions the very moment I am telling you to flee!"

    Of course, I had heard our ancient stories many times before, always telling us about nasty witch hunts and having to flee...
However, I didn't understand why any people outside our camp would want to harm us!
    We had never done anything bad to them, or had we?

    "Why do we have to flee, Dad? I don't understand why those gadjo people would be hating us and wanting to harm us..."

    "I don't understand this either, my boy... However, the past has taught us to always reckon with the possibility of a new witch hunt...
    "One of our loyal friends in the gadjo world warned us to be careful during the next few months, and I am taking his warnings very serious!"

    "Dad, what is the real meaning of that strange word 'witch hunt'? I've heard our people using it many times before..."

    "A 'witch hunt' is, when other people believe we have done very bad things; and they want to harm us and punish us, or maybe even worse."

    "Why would they be thinking such a stupid thing? I am sure we have never done anything bad to them!"

    "I know, son, I know, and this time I don't have any answer for you... Just always keep in mind what I've told you!"

    "Okay, Dad, I will always keep it in mind. The very moment you are telling me to flee, I will immediately hide inside this caravan."

    My Dad ruffled my hair, opened the ugly looking caravan, and let me have a look inside.
I looked in awe at all the lockers that were filled to the brim with all sorts of goods we might need if we had to flee unexpectedly.
Both the old car and the small caravan were maintained very well, and the fuel tank was filled to the brim.
A special hidden locker held a small sum of money and contained a couple of passports and other papers. Those would allow us to cross the borders without causing too much trouble with the customs.

    Secretly, I hoped we would have to flee soon, allowing me to finally see a bit of that mysterious gadjo world!
Of course, I didn't tell this to my Dad...

    My Dad lifted me onto his shoulders again, and we ambled back to our black-and-golden caravan.
I thought about what he had told me for a long time, especially trying to understand why he had told me to hide...
Would those 'outside people' really want to harm or punish us?
I couldn't really believe it would be true...
Why would they want to punish us?
For what reason?
We weren't 'bad' at all, and didn't do anything questionable...
Why didn't those other people leave us alone?

    After a while, I strolled to our own gang in the woods, looking for my friends with the help of my inner eye.
Soon, I had found them, and I joined Misha and the other kids and forgot to be concerned.

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

Thank you for reading the first chapter of this story 'Born as a Prince 2 - Our Lucky Mascot'.
This is the SECOND book of the children's series. Many more books will follow, just be patient...
Enjoy the reading, and help us make our world a better place. We need you!

Have a look at my ADULT stories, about a retired Dutch psychotherapist taking the now eight years old and severely burnt little Gypsy boy into his house and raising him.
The adult story is on Nifty in adult-youth, contains NO sex, and is callled: 'Born to be a King'...
Just click this link to go to Nifty, or go to my homepage to read the latest versions.

All the stories are on my own homepage as well: http://www.harryanders.com
Just click this link to go there and read the latest and rewritten versions (recommended)!

I would LOVE to receive your comments or appreciations...
Please, send me an email , to let me know the story has at least some impact on you.

I wish you lots of Love in your Life, and Profound Peace in your Heart.
Harry AnderS, Dutch psychotherapist and alternative writer.

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