Finding Faraway
By: Mark Starlin
Tags: Childrens Stories, Island Of Phiddle, Fiction, Animals, Fantasy

by Phineas Phiddlephaddle

If you ever visit the island of Phiddle, you will likely see a chippen. Chippens are tiny animals with strong, sharp teeth who like to chip away at things. They chip away at their food. They chip away at their paw nails. They chip away at fallen branches, turning them into woodsy sculptures, flutes, or handy walking sticks for the humans.

Faraway was a young chippen. She was still learning to chip properly. It was taking her longer than most chippens because she was easily distracted. She always seemed to be daydreaming.

One delightfully sunny day, Faraway decided to go for a walk to the pond to enjoy a swim. On the way, she noticed a butterfly. This particular butterfly was unlike any she had seen in her short life. It had white wings with little golden rings on them. And it flew in a series of loops.

Naturally, Faraway forgot all about the pond and began following the butterfly. She wondered why it flew in circles and where it was going.

As Faraway followed the butterfly, she struck up a conversation.

“Why do you fly in circles?” Faraway asked.

“I am a twirler. That is what we do,” the flying creature answered.

“You are not a butterfly?”

“Of course not, silly chippen. Butterflies flit. Twirlers twirl.”

“Oh. My name is Faraway.”

“I’m Wilbur. Pleased to meet you, Faraway.”

“Where are you going, Wilbur?”

“Home. I have been on an adventure and am quite tired.”

“What kind of adventure?”

“The usual kind. Flying about, looking for interesting things.”

“Did you find any?”

“Any what?”

“Interesting things.”

“Only a curious chippen, I’m afraid.”

Faraway giggled.

“Where do you live?” Faraway asked.

“In the meadow by Phiddle Mountain. It is where all twirlers live. They have the most delicious pollen there.”

“I’ve never eaten pollen.”

“I should hope not. You would destroy our beautiful flowers with your teeth.”

“I wouldn’t want to do that. I will stick to Phiddleberries and crunch corn.”

“What is crunch corn?”

“They are the nuggets that fall out of the great trees.”

“Oh. Twirlers call those acorns.”

“So does my mother, but I like to call them crunch corn.”

“I see.”

They continued to chat as Wilbur twirled his way home. By the time they reach the meadow by Phiddle Mountain, it was well past lunchtime. Faraway’s mother, Snippet, was growing worried about Faraway. Faraway had never been gone this long. Snippet looked in all the usual places but didn’t find Faraway in any of them. So she walked over to one of the great trees and called out to Flutter, a large phiddlebird.

“Flutter! I need your help, please.”

Flutter flew down from his home in the tree.

“What is the problem?” Flutter asked.

“Faraway is missing. She left this morning and hasn’t returned for lunch.”

“Oh my. I shall take to the sky and find her. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Flutter.”

Flutter flew up into the sky and began scanning the surrounding area. As he passed other birds, Flutter recruited them to his mission. After a long search, a bird named Glide found Faraway in the meadow by Phiddle Mountain. He landed next to Faraway.

“Your mother is quite worried about you, little one,” Glide said.

“Oh, dear. I forgot about lunch. No wonder my tummy is rumbling. You wouldn’t happen to have any Phiddleberries, would you?” Faraway asked.

“I do not. But I am sure your mother will. Follow me, and I will lead you home.”

Glide flew up into the sky, and Faraway followed him back to her home. After feeding Faraway a late lunch, Snippet gathered a basket of Phiddleberries. Then she took them to the birds who had searched for Faraway. It was her way of saying “thank you” for finding her daughter.

The next day, Snippet went to see Rebecca Wellington and asked her to be her translator. Since Rebecca was only six-years-old, she could still talk to animals. Rebecca and Snippet went to Professor Tinkerhoffer’s workshop, and Rebecca told him the story of how Faraway wandered off. Snippet had Rebecca ask the Professor if there was anything he could do.

“Leave it to me,” the Professor said.

The following day, Professor Tinkerhoffer visited Snippet and gave her a twine necklace with a small metal cube attached. And a much larger cube made of wood.

“Have Faraway wear the necklace. If you can’t find her, push the button on top of the wooden box. It will make a beeping sound in Faraway’s necklace, reminding her to come home. The beeping will get louder as she gets closer to home, helping her find her way. Hopefully, as she ages, she will not need such reminders, but you never know.”

“This is marvelous. Thank you, Professor. Would you care for lunch?”

“I would be delighted to have some Phiddleberries, but I believe I will pass on the acorns.”

How Professor Tinkerhoffer was able to create such a mechanical homing device remains one of the many mysteries on the island of Phiddle.