The Fairy Tale of Gight

Today, we are pleased to take part in YAM-aunty's Final Friday Feature, bringing you a true life story that belongs in the "you couldn't make it up" category...

Once upon a time, in darkest NE Scotland, there lived a Good Fairy disguised as a wire fox terrier called Nobby. Most unfairly, this particular pup had the reputation for being naughty, but as you will see if you read this to the end of this tale, the designation is inaccurate. 

One day in mid-April, 2023, Nobby and his human Gail went for a longish walk from Methlick to the Braes of Gight, a pretty area of rural Aberdeenshire, part pastureland, part forest. 

Readers should be aware that, in the aftermath of December 2021's destructive storms Arwen and Barra, many forest tracks in this region of Scotland are still an obstacle course due to wind toppled trees. Through one stretch of the forest, Gail had several times to duck under or clamber over tree trunks blocking the path, although Nobby of course could easily scramble his way through.

About half a mile beyond the fallen timber area, Nobby and Gail reached Gight Castle, now a picturesque ruin. Gail decided to take a photo and reached for her phone/camera, but to her horror she found it was not longer where it should be, in the back pocket of her backpack.

As we know, humans are very dependent on their phones these days and it has to be said that, for a moment, Gail (not in general a panicker) did come close to panicking. 

Then she engaged brain and concluded that the phone must have fallen out of the pocket, which was not properly closed, on one of the several occasions when she had been forced to crawl under a fallen tree. So Nobby and Gail went back into the woods. Gail tried to remember the exact route she had taken, but was starting to despair of ever finding her phone, regretting in particular that its cover was black. 

Suddenly, Nobby took off purposefully up the path, disappeared for a few seconds behind a tree and emerged with a thin, dark, oblong shaped object clamped between his jaws. Gail exclaimed "Nobby, that's my phone, LEAVE IT!"

As was his custom, Nobby danced around with the object in his mouth to tease Gail, but before long,  proving he truly is a Good Fairy deep down, and not really Naughty at all, he released the phone. Remarkably, it was undamaged.

Gail and Nobby resumed their walk, Nobby posed nicely in front of the castle ruin, was given a yummy treat, and they both lived happily ever after.  Or at least for the next few days.