Ballymore Bedtime Tales

Introduction

Once upon a time, a group of animals lived around a large pond.  The pond was deep in the countryside of Ireland.  Their little community was named Ballymore.  These stories are about the animals’ many adventures and how they lived by the Golden Rule.  Come, let’s go back to that time and visit them for a while.

Ballymore pond is one-half mile long and almost one-quarter mile wide.  A small, narrow island sits near the middle.  The pond is fed by a warm, underground spring.  The fresh, clear water flows from the pond by means of a small creek at the southeast end.  Most of the animals live along the waters’ edge.  A few live on the island.  They have little stone cottages or wooden treehouses.  

The shoreline has many fragrant pine trees.  They mix with oak, birch, elm, and hazel trees.  A short distance back from the water are small fields and glades.  The animals rarely go beyond that point.  More woods and fields continue into the distance.  

To the north hills rise above the trees.  Their height is several hundred feet above the pond.  They are mostly covered with grass and heather.  Big rocks lie scattered about.  A few unexplored caves hide here and there.  One of them might lead to an underground lake.  Although wild and rough, the hills are very beautiful.

Ballymore creek twists and turns southward through the woods.  It finally finds its way to and through Waterford hamlet.  There has never been any contact with the people that live there....