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This Story is Copyrighted, if in doubt, please read COPYRIGHTS section at TALESetc.com TERMIE the Termite by Angela Hurrell There once was a termite who lived deep underground in the forest. He had grown up in the dark damp tunnels, that his big family had made, and had never seen the sun. The place where he lived was very hot in the summer and, because of this, the towers of his home sloped away from the sun, thus causing the tunnels to be cooled by the shadow of the towers. He had never been outside but as he grew bigger, so his curiosity grew and he wished, more than anything, to get out. Termie, for that is what he was called, was sometimes known as a white ant, because he looked like one but in fact he was a true termite. His father had gone to great pains to explain the difference between a white ant and a termite and he had never forgotten it. His very large family was made up of soldiers, workers and other termites that grew wings and set off in the world; only falling to ground where they lost their wings and when they had found a wife or husband. Termie had never seen the most high, the Queen, who was kept locked away from all but a very special few. He had been told that the Queens job was to lay as many eggs as she could and for this reason she was kept well fed, on all the best food that could be found. Termie had a special friend called Issy and they used to do everything together. One day, his friend went missing and although Termie hunted high and low, he could not find her. He was bereft and asked everyone whether they had seen her anywhere. Eventually one of the workers told him that his friend had turned into a flying white ant after the last rains and had gone out into the wide world to seek a husband. Termie decided that this was what he was going to do and secretly made plans, in case anyone stopped him from realising his ambition. He got up early one morning and walked and walked, until he came to the wall of the outside of the heap. He could feel the warmth of the sun on the wall so he knew it was the outer wall, then he tried to bite a hole in the wall. Of course it was far too strong and thick for him to make any impression, so he sat down and thought about what he could do next. Along came one of the workers who, noticing that Termie was sweating profusely, asked what he had been doing. "I have been trying to get out to see the world and I am exhausted after trying to bite my way out of this wall, but I cannot, and don't know what next to do" explained Termie. "Ah", said the worker. "I tried to do just that one time and had to give up.The wall is just too thick to penetrate. Forget it, like I had to." And the worker moved on. Termie was a persistent sort of termite and not about to give up his great idea, so he then tried to dig his way out. A soldier came marching by and stopped to watch what Termie was doing. He could not understand why he was standing with his back to the wall, kicking and shoving for all his might with his back legs, so asked, "What, may I ask, are you doing, Termie?" Termie, who had not noticed the soldier, felt a bit embarrassed and so pretended that he was doing his morning exercises against the wall, and muttered, "nothing much, just my daily exercise" "Well, what are those marks on the wall where you have been kicking? Are you trying to get out, by any chance?" asked the curious soldier. "Well, if you have to know, yes, I am. I would like to find my friend and also see the outside world, but please don't say anything to anyone, because I could get into trouble. I am not supposed to go outside, so I don't want anyone to know" explained Termie. The soldier just shook his head but would not promise anything. He had already decided to report the matter to his commanding officer and marched off. Termie was worried, he knew that despite his request, the soldier would report him to the first person that he came across and he was trying to get away without anyone knowing about it. He moved further away and found a spot where the wall was still wet. He was not sure that this was the outer wall but reasoned that it would not have been repaired if it was not, so he set to and tried to bite his way out. His mouth was full of wet sand when he felt it give way and after a short time saw a bright light shining through. "That must be the sun," he thought as he shielded his eyes against the glare. He climbed out and then turned back to block up his escape hole, so that no one would see where he had escaped. The glare was so bad that he could hardly see and felt the sun burning his back. "Now what?" he asked himself. He saw that he was half-way up the tall tower and, high above, he could see the workers mending and building the tip of the mound. He just hoped they could not see him and started to walk down towards the ground. It was so hot and Termie found the glare gave him a headache, so he pulled a leaf over his head and carried on. When he came to the bottom of the mound, he saw that some soldiers had gathered in a small clump and were hurrying and scurrying about in all directions. Termie was afraid! He was sure they would carry him back into the tunnel, if he were spotted, so he crept into a hole in a log and waited until it was dark. When it grew dark Termie peered out and, seeing the coast was clear, set out at a brisk walk. He could see quite well, but because he did not know the lay-of-the-land, stepped into a deep pit with steep and slippery sides. Try as he might, he could not get out and eventually gave up his frantic struggles to rest a while. "Ho! Ho! And what do you think you are doing, damaging my pit?" boomed a loud voice from the bottom of the pit.
Looking round in fear, Termie could just see the tip of an antlion's jaws showing. He had forgotten that antlions make little pits to capture their prey ... and he had slipped into one of them! Fortunately the antlion had already dined, so was not hungry, just annoyed at the damage done to his home. Termie didn't want to be sucked dry, which is how the antlions usually eat their prey. "Oh dear!" said Termie. "I am so sorry, I did not mean to break your pit. I just wanted to go and see the world ... and then the soldiers came ... and I hid ... and then ran away ... and then I fell ... into your pit," stammered Termie. "I am so sorry ... can I repair the damage for you? I just don't want anyone to know where I am ... because then they will report me ... to the soldiers ... who will take me back again ... and I haven't even seen the world yet." Poor Termie was so afraid, so tired and really felt quite lost. Antlion, who was quite a friendly fellow, when he was not hungry, felt sorry for Termie, who was hungry and anyhow Antlion felt like company, so he said, "Nevermind, I will repair it in the morning, ready for the next silly ant to fall into. Oh sorry Termie! I forgot, you are an ant," he apologised. "No," replied Termie. "I am not an ant, I am a termite ... and we are very different you know." "Oh!" said Antlion, "and how are you different? You look like an ant, though you are very pale and miserable-looking for an ant." "Well," explained Termie, "termites have soft bodies, with straight, beaded antennae, you know ... these feelers ... and a broad connection between the chest and tummies. Ants have hard bodies, elbowed antennae ... which means they can bend ... and little waists. In fact my family name is 'Isoptera'. Ants are also carnivorous and that means they eat one another. We termites would never do that!" "Oh" remarked the antlion. "Now I know." Termie and Antlion spent a very sociable evening together and Termie explained that he wanted to get out and see the world but he was just not sure how to do so. "Well, " said Antlion, "I am due to change into a cocoon soon and later I will change into a pupa. After that I will grow wings and be able to fly, even though my wings will not be as strong as a dragonfly's." "What is a cocoon and what is a pupa?" asked the inquisitive termite. "Well, " explained the antlion, "A cocoon is a longish ball which has a hard shell, there I will change into a pupa, which is another strange shape that eventually allows me to turn into a flying insect, a bit like a dragonfly but with clubbed antennae; you know, those feeler things that grow on my head. I wonder when you will grow wings? Do you know?" Termie thought for a while, then he remembered what he had been told about his lost friend Issy. She had grown wings and gone out into the world. Maybe Termie would meet up with her. So Termie and his friend decided to wait until Antlion had grown wings and then, after the next rains, when Termie's wings had also grown, they would both fly off together to see the world. The days passed and eventually antlion changed into the dragonfly-like insect that he had expected, but the rains did not fall and Termies wings did not grow and he watched sadly, as the antlion took off, leaving him behind, now safely housed in a hollow log. He was so sad and wondered what would happen to them both. Then the rains came and low-and-behold Termie's wings sprouted and he was able to take off into the bright sky. Eventually he grew tired of flying and, seeing other flying termites, flew towards them. Then, as they fell to earth and shed their wings, so too did he. He landed on the soft wet earth and noticed all the other termites running about, all in a terrific rush, as they looked for their respective wives and husbands ... but Termie was unhappy. There really was only one wife for him ... his beloved Issy ... and he made no effort to find any other, but dawdled around, feeling miserable. Suddenly he felt a tap on his head ... and there was Issy! She had wondered for days and days, always hoping that Termie would reappear ... and here he was! Her joy knew no bounds, as they set off together to find a new home.
This Story is Copyrighted, if in doubt, please read COPYRIGHTS section at TALESetc.com |
