The Rainbow Forest
by Wallace Kamens
Published by
Innocence Publishing, Inc.
11431 Motor Yacht Cir. N.
Jacksonville, Florida 32225
www.TheAdventuresofPuff.com
© 2016 Wallace Kamens.
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book
may be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher,
except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
For more information, contact:
Info@TheAdventuresofPuff.com
ISBN: 359-2-85933-609-1
eISBN: 978-1-48357-581-0
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Awakening
Chapter 2 - Touching the Clouds
Chapter 3 - The Rule of the Forest
Chapter 4 - Sacred Ground
Chapter 5 - A Squirrelly Friend
Chapter 6 - A Secret Place
Chapter 7 - The Mine
Chapter 8 - The Fall
Chapter 9 - A Dangerous Stranger
Chapter 10 - Back Home
Chapter 11 - The Leap of Faith
Chapter 12 - A Close Call
Chapter 13 - Going South
Chapter 14 - A Secret Tool
Chapter 15 - The Nose Plug
Chapter 16 - The Rules of the Stream
Chapter 17 - The Amazing Underwater Journey
Chapter 18 - About Shadows
Chapter 19 - Going Under
Chapter 20 - The Flower Shop
Chapter 21 - Boaz Joins the Team
Chapter 22 - The Battle
Chapter 23 - The Snatch
Chapter 24 - A Rest in a Nest
Chapter 25 - The Owl and the Fox
Chapter 26 - The Healing Ways
Chapter 27 - All About Trout
Chapter 28 - An Unlikely Team
Chapter 29 - The Gathering
Chapter 30 - Against All Odds
Chapter 31 - Going Home
The morning sun shines through the window today
And dances ‘round the room in a playful way,
After passing through branches and leaves outside,
Moving gently in the wind from side to side,
While a white cat sleeps on a silky soft bed,
Dreams of adventures running through his head.
Exciting adventures to faraway lands
Where mountains kiss clouds above blue sea sands,
Sliding down rainbows with the greatest of ease
While flying a kite without any breeze
On a magic carpet ride above the sea—
Could anyone be as happy as he?
A ray of light shines on Puff’s sleepy face,
Awakening him to the morning’s pace
As he casually rolls onto his side,
Stretching his legs fully out and wide,
He yawns a great yawn as only he can,
While morning begins as it always began.
Puff notices Kathy is nowhere around
So he shifts and stands without a sound,
Thinking she is hiding somewhere nearby.
Maybe under the bed is where he should try,
Or search behind the oak dresser and chair?
Should he be concerned—or not really care?
Puff knows he must make a decision fast,
For the morning will not much longer last.
Then he feels something moving in the bed
And wants to jump to the floor, but instead
Puff pulls the blanket, finding Kathy below,
Turning in her sleep where no one would know.
Then Puff’s eyes catch a flash outside,
Back and forth—like a kite would glide.
He leaps from the bed to the hardwood floor,
Darting his way to the chair near the door,
Then springs from his seat to the windowsill,
Staring quietly outside—perfectly still.
A butterfly flits before Puff’s face,
Flapping its wings at an excited pace
After dodging the screen Puff pushed away,
Its frame now lodging where some bushes lay
As Puff stares at the branch of a nearby tree,
Bridging an exciting adventure to be.
But Puff steps back, for it is a long way down
From the second floor all the way to the ground.
So he sits and pauses, gazing ahead,
Cleaning his whiskers and paws instead
Of jumping to the branch before his eyes,
A little farther than his previous tries.
Then for some reason, with all his might
Puff leaps, suspended in fearful flight,
Then lands on the branch with all four paws,
Stopping quickly by digging in his claws.
He breathes a deep breath and with a long sigh,
He smiles he is safe—for the branch is quite high.
Puff turns, watching Kathy sleeping in bed,
Making him wish he were with her instead
As a loud screech makes him shiver inside
And want to jump back in the house and hide.
But the jump is too far should he slip and fall,
And would hurt a bit if he lived through it all.
Above, a mother squirrel defends her nest
From Puff, whom she sees as a threatening pest.
Her forelegs are bowed; she is ready to pounce
If the cat moves half of half of an ounce.
Puff shuffles slowly to the trunk of the tree:
The only answer he can possibly see.
Two more squirrels come around clearly in sight,
One to his left and one to his right,
Hissing and snarling with their mother above,
Pushing away branches with one great shove
As Puff remains quiet in a breathless pose,
Watching the butterfly land on his nose.
The squirrels stare motionlessly in place
While Puff descends with no particular grace
And soon jumps a few feet to the ground,
Landing in the grass with a muffled sound,
As the butterfly sails toward the field beyond,
To the Rainbow Forest and crystal clear pond.
Chapter 2
Touching the Clouds
Soft oranges and pinks blanket the sky,
As the Rainbow Forest fills Puff’s eye
Like a mighty fortress stretching far away,
Ending beyond where he could not say.
The proud trees give a wonderful show,
Dressed in every color of the rainbow.
Purple ash, and birch as white as the moon,
Fiery red maple and oaks’ hint of maroon,
Blue spruce and green from balsam and pine
At the edge of the field, all straight in a line.
Puff follows closely the butterfly’s flight:
He begins running—his feet feel so light.
Half through the field something catches Puff’s eye,
So he stands in the grass (now grown quite high),
And watches a deer buck jump in the air,
Spinning half ‘round as if without a care.
The cat smiles—while danger quietly hides:
Moving ever closer as it slithers and slides.
Then like the deer Puff jumps high as he can,
Nearly waist high to a full-grown man,
As a snake with white, red and yellow rings
Uncoils itself as its body springs
Directly at the cat—no longer there,
But suspended for a moment in the air.
The snake crashes just a few feet away,
Wondering how it missed such easy prey.
As Puff lands he stares it straight in the face
While it shoots its tongue to begin the chase.
Puff sprints backward through the grassy land,
Like a sharp knife cutting very fine sand.
The snake is gaining and springs to the sky,
Aiming at Puff with one perfect try.
But an unexpected kick in the air
Pushes the snake far from here to there,
About as far as a man can throw a ball.
Where it landed, Puff could not tell at all.
Puff turns to see the deer standing behind
That helped him from a very close bind.
Puff says, “Thank you sir, and if I may say,
You are welcome to join me this fine day.”
The deer replies while strolling away,
“Never liked snakes much. Be careful, okay?”
Puff stands where he is, confused yet relieved,
Amazed by what the deer so easily achieved.
Then he follows the deer as fast as he can
But the grass is too high to permit that plan.
Puff has to jump just to see where to go,
Following his friend, to where—who could know?
Soon the deer enters the forest ahead
As Puff pauses to rest in the grassy bed,
Imagining balloons carrying him high
Till nearly touching the clouds in the sky.
From up there he could more easily see
Where in the forest the deer might be.
Chapter 3
The Rule of the Forest
Puff continues steadfast on his way;
Along the deer’s path he will closely stay,
Careful not to run too fast, for he knows
In this world of surprise where high grass grows
To keep a steady pace till he reaches the trees,
Pulling him forward like a tempting tease.
Puff is now thirsty, mouth parched and dry;
He hopes there might be a stream nearby
To drink and rest his paws for a while—
Be a prince of the forest and relax in style,
Resting on mosses in a flowery knoll,
Lapping spring water from a crystal bowl.
Puff scans the forest from left to right
Before going in—seeing everything in sight.
Soft pine needles blanket all the ground,
Quieting each step to hardly a sound,
Reminding him of the soft quilt on his bed
And how he wishes he were there instead.
Puff stops as sadness catches his eye,
Thinking of home with a solemn sigh.
A soft crackle pulls Puff’s ear to the right,
Where something stands in a ray of light.
Puff stares at the deer now poised in place,
Preparing to speak with dignity and grace.
“Why the sadness, little one,
On this lovely afternoon,
Before the setting sun
And rising of the moon?
Have you lost your way?
You must be thirsty, I think.
There is a stream, if I may,
From which we can drink.”
Then with a gentle smile and a look of care,
He gestures with a front hoof pointed in air:
“The flowers turn away
When smiles hide, my friend;
Leaves forget to play,
Falling to their journeys’ end.
Butterflies flee and birds do not sing
When we keep our smiles inside.
All wait for the joy we bring:
Smiles we should never hide.”
The deer comes closer and bows to Puff,
Thinking a simple introduction enough.
“My name is Jumper, and now you can see
The stream over there—come, follow me.”
Jumper leads the way around the bend
As Puff catches up to his newfound friend,
A young buck with a proud antler rack
And tall white tail with slender brown back.
He jumps in the stream with a perfect leap:
Puff eases down the bank—a bit too steep.
The water climbs nearly to the deer’s knees,
As he bends and drinks with comfortable ease.
Puff leaps to a rock at the bank of the stream,
Feeling as if he has entered a dream.
Jumper watches Puff watch him in return,
Realizing the cat has much to learn.
He must guard Puff until it is time to go,
It will cost him more than he will ever know.
Leaping back up and onto the path,
He gestures Puff to finish his bath,
Wondering if the way ahead is too rough,
While the cat announces, “The name is Puff.”
Together they stroll along the way
Of the path on which they will closely stay.
Jumper points to a tree stump nearby
He wants Puff to climb to be eye to eye.
Then looking at the cat like his young heir,
He offers a bit of wisdom there.
“A promise, little friend,
Before we leave here,
Then a truth to lend
To your furry ear.
We must get you home,
Which we will do in time,
With a new path to roam
As your steps follow mine.
“And what I now must say
Might be hard to hear,
But the truth is that way
Though you have nothing to fear.
You will make it home,
Yet not today, alas.
Hear the tractor moan:
See the farmer cut grass.”
Puff watches the tractor cutting grass,
Leaving no safe place left for him to pass.
“There is a place to stay
We can reach by sunset,
But you cannot stray
From the path or fret.
Do just as I say
As we move along;
We should be okay,
Though the distance is long.”
Puff carefully leaps to the ground
Then follows Jumper without a sound,
As the deer prepares to explain with care
The rule of the forest to his feline heir.
Puff now must learn as fast as he can
This different world set apart from man.
“The forest is living
And I should mention,
It is constantly giving
Yet demands attention.
Look up at the trees
As they shelter our stay,
Swaying in the breeze
In their graceful way.
“They house living things,
From caterpillar to raccoon,
As the nightingale sings
By the light of the moon.
Where the grey squirrels rest
So does the eagle too,
And you will pass the test
If he is blind to you.”
Puff moves closer as Jumper stumbles to walk,
Nearly kicking Puff as he continues to talk.
Kathy comes to mind as Puff slows down his pace.
Jumper’s words muffle; Puff’s thoughts wander to space.
Puff remembers Kathy’s books of all kinds,
From stars to rocks one finds in mines.
“Are you listening, Puff?
There is no time to waste!
We are only fast enough
With speed and haste.
The sun is going down;
It will soon be dark,
So wipe off that frown.
We must swiftly embark.”
So through the woods they move with care,
As Jumper straightens with a princely air.
“It is about respect here—
That is the forest rule.
There is no need to fear
If you honor this tool.
Show others you care
And they will value you.
Be kind and share,
And they will too.
“Do you see that bird
On the bough of that tree,
Sleeping without a word
So peacefully?
He is a horned owl;
Flies mostly at night.
A most graceful fowl,
Full of wisdom and light.
“You will hear no sound;
He is as quiet as a feather,
Gracefully falling down
On a soft bed of heather.
Saved him years ago
When hunters came by:
He needed to know
It was time to fly.
“So here, little friend,
We watch each other as one.
Respecting each to the end
Is how the forest is won.
You will be safe with me
If you heed what I say;
Follow close and you will see
What you need on the way.”
Chapter 4
Sacred Ground
Kathy’s father steps outside and breathes the air
With a smile on his face and without a care.
“A good morning to give the bushes a trim,”
He says, with hot chocolate filled to the brim.
Then notices in the bushes’ branches
A window screen—of all the strange chances.
Quickly looking at Kathy’s window above,
Thinking the screen was pushed with a shove,
He runs inside and up the stairs to her room,
Throwing the door open with a look of gloom.
Kathy awakens while he looks around,
Carefully observing without a sound.
“What is the matter, Papa?
Such a look on your face.
Can I help somehow
To put your smile back in place?”
“Go to sleep, my love;
I lost something, you see.
It is somewhere nearby
Secretly staring at me.”
He closes Kathy’s window with care,
Gazing outside with a quiet stare.
He realizes Puff is nowhere around
Or hiding in a secret place he found.
If he jumped to the branch of that tall tree,
Then a brave and fearless cat he would be.
He closes the door with a slight squeak
As Kathy opens her eyes to sneak a peek.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,
Dear Puff, my love—my shining star.”
Then she realizes Puff is not there
And runs to the door with a worried stare.
“Papa, I cannot find Puff anywhere,
But last night he slept on my bed!
I have looked up and down, in and out.
Do you think he is downstairs instead?”
From downstairs her Papa says with love
To her mother nearby and Kathy above,
“Kathy, go check your room again;
Be quite certain Puff is not there.
Sarah, check down here. I will go outside.
He did not ‘just vanish’ in the air!”
Kathy runs to her room and plops on her bed,
Considering last night when she read
Alice in Wonderland to a sleepy Puff,
With adventures and all kinds of fun stuff,
Like when Alice strolled under a tall tree
Where the Hatter and Hare were having tea.
A dormouse was there also, taking a nap.
It was then Kathy realized in a snap
That she and Puff fell asleep then too.
They must have slept the whole night through,
For the door was closed and he could not get out.
And yet he was gone, without a doubt!
Kathy remembers earlier her father there,
How he closed her window with gentle care.
So she scurries to the window with haste
As her eyes search in a frantic pace,
Until she sees her Papa near the pond,
Staring at the field and forest beyond.
* * *
Back in the forest it is late afternoon.
“Puff, we must do better than this.
The sun will be setting soon:
Our goal we may surely miss.”
Jumper gets down carefully to his knees.
“Watch your step, little prince, if you please.”
He motions Puff to climb up on his back
And take his place at the antler rack.
Jumper rises then darts through the trees,
As Puff braces for fast turns and the breeze.
Gaining speed, Jumper leaps in the air,
Soaring over a stream with hardly a care
Until Puff is thrown during a fast turn
On soft pine needles, green mosses and fern.
“How do you do that?” Jumper asks with a grin
As Puff brushes a leaf from his furry chin.
“You mean, how do I land on my paws like that?
It comes quite naturally to your basic cat.
We are born to land on our paws that way:
Better than our heads, some would say.”
“Follow close!” Jumper directs proudly.
“I am right behind,” Puff whispers less loudly,
Noticing the trees are different than before.
They are taller, wider and so much more.
Branches are longer and stronger, it seems:
Great arms reaching out like powerful beams.
“My ancestors, Puff, lived here long ago,
Years before I came to be.
Brave they were, so the stories go.
Deer ruled the forest, you see.
Not because we were stronger,
But because we lived as one;
It helped us hold out longer.
By coming together, we won.”
While listening, Puff stares at the leaves overhead:
Deep reds and maroons like the quilt on his bed:
The beautiful quilt Kathy’s grandmother made,
Carefully stitched and of the finest grade.
“This shaded spot right here
Is sacred ground, my friend.
These trees are old. I fear