Into The World of Oz

Deep in the woods somewhere between Munchkin Country and Jinxland, so deep that no one knew on which side of the border it was, sat a great woolen mitten. At one point in time it had been one of Ojo's mittens, when he was Unlucky and prone to losing things. Over the years of use from various forest creatures, however, it has grown to be the size of a cottage and now serves as an inn for travelers who need to warm their toes after trudging through miles of snow.

If you walk inside, your nose fills with the scent of summer berries and the remnants of summer. Pots of fruity and herbal teas are served on every table with stacks of cups of many different shapes and colors. Animals of all different kinds sit in the chair and sip out of their cups, cheeks rosy and warm.

Robert, an older, rather plump rabbit, is a frequent visitor of the mitten and always sits in a large armchair near the fireplace. His favorite tea is alfalfa with a couple apple pieces. All of the times I have come to the mitten, he has always been sitting there -- I wonder if he ever leaves. He tells fun stories about his glory days of being young; apparently he used to be on a track team when he was young and lean. I wonder why and how he stopped. One afternoon I sat by him while he was napping, comforted by his soft snoring, when I heard him mumble something along the lines of, "I'll get you back, tortoise." I wonder what he could have meant.

Charlotte, a young fox with a crafty look in her eye, has taken it upon herself to be the caretaker of the mitten and provide the guests with all of the amenities. She is a third cousin to King Renard the Fourth, and because of this has a few tricks up her sleeve to keep the mitten enchanted as it is. I once lounged with her, gazing out into the woods, and asked her why she started to care for the mitten, and why all the mice and rabbits, commonly known to be eaten by foxes, aren't afraid of her. "Believe it or not," she told me, "I am a vegan fox. Ever since I was weaned off my mother's milk I have been so. While my sisters and brothers hunted for squirrels and chipmunks, duck and quail eggs. I would always gather mushrooms and berries in the forest instead. Perplexed by my diet, my family always kept bringing me various food to try, but it just didn't taste good. As soon as I was old enough I went off on my own to find my true path, and that is how I found the mitten. It's taken many years for the neighborhood to accept me, but it has been a great adventure. I love it here."

And so, the mitten continues to sit deep in the woods snug between to cedars, so deep in the woods that nobody knows if it's in Munchkin Country or Jinxland. All we know is that it is a warm home in a vastness of cold.