It was almost the season again when the Slithers would come down from the hills and terrorise the villagers. They would try to get the chickens or the pigs. Chickens was their favourite food and given the chance they would eat them all. They had a ferocious appetite. Cows were safe, they didn’t like them because they were too big.

I did mention about the Slithers didn’t I? They are like dragons in appearance except they only have two tiny forelegs by which they pull themselves around and the rest of the body just slithers along.

Mara, who was now five years old came up with a new invention that would save the chickens without putting the villagers into danger. The Slithers were not able to eat the villagers, babies or little children if left unattended were on the menu, so they were safe that way but could still get hurt quite seriously. Anything that took them out of danger was greatly appreciated.

Mara had invented a long tube that shot out a bright light from the end. It could be adjusted to the extreme strength where it would slice a Slither in half to the lowest level where it would stun and repel the Slither. In general the people of Hamburg were a gentle folk who abhorred unwarranted killing and this seemed like the perfect solution. Mara decided to call her invention The Nug Resal.

And what a wonderful invention it was. Four of the villagers sat on the roofs of houses waiting for the Slithers to come. And come they did, slithering their way down from the hills. Slowly they slithered towards Hamburg, lifting their heads catching the scent of chicken in the air. You could see their mouths opening and salivating. If you were a chicken that was the last sight that you would ever want to see and sometimes it was literally the last sight before disappearing down their gullet.

At the word of command the for men started operating their Nug Resal. The result was instant. Slithers stopped dead in their tracks and reared up high before falling back to the ground. Ever so quickly they beat a hasty retreat heading back up into the hills. Once back in the hills they would not return until next season. It was hoped that they would learn and never return.

That night there was a huge feast with Mara being the guest of honour. There was singing and dancing well into the night with many barrels of Bier consumed. The next morning there would be more than one villager awakening with a sore head.