Snug spent many a night pondering his predicament. He formulated a plan, and packed his packet. He was off to the big city, where he was sure to find someone who could supply him with a fresh batch of good fortune. He left home early one morning. As he slammed his door shut he got his finger caught and gave it quite a squash. But that particular finger had been bitten by his dinner the week before and was still numb, so it didn’t hurt at all. Maybe his luck was changing already? And then an acorn fell from the tree above, and missed his head by a millimeter. He stared at it, lying there in the mud, with widened eyes. That was amazing. It was a huge acorn, and it didn’t hit his head. It would have hurt. Even put out an eye! ‘That is surely a sign,’ he thought to himself.
Once upon a time there was a really annoyed critter. He had lost his luck and was perplexed as to where to look for it. Was it something you could find? Or purchase? Or steal? In the past, he was the luckiest thing in the forest, but somehow he had lost it. He kept stubbing a toe, or dropping his dinner; and there was that long and horrible night when he had the altercation with that bear trap... He was tired of the turn his life had taken. Surely there must be a way to secure his luck again? Maybe it had run out, and all he had to do was find some more?
He bounced along the path leading from his home to the thick of the forest with a smile. He only fell twice. His packet broke and he had to pull out his spare. But he was still smiling. It was a beautiful day, and he felt good about his imminent journey.
He came to the biggest tree in the forest, and there in the branches sat Sylvia, The Brightest Bird. ‘What are you doing with that packet, oh Clumsy One?’ She squawked. ‘I am not clumsy. I have had a run of bad luck. Which is about to change. I am off to find some more.’ ‘You can do that?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Oh.’ ‘I don’t know where yet, actually, if you must know. But I am going to the big city, and will no doubt find it there.’ ‘I know someone from the big city who knows a lot about a lot of stuff. Her name is Stink, and she lives under a bridge where you cross the river as you emerge from the thick of the forest. She seems very clever, and I am sure she can help.’ ‘Thank you, Sylvia, oh Brightest Bird. I wish you a Happy New Year.’ ‘If I were you, oh Clumsy One, I would keep all my happy wishes to myself. Until you find enough to fill your own pyjamas.’ And off she flew, laughing and loop-da-looping in the patchy forest sky. Snug frowned. He had not realized his bad luck had been noticed, and that the other forest folk were laughing at his misfortune. He felt his cheeks flush with irritated anger. Bloody hell. It wasn’t very long before he reached the end of the forest, and skipped out into the open. And tripped over a root. And ripped his jersey on a spiky bush. He could see the river, and now he knew he had to follow it and cross at the bridge. And have a chat with Stink, The One Who Knows Stuff.
He walked along the river’s edge, whistling a happy tune. Happy regardless of the fact that a gust of wind blew his hat off and it disappeared down the river. Forever. He was quite determined to get his luck back and being hatless was not about to stop him. Ahead of him, out of the misty mist, loomed The Great Bridge. The one you cross to get to the big city. ‘Stink!’ He called. ‘Are you there, Stink? I have come to ask you a question, and I have heard you know a lot about a lot of things!’ And there, under the bridge, came a mighty rustling of bushes, and out of these bushes emerged Stink. One-eyed Stink. Snug fell off the riverbank and landed head first in the mud at her feet.
When he opened his eyes, Stink was peeking in his packet. He groaned, and pulled himself towards himself. Stink jumped upright and looked startled. ‘Why have you landed in my home like a shot down duck? And what was that you were yelling? Have you brought me gifts?’ ‘Stink, my name is Snug. Sylvia, The Brightest Bird, said I should perhaps ask you about where to go in the big city if I wanted to purchase a fresh batch of good fortune for my recently unlucky life. Do you perchance know where I should go?’ Stink rolled her eye. ‘That damn Sylvia,’ she said. ‘I . . . have a gift for you,’ he said. He reached forward and retrieved his packet from under Stink’s belly. He untied the strings and pulled out a loaf of bread. ‘Here. Have a nutritious knucklebone bread.’ Stink took it from him and gave it a sniff.
“This is good bread. I know where you should go. Walk along this bridge and follow the road to the first crossroad. Take the left fork and the road will slope upwards. When you see a really, really big building with stone horses guarding the door, turn left again and you’ll see an alleyway on your right. In this alleyway is a dumpster. In this dumpster, lives Scratch. She’ll tell you where to go next.’ Stink put that whole tough-crusted bread in her mouth and destroyed it with one almightly crunch. She gave Snug a doughy smile. ‘Good luck,’ she said. Snug beamed. ‘Exactly.’ He scrambled up the bank he had hitherto fallen from, and went on his merry way.
Snug stood in the centre of the crossroad to ponder for a moment how much fun he was having. He walked along the rocky road until he saw the biggest building looming. When he was close enough to see the stone horses he turned left again and then right into an alley. There in the alley was a giant metal house-like structure with the door on the roof. ‘What strange living arrangements these people in the city have,’ he thought to himself. ‘Not very roomy.’ He walked up to the dumpster and knocked on the door. ‘Hello Scratch, Friend Of Stink. I am here to find the next direction on my journey to reclaim the luck I once had, but lost.’ ‘I’m here, I’m here. Hang on a minute,’ came a voice from the metal box. And then out popped a creature so similar to Stink that Snug had to squint to tell the difference. She was clutching a collection of chicken bones and threw them at Snug’s feet. ‘You see that bone there, pointing that way?’ She mumbled. ‘Yes,’ replied Snug. “That’s the way you should go.’ And with a clank, she was gone. Snug’s eyes left the dumpster and dropped to the bones. He had asked for directions before, yes. But no one had ever thrown bones at him. The bone she had told him to follow looked fresh and juicy, so Snug picked it up to gnaw upon, and went on his way.
He left the alley and carried on along the straight path laid out before him by a chicken bone and a one-eyed monster in a dumpster. As he emerged from a tree-lined street, he could see an open grassland, and the greenery amongst the grey of the city was a lovely sight to behold. And there, in the centre, was another creature that looked just like Stink and Scratch. ‘My whole life,’ said Snug out loud, to no one in particular, ‘I have never encountered such a creature. And in this one day, I have encountered three.’ He tripped over the edge of the pavement and dropped his packet in a giant bird poo. ‘Um. Hello.’ He said, as he approached the creature. ‘My name is Snug. I think I was meant to meet you. I am on a quest to regain the luck I have lost, and was sent to meet Scratch by Stink, and Scratch threw bones, and the bones directed me to you.’ The creature opened its eye and swiveled it in his direction. ‘Greetings, fellow inhabitant of this excellent planet. My name is Smog, and I can help you with your quest for luck.’ Smog moved to face Snug and continued. ‘The word we use for luck is FU. It is an ancient symbol from the great civilizations of the east, and is used to bestow luck upon others. It is also a symbol for being satisfied with one’s life, which
is a thing we all wish to attain. If you have lost your luck, this symbol can bring it back. It is particularly effective when used at the beginning of a new year, the time when you have the chance to make a new start, with new rules. Invite FU into your life, and you shall have the good fortune you are seeking.’ Snug was overcome with relief. He had been harboring a terrible fear that his luck would never return, and that he was doomed to live out the rest of his days as a hermit, too afraid to leave his home. Or that regaining his luck would be a difficult and endless quest with no promise of a happy ending. But it was going to be easy. He was now quite certain that his luck would change.
‘Where can I find one of these great symbols of FU, oh Wondrous Creature Of The Green Field? I would very much like to bring FU into my life, and also share it with those around me!’ Smog paused for a moment. And then smiled a toothy smile. He reached into a pocket and pulled out an object of the like that Snug had never seen before. It was shaped like a walking cane, but small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. It had red and white stripes, and looked good enough to eat. ‘This,’ boomed Smog, holding it up to the sky, ‘is a great symbol of FU, which I now bestow upon you. It is infused with good fortune, and this good fortune will be bestowed upon the creature who devours it. Take it,’ he said, as he thrust it into Snug’s shaking appendage. ‘Eat it, and be merry.’ Snug looked up at Smog with watery eyes. His relief overwhelmed him, and he didn’t trust himself to speak. He opened his little mouth and inserted the symbol of FU. He expected nothing, but was overwhelmed by the deliciousness of the object, the likes of which he had never seen before. ‘There you go,’ said Smog. ‘Problem solved. I wish you much FU, and may you bring FU to others.’ ‘Thank you, oh Wonderful One. I am endlessly grateful, and hope one day to return the favour. If you ever find yourself in the deepest darkest forest... ’
‘I shall seek you out,’ finished the Wondrous Creature Of The Green Field. ‘Now finish your journey. Return to your home, and enjoy your happiness, for it is a wonderful thing to be happy.’ ‘Yes it is,’ Snug thought to himself as he swung on his heels and headed for home, still sucking on his symbol of FU. He stepped off the edge of the pavement without incident, and paused for a while to look back and smile. Smog was right. And in the end, it was that easy. A delicious morsel infused with luck was all it took to make him happy. He was quite certain that from now on, he would live happily ever after.
All rights reserved. Copyright Š Department Fu 2009. Story by Juniper / Illustration and Design by Leigh and Angie / Art Direction by Jonno and Angie. design@departmentfu.co.za / t +27 (0)11 462 2618 / www.departmentfu.co.za