Each summer on the mountainous island of Domdrum, giants from all over the world congregate to take part in the annual Giant Rolling Festival. A time-honoured tradition, the festival involves hundreds of giants rolling sideways down the mountains and scoring points for each tree, boulder and house they knock down along the way. There are occasional injuries, occasional deaths – usually of flattened human spectators who fail to heed the safety warnings – and also occasional landslides.
Sometimes the scores become so huge that the giant referees lose track of who’s winning and fights break out among the entrants. It’s all deemed to be part of the fun, however, and it would ruin the event if such exchanges were banned.
The prize is the same every year – a small plaque made from the first tree felled in the original Giant Rolling Festival, which took place 386 years ago. Despite such a paltry prize, the competition is taken incredibly seriously, and is now sponsored by the Wigglywam Bank – a sure sign of its popularity.
Tickets are now available for next year’s festival, including two nights’ free camping, at a price of three-gold pieces. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Welcome!
If you're reading this, then hello, and may I welcome you to a weblog devoted to the stories of Old Hokey. She's a lovable old thing, and she's spent many a year travelling the world collecting stories and drawings for you.
You'll find all sorts of tales and tidbits of information described here, so take a few moments to scroll through. Keep an eye out for Mildred the Fish Dangler, the Shifty Skood, and even the first ever mention of Mousebeard - baddie in the new Faber & Faber book, 'The Mousehunter'.
You'll find all sorts of tales and tidbits of information described here, so take a few moments to scroll through. Keep an eye out for Mildred the Fish Dangler, the Shifty Skood, and even the first ever mention of Mousebeard - baddie in the new Faber & Faber book, 'The Mousehunter'.
