Star Wars - Ewoks - Chief Chirpa Kidnapped! Read online

  The whole of the woodland clearing rang with the sound of laughter. All the Ewoks had dressed up as ghosts and were having a wonderful time at their annual Hallowe’en party—one of the best events of their year.

  “Arroo!”

  “Whazzat?” gasped Wicket, almost jumping out of his costume as a spooky spectre reared up in front of him.

  “It’s only me,” giggled Teebo. “This party is great fun, isn’t it?”

  “Y-yes?” said Wicket, but he was obviously not too sure.

  Just then Princess Kneesaa danced across the clearing, giggling merrily. “Look at that,” she laughed, pointing to a huge, red creature standing at the edge of the clearing. “Someone’s dressed up as a Hanadak.”

  “I wonder who it is,” said Teebo.

  “Danger!” cried Wicket. “That’s

  no fancy-dress costume. That’s a real Hanadak. Look at the fangs.”

  Suddenly the atmosphere changed as fear spread through the village. Wicket rallied the Ewoks behind him, cried “Charge!” and the brave Ewoks ran into the attack.

  With one swipe of its enormous tail, the Hanadak sent the courageous Ewoks flying. “Come on,” said Wicket picking himself up. “I’ve got an idea.”

  Teebo and Kneesaa followed him across the village to where the Hanadak now stood.

  “Gather as many blue dlock leaves as you can carry,” he said, pointing to a tall plant heavy with large leaves.

  The three Ewoks soon stripped the plant bare and then Wicket led the others right up to the Hanadak.

  “Now throw them over the beast,” he ordered, and in an instant the Hanadak was covered with the foliage. The air was filled with a heady aroma for the dlock plant leaves were the most fragrant and soothing of all the plants in the forest.

  Before you could say “Dangar!” a wide grin spread across the Hanadak’s ugly face and it lopped off into the forest. Wicket, Teebo and Kneesaa were also grinning widely as they went back to the other Ewoks who cheered them loudly.

  “On with the party,” giggled Kneesaa and soon the Ewoks were enjoying themselves hugely again.

  While all this had been going on, Chief Chirpa had been in the harvest store getting the food ready for the party. He was so involved in what he was doing that he had not heard the sounds of the battle that had raged. Neither had he heard a Dulok sneak into the harvest store.

  The Dulok and his two companions outside had known about the Hallowe’en party and had decided that, with all the Ewoks busy enjoying themselves, it would be a good time to raid the harvest store.

  It was very gloomy in the store and the Dulok didn’t see Chief Chirpa who was busy at his task. Thinking that the coast was clear he beckoned his two accomplices

  The three tip-toed deep inside the gloomy store. It was so gloomy that they didn’t see the ladder on top of which Chief Chirpa was reaching for some crunch-tree nuts. The first Dulok tripped over the ladder. The second Dulok tripped over the first Dulok. And the third Dulok tripped over the other two and sent the ladder wobbling wildly as he stumbled.

  Chief Chirpa tried desperately to keep his balance and grasped hold of the corner of a heavy sack on the top shelf. But it was no good!

  Woosh! he flew through the air taking the sack with him. There was a loud ‘plop’ as he landed in a wooden box. The sack fell on top of him, covering him completely.

  The dazed Duloks picked themselves up. By now their eyes were accustomed to the gloom and they could see the sack of food sitting in the box. But, of course, they couldn’t see Chief Chirpa

  “Look!” said one of the Duloks gleefully. “A box of food. Let’s sneak it back to our camp for our supper.”

  By this time the Ewoks’ party was in full swing again, and no one noticed as the three Duloks, staggering under the weight of the box, skirted the clearing and headed back to their camp.

  “I wish Father would bring on the food,” said Princess Kneesaa. “I’m starving.”

  “Let’s go and find him,” said Teebo.

  Wicket, Teebo and the princess made their way to the harvest store and peered inside.

  “Can’t see a thing,” said Kneesaa. “Bring me a lantern.”

  A few minutes later, Kneesaa was holding a lantern aloft and was peering round the harvest store.

  “He’s not here!” she said. “And look!” She pointed to the ladder and then down to the floor.

  “There’s something odd. These are Duloks’ footprints.”

  “They can’t have kidnapped him, can they?” gasped Wicket in astonishment.

  “What else could have happened to him?” asked Teebo.

  “Let’s follow the tracks,” said Kneesaa.

  Even as the three Ewoks were speaking, the Dulok trio had reached their camp. They placed the box in front of their chief.

  “Open the sack!” he commanded.

  The three Dulok raiders pulled the sack from the box and there, staring up at them was a furious Chief Chirpa.

  “Take him!” roared the chief.

  “Take him yourself,” quivered a cowardly Dulok.

  “Dolt!” said the chief, jumping on top of Chief Chirpa, pinning him inside the box. “Bring me some rope.”

  Chief Chirpa had almost pushed the Dulok chief from his chest by the time a huge length of rope was brought forward. But although he heaved and heaved, he was outnumbered and was soon tied up.

  “Drag him to the tree and tie him to it.”

  A few minutes later Chief Chirpa was securely tied to a huge baccy tree. “Just wait!” roared Chirpa. “When I’m free, I’ll have you for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

  The Duloks danced around their prisoner, laughing and jeering at him.

  “We’ll get a ransom. We’ll get a ransom,” they taunted him.

  Chirpa roared and bellowed so loudly that even though he was tied to the tree, the Duloks fell back in fear.

  “All this noise is giving me a headache!” said the Dulok chief. “Let’s leave him and have something to eat.”

  The Duloks retreated to their tables and were soon tucking into a hearty meal. Still Chirpa roared and shouted.

  “He’ll give me indigestion,” complained the Dulok chief. “Can’t someone shut him up.”

  “Shut him up yourself!” said a Dulok.

  “I’ll shut you up,” roared the chief, and soon all the Duloks were scrapping amongst themselves.

  The sound of the fighting filled the forest. “Listen!” said Teebo, who, with his two friends, was still following the tracks.

  “Duloks! We must be near their camp.”

  They followed the sounds and soon they were on the edge of the Duloks’ camp. “There’s Father,” whispered Kneesaa. “Over there.”

  The Duloks were still fighting each other and didn’t notice Wicket as he made his way stealthily to Chief Chirpa and cut him free.

  “Aagghh!” With a mighty roar, Chief Chirpa charged into the fray, knocking his enemies hither and thither until they were all scattered around the clearing, so dazed they were seeing stars.

  “Back to our village,” he said to the others, and led them through the forest to their homes.

  The Ewoks were so delighted to see their chief again that, although it was very late, a great feast was prepared.

  Meanwhile, back at the Duloks’ camp, their chief and his men were a very sorry sight. They were bruised and bandaged.

  “Thank goodness he’s gone,” said the chief. “I couldn’t have taken much more of all that bellowing. What an old windbag. You men should count yourselves lucky at having me as your leader and not that bad-tempered old Chirpa.”

  “Yes,” agreed a nearby Dulok. “You’re
much more of a pushover than he.”

  “Careful,” said the chief. “Or else I might make a truce with the Ewoks and ask Chirpa to be our leader, too.”

  “You wouldn’t!” gasped the Duloks in one voice. “That would be…”

  “Unthinkable?” suggested the chief.

  “Yes!” they chorused.

  “In that case, we’ll have no more in… subordiwhat’s-it-called,” he said.

  “…ination,” said the only Dulok with more than a hundredth of a brain.

  “Bless you!” said the chief. “You’d better go and see the shaman and get something for that cold.”

  From Ewoks Annual 1988

  11.6.18.15.14.5-1

 

 

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