The Water Rat felt restless. He did not know why he felt this way. It was still summer. The sun was warm and the trees were green. But the fields were turning from green to gold. The red berries grew on the trees. The woods looked bright and orange. There was no cold wind yet. But the birds were not singing as much. The Robin (a small bird with a red chest) began to sing again. The air felt different. Things were changing. Many birds were leaving. The Water Rat watched the birds fly south. At night, he heard their wings in the dark. He felt that something was calling them away.
Nature is like a big house full of guests in the summer. In the autumn, the guests pack their bags. They pay for their rooms and they leave. The house becomes empty. The chairs at the table are empty. The waiters go away. The animals who stay all year feel sad. They watch their friends leave. They ask, "Why do you want to change? Stay here with us. We have fun in the winter too." The other animals always say, "We want to stay. But we have plans. The bus is at the door. It is time to go!" They smile and leave. The Water Rat always stayed at the river. He loved his home. But now, he felt the change in his body.
The Water Rat could not sit still. He left the river. The water was low and slow. He walked across the dry fields. He went into a large field of Wheat (a plant used to make flour for bread). The wheat was tall and yellow. It moved in the wind and made a soft sound. The Water Rat loved to walk here. The wheat was like a golden sky over his head. He had many friends in this field. He usually talked with the mice. But today, the mice were very busy. Some mice were digging holes. Some mice looked at plans for new homes. Others were packing big boxes. There were piles of food everywhere. The mice were getting ready for winter.
"Look! It is the Water Rat!" the mice cried. "Come and help us, Water Rat! Do not just stand there!"
"What are you doing?" the Water Rat asked. "It is not winter yet. Why are you thinking about winter now?"
"We know it is early," a field-mouse said. He looked a bit ashamed. "But we must be ready. The big machines will come to the fields soon. Then we must leave. The best homes go very fast. If we wait, we will get a bad home. We are starting now."
"That is silly," the Water Rat said. "It is a beautiful day. Come for a boat ride. Let us have a picnic in the woods."
"No, thank you," the field-mouse answered. "Maybe another day. We do not have time today."
The Water Rat was angry. He turned to walk away. He tripped over a small box and fell. The field-mouse was not kind. "You must be careful," the mouse said. "Watch where you walk, Water Rat! Sit down somewhere. We can talk to you in a few hours."
"You will not be free until Christmas," the Water Rat said. He walked out of the field. He was unhappy.
The Water Rat went back to his river. The river did not pack bags. The river did not move away. He saw a Swallow (a small bird with long wings) on a branch. Two more swallows joined the first one. They talked quietly together.
"Are you leaving already?" the Water Rat asked. "That is ridiculous."
"We are not leaving yet," the first swallow said. "We are only making a plan. We are choosing our road. We are choosing where to stop. This is the fun part!"
"Fun?" the Water Rat asked. "I do not understand. You have a good home here. Your friends will miss you. Why do you want to think about leaving?"
"You cannot understand," the second swallow said. "We feel a sweet feeling inside us. We start to remember other places. We dream about them at night. We want to talk about the smells and the sounds of the South."
"Please stay for one year," the Water Rat said. "We will be very nice to you. You do not know how much fun we have here in winter."
"I tried to stay one year," the third swallow said. "I loved this place. I did not go with the others. For a few weeks, it was okay. But then the nights became very long. The days were cold and there was no sun. There were no insects to eat. I was very sad. One night, there was a big storm. I flew away. It was snowing in the mountains. It was a hard flight. But then I felt the hot sun again. I saw the blue water below me. I ate a fat insect. The cold was like a bad dream. I was happy again. I will never stay behind again."
"The South! The South!" the other swallows sang. They talked about the blue sea and the hot air. The Water Rat listened. He felt a new feeling in his heart. The stories of the birds made him feel strange. He wanted to feel the hot southern sun. He wanted to smell the southern air. He closed his eyes and dreamed. When he opened his eyes, the river looked cold. The fields looked grey.
"Why do you ever come back?" the Water Rat asked. "Why do you like this grey country?"
"We love this place too," the first swallow said. "We love the green grass and the farms. We love the ponds with insects."
"Do you think you are the only one who likes this place?" the second swallow asked.
"In the spring, we will want to see the English river again," the third swallow said. "But today, that feels very far away. Today, our blood wants different music."
The swallows talked about blue seas and yellow sand. They talked about lizards on old walls.
The Water Rat walked away. He climbed a small hill. He looked at the hills in the south. He never wanted to go past those hills before. But today, he wanted to see what was behind them. He imagined a beautiful world. He saw blue water and white houses. He saw ships in small harbours. He saw islands with wine and spices.
The Water Rat went down to the road. He sat in the grass by the side of the road. He looked at the long road. He thought about the people who walked on it. He thought about their adventures.
Then, he heard footsteps. A rat walked towards him. This rat looked very dusty and tired. He looked like a stranger. He wore small gold earrings. He had a blue shirt and old trousers. He carried his things in a blue cloth. The stranger sat down next to the Water Rat.
The stranger looked around. "I smell clover," the stranger said. "I hear the cows eating grass. I see the smoke from the houses. The river is near here. I see that you live by the water. You have a good life here, my friend."
"Yes, it is a good life," the Water Rat said. But he did not sound sure.
"It is a good life," the stranger said. "I know because I tried it for six months. But now I am walking away. I am walking south. I am following the call. I must go back to my old life."
"Where did you come from?" the Water Rat asked.
"I worked at a nice farm," the stranger said. He pointed to the north. "I had everything I needed. But I was not happy. Now I am happy because I am walking to the South. I am closer to the place I love."
The stranger looked at the horizon. His eyes were bright.
"You are not a farm rat," the Water Rat said. "You are a sailor."
"That is true," the stranger said. "I am a sea rat. I was born in Constantinople (a very old and famous city by the sea). My family always lived on ships. I know all the ports from there to London. Every port is my home."
"Do you go on long voyages?" the Water Rat asked.
"No," the Sea Rat said. "I stay near the land. I like to visit the towns. I love the southern ports. I love the smell of the sea and the lights at night."
"Tell me about your travels," the Water Rat said. "My life feels very small today."
The Sea Rat began his story. "My last voyage started in Constantinople. We sailed to the Greek islands. The days were golden and the nights were warm. We slept in old temples during the day. We sang and ate at night under the stars. Then we sailed to Venice. Venice is a great city for a rat! You can sit by the water at night. There is music everywhere. The lights shine on the water. There are many small boats. And the food is wonderful. Do you like Shellfish (small sea animals that live in shells and can be eaten)? The shellfish in Venice are great."
The Water Rat was silent. He imagined the music and the water in Venice.
"Then we sailed south to Sicily," the Sea Rat said. "I stayed there for many weeks. It was very happy. Later, I went to other islands like Sardinia and Corsica. I loved the wind and the sea in my face."
"Is it hot inside the ship?" the Water Rat asked.
The Sea Rat smiled. "I am an old sailor. I sleep in the captain’s room."
"It sounds like a hard life," the Water Rat said.
"It is hard for the workers," the Sea Rat said. He smiled again. "Then I went to France. I walked in the olive woods. I sat on the hills and looked at the blue sea. I went to Marseilles and met my old friends. We had great feasts. I still dream about the shellfish in Marseilles!"
"You are hungry!" the Water Rat said. "I am a bad friend. Please come to my home. We can eat lunch."
"You are very kind," the Sea Rat said. "But let us eat here. I do not like to go inside buildings. You can bring the food here. Then I can tell you more stories."
The Water Rat ran to his house. He packed a basket. He brought bread, sausage, and cheese. He brought a bottle of red wine. He went back to the road. The Sea Rat was very happy with the food. They sat on the grass and ate.
The Sea Rat told more stories. He talked about Spain and Portugal. He talked about the harbours in England. He told how he arrived in this country. He wanted to try living on a farm. But now he knew he must go back to the sea.
The Water Rat listened. He was very excited. He followed the Sea Rat’s stories. He imagined the storms and the quiet rivers.
The Sea Rat drank some wine. His eyes were grey like the sea. He looked at the Water Rat. He held the Water Rat with his gaze. The world around them disappeared. The Sea Rat talked about the songs of the sailors. He talked about the sound of the wind. He talked about finding treasure on islands. He talked about the danger of big ships in the fog. He talked about the happy feeling of coming home to a port at night.
Then, the Sea Rat stood up. He was still talking.
"Now I must go," the Sea Rat said softly. "I will walk south for many days. I will reach a small sea town. It has stone steps and blue water. Gaily painted boats are in the harbour. Big ships sail past the windows. I will wait there. One day, the right ship will come. I will go on the ship. I will wake up and hear the sailors. I will hear the anchor chain. We will sail out to the sea. We will point the ship South!"
The Sea Rat looked at the Water Rat. "You should come too, young brother. The days are passing. The South is waiting for you. Take the adventure! Walk out of your old life. One day, you can come back here. You can sit by your river and remember your travels. You can catch me on the road. You are young and I am old. I will look back for you. I will see you coming with a smile on your face!"
The Sea Rat walked away. Soon, he was just a small speck on the road.
The Water Rat stood up. He felt like he was in a dream. He repacked the lunch basket slowly. He went home. He put some things in a bag. He moved like a person who was asleep. He took his walking stick. He walked to the door. Just then, the Mole arrived.
"Where are you going, Water Rat?" the Mole asked. The Mole was very surprised. He grabbed the Water Rat's arm.
"I am going South," the Water Rat said. He spoke in a strange voice. "I am going to the sea. Then I am going on a ship. The South is calling me!"
The Water Rat tried to walk forward. He was very determined. The Mole was worried. He looked into the Water Rat's eyes. The eyes were not brown anymore. They were grey and strange. The Mole was afraid. He grabbed the Water Rat and pulled him inside the house. He threw the Water Rat down and held him.
The Water Rat fought with the Mole. Then, the Water Rat became very tired. He lay on the floor and shook. He began to cry. The Mole helped him sit in a chair. The Water Rat shivered. The Mole locked the door. He put the Water Rat's bag away. He sat with his friend. Slowly, the Water Rat fell asleep.
The Mole was very worried. He did some work in the house. When it was dark, the Water Rat woke up. He was quiet and sad. The Mole looked at the Water Rat's eyes. They were brown again. The Mole was happy. He tried to cheer up his friend.
The Water Rat tried to explain what happened. But it was hard to find the words. The magic of the stories was gone. He could not explain the feeling. He felt very sad.
The Mole was smart. He did not talk about the sea. He talked about the harvest. He talked about the yellow corn and the red apples. He talked about the food they would make for winter. He talked about the warm fire and the cozy nights at home.
The Water Rat began to listen. He sat up in his chair. He did not look so sad.
The Mole brought a pencil and some paper. He put them on the table near the Water Rat.
"You have not written a poem for a long time," the Mole said. "Try to write something tonight. It will help you feel better."
The Water Rat took the paper. The Mole left the room. Later, the Mole looked into the room. The Water Rat was busy. He was writing a poem. He was thinking about his words. The Mole was very happy. He knew his friend was getting better.