Apple Thief!

In the back of our garden, we have several flourishing apple trees. There, many apples sit, their green and red heads nodding to the passers by. Apart from some occasional, vague (and probably unhelpful) pruning, they are left alone to prosper, until they will be harvested in late autumn.

 However, they have a predator. Fast as a swift, black as the night, this creature steals into the orchard, selects a plump, juicy (and rather unripe) apple, and devours it back in his lair. The next day, he visits again, repeats this terrible cycle and heads back home to enjoy the spoils.  Need I say, our stock of shining apples is rapidly decreasing.

No, this foe is not a blackbird, fox or nosy neighbour, in fact, it is our dog, Jasper. One fateful day, Jasper must have chewed a windfall apple by accident, thinking it was an old tennis ball. Having found that he liked the taste, he searched for, and ate, more and more, until he had finished off all the available apples on the ground. This put Jasper in a dilemma, as he was STILL hungry. Searching his little doggy brain,he hit upon a solution: all he had to do was do what he does best: jump.

Now, whenever we hear the sound of a giant defeating several Ents*, we have come to suspect Jasper. Even now, (as I speak) he is siting on the lawn, tucking into his fourth apple today, and, I can assure you, feeling rather smug.

Here he is, looking insufferably noble.

*ents are huge tree giants from Lord of the Rings. For goodness sake, get your LotR Folklore facts straight! :P