Prologue: two extracts
from the Annals of Punchkinland

 

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I 

1395. In this year Prince Kedral fought against Sorgrim the Black Artificer. Fortinbras
         the dyer journeyed to the South. He helped Kedral to defeat Sorgrim.
               In the same year Kedral came to the throne of Turmal.

 

1397. In this year King Kedral journeyed north from Turmal. He came to Bleck Bridge 

         and honoured Fortinbras. He rode north and surveyed the walls of Emynos that

         was the ancient city of the kings of Athenor. Kedral planned the new town which

         is called Dunbury.

               In the same year King Kedral built the house which is called Kingsbridge, out-

         side the Demesne. He made a law that we, the Punchkins, might govern ourselves

         in all things. He decreed that Punchkinland be henceforth a free land under the

         shield of the restored Kingdom of the North.

               From this time the Kingdom was named Thandor and Punchkinland was

         named Kingsdemesne.

 

1460. In this year, as we have heard, the monsters of the forest of Neverglades first

         attacked the folk of southern Athenor.

 

1499. In this year our harvests were very abundant.

 

1500. In this year our harvests were very abundant again. In the next ten years the 

         harvests were even more abundant.

 

1502. In this year the Tree of Turmal bore a fruit. The fruit was like a large grape. 

         King Kedral entrusted it to Kedrahil his son. Kedrahil bore it to Dunbury and

         planted it there. A new tree grew. Later the tree bore many fruits, somewhat like

         grapes. This is why the Punchkins nicknamed the town Vinyards, even though

         vines do not grow in the north.

 

1509. In this year the harvests were more abundant than they had ever been before.

         The Demesne sent grain and other produce to feed the Men of Turmal who had

         settled around Dunbury.

 

1518. In this year King Kedral died. His son Kedrahil came to the throne of Turmal.

         King Kedral was two hundred and ten years old when he died, and he reigned

         for a hundred and twenty-two years.

 

 

II

 

1922. In this year Olostur II came to the throne of Thandor. He often sought for the

         Elves, but the Elves had all departed from Midyard. King Olostur spent too much

         time on his pilgrimages.

 

1979. In this year Ardan Asuldo the Smith plotted with the Dragon. The Dragon 

         attacked Vinyards and burned the King's house. Queen Culuriel died in that fire.

         The sons of Olostur, with their wives and children, were all slain by Asuldo. Then

         Asuldo sent an army of Men down the great road. They surrounded and killed

         Olostur as he was returning. King Olostur II was eighty-two years old when he

         died, and he reigned for fifty-seven years.

 

1980. In this year Thandor suffered famine. King Asuldo demanded threefold increase

         in food-tribute from the Demesne.

 

1982. In this year King Asuldo demanded one-half-fold increase of tribute again.

 

1986. In this year King Asuldo demanded one-half-fold increase of tribute again. We

         could not spare so much. In all things he acted wickedly.

 

1987. In this year an army came from King Asuldo. They invaded the Demesne. Thus

         he broke the decree of King Kedral.

               Constable Fortinbras VI raised an army. We fought the bands of Asuldo.

         After the second battle of the North Downs we had victory.

               In the same year King Asuldo invaded the Demesne a second time. He was

         swollen with rage. We defeated his army again. Many Punchkins fell.

 

1988. In this year King Asuldo invaded the Demesne a third time. He had many 

         engines of war and iron carts that were proof against our bowmen.

               In the same year King Asuldo died of a fit. His son Oresgal came to the

         throne. King Asuldo was fifty-seven years old when he died, and he reigned for

         nine years.

               In the same year King Oresgal reduced the tribute demand. He made peace

         with the Demesne.

 

1989. In this year King Oresgal made the town of Men that lies beyond the North

         Hundred, on the edge of the North Downs. He built a road across the moors.

         This was the new wainroad. The town of Men was called Bigginton.

 

1991. In this year King Oresgal rode south from Vinyards and then from Tregg to

         Kingsbridge. He summoned an Aldermoot with the Constable, the Mayor of

         Middleton, the Steward of the Eastern Hundreds and the Warden of Kingsbridge.

         He asked them to help with food, and promised rewards. The Aldermen did as

         he bade, because they pitied the folk of Thandor and also because they were

         mindful of ancient loyalty.

               In the same year the Steward of Bigginton, whom we call the King's Reeve,

         began to pay Punchkins of the Demesne and of Tregg to tell him all about our

         fields and orchards and harvests. The Punchkins who served the Reeve were

         called the Reevers. They gathered all the tribute. Soon all the produce was sent

         up the wainroad from Bigginton. This was by agreement of the Council at Kings-

         bridge.

 

1995. In this year the sickness that was called the Worm's Evil killed many in the

         Northern Realm. They were weak from hunger. More than three thousand

         Punchkins of the Demesne died also.

 

2005. In this year a new Reeve came. He was called Bartrob. He acted wickedly and

         gathered much wealth to himself.

               In the same year the Reevers gathered the same quantity of tribute that King

         Asuldo had demanded, or even more.

 

2010. In this year Bartrob's Reevers gathered more tribute. The Punchkins were 

         hungry.

               In the same year the Aldermoot sent an embassy to Vinyards. Mr. Egwise

         Proudfoot, the Mayor, was the leader of the embassy. The Aldermen wanted to

         tell King Oresgal that the Reeve was exacting too much tribute.

 

 

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