The Cat on the Dovrefjell
The Cat on the Dovrefjell — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
Upon the highest, swirling currents of the world drifted the Sky Market, a luminous tapestry of cloud-spun stalls where merchants bartered bottled winds and dawn's first light. Below, amidst the forgotten, craggy underbelly known as the Dovrefjell, lived Fellin, a quiet nature guardian whose only desire was to protect the dwindling pockets of wild magic from the encroaching clamor above. This year, as the long winter nights stretched, an ancient hunger stirred within the shadowed peaks, threatening to shatter the peace Fellin fiercely guarded with an uninvited, boisterous host of trolls, led by their hulking King, and a mysterious, massive 'cat' named Kael, whose presence promised either salvation or ruin.
Page 2
As the first true blizzard howled across the Dovrefjell, Fellin was busy securing his small, sturdy dwelling, his hands calloused from years of mending against the harsh winds. 'Another deep winter approaches,' he murmured to himself, pulling a thick, carved wooden bar across his sturdy oak door. Suddenly, a colossal shadow fell over his window, followed by a soft, rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of his home, a sound unlike any creature he knew.
Page 3
'Who dares disturb the peace of my Dovrefjell dwelling?' Fellin called out, his voice steady despite the tremor in his chest, as the rumbling intensified. A gentle nudge against his door, then a low, mournful purr, reached him, and when he cautiously opened it, a creature of immense size, covered in thick white fur, lumbered into his small home. 'You are no ordinary cat,' Fellin whispered, looking into its ancient, knowing eyes, remembering the ancestral story of the 'Star-Spirit Bear' constellation, a celestial guardian said to appear only in times of profound solitude.
Page 4
Fellin shared his meager winter provisions with Kael, surprised by the bear's gentle demeanor and hearty appetite, a silent pact forged between man and beast. Days turned into weeks, the winter deep and undisturbed save for the wind's song, until one evening, a cacophony of guttural shouts and crashing stone drifted up from the lower valleys. 'They come,' Fellin muttered, his eyes narrowing, 'the rude, disruptive things of the deep earth, drawn by the scent of quiet celebration.'
Page 5
On Christmas Eve, the uninvited trolls, led by their grotesque King, reached Fellin's isolated dwelling, their brutish faces pressed against his window, their hands banging violently on his door. 'We smell a feast, human! Open up and share your winter's bounty, or we shall take it!' roared the Troll King, his voice a gravelly snarl. Fellin stood firm, but his gaze drifted to his meager table, the conflict of his dwindling supplies clashing with the ancient laws of hospitality he deeply respected.
Page 6
As the trolls began to splinter the door with their rough-hewn clubs, Kael, who had seemed to be sleeping soundly by the hearth, slowly uncurled its immense body. A low, guttural growl rumbled from its chest, a sound that began softly but quickly escalated into a thunderous roar, shaking the very stones of the house and causing the trolls outside to freeze in terror. 'What in the frozen pits is that?' shrieked one troll, dropping his club.
Page 7
'That was no ordinary cat's purr,' stammered the Troll King, stumbling backward with his terrified band, fleeing into the howling blizzard, 'that was the voice of the mountain itself!' Fellin watched them disappear, then turned to Kael, who had once again settled by the fire, its eyes now holding a knowing glint. 'You, my friend, are more than I ever bargained for,' he mused, recalling an ancient saying by the philosopher Seneca: 'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.' His decision to offer hospitality, truly, had met a fierce, ancient protector.
Page 8
A year passed peacefully, Fellin and Kael sharing the quiet solitude of the Dovrefjell, the memory of the trolls fading like a winter's dream. Yet, as Christmas Eve approached again, Fellin felt a familiar dread, a vibration in the ancient stones that spoke of their inevitable return. He looked up at the constellations visible through his window, tracing the 'Star-Spirit Bear' among them, and a long-forgotten verse of ancestral lore came to him: 'When winter's chill bites keen and hungry shadows roam, the Star-Spirit's progeny will guard the humble home, seven fierce echoes, to banish darkest night.'
Page 9
Just as Fellin anticipated, the Troll King and his hungry band returned, their shouts echoing across the snow. 'Human! Did that monstrous cat of yours survive another year? We've come to finish our feast!' the King roared. Fellin stepped out, calm and resolute, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. 'Oh, indeed he did, but he's no longer alone,' Fellin announced, gesturing vaguely into the shadows of his dwelling, 'he now has seven kittens, each one far fiercer than their father, with eyes like glowing coals and claws like icy daggers!'
Page 10
The Troll King's eyes widened with genuine horror at the thought of seven creatures even fiercer than the one that had chased them away. 'Seven! You keep seven such monsters?!' he shrieked, turning on his heel. His entire band, terrified by the image Fellin's words painted, scrambled away, disappearing into the blizzard-swept valleys, never to bother the Dovrefjell again. And so, Fellin learned that true hospitality, offered even to the most unusual of guests, could summon the wildest, most unexpected protection, proving that sometimes, the greatest strength lies not in brute force, but in the wisdom to welcome the unknown.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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