The Hairy Toe

Retold by Susan Stephenson

Once upon a time an old woman lived alone in a cottage at the edge of a
dark, dark forest. She survived by growing vegetables and carrying them to
market in the nearby villages. Although her way led through the forest, the old
woman was too wise ever to venture there at night.
One day, she was chip-chip-chipping at the dry soil with her hoe, when its
blade struck something. She scraped away the dirt until she saw it clearly – it
was a large hairy toe!

“Ugh! How did that get here?” she muttered, shivering and glancing over her
shoulder at the dark, dark forest. The old woman dropped the toe into her
apron pocket and hurried inside her cottage. There she popped the ugly toe
into a box under her bed, and went back to work.

That night the old woman was almost asleep when she heard a strange
howling from far off. A storm perhaps? Just then a gust of wind hit the house.
It moaned and groaned, rattling the door and windows.

She pulled the covers up around her chin and lay in the darkness, listening.
The howling noise got louder and she made out the words:

“Where’s my hairy toe? Who’s got my hairy toe?”

Again and again the wind smashed against the walls, and the old cottage
creaked and groaned as if Something were trying to get in. The voice was
closer now, loudly crying:

“Where’s my hairy toe? Who’s got my hairy toe?”

The old woman shivered and shook, terrified. She pulled the bed covers right
over her head, hoping that would shut out the noise. But ever more loudly it
howled:

“Where’s my hairy toe? Who’s got my hairy toe?”

Just when the old woman was sure she would die of fright, the wind and the
voice stopped. She peeped over the blankets, listening hard. Silence. Was it
over for good?

C-R-E-A-K! That was surely the door of the cottage opening! More creaks.
Something was coming towards her in the darkness. Closer... closer. The old
woman froze, scarcely breathing.

She felt the creature bump against the bed, and smelled its ghastly breath as
it leaned over her, crying:

“Where’s my hairy toe? Who’s got my hairy toe?”

“YOU’VE GOT IT!!!” (The storyteller here lunges towards the listeners, and
gives a loud shout!)