I wish I could take credit for making this up, but it happens to be true...
A few years ago, I spent some time as a volunteer with the TA. One night, on exercise somewhere in East Anglia, I was on sentry duty, flat on my stomach in a thicket within a wood with a Slovenian infantry sergeant (who was afraid of the dark
). It was the wee hours: the moon had set, it was over cast and dark and still. I was scanning the woods to the fore with a night scope for prowlers...
Having scanned across my arc, back, mid and foreground, I lowered my rifle - and there, right in front of my face, was a small white deer. Inches away. It looked at me and bounded away into the darkness. I brought my scope back up to find it, but nothing. It had vanished.
I nudged the Slovenian and asked her if she had just seen or heard anything, but she said no. I decided not to tell her what had just happened, as she was jumpy enough as it was...
So I went home and re-read 'The White Goddess'...
A few years ago, I spent some time as a volunteer with the TA. One night, on exercise somewhere in East Anglia, I was on sentry duty, flat on my stomach in a thicket within a wood with a Slovenian infantry sergeant (who was afraid of the dark
). It was the wee hours: the moon had set, it was over cast and dark and still. I was scanning the woods to the fore with a night scope for prowlers...Having scanned across my arc, back, mid and foreground, I lowered my rifle - and there, right in front of my face, was a small white deer. Inches away. It looked at me and bounded away into the darkness. I brought my scope back up to find it, but nothing. It had vanished.
I nudged the Slovenian and asked her if she had just seen or heard anything, but she said no. I decided not to tell her what had just happened, as she was jumpy enough as it was...
So I went home and re-read 'The White Goddess'...
