Herne the Hunter

Long, long ago, in the great forest of Windsor, there lived a brave man named Herne. He worked for the king, looking after the deer and caring for the woodland. He knew every oak tree, every winding path, and every hidden glade.

One autumn day, the king was out hunting when a mighty stag charged towards him. Herne leapt forward to protect the king, but he was badly hurt. As he lay beneath the trees, a mysterious figure appeared. No one knows if it was a wise magician, a spirit of the woods, or the forest itself. Whoever it was, they saved Herne’s life — but they gave him something unusual: a crown of antlers upon his head. From that day, Herne was no longer just a man, but part of the wild forest.

Herne loved the forest too much to leave it. Some say that on stormy autumn nights, when the leaves are flying and the wind is howling, you might catch a glimpse of him riding through the trees on his dark horse, followed by ghostly hounds. His antlers shine like branches in the moonlight.

Is he scary? Not really. Many people believe Herne is the guardian of the forest, watching over the animals, the trees, and anyone who respects nature. When the wind whistles through the branches on an autumn night, it might just be Herne reminding us that the forest is alive, and we must care for it.