Cave Gnome!

It was fun guarding the windmill! It's really been working hard these past couple of windy days. I was anxious to continue in my direct route east so off I went. It seemed the strong wind was urging me to continue my adventure too. I walked for almost the entire day before hearing what sounded like pigs. Sure enough, through a few trees and bushes I came upon a white house with four pink pigs in the front yard. I immediately wondered if they wanted to be identified as pigs or camels. I just wasn't sure so I decided to ask right away.

"Hello! I'm Aaron's Lawn Gnome. Are you pigs or would you prefer to be called camels?"

The pigs laughed and laughed, and they snorted quite a bit too, which I thought was very funny. "We're not camels!" one of the little pigs shouted between snorts. "Aaron's Lawn Gnome, we are certainly pigs. It is nice to meet you. What brings you here today?"

"I heard you through the trees. Then I saw the house and I thought I'd try out the stoop for a little while. That is, if it's okay with you."

"The stoop?" Said one pig.

"I thought for sure you were here to guard the cave!" Said another pig.

"A cave? Wow! I didn't know a cave was around here."

"Not around here," explained another pig. "Right under here!"

"How do you know there is a cave right underneath our feet?" I asked. And all the pigs answered at once. "Our ancestors found the cave!"

They all took turns telling different parts of the story. I found out that a couple of their ancestors went missing from their farm. When a boy was out looking for them, he heard the pigs but could not see them! Soon he found the pigs -- they had fallen in a sink hole. The little boy found an older boy to help him rescue the pigs. When they went into the hole to tie ropes around the pigs' bellies in order to pull them out, the boys saw that the hole went much, much deeper into the ground.

"I've never been in a cave before."

"But we thought you came here because gnomes guard caves."

"I've met many different gnome guards on my travels so far, ones that I didn't know existed, like Top Shelf Gnome. I guess I'll add Cave Guard to my list!"

"Our ancestors made history! You should visit the cave they found!"
"You should!"
"You must!"
"You have to!"

I decided to visit the cave! It will be great to add cave to my list of places I've tried guarding. Apparently that's something my ancestors have done. So I walked in the direction the four pigs were pointing until I was at the top of a very tall staircase. It was so tall that I couldn't see the bottom step!

It was warm and very humid at the bottom of the cave. I always heard water flowing and saw water dripping down all of the walls. I followed the sound of water until it was so loud I thought I might have to cover my ears! But I forgot about how loud the water was when I saw how far it was falling.

There were many hallways to wander and each one seemed to have an incredible surprise. There were fossils in the walls and other halls were filled with crisp, clear water. Other hallways had growing from them!

It was so strange knowing I was 200 feet underneath those four pigs. With every turn down a new oddly shaped hall I wondered if I would bump into another gnome.

I wandered far into many of the pathways until I found a hat-shaped threshold. "This cave entrance will suit me just right." As I said this I felt a booming in my chest! I was startled, but only for a moment as I realized it was my own words bouncing off the walls right back into me. I planted the rock beneath my boots, which was now covered white with clay, and happily guarded a cave. I spent my time whistling and singing and listing the places I've visited out loud just to feel the boom of my voice.