A HERBERT THE SUPERBUG ADVENTURE

Just behind the barn on the south side there is a

potatopatch with the biggest potatoes you have ever seen .

We are not going to be talking potatoes today but about a

little community under this great potato patch . It may be

little by size but in Potatobugville there lives a great hero .
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1

YIPEEE !! " Shouted ...........

Mrs bug as she grabbed Mr bug by the hand pulling him up

off of his chair . She pulled him so hard causing him to tip the

chair over he was sitting on and danced with him around the

kitchen as Mr Bug

sang

" POTATOBUGS ARE WE

HAPPY FOR US THREE

TO FIND THE GREATEST TREE

FOR EVERY BUG TO SEE "

This was the greatest honor any family in Potatobugville

could ever receive except for the bug of the year award

in which Mr Mantis had won five years in a row . Herbert

danced around the kitchen then jumped up into his fathers

arms dancing all three .

As they drew closer to this magnifaciant forest

Herbert let go of his fathers hand and to the edge looking

way up at the trees that stood ten times his size . Herbert

looking at all of the trees in awe never in his life had he

ever seen such a beautiful view . And even though it was

winter the evergreens and the pines shone brightly showing

off the shades of green in the sunlight . Deep in the heart

of this great forest grew the biggest and best of the trees .

Passing a few of them that had been weather worn looking

like they were ready for firewood Mr bug suggested that

they sit down and have their lunch . Herbert saw something

out of the corner of his eye . Turning quickly hoping to get a

better look at what he thought he saw he knocked over his

juice spilling onto his pants and the log . Herbert jumped up

almost knocking Mr Bug off of the log .Being very curious

Herbert walked slowly over to where it was but as soon as he

got two feet ( two of Herberts feet) away from it . It flew up

but not away . Just up high enough out of Herberts reach .

Herbert tried again walking slowly over to the butterfly

" Don't go to far " ! Mr bug said loudly "

I won't " Herbert shouted back .

Herbert had never seen a real butterfly . He wanted to get a

closer look . The most strangest part about seeing this flying

fluttery creature was Herbert knew that in the winter most

creatures hibernated . Butterflies only came out in the spring

How odd he thought to himself as he followed the yellow

flying creature still wanting a closer view . As he followed the

butterfly Herbert hadn't realized that he had wandered far

away from his father the butterfly flew deeper into the forest

Herbert close behind . A tired Herbert had to stop for a rest

he never knew that chasing a flying creature was such tiring

work . Herbert stopped and looked around to see if he could

see his father but when he was no where in sight .

Herbert was in the forest deeper then he thought . Herbert ran as tears

of fear ran down his cheeks . Not paying attention to the broken roots

sticking out of the ground Herbert tripped but instead of landing on the

ground he was walking on Herbert could feel himself falling not a long

fall but when he landed he landed with GREAT BANG .

" Leader of "Potania show yourself "! rumbled a deep voice . " That is

the Evil Worm King " Lightstar answered in a shakey voice .

" Herbert we need your help " whispered Lightstar then

hid behind the same tree as Mr Bug walked back towardsHerbert "

Ready let's go "

It wasn't long before they finally found the perfect tree for

the town square it was perfect .

Everybug brought a homemade ornament or decoration to put

on the tree . Herbert and his Mother and father had brought wooden

ornaments that Mr Bug had been working on since last Feburary .

A sled painted red , an angel and a gift box that Mrs Bug added a

pink ribbon to the top of it to make it look a little more fancy .

I Want nobody see us leaving like the great owl who

almost had you for a midnight snack last week". Lightstar

chuckled "Yeah that sure was a close call and if it wasn't for

you coming out to look for me i probably would have been "

Herbert laid still for a moment eyes shut tightly .

until he heard unfamilar voices talking . Lightstar then

took Herbert by the arm and gently tugged him as he walked

him through Potania .

2

After Christmas was over it was time to go back to school

Herbert thought about Bartholamew and Lightstar a lot

wondering if he would ever see them again . He felt because

he hadn't heard from either one of them that maybe they had

forgotten about him . So secretly to himself he said goodbye

to Potania and all of the bug creatures that lived there . As

Herbert walked into the classroom he was surprised to see

Barlem sitting at the same desk he sat at before the

Christmas holidays the one right beside Herbert's desk . "

Hello Herbert " said Barlem as he winked at Herbert . At first

Herbert couldn't figure it out until he saw the scrape on

Barlems hand . The scrape caused by the worm king

dropping him .

It was Bartholamew ! .

I Want nobody see us leaving like the great owl who almost

had you for a midnight snack last week". Lightstar

chuckled "Yeah that sure was a close call and if it wasn't

for you coming out to look for me i probably would have been "

3

It was now Feburary and all was quiet in Potania as all of the

Potanians were preparing for springs arrival . Lightstar had just finished

his quarter leaf breakfast when Bartholamew sat beside him in the

main hall . " I wonder how Herbert is " he asked with concern . " So do

I we should pay him a visit to see how he is " " Great idea " answered

Bartholamew . " But we will have to wait until it starts getting dark out

so nobody see us leaving like the great owl who almost had you for a

midnight snack last week". Lightstar chuckled "Yeah that sure was a

close call and if it wasn't for you coming out to look for me i probably

would have been " Light star decided to go for a stroll outside without

telling anyone where he was going and lucky for him Bartholamew

did go out looking for him after he did not return back to Potania .

Bartholamew walked a few yards away from the secret entrance to

Potania when he heard somebody hollering for help . Bartholamew

then lit the match torch to see if he could see who was hollering and

there was poor Lightstar just about to be clutched into the great claw of

the great brown owl as he held onto a broken tree branch swerving the

magnifacant flying beast . Bartholamew then took the match torch and

swooped it at the fowl burning the tip of one of his feathers scaring him

off .

4

Herbert was in his bedroom reading a book about trees when he

heard a knocking sound . He put the book down and looked around

trying to figure out where it was coming from .He got slowly off of his

bed and looked under it there was nothing there . He then opened his

bedroom door and looked down the short hallway nothing there .

Herbert then went back into his room plopped himself on his bed and

proceeded to read his book but just as he picked it up he could hear it

again a light tapping

KNOCK .

Herbert turned looked out his bedroom window and there was

Lightstar tapping on the window lightly while swaying back and

forth . Herbert went over to the window and opened it but just as

he did Lightstar dissappeared and all Herbert could hear was

CRASH .... " Why don't you be a little more careful " yeah why

didn't we use the ladder like i suggested " ! . Herbert bent out to

see who Lightstar was talking to " Hi Herbert " said Bartholamew

as he was dusting away the dirt on his pants . " SSh do you want

anybody to hear us " while they were arguing about who had

done what Herbert quickly put on his shoes and jacket and went

outside to where they were . " Hi Lightstar , Hi Bartholamew why

are you here in Potatobugville ? " " We were both worried about

you and just came by to how you were doing and to invite you to

Potania for our spring festival " answered Lightstar . Herbert

didn't answer right away he really liked Potania and everything in

it but the last time he was there were not so good memories

having to fight off the evil worm king . " Can i bring my Father and

my mother with me " ? he asked looking at the two of them

Bartholamew hesitated " Sure you can " answered Lightstar " But

nobody else remember Potania is a hideaway for a lot of nervous

creatures of strangers and we wouldn't want to upset the

peaceful balance we have now since now the Evil worm king is

gone " . Bartholamew did not like the idea of more strangers

coming to Potania but this was the hero of Potania and because

Herbert was such a wonderful bug he figured that his parents

would do no harm . " Alright then " he answered with a bit of

hesitation . " The festival starts on Friday " " This Friday "

repeated Lightstar as both he and Bartholamew turned to walk

away . This was very kind of them to invite him to their celebration but
how was he going to explain Potania to his parents ??? .

5

EXPLAIN POTANIA

This Feburary was a lot warmer then usual . The snow that had

covered the ground was now almost gone . It was now Wednesday and

Herbert still had not told them about the invitation to Potania . The

main reason why was because he just didn't know excactly how to

explain it to his Mother and Father but Herbert knew that he would

have to tell them because he had already told Lightstar and

Bartholamew that he would be there with them both so Herbert

decided that he would tell them about Potania after his Father came

home from work that night after dinner and tell them about the

invitation to Potania's spring celebration . So that night just as they were

all finishing their dessert of potato pancakes dipped in honey " were

invited to a party " said Herbert not really knowing how to start the

conversation about Potania . " Really dear well that's nice anyone we

know " ? asked Mrs Bug as she was pouring Mr bug a cup of potato

juice . " Well kinda " answered Herbert . " When is this party " ? asked

Mr Bug looking down from the Potatobug daily newspaper . " On

Friday " " Where is this party Herbert " ? Herbert stopped for a

moment and took a deep breath before explaining where the party was

. " Well it's in Potania " Both Mrs and Mr bug looked at Herbert with a

strange look . " I see " said Mr Bug . Everybody was quiet for a moment

until Mr Bug spoke up " So how is Lightstar " ? he asked . Herbert just

looked at his Father in disbelief that his Father knew about Potania . "
You know about Potania " ? asked Herbert . " Sure we do everybody in

Potatobugville knows about Potania but nobody talks about it " and i

suggest that you don't tell anybody about it either " . " Why not " ? asked

Herbert . " A long time ago all of us Potatobugs and other hexapoda all

lived together in a small community on the earths surface until one day

a giant worm decided that he wanted to be ruler over all of us " . "

Lightstar explained that to me " said Herbert smiling at his Father

happy to know that he did not have to go into great detail about Potania

because both his Mother and Father knew about it this whole time . "

But did he tell you why they made Potania and why we live in

Potatobugville " ? .

6

THE ANSWER

" No " answered Herbert . " After everything had happened on the

Earth surface and when it was over Bartholamew's Father High thought

that we all needed a ruler so he self appointed himself the rest of us did

not agree with this so the one's who wanted to follow High went their

way and we went ours creating Potatobugville . " Oh but even though

that happened along time ago don't you think that maybe we should try

to be friends with those in Potania " ? asked Herbert . Everything that

his Father explained about Bartholamew's Father was definitly not

Bartholamew . Mr Bug was just about to say no when Mrs Bug said "

He's right dear just because that happened a long time ago doesn't

mean that his son is the same I think we should give them a chance

don't you " ? she asked looking at Mr Bug . Mr Bug knew that she was

right so after much thought he said that they would go to the spring

celebration .

7

THE PARTY

After school Herbert hurried home so he could get ready in his finest

clothes for the spring celebration party in Potania . He put on his blue

dress trousers and a white dress shirt with a blue bow tie . Mr Bug was

wearing his green three piece suit while Mrs Bug was wearing her best

flower pink dress . All looked wonderful . As they were arriving to the

entrance way were Lightstar had asked Herbert to come into they were

greeted at the rock by the same guards that had opened it before for

Herbert the last time he had been in Potania . As they pushed the rock

out of the way there stood Bartholamew and Lightstar waiting to greet

them . " Hello Herbert , Hello parents " said Lightstar before leading

then into the corridor that led to the main hall in Potania . " How's your

Father " asked Mr Bug cautiously looking at Bartholamew . " I don't

know haven't seen him since i was three " " Oh I'm sorry " answered Mr

Bug not mentionening another word about it for the rest of the evening

Mrs Bug was asked by a few of the male citizens of Potania for a dance

but she refused . Herbert was starting to feel a little uncomfortable as

he looked over at his father who kept looking at Bartholamew . Mr and

Mrs Bug socialized with the others talking about their work homes and

Herbert " Did you know that your son is a great hero here in Potania

you must be proud " ? asked Lightstar to Mr Bug . Not knowing what

Herbert was a hero for all Mr Bug could say was " Thank you " . As the

party was winding down Mr Bug decided that it was time for them to

leave as well . As they were saying goodbye to the kind hosts Lightstar

leaned over to Herbert and whispered in his ear . There's trouble in

Potania we need your help but not tonight I'LL come and see on

Sunday after the celebration is over " " Oh no not again " thought

Herbert to himself .