STORY-WRITING EXPLORATION INSPIRED BY A MOVIE
An original story, adapted to fit existing 'Bridget Jones'  movie premises and characters. The original story is the property of the author (see bottom of page), while the images and connections to the Bridget Jones movies remain with the owners of that  movie such as it may exist. Except to read, the following cannot be used in any  way  without permission of all owners of the intellectual property.  


 Bridget Jones 3:
Ends of the Earth
On Original Story  by  A. Paabo  in 2007-8 envisioned as a  sequel to the 2nd  Bridget Jones movie entitled Edge of Reason
Pursued on his own initiative in years following 2007 and as a diversion/hobby and eduction in writing another movie tale.  This particular webpage version was put together in Mar 2011 in order to put all the author's reasonably finished projects in writing together in one section of his website. In this version, it has been edited in the course of scanning it from versions shown earlier on www.paabo.ca.

   
 BACKGROUND: 
                 There are two Bridget Jones movies out - Bridget Jones Diary and Bridget Jones: Age of  Reason. Bridget Jones originated as a weekly column written by Helen Fielding in a British newspaper running in the later 90's . She compiled columns into a book called 'Bridget Jones Diary'. It was an enormous success and a movie was made of it. Helen Fielding was an executive producer and writer of the first movie, and her friend Sharon Maguire directed. They chose Renee Zellweger to play Bridget, in spite of her being American, because they saw what they wanted in Renee's  performance in Nurse Betty (source: Sharon Maguire interview on Nurse Betty DVD) where she portrays some of the quirky attitudes (ie in interractions with Kinnear's character).  The second Bridget Jones mo I glanced at an article on Renee Zellweger in  a magazine at the newstand and found in it no mention of a third Bridget Jones. How is that? agovie was made because  Helen Fielding had had more columns than what the first was based on which she compiled into a second book 'Edge of Reason' .   In the "Edge of Reason' story, Bridget has her man - Darcy - and after some shenanigans has him again at the end. The movie ends in a fairy tale fashion - Darcy and Bridget are engaged. Now,  I am not such a die-hard fan and did not follow the developments of Bridget Jones - and indeed I looked at the DVD's only years after theatrical release, and I have not read the books.  I heard on a radio or television entertainment report in early  2008  that a third Bridget Jones movie was in the works with Daniel Cleaver as the father of Bridget's baby. Finding no new news of it, in Marche 2008 I went on the internet search to get answers. I discovered that that the notion that a Bridget Jones 3 was in the works was a rumour. The reason for the expectation is that there would be a third movie, is that in mid 2005 Helen Fielding began to write a Bridget Jones Diary column again. That lasted till June 2006, ending with Bridget having a baby by Daniel Cleaver. There is a good article about Helen Fielding and the column on the Daily Mail website dated mid 2006. The general thinking is that Fielding will do what she did the last time - turn the columns into a book. (But she had difficulty completing the second one, so that is not a given.) Although the last columns end with Bridget having a baby, if she did write a book she could have Bridget going to L.A. since Helen Fielding married, had a son, and went to L.A. herself and lives there now, according to the article.  But Fielding created a big problem in her last columns on Bridget.. Judging from the responses to the Daily Mail article  in the comments on the website, people HATE the fact that Fielding had Bridget go with Cle I glanced at an article on Renee Zellweger in  a magazine at the newstand and found in it no mention of a third Bridget Jones. How is that? agoaver, write out Darcy, after the romantic finale with Darcy in 'Edge of Reason'. I have not seen those columns but the comments indicate she wrote Darcy out of the picture early. And yet, when you think about it, Darcy is the whole raison d'etre of the whole Bridget Jones phenomenon even by her own earlier admission. She had said thatBridget Jones Diary.was inspired by Darcy in British TV's  Pride and Prejudice , and most important of all, Darcy's character is perhaps  Bridget's Diary personified- understanding, quiet, tolerant, a good listener. Darcy IS the Dairy, the receptacle for her angst it seems. Hence a Bridget Jones novel without Darcy is nothing. So perhaps Helen Fielding has played a joke?  The public response to her new round of Bridget columns from 2005-2006 appears to be negative if there is no Darcy-Cleaver-Bridget triangle paralleling the one inPride and Prejudice , and indeed without it there really is no Bridget Jones story. A third one is impossible from the existing columns. And so if there is a third story, Darcy has to be there. All this attention of mine to the matter set my creative mind thinking, and very quickly I saw a way in which one could bring back Darcy in spite of Fielding having officially  written him out in her final columns. I was so entertained by my idea, that I absolutely HAD to write a sketch of it. As with my Nurse Betty sequel novella,  I did it as a diversion, a hobby, and although I would love an audience and for some interested party to carry it further, the reality is that I have never had an ambition to be a tv or movie writer and so, have never even entertained the idea of seeking out a literary agent - which is the only way to reach the industry beyond 'fan mail'. If by some chance this webpage gets throu I glanced at an article on Renee Zellweger in  a magazine at the newstand and found in it no mention of a third Bridget Jones. How is that? agogh that thick fortress wall that the industry surrounds itself with against the 'masses', well, I am here, very accessible (see bottom of page for addresses)


 

WRITTEN IN  A MOVIE OUTLINE FORM

1.
A Baby


    As our story opens, Bridget is having a baby. Credits can cover all the screaming and shouting, etc. This goes on for a couple minutes. When the credits end things are quiet and the dialogue between Bridget and nurses, her mother, etc. indicate it is a boy and Daniel Cleaver's.  How it is written with respect to Daniel, depends on what Helen Fielding wrote. Note that Fielding's columns ended with the baby being born and taken home.  And so the beginning of my story as follows, has to dovetail with that. If Daniel was not at the birth, one could have him stuck in traffic and arriving after the birth. Anyway however it is played out, the ultimate result is a scene with father and mother and baby together admiring the baby at their home.

       "See? Aren't you glad you dumped Darcy?" says Cleaver as he admires the little one.
    "I didn't dump him, Daniel. He dumped me. And as always it was because of you."
    "Me? It's you who were  unhappy that no baby was coming with Darcy, and thought maybe I would produce the baby for you. Let's face it, his sperm were too lazy. You needed mine to get the job done."
    "I was vulnerable. You seduced me, and as before, he left. But why are we arguing here in the hospital room - in front of the newly born boy!!"
    "Sorry. I guess I just want to gloat a little - my sperm succeeding while his sperm didn't."
    Bridget could imagine in her mind a wrestling match between their sperm. But it was over. Mark Darcy had been out of the picture now  for 7-8 months, ever since he discovered she had gone off and slept with Cleaver yet again. Enought of that!!! It's about the baby now!
       "Isn't he gorgeous. I'm going to be on maternity leave, Daniel, and stay home to mother my son. Couldn't you take a break? You don't have to go off from your interview assignments away from London. You'll hardly be home."
    "Sorry again for gloating in regards to my great superiority over Darcy... I have some good news, Bridget. Our network wants to establish a late night talk show to cover Hollywood entertainment.  It will be situated in Los Angeles - that's where Hollywood is. Nothing too expensive or elaborate - just a studio and some chairs - just enough to interview celebrity guests. And guess who they want to host the show? Me. And to exploit my popularity they want to call the show 'Cleaver at Night'. It'll be taped live and sent back here to Britain by satellite. But it has to be located there to get the best celebrities, who tend to hang around Los Angeles."
       "That means we'll have to move to Los Angeles."
       "Don't you want to see Los Angeles - home of celebrities..? Well the good thing is that I will have a regular job. I'll leave for work in the morning and come back in the evening. I'll be like a regular husband. No more disappearing for a week at a time in some far off location."
       "When do they want you there?"
       "In about a month or two."
       "What about me? What will I do?"
       "You can be a mother. You can stay at home and write a book. You can be on sabbatical from your career. The amount of time they give for maternity leave is not enough, in my opinion. Get an extension. Stay home with our son."
        She kisses him. "I wouldn't mind experiencing the luxury of being supported by a husband for a while, to see what it's like...."
        "We'll go then?"
         "Yes!"


2.
Los Angeles



    So before long  (Our story requires we get from the baby's birth to the setup in LA quite quickly) the happy little family arrives at Los Angeles airport. Bridget's baby now about a month old, in a  baby carrier basket. They go through the  security etc, and some  visual jokes are possible there....And then finally they are established in an apartment. Bridget is at home tending to her baby, discovering and reacting to peculiarities of L.A. compared to London, sometimes making calls home to her mother or friends, keeping an eye on the clock, as it is long distance.


        In the early morning Bridget and Daniel wake up, Bridget rushes off the deal with the baby. Daniel gets ready for work, and watches himself on TV as he has breakfast. Bridget comes in wearing her robe, carrying the baby. "How is it," she wonders, "that we can watch your show 'Cleaver at Night' here in Los Angeles."
      "Our British network also broadcasts it to satellite, and we can get it from our cable service. Right now its late night in Britain, but it's early morning here. Isn't that neat, Bridget? We can watch my show taped yesterday, every morning at breakfast. Look. Yesterday I interviewed that famous American actress Rebecca Dubois. She's gorgeous isn't she? But never fear, Bridget, I am committed to only one woman. My evaluation of the beautiful actresses I interview are purely platonic now."
          "Somehow I don't quite believe that," said Bridget bouncing her son to keep him quiet
          "Well I'm still a man," agreed Daniel, biting into a slice of toast. "I still have an eye for beauty. But my womanizing days are over. I'm now a married man with a son."
           He gets up, and adds "I have to go. We begin preparing for the show quite early, and then we tape it in the early afternoon. Bye." He kisses Bridget and his son, grabs his briefcase and leaves.
          When he's gone, Bridget tends to her son a little (insert visual comedy) and decides to phone home. She appologizes for calling so late - it's early morning here. And so the dialogue is used to establish how Bridget is doing now, established in LA, and with continued connection to home thanks to the marvels of inexpensive communication. Even so, there can be a running joke where Bridget has a tendency to run up high long distance phone bills by chatting pointless chatter with her old friends.


3.
Cleaver Up To His Old Ways



       The plot is developed now a little on Cleaver's side.
     His interviews with movie starlets show the same old seductive charm.  He thanks the starlet on the couch, and turns to the camera. "That all for tonight. This is Daniel Cleaver bidding you godnight from Hollywood on Cleaver at Night"
       After the interview, he chats with a starlet he has just interviewed.
       "That was a very good interview we had," says Cleaver to the starlet.
       "You're a very charming interviewer."
         "You wouldn't consider continuing the interview at the cafe down the street?"
        "I would love to..."
       The Cleaver catches himself. "Darn! I just remembered. I had the thing I have to do."
       "Another time then."
       "Yes another time."
        It is torture for Cleaver to see the ravenous beauty walk away.



   Well the setup here is that we get a sense of what is to come - Daniel, meeting the most beautiful women in Hollywood, will resume his old womanizing ways. And then Bridget begins to feel something wrong about Daniel, like he is hiding something - such as making excuses for being late coming home. Bridget in one of her long distance phone calls to her friends in London, reveals her suspicions.


4.
Caught! Bridget Goes Home


    One day, going to his studio on impulse, carrying their son, he discovers him in an unoccupied room, kissing the starlet, confirming everything.     She is upset. Goes home. Daniel catches up, begs forgiveness in his traditional seductive way. Bridget starts packing.
        "What are you doing Bridget!! Calm down!!"
       "I'm going home!"
       "Wait Bridget. Think it through...."
   "    You're never change, Daniel. You keep saying you'll change, but you never will. I should never have left Darcy."
        "Bridget!!!"
       And so Bridget heads home.



        First she looks up her ring of close friends, who reveal they never really thought it would succeed. They say: "As dull as Darcy may be, Bridget, he's reliable." "Yes, Bridget. Although Cleaver is exciting, he's not realiable."
      "Well a baby needs reliable!" declared Bridget. "I no longer have my apartment so now I'm going home to my parents and stay there for a while."
       "You can stay with me."
         "Or me."
       "No thanks. I have to go home to my parents anyway. I'll just stay there."



       Daniel can't follow her to Britain, because he has committments to the new show. He tries to reach her by phone and email. The best he can manage is call long distance to reach a voicemail Bridget has at Sit Up Britain.
       Voicemail voice:"This is Bridget Jones. I'm sorry but I'm on maternity leave. If you have a very urgent message, please leave it at the beep. I do check what's on this voicemail from time to time. Bye."
       "Bridget. This is Daniel. I've called your voicemail at SitUp Britain 6 times now. Where are you? Listen I'm very sorry. We have to think this through. I can't get away from here because my show is  new and they can't let me go so soon. But I will get free as soon as they let me, and fly to London to see you. We have our son to consider. Our son needs a mother and a father. It's my son too, Bridget. Please answer. We have to talk this out...."
       He puts the phone down, in frustration.




       Bridget is by now at her mother's, feeling sorry for herself. But her mother is thrilled to have a baby boy at hand, and almost steals him from her. "Now, Bridget," says her mother. "Let me look after little Daniel junior while you just relax, and take it easy."
       "Well I still have to breast feed him."
       "Well you can do that. I'll do everything else."
       "I do need to think about what to do next, mother. Daniel is leaving messages on my voicemail at Sit Up Britain, saying we have to get back together because of his son, his son...It's too soon to answer him, and if he phones here, tell him I'm not here."
       "Your father and I always thought you should have stayed with Darcy."
        "I know. Everyone thought so. But nobody told me."
        "They didn't want to hurt your feelings."
        "Where is Darcy, mother. Do you know?"
        "I haven't heard. I haven't talked to his mother for a while."


5.
Bridget's Friends Want to Help



    Bridget's friends come to visit. There is a new man in their circle now.
    "Bridget, this is Clyde. He's become part of our group. Sorry Bridget, but when you left there was an empty space around the table we had to fill."
    "Hello, Clyde," said Bridget reaching out her hand.
     "Pleased to meet you Bridget," said Clyde.
     "What do you do, Clyde."
     The others answered: "He works for the police. He does crime scene investigations analysis in the lab."
     "Really?" replied Bridget. "You mean like in those CSI TV shows?"
     "Yes," said Clyde, "but it's not as glamorous as on TV. It's alot of work. These days its mainly about getting DNA samples from tissue samples, hair, saliva, blood, whatever."
    "Well welcome, Clyde," said Bridget. "I'm a career woman on extended maternity leave."
    "What are you going to do now, Bridget?" asks her original friends.
    "I don't know. Daniel has left voice messages on my voicemail back in London, at Sit Up Britain where I worked before I went on maternity leave. I'll be away a while because I also asked for an extension, like a sabbatical, because I thought I would be staying in L.A. maybe even permanently. But look at me. I'm back after only less than two months!"
    "You haven't talked to Daniel then?"
    "No. In every email he keeps saying it's HIS son too, as if that is the reason I'll come back. HIS son, HIS son."
   "Wouldn't it be ironic," someone said in jest, "if it were NOT his son!"
    "What do you mean?" asked Bridget, taking it more seriously.
    "Sorry, I wasn't serious. "
     Bridget thought a moment. "It would be ironic indeed. Babies can be born early or late. Not always precisely at nine months.  When my boy was born, everyone assumed he was a little early. If he was actually a little late, and if sperm can survive for a while inside me, well the baby could be Darcy's."
    Her friends erupted in supportive responses. "Yes, Bridget! I thought he looked more like Darcy." "So did I."
    "But how can I find out?"
    "A paternity test?"
   "But Daniel's in America," said Bridget, "and who knows where Darcy is, and neither should know I'm interested in checking. How would we get a swab from inside their cheek or blood sample or whatever?"
    "Don't they take blood samples of everyone when you are pregnant?"
    "Yes, but not DNA tests, unless there is some fear of genetic problems. If the baby is quite similar to the mother, only DNA tests will suggest who the father is. I think that's how it is. But there's no point thinking of it. How would I get DNA from Daniel and Mark?"
     Clyde spoke up now. "No problem. You just have to find samples of their hair or something, that they've left behind. "
    "That's how you can do it, Bridget. Maybe a hairbrush with hairs in it, or even a rasor with bits of skin, or dandruff. Or saliva from a used coffee cup. It's amazing what CSI can do these days!"
    "But I'm too weary to go on an escapade searching for DNA samples of Daniel and Mark here in London - although I suppose it would be easy to get one from Mark if he is in London."
    "We'll do it Bridget. We'll find some DNA."
    "Daniel's might not be hard to get either," thought Bridget. "Maybe there's something of his that came along with my luggage."
    "In that case, don't wash anything," said Clyde. "There could be hairs from him on your clothes. Give me everything, and something from you and the baby, and we'll look for foreign hair in your luggage."
    "What will it cost me?"
     "Nothing," said Clyde. "I'll sneak them into the CSI labs and do it in my spare time."
    "Well then you should come upstairs with me Clyde," said Bridget. "We can look through my luggage for hairs or dandruff or whatever from Daniel. And who knows there may even be something from Darcy too."
     "If not," said her freinds. "We'll invade his offices, or collect a cup he tosses into the garbage...We'll get his DNA."
    "Thank you fellows."
Well there is also other conversation with the friends asking Bridget how she is, looking at the son, and so on. This visit scene is expandable.

    Later when the friends have gone back to London, Bridget gets a phone call from one of the group.
   "Have you had any success yet?" Bridget wonders.
    "Yes, we think we have Darcy's DNA. It took some doing. But, you should know, Darcy is no longer with the firm. He's gone away. We pretended to be former clients and nobody knew where he has gone. We thought you'd want to know."
    "He's vanished? His parents are certain to know. I'll have to ask."
     "Well anyway, we have everything needed to do the DNA tests - samples from the baby, Daniel, and Darcy, and you. Clyde says it may take a couple of weeks to get it done, since he has to do it in his spare time. We'll let you know the verdict. Just relax and put all your worries from your mind."
   "Thank you...."
    Bridget's mother overheard the phone call and wonders who it was.
    "It's my friends. They're doing something for me."
    "You were wondering earlier, Bridget, where Darcy was. You could phone his mother, you know."
    "No I think I'll wait a little bit. Maybe in a couple of weeks - maybe. I don't know if I should disturb things as they are. It could be that Darcy was bitter when I left for a second time. Maybe he's got over it....We'll see..."



6.
Darcy Has Fled Civilization!!


    And so Bridget bides her time at her mothers, happy to have her mother take over so many of the chores of looking after the baby while she contemplates her future.
    One morning, she looks out the window and sees a small car approaching. It is filled with her friends, and they all come jumping out all excited. Bridget goes downstairs to meet them. They are breathless with excitement.
    "What is it? What is it?"
    "You wouldn't believe it, Bridget! The tests came back!  The baby is actually Darcy's"
   "The baby is Mark's not Daniels! Incredible!!!"
   "You've got to find Mark to tell him the news - IF you want him to know."
    "Of course I do. I think I made a BI-IG mistake going with Daniel again."
    "It's like we said before, Bridget - Darcy may be a little dull, but he's reliable. And Cleaver may be exciting but he's unreliable. And a baby needs reliable."
    "Not to mention the mother," declared Bridget. "But where is Darcy I wonder?"
    "They didn't know at his firm."
    "I will phone his mother, or have my mother phone his mother - actually that would be better. My mother knows his mother. After all I played naked in his paddling pool when I was four."
    So her mother phones his mother.
    "Good morning Mrs Darcy. It's been a while since we talked last. I thought I should give you a call.  How is your family?....How is your son Mark. So sorry his engagement with Bridget ended.....Indeed?....Yes?.....Oh dear!"
    Bridget and her friends were listening, and when her mother put the phone down, Bridget pleaded: "What did she say?"
    Her mother had a worried look. "It seems he has run away to the wilderness in Norway!"
    "What?"
   "It seems that  his life went off the tracks soon after you went with Daniel. He gave up law and wanted to get away from it all. He wanted to go to the wildest place possible nearest to here. He thought he'd write a book or something. So his mother says he headed to Lapland to live among a group of extremely traditional reindeer herding Lapps - no snowmobiles or anything modern . By the way she said the Lapps are today called Saami. And she says that's where he has been for the past many months. His mother also said he was hurt that you found him dull. He wanted to do something not dull."
    "I have to make contact with him," exclaimed Bridget.
    "His mother says he isn't even reachable by normal communications! The only way they can contact him is by sending a letter to a place where this tribe or clan goes to pick up a few supplies. They aren't normal modern Saami. These ones have gone back to primitive ways!"
    "I must go to him!" declared Bridget. "Or else he'll never come back! I'll go there and find him and bring him back!"
    "With the baby?"
    "Well I have to breastfeed him mother. Besides my friends have managed to do testing - you know like paternity testing - and Daniel junior is really Mark junior. I can't leave him behind.  Mark is the father, and I made a mistake and I must go there and bring him back."
    "We'll come with you!" exclaimed her friends.
    "No. You've got work or whatever. I must go alone. Beside it costs alot of money to go to northern Norway, especially if it's necessary to hire guides and special transportation to reach that Saami tribe."
    "Well you must  keep in touch, anyway, so we don't worry."
    "Well I guess I'd better buy some warm clothes for the baby. It's fall now. I'll go back to London now, and visit a camping supply store and buy whatever people buy when going camping in fall with a baby."
    "We'll drive you back to London."
    "Thank you guys. You're such good friends."


7.
On the Trail of Darcy in Lapland


    Before long, Bridget, dressed warmly was arriving at the airport in Tromso, the closest large city to Lapland. Her 3 month (we don't want the baby to be too heavy) old baby was  enveloped in a baglike carrier thing with straps so she could even carry him on her front or back.  She got it from a nature hiking store.
    Bridget's encounter with the Saami, starting with the modern ones, is the major part of this story (much like Thailand was the major part of the story in Edge of Reason). She stays in a hotel, encounters the culture, inquires about traditional reindeer herders. (STORY CONTINUES AFTER THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE SAAMI)
=============================================================
SOME BACKGROUND ON THE SAAMI
excerpts from 'The Saami: A People of Four Countries' by Louise Backman in Traditional Peoples Today: Continuity and Change in the Modern World/ general editor Göran Burenhult, San Francisco, Harper San Francisco, 1994
(introduction)
The Saami, commonly known as the Lapps, occupy the arctic and subarctic regions of Fennoscandia, which extend over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland (the Laplands), and the Kola Peninsula, in Russia. About 2,000 years ago, their homeland was much more extensive. Saami inhabited the entire region of what is now Finland and also part of Karelia, and extended further into southern parts of Scandinavia. The Saami language belongs to the Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family, and there are somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 Saami speakers, of whom nearly 6,000 are reindeer herders, leading a nomadic way of life.
(AP additional note: essentially they are the aboriginal peoples of  northern Europe and it is from them that the word 'Finn' comes as in historic texts. Other Finnic peoples like Finns and Estonians can be viewed as branches that became more civilized without assimilating totally into foreign immigrant cultures. Although originally they were generally hunter-fishers, only the specialized reindeer herders have endured while hunter-fishers have assimilated into Scandinavian cultures. Thus the focus here is on the still visible reindeer Saami))
Fishers, Hunters, Herders
While the Saami are most widely known as reindeer herders, this has not always been their way of life. Like many other peoples, they once subsisted by fishing and hunting........Over the years however, some Saami began to concentrate on herding reindeer.........Herding wild deer, like hunting them, requires a cooperative approach and the structure of Saami herding communities reflects this. Each household belongs to a siida, which can be understood as a team of reindeer owners who migrate with the herds within a certain area. A Saami village or district is a union of siidas within a larger region, with the function of promoting the deer herder's common interests.
The Saami in History
The earliest written descriptions of northern Europe, from the first centuries AD, mention a people skilled in deer hunting called Fenni or Skrithifinoi, who are believed to be the Saami. The Icelandic sagas, which were written during the early thirteenth century, describe the Saami - here called Finns - as being knowledgable about witchcraft and occasionally dangerous. This was in part a reference to the figure of the shaman (or noaidi) in Saami society, a person who had special knowledge of the supernatural world. During seances, the shaman would fall into a trance, and on awakening, would relate the will of the gods or deliver messages from the dead. The noaidi used his drum, the goabda, as an instrument of exaltation, but as far as we know, he never used drugs.
Gods, Goddesses, and Ancestors
Traditional Saami religion followed a pattrern common to the northern Siberian region, and was based on living in harmony with nature. The Master or Mistress of Places and Animals was an important deity, because he or she protected the animals people relied on for food and influenced the rate of reproduction of all living things. The Sky God, Tiermes, (AP note: same as Taara, Toori, etc in Finnish/Estonian tradition, and the ultimate origin also of Thor which the immigrant Scandinavians borrowed and turned into a warrior) was more distant, but revealed himself through such phenomena as the sun, wind, and thunder. These natural phenomena were worshipped with animal sacrifices, as was the  Sky God himself, on occasion. In Saami myths, deities assumed human characteristics, but the idols made to represent them were roughly fashioned, consisting of little more than wooden blocks. Female divinities played an important role in traditional Saami religion. The Mother Goddess, Madter-Akka, and her three daughters promoted fertility in both humans and animals, and protected families. Ancestors were venerated, and the shaman was a guardian of religious and social order. By the end of the eighteenth century, however, the Saami had officially abandoned their old religion and become Christians.
An Enduring Culture
Until the twentieth century...........The Saami were set apart by their egalitarian social structure, the way they utlilized natural resources, and by their language. During the last three centuries, the Saami's central area has attracted many immigrants. Rich ores are being mined, hydroelectric power stations have been built, and the forests are being cleared for timber. The high mountain area attracts tourists and holiday-makers and  this has had a big impact on the Saami way of life. Pollution (etc)...many reindeer herders have had to switch to other occupations. For hundreds of years ....assimilate.....Saami culture ..weakened by the gradual infiltration of Nordic and Slavic cultural elements.
Reindeer herding followed the traditional pattern until the mid twentieth century. During the summer months, the entire family lived with the herd in high mountains or on islands along the Atlantic coast. As winter approached, the family followed the herd to winter grazing in the woodlands. When following the herd, the Saami lived in portable tents, but during the spring and autumn, they stayed in low mountain regions, living in wooden huts known as kota or gamme . Were once people had a special relationship with their herds today herding is highly motorized. The use of cars, snowscooters, snowmobiles, airplanes and helicopters has made the work easier, but it has also turned herding into a business more than a way of life, and deer into a commercial product.
.....................
(NOTE THERE IS MUCH MUCH MORE TO BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET)
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(THE STORY CONTINUES, EMPLOYING THE ABOVE INFO)
    Bridgets goes first to a hotel and encounters the culture, but since there is tourism, can get by alright with English. After her first small adventures with the culture, she makes inquires. (Lots of visual gags etc are possible here)
   "I would like to go to the interior where the reindeer herding is," she askes an authoritative person in an authoritative office. "A friend of mine is there."
    "Well we have tourists flights to some places where you can see Saami with reindeer...." (Note: such tourist trade into Lapland is big. On the internet I found a website offering 'Santa Claus' tours departing from England - Europeans you see find Santa Claus in Lapland, where as North Americans are oriented to the north pole. See after this story for more.)
    "No,no,no. I'm looking for a specific group, a particular clan, that my friend joined."
    "But which one? You have to give more information, even to begin asking. There are many reindeer herder clans and tribes."
    "All I know," said Bridget, "is that it is a group that decided to go back to the traditional ways - they don't use snowmobiles or anything. They want to be like they were before a century ago - doing reindeer herding as a way of life."
    "Oh that narrows it down. There is only one clan like that. Some people laugh at them for not using modern things. Everyone has heard of them!"
    "Where can I find them, and how can I get there?"
    "I don't know. All reindeer herders move with their reindeer. In summer reindeer are in the mountain or coastal pastures, and when winter comes they come down into the lower lands where the forests are. Perhaps that is where they are now, or will be soon since it is September. There would be Autumn activity going on now."
    "If you don't know where this one is, how can I find where they are?"
    "Well let's see. Each household belongs to a siida, which signifies a team of reindeer owners who migrate with the herds within a certain area. A Saami village or district is a union of siidas within a larger region, like a tribe, with the function of promoting the deer herder's common interests. So what you have to do is find the union of siidas to which the group you seek belongs. You must go down the street to the Saami reindeer herder's association offices. They may have a map there and tell you where to go and how. And then find some transportation there, by road, or maybe there is a helicopter. It's possible that there may be helicopter rides there. Tourists like them. The summer tourist season is over now, but perhaps there are still some flights....[See notes at bottom re tourism - it appears it is yearround - winter is the time for Santa Claus tours] And then from there, perhaps find a guide to take you to where the clan is now."
    "Thank you. Come my baby, we are off to find your father."



    Soon Bridget has found transportation to the district she is told to go - a helicopter. The view from the helicopter is breathtaking.
   "Look, my baby. Down there somewhere is your daddy."
    The helicopter, lands near a small permanent village. Without knowing the language, Bridget tries to get by by hand signals. Fortunately tourists from Britain sometimes come there, and she finds someone who can speak English.
    "Thank God, you speak English. I must go out to where the group is that is more traditional. I will pay someone to guide me."
   "There is someone who might want to take you. He is old and retired and stays here in the permanent town. But he once roamed everywhere with his clan, and if he is not too frail, he may take you."


8.
Bridget Treks With Baby


   And so before long, Bridget, baby strapped to her front, and an additional packsack on her back, set out in the autumn weather with the old short spry Saami man, to find the siida in question.
   They had to stop from time to time so Bridget could breastfeed the baby or change the baby. When they did, the old man made a fire and made some tea.
   "I am glad you speak English," she said.
    "I learned from tourists. I like dress up like oldtime Saami, and they like take my picture and give me money."
    "Well thank God for that. I don't know what I'd do without your English. While I feed my baby, tell me a little about the people where we're going."
    "Those people  got tired of tourists and growing reindeer for business like many others, and using machines, and watching television, and internet....Went back to how it was a hundred years ago. Saami followed reindeer. In summer reindeer on pastures, and in winter down low in forests when snow.  Old time Saami live in tents in summer and then when the reindeer in mountain valleys in forests, they live in little buildings, huts, called kota. kota made from skin, wood, rocks and sod. More permanent than tent. Come back to the same place to reuse. Today might build some small cabins too, if forest trees big enough."
   "They have things like pots and pans too, don't they?"
   "Of course. They don't go back to Stone Age. They use things like cabins, and pots and cups that they buy from village. But they are, as you say on musical videos , 'unplugged'. No electricity, not television, no telephone, ...."
    The old man poured some tea from the pot on the fire into a cup and offered it to Bridget. "If baby has milk, woman must have tea. I bring biscuits too."
   "Thank you, Mr. Old Saami Man."
    She took a sip of the tea. She continued: "I'm going to look for the father of this boy, like I told you earlier. He joined these people. How do you know where they are?"
    "I once lived out here with my group. But my people became too modern. Too much snowmobiles. Not fun any more. I was shaman, but they didn't respect shaman anymore. Old religion gone, except people were we are going bring it back. At least them."
   "You were shaman. What is that?"
   "Shaman communicate with spirits. He or she was guardian of social order and religion."
    "Tell me about the old religion."
    "Every place has man or woman spirit that looks after place. Even here, a woman spirit looks over all this. And there is also Mother Goddess. She called Madter-Akka, and her three daughters promote fertility in both humans and animals, and protected families."
    "A woman can talk to her if she and her husband have difficulty getting a baby. I suppose that's one reason I was disappointed with Darcy. We shagged hundreds of times but no baby came. But it came and I didn't know it."
   "Shagged?"
    "It's a British term. Never mind. Continue."
    "Well also important - we worship ancestors. We make shrines with things from ancestors, to remember them - parents and grandparents who died, and as far back as people can remember."
    "Well my baby is fed. We can continue on. Soon I will have to change its diaper. Thank you for teaching me how I can use moss. It would be very difficult to carry a load of diapers."
   "I will find moss, and you can change baby."
    So they journeyed on.

   At nighttime, her guide erected a makeshift shelter for her and her baby. He kept the fire going all night.
    In the morning, the old man brought her an armful of moss to put inside the baby's underpants to serve as a diaper.
    "Moss is washed and dried by the fire," he said. "Good also in boots to keep feet warm, and for women."
   Bridget cleaned her baby in a small stream and diapered him with the moss, packed him up, strapped him to her front, and they were off again.
   Snow began to blow. The wind was brisk.
    "Early snow," he said. "There won't be very much."
   "How much further."
   "Not far."

    Finally they descended a hill to several kota's and small wooden buildings.
   As they approached, several young Saami in traditional clothing came forth to greet the old man. They knew him. They then looked at Bridget and asked a question. He replied. They young men pointed to a small cabin. The old man came to talk to Bridget.
   "They say only some have arrived from mountain and the others are still guiding their reindeer herd down here. They came to get supplies and will go back to join the reindeer migration."
   "Did you ask about Mark Darcy?"
   "I asked about man who joined them a half year ago. They say he is one who is here. He write letter in small cabin. He likes small cabin because he likes a building that is square. Kota's are circular."
   "Yes, we folks in Britain are used to square cornered rooms," said Bridget.
   "He is there now. They say you should go there first if that is the reason you have come. They must go back to the reindeer herds right away. I will join the others and talk gossip."
   

9.
Darcy is Found!!



Bridget advanced to the cabin - a rough structure of thin fir trunks with a window and door. She knocked on the door.
   "Come in," came a voice from inside.
   She entered. Mark Darcy turned. "Bridget!!! Mother-Akka, it's you!!"
   Mark was almost unrecognizable. He had grown a beard, and his hair was unkempt.  He had acquired a shirt with Saami designs on it, and traditional Saami boots. When she had entered he had been facing away from the door, tapping on an oldfashioned typewriter.
   "I've come with an old man as a guide from the village that is the center of the union of siidas. I've been looking for you."
   Mark didn't know what to say. So Bridget looked around the small cabin. The typewriter was on a small wooden table, a sheet of paper in it. In one corner there was a shelf with Eton paraphanelia.
   "What's that?"
"That's my shrine to the ancestors. Our people worship ancestors. Eton paraphanelia from 5 generations of Darcy's who went there. We also worship Mother Akka and various nature spirits and a guy in the sky."
   "'Our' people?"
"Yes I've joined this clan. I wanted to get as far away from civilization as I could. And this clan offered it. The other siida's are more modern. They have cellphones and computers and helicopters. [See notes at bottom about what modernization has done, in contrast to  the traditional ways. ]I didn't want that. I've learned some Saami language. The only problem I have is getting paper for my typewriter. Have to go to the village for it. I planned to write a book while helping these people tend to their semi-wild reindeer herd. But right now I was writing a letter to my mother. I heard you had a baby. You've brought the baby. Where's Daniel?"
   "I've left him. I made such a big mistake again. I'm really really really really sorry! I should never have given up on you Mark. You were dull but reliable, while Daniel was interesting but unreliable. But I see Mark you have become interesting, in a way. But you look terrible. Your hair's a mess. You have an unpleasant beard. And you seem very unwashed. You've become the opposite of what you were."
    "Well that was the point of it."
    "Well I'm happy you're alive. But why? This is no place to be! I came to bring you back. You were right, Daniel was never to be trusted. We moved to Los Angeles and he had a late night talk show, and it didn't take him long to start shagging movie starlets behind my back. I want you to forgive me, and try again."
   "I'm sorry Bridget," he replies, "But I'm busy. I have to join my fellow Saami for the reindeer roundup. Most of my siida are on the mountain pastures still in tents with our herd. We came here only to gather some supplies. We must go back. The autumn season is a very intense time for us.  The reindeer have become accustomed to the freedom of the summer and can be difficult to control as they migrate from the coastal or mountain pastures - in this case it is the mountain pastures -  into the forests.  They tell me the males will wander off in search of food and the calves are becoming more independent."
    "Really?"
     "Yes, Bridget.  The reindeer will search for vegetation, and during the night and the herder will lose control of the reindeer. Making it even more difficult is that the snow has yet to fall so the reindeer do not leave any tracks to follow the next morning. We herders will spend a great deal of time looking for lost reindeer and keeping the reindeer together."
     "It sounds like quite a challenge."
    "It is, Bridget. In autumn too, the reindeer are divided into calves and yearlings, junior cows (females), senior cows, junior bulls, senior bulls, and castrates. Furthermore, the herder will finish the earmarking started in the summer. The larger herd of the summer is divided into smaller herds for the winter now too. It is a critical time for the herder to ensure that he or she finds all of the families’ herd and that the calves are properly marked. And it is at this time too, Bridget, that  we herders make important decisions about the herd composition."
     "I'm sorry, Darcy, if Autumn is a bad time. I could come back another season...."
      "And that's not all. Reindeer are slaughtered during this period for sale or for domestic consumption. We will be looking at the females who did not produce a calf that year, also called rodno. Will the herder give the rodno another chance to produce a calf or will he need to slaughter her? That is an important decision to be made. The female will be fat and a good choice for meat. Herders will also choose some males for slaughter. Usually some castrated males are slaughtered as well as younger males who might not be as strong going into the rut. Furthermore, the herder must also decide which males are to be castrated before the rut begins."
     "Rut?"
      "That's when the males compete for females. You know, when males have designs on the same female."
      "I understand. Like you and Cleaver... Go on..."
       "The rut begins with the senior bulls fighting each other to find out which is the strongest. The strongest bull will then have a harem of female bulls. The strength and size of the bulls will be a key factor. This is why herders will castrate or slaughter weaker bulls. Part of the skill of herding is deciding how many bulls and which ones should enter the rut each year. And during the rut the herders try not to disturb the animals. The rut hasn't happened yet, but when it does, we herders will keep watch on the calves that do not receive any milk from their mothers during the rut."
       "It sounds like a good plan..."
        "When you came I was just writing a letter to my mother, as I said. You never know when I might get close to a village where I can send a letter. Sorry Bridget. I have to go. My people are waiting. "
        Mark gathered his things, to go. His fellow herders were waiting it appears.
       "I'm sorry Mark for coming at the worst time of year when all that challenging work is going on. But I'm here, Mark! Please Mark!  I have left Daniel. You were right. Daniel can't change. I have left him. And I've come all this way - a two days journey on foot to find you!"
    Mark feels awkward and uncomfortable. "I have to go. We are all going back to the reindeer to round them up. I have to go."
    "What'll I do?"
     Mark leaves the hut, Bridget follows still weighed down with baby and backpack.
 He says:"Well you can stay here with your guide, return, or follow me with the men to where the reindeer are. It's up to you. But I have to go to round up reindeer."
    "I'll follow you."
    "Don't be foolish Bridget."
    "Go ahead to the reindeer and whatever you have to do with them. I'll follow you."
    Mark begins to go. He shouts something to two other men in Saami. And they hail back that they are ready to go.
    Bridget follows. After a while when they stop for a breather, Bridget says: "Please, Mark, give me another chance! I realize I should have been with you all along. Daniel is a cad."
     Mark replies " I'm sorry Bridget, you'll never learn. I have given you a second chance too often now. I suggest you go home and leave me with my life tending to the reindeer herds with my new adopted people, these traditional Saami. It is so much easier away from civilization. Go back with the old man you came with."
    The men continue. Bridget continues to stumble along, baby strapped to her belly and backpack on her back. She has  a hard time keeping up. The other men look at her as something peculiar. Darcy indicates to them not to worry, he will handle it. They see the reindeer herd and the other men in the distance along the mountain slope.
    Bridget catches up again. "Just one more chance, Mark. Please. I'm really really really really sorry. I'm really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sorry."
     "It doesn't matter how many 'really's you say. I've committed myself to this new primitive way of life."
     "Please, just stop and think about what you are doing, Mark. You have given up all your education and experience in law."
    "No I haven't. I can still apply my education here. I can think, plan - I have skills that are applicable anywhere. And the Saami have human rights issues with the modern Scandinavian governments, with which I can help."
    "But I can't go back to Cleaver. I can't!!"
     Mark is firm. "Too late. You now have Cleaver's son as an enduring reminder. How can I raise a son of Cleaver's when he has crossed me again and again?"
    "But," cries Bridget. "I've been wanting to tell you, if you'd give me a chance. He is not Daniel's son. He is YOUR son. I had my friend the police CSI technician get DNA samples from hair and fingernail clippings in London from you and Daniel, and the DNA evidence shows my boy is not Daniel's but YOUR's."
     Mark stops, looks at the baby Bridget is carrying. "Really? Mine? Come let's have a look at him."
    Bridget unstraps him and gives the baby package to Darcy. He is all smiles as he looks at the face of the three month old boy. "You're saying, Bridget, that he's mine?"
    "Yes. He's a Mark Darcy junior not a Daniel Cleaver junior."
      Mark has a broad smile on his face, his eyes lit up.
     "Reconsider, Mark. Let's try again."
     "Well...."said Mark.....



     Before long, they are in a hotel in Tromso. Bridget orders him into a bathtub and scrubs him vigorously while he shaves his beard.
    "Don't be so rough, Bridget," he says. "I'm trying to shave."
     "Hold off your shaving then, until I've finished scrubbing the reindeer smell off you."
     The baby in the next room gurgles happily



10.
Back in Britain


    Meanwhile Cleaver, concerned that Bridget has done something drastic finally takes time off from his Hollywood based talk show, and flies to London looking for her. He can't find where she is from the Sit Up Britain offices. ("We assumed she was in Los Angeles with you, Cleaver"). When he asks her friends their lips are tight. ("No we don't know, Cleaver.")  Bridget's mother is evasive. ("Well,...She asked me not to say...I'm sorry..") Finally Cleaver decides to look up Darcy. Not finding where he is at his former law firm ("Sorry he departed from the firm and the only forwarding address we have is that of his parents") , he finally takes a car and drives to Darcy's parents place.
     Bridget and Darcy arrive there at the same time in their car, returning from Lapland. They meet up at the entranceway. Daniel in his rush nicks their car, without knowing it's them.
    Daniel leaps out of his car. "You nicked my car," Daniel complained.
    "You nicked mine," replied Darcy inside his, with Bridget beside him.
     "Darcy!" exclaimed Daniel. Then he saw Bridget and the baby. "I thought so. Bridget runs back to Darcy. I was on the way to your parents to see if you were there to ask you where Bridget was. It seems to this point nobody knows anything!! But here you are!"
    "Go away Daniel," said Bridget. "We've just come home from a quite tiring journey, and we don't have any patience to deal with you."
     "Be reasonable Bridget. You've left Darcy before. How will this time be any different, especially since the boy is mine? Come with me? I promise I'll finally change. I'll go into therapy. The baby is mine too."
   Darcy gets out of his car to deliver the news. "That's where you're wrong Cleaver. It happens the baby is mine."
      "No he's mine. And I'll take him." He opens the back door, and unlaches the baby carrier and grabs it.
     "Take your hands off my baby!" exclaims Darcy.
      Bridget leaps out. "Stop it! Stop it! Give me the baby. He's not a football."
      Bridget takes the baby from them.
     Daniel addresses Bridget. "So what is the basis of this idea Darcy has that the baby is his?"
    "It happens, Daniel, that the boy is actually Mark's. I had DNA analysis done using DNA samples from hair from both of you, or coffee cups or whatever they used. It proved that the baby is Mark's, born late, not early. Born from our last shag."
     "Really? But...."
     "Goodbye Daniel. Go back to Hollywood. I'm sure you have several Hollywood actresses waiting for you and you will have a happy life with them!"
      "It was a mistake. You know how I am. I am ill. I need you to be by my side as I get cured."
     "Is that so, Cleaver?" asked Darcy. "Perhaps you wanted to use her for making and raising a son for you, while you womanized behind her back."
     "Well, it's better than being  a wanker behind her back..."
     Darcy slugs him and a fight ensues into the foliage in front of the Darcy estate.


11.
The Finale


    Dust settles, months pass, Bridget is back in her circle of friends, this time holding her baby. "I'm glad it all turned out okay, Bridget."
   "Yes, Daniel is now completely out of my life, now that we had an official paternity test done to doublecheck and to do it properly, and he has seen the proof. I will now be Mrs. Jones-Darcy. Darcy is back practicing law. He has decided to help the Saami people in their aspirations to remain independent culturally and politically from the countries their lands are in - did you know they straddle about four nations? Mark's a human rights lawyer you know."
   "We know."
[See APPENDIX at bottom for notes on issues the Saami have with their various governments]
   "That's him now outside," continued Bridget. "He's come to pick us up. I told him I'd be here talking to you. We have a long journey into the country."
    "Where are you going?"
    "My mother's annual turkey buffet supper of course."
    Mark entered the restaurant. Bridget got up to greet him and give him the baby, now  6 months old.
     "Ready to go to my mother's annual turkey buffet supper, Mark?"
    "All set, Bridget. I even wore the jumper."
     "Yes, the SPECIAL jumper."
     "What jumper?" wondered the friends.
     "Show them, Mark."
Mark handed the baby back to Bridget and opened his coat to show the ugly sweater with the reindeer head with the big red nose that appeared first at the start of 'Bridget Jones Diary'
    "I've grown rather fond of his reindeer sweater," laughed Bridget.



ZOOM IN ON THE SWEATER REINDEER FROM THE FIRST BRIDGET JONES MOVIE AND ANIMATE IT SOMEHOW (Winks, or nose glows) .
(Credits could be superimposed on actual shots of real reindeer on a mountain slope and real Saami.)

     


 THE END


If the above story were expanded upon into an actual script or a novel, the following was collected from the internet as more background information about the Saami I pursued in a half day of internet research, to a great extent for my own curiosity. The story if developed further might as well be of service to these people and not treat them in a stereotype superficial manner.
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APPENDIX 1. ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SAAMI REINDEER HERDING
Because Darcy wants to be traditional (to make the story more contrastive and comedic) let us look at what the traditional culture was. It happens that the best resource for this information is the University of Texas website where there are several major articles about reindeer herding in Norway, Sweden, and FInland.  The article under Norway is most thorough in describing the way of life. And so I copy the text here. Note that Bridget arrives in our story in Autumn, so the Autumn activity would be taking place.

FROM http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/diehtu/siida/herding/herding-sw.htm  (in the article on NORWAY SAMI - this information especially suits the story because our story has Bridget go to Norway)

(the bolded parts are the ones relevant to a more detailed development of the story in order not to introduce mistakes and to respect the people and their activities. The following gives the traditional ways - modern ways have been changed by modern technology and traditions - and that is copied further down below - see the brown text below for continuation) (Note the following article assumes the reindeer are on summer pastures near the coast. They can also be on mountain pastures - in our story they are. Essentially they are on pastures in summer and then in fall head for the shelters of forests in valleys.)
Traditional Reindeer Herding (17th century–WW II)
     Reindeer herding in Norway takes place primarily in northern Norway in an area called Finnmark. Herders follow the same migration paths from year to year and each family will have their own pasture areas but all the land is communal. Herders will respect each others areas but if conditions are poor in certain years it is understood that herds may have to find other pasture areas which might be other families traditional areas.
    Reindeer herding involved the entire family and often several families worked together and camped together. Women had as much of an equal role in herding as the males and the children were given appropriate chores for their age. The tradition of reindeer herding was passed from one generation to the other. The children went along on the migrations learned by experience.
    The Sami are nomads and home is the laavu, a portable tent that is the “house” for the family. The Sami lived in the laavu for most of the year but some would also have a more comfortable and solid house they would stay in during the spring season. They migrate with the help of draft reindeer and sleds. During the winter, skis would help with herding.
    To be a good reindeer herder requires many skills. First and foremost, the reindeer herder must know his or her herd, which comes from close observation throughout the year. The herder must know the behavior and movement of the herd and understand how wind, geography, and climate will effect the herd’s behavior and movement.
    The herder has a role both in the actual herding but also in husbandry. Husbandry deals with the composition of the heard. In husbandry the herder must decide how many castrates there should be, which animals should be slaughtered, which animals will become draft animals, which animals are marked for the children or as a dowry, and what is the overall size of the heard. The herd needs to be in proportion to the grazing land that is available.
    The herder is able to distinguish his or her reindeer from other family’s herds by knowing the reindeer and by the earmarks. Reindeer are branded by making small cuts into the ears of calves. Each family member will have their own earmark and part of the skill of a herder is knowing different family earmarks. There are thousands of different earmarks in Norway.
The Seasons
   Time is divided into four seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. There are no exact dates for each season. Every season depends on the reindeer and the climate. During the spring and summer months the herders move out towards the coast and during the fall and winter they move inland. Each season involves a different aspect of reindeer herding and husbandry.
Summer
  The summer season is generally from June through September. During the summer the herds are along the coast or on islands just off of the coast. The reindeer swim out to the islands. Some herds will stay more inland in the forest but this is a small minority. The coast provides a plentiful source of grasses rich in protein and minerals. The summer is a time for the reindeer to gain strength and weight, especially for the newborn calves. If the summer pastures are not good the reindeer will have a difficult time making it through the winter.
    For the herders it is a time of relative relaxation. Once they have found good pastures the reindeer are given more freedom to wander and find the best vegetation. The herds are there to keep the reindeer from falling off cliffs or wondering too far away. Another concern during the summer is the insects and reindeer will often head upwards to a glacier and stand on sheets of ice where the mosquitoes cannot bite them.
   Several herds may be grouped together during the summer with families working together. The herders will try to earmark as many calves as they can during the summer.
   The herder’s knowledge of their reindeer will help determine which animals are slaughtered during the summer. Reindeer are mostly slaughtered during the summer for their hides. In the late spring they start to shed their winter coats. Growing under the winter coat is a shorter coat with even hairs. Calves’ hides are particularly valuable for making clothing and calves that are injured, lost from their mothers or suspected to be a problem are slaughtered. This is where an intimate knowledge of the reindeer is most valuable so that the herder makes the wisest decision. A few animals will be slaughtered for fresh meet but the summer is not a big slaughter season. Herder’s diets will be complemented with fish from the coast.
Autumn
    The autumn season is from September through October and is a very intense time for the herders. The reindeer herds start their migration inward from the coast feeding on grasses and mushrooms. The reindeer have become accustomed to the freedom of the summer and can be difficult to control. The males will wander off in search of food and the calves are becoming more independent. The reindeer will search for vegetation and during the night the herder will lose control of the reindeer. Making it even more difficult is that the snow has yet to fall so the reindeer do not leave any tracks to follow the next morning. Herders will spend a great deal of time looking for lost reindeer and keeping the reindeer together.
    All reindeer move up to the next age class during the autumn. Calves are not distinguished between the sexes until after their second summer. Reindeer are divided into the following categories: calves and yearlings, junior cows (females), senior cows, junior bulls, senior bulls, and castrates.
    The herder will finish the earmarking started in the summer. The larger herd of the summer will be divided into smaller herds for the winter. It is a critical time for the herder to ensure that he or she finds all of the families’ herd and that the calves are properly marked. Separation into smaller herds will be composed of several smaller families or a group of extended family.
    It is during the autumn that the herders make important decisions about the herd composition and knowledge of the herd is vital. Reindeer are slaughtered during this period for sale and to some degree for domestic consumption. The herder will be looking at the females who did not produce a calf that year, also called rodno. Will the herder give the rodno another chance to produce a calf or will he need to slaughter her? The female will be fat and a good choice for meat. Herders will also choose some males for slaughter. Usually some castrated males are slaughtered as well as younger males who might not be as strong going into the rut. The herd will decrease is size during this period.
    The herder must also decide which males are to be castrated before the rut begins. Part of the skill of herding is deciding how many bulls and which ones should enter the rut each year.
    The reindeer have traditional places where the rut takes place and usually the herder will return to the same rut area each year. The rut begins with the senior bulls fighting each other to find out which is the strongest. The strongest bull will then have a harem of female bulls. The strength and size of the bulls will be a key factor. This is why herders will castrate or slaughter weaker bulls.
    During the rut the herders try not to disturb the animals. The herders will keep watch on the calves that do not receive any milk from their mothers during the rut.
Winter
    The winter season lasts from October through April and two months of the season are total darkness. The separation of the herd into smaller herds is completed during winter. This is important because of the snow. The reindeer pack down the snow and make it difficult to get under the snow for food. Large herds of reindeer make the situation worse, so; smaller herds have less impact on the environment.
    The herds have migrated inward from the coast to their winter areas but the winter is the season most affected by the climate. The snow conditions will affect where the herd lives for the winter and the herder is always prepared for alternative plans. The reindeer live on lichen, which is buried under the snow. Different snow conditions will make it easier or harder for the reindeer to get to the lichen. If they are unable to get to the lichen the herder will have to move to another area. If the reindeer are unable to get to the lichen it can be disastrous.
    The Sami language . . . . . . .(a paragraph or two skipped - some examples of words relating to snow)
     A positive aspect to the snow is that it makes finding lost reindeer much easier because the herder can follow the tracks. This is another reason to have smaller herds and to keep the herds separated. If there are too many reindeer or herds too close to each other there will be many different tracks. The reindeer are easier to keep together during the winter because they naturally stay grouped close together.
   Now that the herder has only his or her own reindeer they can take inventory of their herd. The winter slaughter is mostly for domestic consumption and the meat will be dried and saved for the spring. Herders will choose which castrated males they will train to become draft reindeer and spend the winter training the animals for the spring migration.
    The winter is a peaceful time and a chance to spend time with family. It is also a chance for the Sami to socialize which each other. Courtship through the winter season is common and many who have courted during the winter will be married at Easter.
Spring
     The spring season marks the movement outward and back towards the summer pastures. The reindeer will start heading toward the cost for several reasons. One, they will be searching for new grasses to replace the diet of lichen. They are also searching for salt, which can be found on the coast. Finally, they are returning to their calving areas from the year before. Calving is the primary activity of the spring season.
    The herders will separate the females and calves from the males for the spring migration. The females feel more comfortable calving without the males present. The male herders will usually stay with the females and the rest of the family will take the males. The male reindeer will join back up with the female reindeer and calves in the summer pasture.
     When calving takes place will vary from herd to herd. Some will go straight to the summer pastures and then calving will begin, but most will travel to a traditional calving area and then proceed to the summer pastures. If calves are born early before the males and females are separated they will be left with their mother and the male herd to start the migration later. If calving begins while on route to the calving grounds then the herder may have to place the calf on the sled as the herd continues the migration. The herder must be prepared for anything.
    The herder is looking for a calving area with rich pasture of lichen and grasses so the mothers do not wander far for grazing. The ground should be dry for the calves to sleep and it should be an open ground so herders can watch for predators. The herder will keep a close watch on the older females and must keep the herd together so that the females do not try to hide when they go into labor. If the birth is difficult the herder will need to intervene as a midwife. During this time the herder is acting as a protector of the new calves from predators.
    As in all other seasons, the spring is a time to gain critical knowledge of the herd. The herder is looking for relationships between the mothers and their calves. Does the mother produce enough milk? Let their calves suckle? Do they reject their newborn calves for the offspring from the previous year? If their newborn dies, was it the fault of the mother? These are all questions which help the herder decide which females to slaughter later in the year and without the herder being there to see the calves and the mothers the herders will not have the critical knowledge to make the best decisions about the herd.
    It will be a few weeks after the calving is complete till the final migration to the summer pastures can take place. The calves will need to gain strength for the journey. The herder may move small distances to find better pastures. The male herd and the rest of the herder’s family will join the female herd at this time. The two herds are still kept separate but the herder will be able to move between the two herds and be joined with the family.
    The final migration to the coast will begin when the calves are several weeks old. The herds will travel apart with the male herd taking a faster, but more difficult route, and the females and calves taking a slower route. The male herd will be able to travel at night when the snow on the ground will be easier to travel across. A few herders and family members will stay with the females and calves for the longer trip. The calves will still need to rest often and have a plentiful supply of vegetation for the trip. The herders will often have to help the calves cross rivers and other difficult parts of the migration. The journey will take several weeks compared to a few days of the male herd.

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APPENDIX 2. MODERNIZATION IN  SAAMI REINDEER HERDING
CONTINUING FROM  http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/diehtu/siida/herding/herding-sw.htm
THE FOLLOWING ALSO FROM THE SAME PAGE BRIEFLY DESCRIBES MODERNIZATION (that the hypothetical group in our story is trying to get away from.)  This information is useful for developiong what Bridget experiences before taken to the traditional group. Also for developing some contrasts that might be amusing.  (underlining is mine)

Modernization
     Part of the government’s involvement included the introduction of modern technology to reindeer herding. Centuries of traditional herding were about to undergo significant chances after World War Two.
     In an effort to manage the reindeer herds, the government built fences and corrals. The fences were designed to keep the reindeer on designated pasture areas. The government created borders to divide the pasture areas. However, the outcome was overgrazing along the fence lines. Traditionally during the summer the reindeer were given more freedom to wander the summer pastures looking for the best food. The fences to some degree hindered the reindeer’s movement.
      In addition, the government wanted all herds on the autumn migration to pass through corrals, which acted as check points. The corrals provided the government a chance to count the number of reindeer for taxation purposes and keep control of the reindeer herds. The corals were traumatic for the reindeer because of the handling by the herders and the confinement to the corral area.
      Modern technology was also introduced to the tundra in snowmobiles, helicopters, transport vehicles, and boats. All of these transportation systems made reindeer herding far less time consuming but at what cost?
       The snowmobiles replaced skis and sled as a means to transverse the tundra and control the reindeer. However, the snowmobile is loud and it frightens the reindeer. It also packs the snow down making it difficult for the reindeer to dig under the snow for lichen. When there is no snow, the all terrain vehicles tear-up the ground and disturb the grazing areas.
      Helicopters, boats, and transportation vehicles help to manage the herd migration. Boats are used to transport the reindeer to the summer pastures on the islands. Transport vehicles help to move the migration much faster. Helicopters are used to steer and control the reindeer when migrating.
      The biggest problem with the transport vehicles is the concept of time. The Sami concept of time is different from the Western concept. For the Sami, time is measured in the seasons and the cycle of the reindeer. The transport vehicles are on a clock system of time. They expect the reindeer to be at certain locations at a specific time so that the reindeer can be transported. Reindeer herding cannot work in such a system. It might take one week or two weeks to get the reindeer to where they are suppose to be.
      All of the modernization, which has occurred in the past 50 years, does help with herding and allows herders to have greater numbers of reindeer. However, what is lost is protection of the environment from overgrazing of fences, impact of snowmobiles, and the noise pollution of all transport vehicles. In addition, the herder looses the intimate connection with the reindeer and the knowledge of each reindeer, which was always present in traditional herding.
   The Sami can never return to traditional herding but hopefully they can find peace and understand from the Norwegians. Part of the process is for Norway to give the Sami more control over Sapmi. A large bureaucratic government in Oslo could never understand the complexities and the needs of the Sami reindeer herders. By giving them more control over their herding the Norwegians would be giving back to the Sami what they have taken for centuries. I believe that only the Sami can learn to use modern technology in ways that will preserve the environment.

The last paragraph, the final one in the article, ties in very well to the story, because it addresses the value of traditional ways, and why some very idealistic clan may want to revert.


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APPENDIX 3. SAMI IN TOURISM
     Most Europeans find the Sami a great tourist destination - reindeer, colorful costumes, land of Santa Clause - and so that is one of the realities of any story that takes a character into Lapland.  One only needs to browse the internet to find tourist destinations.  Individual Sami families, even if not pursuing any reindeer herding, put on their costumes and open their homes to tourists, obviously for the income. In our story we have an old Sami man who dresses up for the tourists. There is so much on the internet, ther is no need to put anything here. And much of it is especially marketed for Britain, as Britain is not so far away. One of the websites I came across immediately was Santa Claus tourism. The tourist leaves Britain and flies to a particular airport in Lapland, and activities include The classic short break in Lapland’s magical northern wilderness, including  all the activities below, plus a traditional Arctic Circle Ceremony with  the local Sami people to celebrate your crossing of the Arctic Circle, and fun for the children with the cheeky Saari Elves.
Day One
-- The children will love being greeted at Ivalo Airport by a reindeer with  its Sami handler, and one of Santa’s elves, presenting a delightful photo opportunity to capture your family’s first few minutes in Santa’s homeland.
--A short, comfortable 25-minute coach-ride transfers you to your hotel or cosy chalet in Saariselkä, just enough time to see if you can spot more reindeer or Santa’s hut through the forests bordering the road.
Time for your ‘Michelin-man’ impersonations, as we get you fitted with your special complimentary thermal over-suits, boots, gloves and hats.
--Fun-time – a chance to explore and get your bearings in this winter wonderland, make snowmen, go tobogganing or just relax in a fragrant Finnish sauna.
--For chalet guests and hotel guests on our full-board option, a wonderful first night dinner to set the scene for tomorrow’s excitement!
Day Two
--We will pick you up for the ultimate Christmas adventure, enjoying all the following exciting activities at some point throughout the day, all of which are included in our prices.
--Reindeer Sleigh Ride, meet your reindeer and your local Sami guide, learn the Lappish reindeer names, then take a wonderful 7-10 minute ride into the picturesque woods, with the children cuddled under blankets on your knee.
--Husky Sled Ride, where the children get to ride with a parent (and shout ‘mush mush!’ at every opportunity!), and grown-ups can all take a turn at actually ‘driving’ your own sled! Imagine your sled, drawn by five or six eager huskies, straining at the leash and desperate to run, then released and you’re off on a thrilling approx. 15-minute adventure, racing through the snow-covered woods - the perfect way to experience Lapland’s winter wonderland.
--Traditional Arctic Circle Ceremony, where a Sami guide will introduce you to their traditional culture with stories and maybe a song or two, and every guest receives a special souvenir certificate, to celebrate your
intrepid crossing of the Arctic Circle.
--Lunch is also included to recharge your batteries for the afternoon. This will be a simple but warming
 -- 2-course meal with plenty of hot berry juice, squash, tea and coffee available.
-- A host of snow and ice activities to enjoy, such as ice-fishing, snow-hockey, kick-sledding (a crazy cross between a scooter and a toboggan!), tandem skiing, mini skidoo rides for the children, tobogganing and snow sculpture – a chance for all budding artists to convert a large block of compact snow into a work of art.
-- See your children’s faces light up with wonder, as you fulfil your family’s Search for Santa, and meet Santa Claus himself, in an exclusive private family meeting, in his hideaway log-cabin home, with his helpers on hand to make you welcome and ensure there is magic in the air!
-- Refreshments are included too and are available throughout the day, for those times when a few minutes warming up round a crackling log fire is welcomed.
-- Finally, back ‘home’ in your hotel or chalet, sit down as a family and enjoy a wonderful Gala Dinner (optional in hotels), and re-live every unforgettable moment of your biggest ever Christmas adventure!
Day Three
-- Fun-time again, with the chance to thrill to another big adventure, whether pre-booked in the UK or chosen the night before from our ‘Optional Adventures’.
-- You may have fallen in love with the huskies and want to enjoy the sled ride again, or perhaps experience skiing or snowmobiling there are plenty of options to choose from.
-- If you’ve booked our full-board option, a light packed lunch will be provided from your hotel or chalet to be eaten at your convenience. This allows you to make the most of your last morning in Saariselkä, whether for activities or simply to browse the village’s souvenir shops to choose from their range of traditional Lappish items and Christmas gifts.
-- We will collect you from your doorstep by coach and take you to the airport to catch your flight home, to a chorus of fond farewells.
Check out what's included:
Husky Sled Ride
Snowmobile Search for Santa
Private family meeting with Santa
Reindeer Sleigh Ride
Arctic Circle Ceremony & souvenir certificate
Gala Dinner included with full-board option
Snow & Ice Activities
Letter to Santa Claus
Lunch & Refreshments
Souvenir ‘driving licence’ for reindeer and huskies
Thermal outer-suits and accessories
A gift from Santa for all children under 13

WOW! All that! And I believe it was under  900 pounds! haha
Other websites also describe visits in summertime when reindeer still have the velvet.  The above description of the Santa Claus oriented tour gives you a general idea of the tourist angle - and Sami who are no longer very much involved with reindeer herding can certainly offer the tourist experience.
Here is a link to reindeer trekking  I found on the web http://www.destination-laponia.se/Products/Reindeer%20trek%202006.htm

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APPENDIX 4. ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AMONG THE  SAMI
 Why Darcy, being a 'human rights lawyer' is perfectly suited for involvement with Saami
Straddling three (4 if Russia is included) countries, they have never had their own autonymous nation, and in each nation, they have their own problems. Currently the Sami have the greatest problems in Sweden with land use issues. .I don't intend to go into great deal because if the story were expanded into greater detail, there might only be some references to issues being faced - just enough to show that the story has some relevant background to it, and opens door for realistic treatment  so there is plenty of room to expand - through dialogue or scenes - on Sami cultural difficulties, beyond the humour of tourism to see the people associated with Santa Claus in Europe.
SWEDEN
Here is an introduction to the problem from the U of Texas website on SAMI CULTURE at http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/
"The fact that the Sami have never had a sovereign state and today inhabit an area that has been divided by four countries—Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Russia—has put great pressure on the culture. Various problems persist; one of the greatest has been that of assimilation. The Scandinavian countries sought to steer the pastoral nomadic Sami into more modern economic pursuits or to assimilate them into modern society. This was accomplished by the Swedish government's narrow interpretation of Sami ethnicity, basing it exclusively on economic activity (Forrest 1997: 5). Thus a Sami could only expect cultural protection if he was involved in reindeer herding; all other Sami were legally and culturally assimilated. While it seemed as though traditional Sami herding was under the protection of the government, the time-honored methods of herding were starting to change, further eroding the traditional Sami way of life."
Land rights and the use of these lands for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden have been hotly debated topics for generations of Sami.. . . . ."
This is from the Swedish Sami section at http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/diehtu/siida/herding/herding-sw.htm  (copy this into the address field at the top of your browser to go there)  This web article is about reindeer herding in Sweden, covers the history of Swedish government treatment of the Sami
FINLAND
As mentioned above under SWEDEN, in Finland anyone can own a reindeer herd. Here in the U of Texas article at http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/diehtu/siida/herding/herding-sw.htm  this fact is mentioned. It arose from the "Finn" who migrated into the north, not being very different culturally and linguistically from the Sami, hence there was a lack of segregation of the peoples like there was between the Sami and the Germanic cultures of Sweden and Norway.
"Over the course of history, reindeer herding has traced its development in Finland along a slightly different path than the one it had followed in nearby Sweden and Norway.  Non-Sámi Finnish settlers, almost upon arrival, began to adopt the practice of reindeer herding, and as an economic activity it soon spread far beyond the borders of Sápmi. ....."
However, the article speaks of issues there too as Finland deals with the desires of forestry etc and of course there is the bureaucracy.
NORWAY
 As in the other nations, there exists the problem where governments try to exert some order to reindeer farming, when in reality reindeer farming obeys Nature. (See  text in Appendix 1 relating to Modernization
The above is only some very brief notes. The articles at http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/   go into much detail, both specific and general - much is similar to problems faced by aboriginal people everywhere.
RELEVANCE OF SAAMI RIGHTS ISSUES IN MODERN MEDIA
The following BBC article and others demonstrates that the issues are not hidden and minor, but are being reported in major media -- currently in particular, Sami are fighting the Swedish government.
I won't excerpt it, but put the link address here from google summary.  The major problem everywhere is the encroachment of 'civilization'.
BBC News | EUROPE | Lapland's reindeer: Nowhere to herd
When reindeer herders are challenged, Swedish law requires the Sami to prove ... The 3000 reindeer herders that remain in Lapland say that if they cannot ...
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/629818.stm - 34k

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So the above represents a half a day of internet surfing, by googling 'Sami, Lapland, reindeer'
All in all, the concept of having Darcy flee from civilization - choosing Lapland because it was the closest primitive destination to Britain, is a very suitable angle
-A.P  Sept 11, 2008











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