Norman is a gnome. Noreen is his wife. She's a gnome too. They live in a hollow tree. One day while Norman and Noreen Gnome - yes, their last name is Gnome, that's how we gnow they are gnomes. Anyway, one day while they were out gnoming they happened upon a stranger who looked rather fatigued.
The stranger confided - his name was Norbert but he was not a gnome, he was a stranger called Bogan but most people gnew him only as Eddie - anyway, the stranger confided he felt rather fatigued... because he'd been searching the past twenty years for the famed Southern Highlands Pyrate, Captain Barnacle Sparknozzle's, treasure but without success. And now he felt he must give up the search in favor of treasure hunters younger than himself.
Gnowing that gnomes are honest, helpful people, he was prepared to hand over Sparknozzle's treasure map to Norman and Noreen in exchange for small consideration to cover the travel expenses back to his home (in beautiful downtown Werai) which he hasn't visited all during his search these past many years. Mr. and Mrs. Gnome were deeply touched by Eddie's story and were only too happy to relieve him of his burden and pay for his long journey home. So, without further ceremony, the trade was made which saw Mr. Bogan on his cheery way.
What Norbert didn't gnow, however, was that Mr. Gnome happened to be a direct descendant, on his grandmother's side, of the notorious pyrate... which means that Norman was nobody's fool and gnew, as all good gnomes gnow, that a pyrate's treasure map has no value and leads those in possession of it into a life of false hope and misery. Oh yes, the Gnomes paid for the map but not because they dreamed of riches, oh no, but to let the old treasure hunter live out his days with an easy mind. And with that, Noreen did the only sensible thing a gnome could do: she threw the map away.
What Norman didn't gnow, however, was that their transaction with Norbert had been witnessed by a little black bird sitting nearby in a tree. And this little black bird just happened to be a direct descendent of another little black bird who gnew that Captain Barnacle wasn't a famed pyrate for nothing - as he had watched Mr. Gnome's ancestor hide the treasure.
So, you see, the truth of the matter is: there is a treasure hidden some place deep in the heart of Wingecarribee. But what's treasure to a crow? It's not like a bird can spend gold coins or anything. Still, when our little friend in the tree saw the map tossed away, she flew down to the spot where it lay and brought it home to me. Of course, I can't make any more sense of it than Eddie could, so I'm showing it to you.
If you can find the treasure, I hope you're as kind-hearted as Norman and Noreen and will share some of it with us.
Good luck.
** Congrats to Muppet95 for FTF! **