The Secret of the Magic Thicket

While escaping a swarm of angry bees on a school hike, Shaul, David, Miriam and Leli dive into a gap in the bushes and land in a cave which leads to a river. The children are enchanted by their discovery and claim the place as their own, swearing each other to secrecy. Shaul is the leader, admitting to fear but not allowing it to affect him. Leli is the brave second-in-command, David – the group “chicken,” and Miriam are just plain frightened. They build a boat and encounter strange birds. A ghostlike boy in blue appears and disappears, and a sea-creature emerges from the river and dances before them. They fall in the river and defy the whirlpools, cross swamps and survive typhoons.

Roni Givati has written a paean to nature, declaring children’s uninhibited communion with the world around them when they are left free and unfettered. There is a timeless quality in the landscape: the misty mornings and setting sun are almost tangible. This is also a tale about confronting fears, as each of the children challenges his own fears.