How Much Suffering Is The Job Worth?
George had been appointed Patron Saint and Minister for the
Environment and had succeeded in pacifying all the monsters in England.
Now he was being asked to help other countries achieve the same result
but this inevitably involved a sea voyage. Suffering from severe
seasickness, George was in such distress on a voyage to France that he
was ready to give up his job and salary of three shillings and six pence
a week.
It is best to leave unrecorded the trials of the crossing, but even sea voyages come to an end and in due course the ship came into the port of Cherbourg. The captain apologised for the change in destination.
Although the journey had been much longer than had been planned, he said that he would not charge the passengers any more, but they must be sure to turn up in Calais in due course if they wanted to make use of their return ticket. George, who at that moment thought that he would spend the rest of his life in France, was not really listening. It was Jack who got the two men and four quadrupeds off the ship and onto dry land.
George may have stepped back onto dry land but it wasn't solid land. It kept on swaying to and fro as though he was still on the sea. So he lay down on the quayside, still feeling quite queasy, until the movement gradually subsided. When he was quite sure that France felt as stable as England, he asked Jack to help him to his feet. It used to be said that a knight in full battle armour couldn't regain his feet without assistance.
George's armour, being the cheapest on the market, was made of the thinnest plate and not so heavy. He could, if he wished, easily get up unaided, but he liked to pretend that he was a properly equipped knight.
Jack was always anxious to keep his master fit and well. 'Would you like me to get you some goat's milk, or perhaps an onion juice?' he asked solicitously.
'Are you joking?' said George. 'I don't think I'll eat or drink for at least two armour-on weeks after that bitter brush with the briny.' Then he asked anxiously, 'Did you keep the cake dry? I don't want it soaked in sea water, no monster would... '
It is best to leave unrecorded the trials of the crossing, but even sea voyages come to an end and in due course the ship came into the port of Cherbourg. The captain apologised for the change in destination.
Although the journey had been much longer than had been planned, he said that he would not charge the passengers any more, but they must be sure to turn up in Calais in due course if they wanted to make use of their return ticket. George, who at that moment thought that he would spend the rest of his life in France, was not really listening. It was Jack who got the two men and four quadrupeds off the ship and onto dry land.
George may have stepped back onto dry land but it wasn't solid land. It kept on swaying to and fro as though he was still on the sea. So he lay down on the quayside, still feeling quite queasy, until the movement gradually subsided. When he was quite sure that France felt as stable as England, he asked Jack to help him to his feet. It used to be said that a knight in full battle armour couldn't regain his feet without assistance.
George's armour, being the cheapest on the market, was made of the thinnest plate and not so heavy. He could, if he wished, easily get up unaided, but he liked to pretend that he was a properly equipped knight.
Jack was always anxious to keep his master fit and well. 'Would you like me to get you some goat's milk, or perhaps an onion juice?' he asked solicitously.
'Are you joking?' said George. 'I don't think I'll eat or drink for at least two armour-on weeks after that bitter brush with the briny.' Then he asked anxiously, 'Did you keep the cake dry? I don't want it soaked in sea water, no monster would... '
'Oh no,' said Jack, looking very worried, 'you told me to throw all the cake overboard. You said you never wanted to see any of it again. If the job brought you so much suffering, King Freddie and Merlin the Whirlin could give it back to Cuthbert. What was three and six a week anyway? No amount could compensate for being made to feel so ill.'
Older Children and teenagers will enjoy reading the humorous
tales of Saint George: Rusty Knight and Monster Tamer, as he serves as
Minister for the Environment under King Freddie and prime minister
Merlin the Whirlin. The first book of a trilogy will appear in September
2015.
http://www.bookguild.co.uk/childrens-c-3.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saint-George-Rusty-Knight-Monster/dp/1910508195/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EEZ4CA5ZNVKJ0ZZNGTN
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Powell
http://www.bookguild.co.uk/childrens-c-3.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saint-George-Rusty-Knight-Monster/dp/1910508195/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EEZ4CA5ZNVKJ0ZZNGTN
Comments
Post a Comment
thank you