The Little Captain by Paul Biegel

Author:Paul Biegel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steerforth Press
Published: 2022-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Gold-Beating

Timid Thomas dragged the thousandth brick upstairs. The tower was now so high that it swayed in every gust of wind.

‘Ay, ay,’ said the wizard. He climbed to the top and looked at the stars. ‘Look there, the Great Dog Star is awaking in the east. And my comet is rushing away in flames. Westward. The signs are clear! I can read your future, children of the sea. Six hard labours ye must yet fulfil. And the last … Aah!’

‘Have you hurt yourself?’ asked Marinka sweetly.

But the wizard swung sharply round. ‘Down!’ he said sternly. ‘Down to the lowly sand beneath and follow the comet. He calls you for the second hard labour.’

The Little Captain took Marinka’s hand. ‘Come,’ he whispered, ‘before the tower collapses.’

The twisting staircase was as black as night.

‘I want to go back to the Neversink,’ said Timid Thomas.

‘We can’t sail,’ said the Little Captain. ‘The ruler over wind and waves is holding her fast.’

Once outside they followed the direction of the brilliant comet, larger than the largest star: their weary feet trudged through the desert sand.

‘I wonder if we shall ever meet a wizard like that again,’ said Podgy Plum. ‘It’s an odd country, this.’

‘Very jolly,’ said Marinka. ‘Don’t you think so, Little Captain?’

But the Little Captain took his copper trumpet. The starlight struck sparks from it and he blew a march to keep their spirits up.

‘One two, one two,

On land go we, on land go we,

No more at sea, no more at sea,

No, no! On land we go!’

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