English
Whenwefinishedbreakfast,thesunwasupanditwasawarmmorning.IsatontheriverbanknearRunnymede.IthoughtaboutKingJohn,whosignedtheMagnaCartaatRunnymede,inII5.WhatagreatmomentinEnglishhistory!Iimaginedthescene!
Georgecameoverandsaid,‘Whenyoufinishrestinganddreaming,pleasehelpmewashthedishesandotherthings.’
IcleanedthefryingpanwithsomegrassandwithGeorge’swetshirt.
Lateron,wewenttoMagnaCartaIsland.WesawthestonewheretheMagnaCartawassigned.Inthisarea,KingHenryVIIImetwithhissweetheart,IAnneBoleyn.IamcertainthatKingHenryVIIImetAnneBoleyninseveralotherplaces,too.
Wecontinuedslowlyuptheriver,andstoppedforlunchnearMonkeyIsland.Wehadcoldmeatforlunch.
‘Where’sthemustard?’Iasked.
‘Themustard?’Harrissaid.
Wehadforgottentobringthemustard.Atthatmoment,weallwantedmustardmorethananythingintheworld.
‘Howboringlifeiswithoutmustard!’saidGeorge.
Weateourcoldmeatinsilence.Wethoughtaboutthehappydaysofchildhoodwhentherewaslotsofmustardonthetable.Theadultworldcanbeacruelplace.
Allthreeofuslovedtinnedfruit.Georgebroughtoutatinofpineapple.Thiswasperfecttomakeusforgetthemustard.Wefeltthatlifewassmilingatusagain.
‘Lookatthepictureonthetin!’saidHarris.
‘Ah,Ican’twait!’Isaid.
‘I’mdreamingaboutthesweetjuice,’Georgesaid.
Harrisgotaspoonready.
Thenwelookedforthetin-opener.Wetookeverythingoutofthetwohampers.Wetookeverythingoutofthebag.Welookedineverycorneroftheboat.Therewasnotin-opener.
Harristriedtoopenthetinwithalittleknife,andhecuthimself.Georgetriedtoopenitwithapairofscissors.Thescissorsflewupandalmostcuthiseye.Itriedtoopenitwithapieceofmetal.Ididsomethingwrong,becauseIfellintotheriver.Thetinflewawayandbrokeateacup.
Thenweallgotangry.Istartedhittingthetinwithapieceofwood.Harrishitthetin,andsodidGeorge.Wechangeditsshape.Wemadeitsquare.Wemadeitround.Thenwemadeitflat.But,westillcouldn’topenit.
Thetinlookedatusandseemedtobelaughing.Itwasuglyanditfrightenedus.Ithrewitintheriver!Thenwerowedawayanddidn’tstopuntilwereachedMaidenhead.
Itwaseveningandastrongwindstartedblowing.Thewindwasbehindusandweputupthesailquickly.Thewindblewandtheboatflewuptheriver.
IwassteeringItheboat,andGeorgeandHarriswereenjoyingthetrip.Sailingisexciting.It’salmostlikeflying.Youfeelthatyouarepartofnature.Wewerealoneandweflewalongtheriver.Farinthedistance,wesawasmallfishingboat.Therewerethreefishermeninit.
Thesunwasgoingdown,andtherewasaredlightonthewater.Theriverseemedmagic.Itwaslikeadream.Wefeltthatweweresailingintoastrangeland.
Wedidnotsailintoastrangeland.Wesailedstraightintothefishingboatwiththethreeoldfishermen!Atfirst,wedidn’tknowwhatwashappening.But,whenweheardthebadwordsthatcamefromtheotherboat,weknewwewerenearpeople.Wealsoknewthatthosepeoplewerenothappy.
Thethreeoldfishermenfellofftheirseats.Therewerefishalloverthem.Theyslowlytriedtogetup.Astheydidthis,theycursedus.Theydidn’tcurseuswithcommoncurses.Theyusedlong,specialcurses.Theyalsocursedourparents,families,friends,neighbours,petsandjobs.Thesecurseswereforthepresentandthefuture.
Harrisstoodupandsaid,‘Bethankfulforabitofexcitementinyourlives!Yourlivesmustbesoboring,justsittingandfishingallday.MyfriendsandIareveryunhappytohearmenofyourageusesuchbadwords.’ThethreeoldmendidnotagreewithHarris.
‘I’llsteertheboatnow,J,’saidGeorge.‘Anintelligentmanlikeyoumustdobetterthings.Leavethesteeringtome,beforewealldrown.’
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