A story by Helen Dudley in which the Chief Protagonist is a Bucket as requested by Gerhard who has a Peculiar Bucket Fixation.

Once upon a time there was a very lonely bucket. The bucket had an almost constant companion in his partner, the spade and formerly they had been the best of friends. However, about a year before this story takes place, they had a serious disagreement over who was responsible for them regularly becoming covered with sand with each blaming the other and consequently they were no longer on speaking terms.

One day the children who owned the bucket and spade took the bucket out of its cupboard leaving the spade behind. The bucket was surprised but pleased by the prospect of a solo outing. It was taken to a small wooden jetty and filled with water. Shortly afterwards a strange creature was placed in the bucket.

“Hello” said the bucket, “what are you?”

“I’m a shrimp” the creature replied. “What are you? And why am I inside you?”

“I’m a bucket and I’m afraid I don’t know what you are doing here” the bucket said. “But I am glad that you came as I’m very lonely” and it related the story of its life with the spade.

While the bucket told its tale they were joined by lots more shrimps and soon they were all talking happily. The bucket couldn’t remember when it had last enjoyed itself so much.

All too soon the children had finished their shrimping and decided to return home. They lifted the bucket and started to tip the shrimps back into the sea.

“Goodbye!” they called to the bucket as they fell.

“No! Please don’t leave me” the bucket begged.

“We can’t help it” they replied, “Come with us! You can live with us on the seabed where you will always be surrounded by friends.”

“Yes!” the bucket cried and it suddenly twisted itself out of the hand of the child who held it and fell into the sea where it rapidly sank.

And now the bucket lives happily under the sea where its friends the shrimps play in and around it all day. The children bought a new bucket which soon became great friends with the spade who told it many tales of the strange and unreasonable behaviour of its predecessor.

The story of Dolphy the Dolphin, written by Melissa 2xOeufs et Bacon while on nightwatch between Sydney and Coffs Harbour, 26 May 2009.

By: the French-Canadian who has a grade 6 grammar in English and has a hard time with all the weird accents around her 🙂 She can put it up with it.

Dolphy the dolphin was living somewhere in Australia at 28°04.339’S/153°32.214’E. One day, he decided to be adventurous and see the world. During his voyage, he arived at an Island where a sail boat was ankored and a man was swimming. He decided to have fun with him because he felt lonely like the bucket.

The man said: “wait here, I will go pick up a ball so we can have fun.”.

Poor Dolphy, the dolphin… He didn’t know that the skipper was a bad man.

Instead of a ball, he came back with is golf club and decided to knockrd Dolphy like Canadian cub seals.

While Dolphy was unconcious, THE BAD SKIPPER decided to drug him and attached him to his boat.

During the time he was under drugs the skipper conviced him that they were best friends and theywill stay like this happily forever.

Dolphy, the dolphin woke up in this state of mind. He was happy he could help out his best friend, the Skipper.

The Skiper will used the doplhin to increase his speed by 3,274 knots which is good if you are on a calm ocean like today. Also, like Mongolian with their horses, the Skipper will cut Dolphy when he’s hungry to have a little steak on the barbecue. He would also darn Dolphy so he could swim again and pushed the boat. Usually he would marinated the steak for about 24 hours with garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, soya sauce and a little bit of Peri Peri. Hmmm Delicious!!!

They lived like this happily forever.

Moral of the story

DON’T DO DRUGS
give it to a dolphin, it will increase your boat speed without being financially demanding and is environmentally friendly. It is also a great source of protein and omega 3 for a healthy life style.

THE
END

A short story with a nautical theme by Helen Dudley to entertain Pascale + Peter during their night watch.

Once upon a time there was a sailor who, while at sea shot + killed an albatross. For his crime he was condemned to remain at sea never putting foot to shore for the next 10 yrs.

When he learnt his fate he cursed the day he saw the albatross and wept for the life ashore that was now lost to him. For 10 long years he sailed the oceans counting down the days til he could return to the land + pining for his home.

At long last the great day came – the curse was lifted and he sailed into port + finally left the boat to stand on dry land. But everything had changed. The land seemed to move in a strange way making him feel sick. After the fresh air of the sea the smell of the land + people + pollution was overpowering. People + buildings semed to crowd around him. So he turned and returned to his boat + set back out to sea.