At the captains table
WEASEL AND STOAT 7
‘Dear Mole,’ said Weasel, the next morning, ‘we would like to visit Fox. He is a neighbour of ours. It is only our duty to visit him.’
‘To visit him! You are quite sure you want to visit a criminal?’
‘Yes, he is a criminal but he is still our neighbour. You see we know something.’
‘Oh!’ exclaimed Mole. ‘If you know something please tell me. I am still investigating his case. I’m afraid it is a very bad one.’
‘Is it very bad, Mole?’
‘Very bad indeed. He is not only a stowaway but a thief. He has been stealing food.’
‘Did you hear that Stoaty? Fox is a thief!’
‘Well, tell me what is it that you know?’
‘We know that he has enemies who have damaged his house,’ Weasel said.
‘Enemies, you say. What sort of enemies?’
‘Human ones!!!’
‘Yes, farmer Jakes has stolen the door off his house, in the winter too,’ Stoat added.
‘That’s too bad. If he has a human enemy he might get killed.’
‘We would just like to visit him and find out more. You see he is a quiet Fox. He doesn’t like to talk about his troubles,’ said Weasel.
‘If you can find out more, I would be glad to arrange a visit for you, but you would have to talk to him in his prison. I can’t arrange for him to come out.’
‘Oh, that’s all right,’ said Stoaty. ‘We don’t mind, do we Weasel?’
‘No, as long as someone opens the prison door and let’s us in and out.’
‘I can do that myself but be sure to let me know all about him. I want to know if he has a criminal history. That would go very much against him but if he doesn’t have a criminal record, then it would be in his favour.’
‘We can visit him this morning if you like,’ said Weasel.
‘Let me see. I would have to speak to the captain and the man at arms. If they agree you can see him later today.’
‘Any time, any time at all,’ replied Weasel.
‘Then if they agree, let’s say 2 o’clock on the 20th floor. Meet me there and I will tell you if you can visit him.’
‘Thank you Mole.’
Weasel’ and Stoat spent the morning on deck. They watched the other passengers play tennis on the tennis court and enjoy the sunshine. Some sat in deck chairs, others walked about. It was very jolly.
‘This is the life, Stoaty,’ Weasel said. ‘Have you noticed the weather is getting warmer? We are getting further away from winter as we sail north to London.’
‘Yes, I am looking forward to reaching London and summer. Just think of it Weasel, we will be able to visit Buckingham Palace and see the changing of the guards.’
‘I know, I know! How exciting!’
‘Good morning!,’ the captain greeted them. ‘You are Weasel and Stoat aren't you?’
‘Yes.’
‘You may visit your neighbour after lunch. I can’t spare Mole. I need him to operate the lifts but I will accompany you myself. I would like to know why he has stowed away on my ship. You may talk to him. I will listen outside where I can’t be seen.’
‘Oh, yes, we are honoured to have you with us captain.’
So it was all arranged and at lunch the captain invited them to sit at his table. The captain introduced them to Duke Pelican, Major Mongoose and the Reverend Chimpanzee.
‘How unfortunate that you have a neighbour who is a criminal,’ said Duke.
‘Yes, it is so unfortunate and on the very liner taking you to London,’ added the Major.
‘Why are people so bad when God is so good?’ asked the Reverend.
‘That is a very vexed question,’ said the captain.
‘It’s all about making the wrong choices,’ said the Duke. ‘I know a Pelican who ate a crab and died. We never eat crabs unless we cook them first.’
‘I’m a vegetarian,’ said the Reverend. ‘It is dangerous to go eating raw or cooked meat.’
‘But perhaps they feel desperate,’ said Stoat. ‘If they have no place to live and no food, that might be one reason they make the wrong choices.
‘I agree,’ said the captain. ‘It is easy to talk about being good if you are wealthy and happy but what if you are sad and suffering?’
They all nodded their heads.
‘Well,’ the captain said, ‘It’s time to go and see what Fox has to say for himself.’
Are you beginning to feel sorry for Fox? Let's play some music for him. Maybe the music will tell us just how he feels
‘Dear Mole,’ said Weasel, the next morning, ‘we would like to visit Fox. He is a neighbour of ours. It is only our duty to visit him.’
‘To visit him! You are quite sure you want to visit a criminal?’
‘Yes, he is a criminal but he is still our neighbour. You see we know something.’
‘Oh!’ exclaimed Mole. ‘If you know something please tell me. I am still investigating his case. I’m afraid it is a very bad one.’
‘Is it very bad, Mole?’
‘Very bad indeed. He is not only a stowaway but a thief. He has been stealing food.’
‘Did you hear that Stoaty? Fox is a thief!’
‘Well, tell me what is it that you know?’
‘We know that he has enemies who have damaged his house,’ Weasel said.
‘Enemies, you say. What sort of enemies?’
‘Human ones!!!’
‘Yes, farmer Jakes has stolen the door off his house, in the winter too,’ Stoat added.
‘That’s too bad. If he has a human enemy he might get killed.’
‘We would just like to visit him and find out more. You see he is a quiet Fox. He doesn’t like to talk about his troubles,’ said Weasel.
‘If you can find out more, I would be glad to arrange a visit for you, but you would have to talk to him in his prison. I can’t arrange for him to come out.’
‘Oh, that’s all right,’ said Stoaty. ‘We don’t mind, do we Weasel?’
‘No, as long as someone opens the prison door and let’s us in and out.’
‘I can do that myself but be sure to let me know all about him. I want to know if he has a criminal history. That would go very much against him but if he doesn’t have a criminal record, then it would be in his favour.’
‘We can visit him this morning if you like,’ said Weasel.
‘Let me see. I would have to speak to the captain and the man at arms. If they agree you can see him later today.’
‘Any time, any time at all,’ replied Weasel.
‘Then if they agree, let’s say 2 o’clock on the 20th floor. Meet me there and I will tell you if you can visit him.’
‘Thank you Mole.’
Weasel’ and Stoat spent the morning on deck. They watched the other passengers play tennis on the tennis court and enjoy the sunshine. Some sat in deck chairs, others walked about. It was very jolly.
‘This is the life, Stoaty,’ Weasel said. ‘Have you noticed the weather is getting warmer? We are getting further away from winter as we sail north to London.’
‘Yes, I am looking forward to reaching London and summer. Just think of it Weasel, we will be able to visit Buckingham Palace and see the changing of the guards.’
‘I know, I know! How exciting!’
‘Good morning!,’ the captain greeted them. ‘You are Weasel and Stoat aren't you?’
‘Yes.’
‘You may visit your neighbour after lunch. I can’t spare Mole. I need him to operate the lifts but I will accompany you myself. I would like to know why he has stowed away on my ship. You may talk to him. I will listen outside where I can’t be seen.’
‘Oh, yes, we are honoured to have you with us captain.’
So it was all arranged and at lunch the captain invited them to sit at his table. The captain introduced them to Duke Pelican, Major Mongoose and the Reverend Chimpanzee.
‘How unfortunate that you have a neighbour who is a criminal,’ said Duke.
‘Yes, it is so unfortunate and on the very liner taking you to London,’ added the Major.
‘Why are people so bad when God is so good?’ asked the Reverend.
‘That is a very vexed question,’ said the captain.
‘It’s all about making the wrong choices,’ said the Duke. ‘I know a Pelican who ate a crab and died. We never eat crabs unless we cook them first.’
‘I’m a vegetarian,’ said the Reverend. ‘It is dangerous to go eating raw or cooked meat.’
‘But perhaps they feel desperate,’ said Stoat. ‘If they have no place to live and no food, that might be one reason they make the wrong choices.
‘I agree,’ said the captain. ‘It is easy to talk about being good if you are wealthy and happy but what if you are sad and suffering?’
They all nodded their heads.
‘Well,’ the captain said, ‘It’s time to go and see what Fox has to say for himself.’
Are you beginning to feel sorry for Fox? Let's play some music for him. Maybe the music will tell us just how he feels