Seleke Sees Pirates

One day there was a girl named Seleke (sell-a-key). Seleke lived in a house with her mother, not at the bottom of a cliff, not at the top, but right in the middle half way up. Above lived the Snarling Wolves, and below lived the Ugly Giants.

Today Seleke was out picking blueberries when she saw a ship on the horizon. Ships passed by from time to time, but this one looked different. It had big, black sails and a flew a black flag.

The ship got closer, and closer, and closer. It was a pirate ship! When the ship got close enough it weighed anchor, which means to drop a heavy piece of metal on a long chain over the side. The anchor would help keep the ship from floating away.

Then a rowboat launched from the big pirate ship. Seleke saw six sailors in the boat. Four of them rowed as a man said "stroke, stroke, stroke". That was how they kept their oars moving at the same time. Each time the man said, "stroke" the pirates would pull on their oars (show how oars are pulled, and say 'stroke' as you do it).

At the front of the boat was a tall man with a bushy black beard and a black hat. It was the pirate captain.

Seleke heard the captain say, "Men, if a giant comes, shout and row away to distract it while we can get up the cliff."

The pirates said, "Aye aye, Captain Slipjack."

When the boat reached shore Captain Slipjack and two pirates jumped to the sandy beach. The pirates carried long coils of rope, and grapples. They all ran to the bottom of the cliff.

Just then Seleke heard "Boom Thoom, Boom Thoom!" An Ugly Giant was coming down the beach! The pirates in the boat shouted and waved to get the giant's attention, then they started rowing out to sea. The giant ran down the beach. "Boom Thoom Boom Thoom!" and leaped into the water after the pirates.

"Stroke, stroke, stroke!" shouted the pirates as they rowed into the sea. The Ugly Giant waded up to his knees, but the pirates were out of reach. Then the Ugly Giant waded up to his waist. He was getting closer to the little rowboat! The pirates doubled their pace. "Stroke, stroke, stroke!"

By the time the water was up to the giant's neck the pirates were out of reach. They shouted and jeered at the giant, who shook his fist at them and returned to shore (show fist shaking).

While the giant was swimming after the boat, Captain Slipjack and his two pirates had been busy. They tied rope to a grapple, then threw it high onto the cliff. The grapple gripped and grabbed the rock, and the three men climbed up.

Seleke did not want to be seen by the pirates. She hid in a bush because she did not know whether they were good pirates, or bad pirates. Seleke knew that pirates with earrings in their left ear are bad, and pirates with a earring in their right ear are good. It is a very strict rule, and she waited to see.

When the pirates reached her level, she looked at their ears. All three pirates had earrings in their left ear. Bad pirates.

Seleke could hear their conversation.

"What are we here for, Captain Slipjack?" asked a pirate.

"That is for me to know, matey." said the Captain.

The pirates threw another grapple and climbed to the very top of the cliff, where the Snarling Wolves lived. Seleke climbed quietly behind.

When she reached the top she peaked over the edge. Captain Slipjack was looking at a map. The map showed the land of the Ugly Giants, and the forest of Snarling Wolves, and had a big 'X' on it.

"Next we head for the giant tree." said Captain Slipjack.

When they got to the giant tree, the Captain ordered one of his men, "Climb up this tree. Find a rock shaped like the head of a wolf. It is called Wolf's Head Rock."

The pirate had no trouble climbing the tall tree, because he was used to climbing up the mast of the pirate ship.

"Wolf's Head Rock, ahoy!" he shouted down. Ahoy means "I see it over there!"

"Keep your voice down," said the Captain. "There be Snarling Wolves about, and even your muskets won't save us if too many come."

The pirates all headed towards Wolf's Head Rock, and Seleke snuck after them. The rock was very big, shapes like the head of a wolf who is howling. The part that looked like a mouth was a big cave. At the entrance to the cave, lying on the ground, were some bones.

"Whose bones are these?" asked a pirate.

"Those be the bones of old Ivan." said Captain Slipjack, "That be what happens to them that cross me!"

The pirates went into the cave. Seleke snuck in behind them, being as quiet as she could. Using shovels, the men dug a big hole. Suddenly a shovel went 'bump' - it was hitting wood, not dirt. It was a treasure chest! When Captain Slipjack opened it, he pulled out a great big pearl.

When the pirates came out of the cave they found a surprise. Snarling Wolves were waiting outside the cave, a whole pack of them.

"Give 'em what for!" cried Captain Slipjack.

The pirates fired their muskets in the air. The loud noises startled the wolves, who backed away. Then the pirates ran, firing their muskets in the air. Blam! Blam! The wolves came after them, hungry, but they were scared of the loud noises.

Captain Slipjack and his pirates reached the edge of the cliff, with the wolves close after. Nobody noticed little Seleke sneaking behind. The pirates slid down the ropes, all the way to the beach. Whoosh!

The wolves stood on the edge of the cliff, barking at the pirates, but there was nothing they could do.

Seleke watched as the pirates got in their rowboat and returned to their ship. When the wolves got bored and left, Seleke slid down the rope.

When she got home her mom asked, "How was your day picking blueberries?"

Seleke said, "OK, I guess."

The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest