SKOPEO CHRONICLES #34

November 2006

(A bimonthly newspaper from the Skopeo Literary Society)

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UNUSUAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

This will be the last online edition of The Skopeo Chronicles.  Stay tuned for the opening of our NEW TELEVISION STATION! That's right.  You heard it correctly.  Our next edition will be a video broadcast that can be listened to and viewed right here on this blog. 

STAY TUNED!!

Feature Stories

The Adventures of Aeneas by C.V.

Now that we have followed the Greeks in their return from Troy, let us share the fate of the remnant of the conquered people.  Aeneas of Troy, seeing the city consumed in flames, took his father, wife and small child and left the city, but in the confusion his wife was swept away and lost.  Outside the city he found a number of other Trojan refugees of both sexes, who put themselves under Aeneas lead and fled the city to a place of rendezvous. 

There they spent some months in preparation and then took ship and sailed to the neighboring island of Thrace, where they began to erect a new city.  However, Aeneas was deterred by a prodigy.  For when he sought to break off twigs from a bush for a sacrifice, the wounded branch bled and a voice from the ground cried out, “Spare me, Aeneas, I am your kinsman, Polydore, slain here with many arrows and this bush has grown watered with my blood.”  Aeneas and his companions left the island immediately, abhorred by the grievous tale, for Polydore was a Trojan prince sent to the isle of Thrace in childhood that he might not be exposed to the horrors of war.  Evidently, the Thracian king had murdered him and taken his riches. 

They next arrived at the island of the Delos, that used to be a floating island, but which Jupiter had attached with chains of adamantine to the bottom of the sea.  This was the birthplace of Diana and Apollo and was sacred to Apollo.  Here Aeneas consulted the oracle of Apollo as to where they should journey next, and he was told to,

“seek the land of thy ancient mother, and there the Trojans shall build a great city and bring all other nations under their sway.”

It was believed that the Trojans originally came from Crete, so the company turned that way.  However, when they arrived and began to build their city, sickness and famine broke out among them, and Aeneas was warned in a dream to seek a western land called Hesperia from whence Dardanus, the founder of the Trojan race had migrated.

GUEST WRITER COLUMN

~I Walk This Lonely Road, The Only One I'll Ever Know~

                By Isolt Patrow

Meriel walked down from the old stone church and headed for the nearby village. She knew the British would soon be here. In a day or so they would arrive. Only yesterday had the messenger come with the news of the British’s advance. She quickened her pace as she drew nearer to the little straw houses. She was filled with fear; the smell of burning flesh would fill the air once they arrived. The sound of the stampede of horses, the sound of armor clinking and the screams would fill her ears.

She walked through the village. The families were clamoring to gather their belongings and head north away from the Brits. She ran down and asked the people to give her bread.  After that she gathered some rations, she ran back up to the church. She went to the Father, to ask his blessing but he said, “You and your Clan are cursed and would receive no blessing in this world.” She left the church and made her way back down to the village.

She went around asking if anyone had room for her on their wagon but none could spare her room.  She had once been a well-respected Maiden but that was long past. Her father had planned an attack on the Brits but was captured. They beheaded him and came to kill her mother. Meriel, from her hiding place, had seen her mother taken advantage of and then brutally murdered. After that she was considered a piece of Scottish trash and no one took notice of her. She now slept in a little thatch hut with no food unless she begged for it. No one would marry her and she would never be worth anything.   

None of that mattered now. She had to get some sleep and then leave early. She lay down on the cold dirt floor. Perhaps tomorrow someone would give her a ride but she let her mind rest. She woke the next morning to see almost the entire village deserted. Only a few families remained. They were still packing their pitiful wagons and hooking up their nags. She asked them if they would give her a ride but they refused her.

Through her tear-filled eyes she saw the last of them going down the road.  Walking was far too dangerous and she would never reached safety in time but she must try. She saw that some had left chicken, and pigs. She went looking to see if she could find a horse or donkey that could carry her. There was one horse but the maggots were crawling in and out of it’s wound. She got out of there before the stench made her pass out.

She ran out down the road. She knew which way the others had gone and she would just have to follow. Once again she was alone and scared but she would press on. She walked until she came to another village. It was also deserted and burning.

     “Have I gone the wrong way?” She thought to herself. “Have the British already been here?” But there were no bodies or dead animals so the villagers must have done it. There was one body that was hanging, and below it was a sign that said, “Death to Traitors!”

From that point on Meriel walked in the wooded area and stayed away from the open. She knew the British would travel on the road. She looked back at saw the smoke still rising. Scotland would never be the same once the British took over. Meriel walked for days, and her food supply began to run low. She found mushrooms in the woods and on trees.  She would eat anything to keep her going.

     She had found a big patch of mushrooms and bent down to pick some. As she stood up she felt a cold blade on her neck.

     “Turn around,” said a commanding voice.

Meriel turned around slowly and stared into the man’s face. She was angrier then scared and he could see hate in her eyes.

      “He must be a British spy and a traitor,” She thought.

He withdrew his sword once he realized how harmless she was.  He offered her drink but she would not have it.

     “What’s your name and why are ye alone?”” He asked.

     “Tell me first whose side ye are on?”

The man laughed and sheathed his sword.

     “My name is Fergus of Gorelock and I am out scouting for William Wallace. Now, answer my questions.”

Meriel wasn’t scared anymore or angry. Some how she knew he was telling the truth. She had heard of this Wallace and knew he was true to Scotland.

     “My name is Meriel. I have no Clan,” She said.

Fergus showed her where he and a few others were camping. He also offered her food and drink, which she accepted. The next morning they all set off. Meriel not having her own horse was forced to ride with Fergus. They rode hard and long. Over mountainous green hills and through woods. Meriel could hardly stand the rough bouncing but she was glad she was not walking with the British so close.

They finally reached what appeared to be the army’s camp. The riders stopped and Fergus led Meriel to where the women were. Fergus called to a maiden and she came without hesitation.

     “Take this woman, feed her, “ he said and then took his leave.

Both maidens watched as the young man disappeared down to the tents. Meriel looked back at the girl.

     “Aye, my name is Deirdre. Can I help ye with food and perhaps new linens? And maybe a bath?”

Meriel nodded and Deirdre led her down to the river and prepared a meal for her. Deirdre dressed her in a green gown and braided her hair. After that Meriel didn’t see her. Deirdre had disappeared.

Meriel looked over the valley where the tents were set up and she knew, in her heart, what lay before her. She backed away and went to see if she was needed. She found some work. She was to serve the Scotsmen food. She helped pass out bowls of watery soup and hardening bread.  Each man received it with gladness but her attention was on Wallace. “Where was he and when could she look at him?” She had heard stories of him. He was 7 feet tall and could shooting lighting from his eyes. She had never believed in such things but would like to see this wonder for herself.

The next day Fergus showed up in front of her.

     “How are ye today?” He asked. She looked up at him, ‘why was he here and what does he care?” No one had ever troubled about her.

     “I’m well, thank ye, “ she replied. “When do the men move out?”

     “In three weeks that’s the rumor anyway,” He said. “We’ll beat the British to the ground!”

She kept on with her duties and thought he would just leave but he didn’t. He waited there until she was done with her work. The handsome young-man just sat there and waited for her.

     “Well, what are ye wanting?” She asked.

He stood up, “I don’t know. I thought ye might want a companion.”

     “I don’t, “ She said plainly. “But I want you to teach me the sword?”

 He led her to the armor and handed her a sword.

     “Here!” he said. “Take it”

She took it, and he grabbed another. He began to show her how to hold and handle it. Pretty soon they were going head-to-head with each and others. She acquired a few cuts but nothing serious.

Meriel became one of the best wielders in the camp and everyone knew. It had only been a week since she arrived but she felt is she had been there forever.

She started sneaking into meetings and she finally saw Wallace. He was tall, burly and broad shouldered. His face was painted blue as a sign of his clan and when he spoke everyone listened. No one knew she was at the meetings because she snuck in-and-out before anyone saw her.

The next week, Wallace announced, the camp would move out, and she planned to go with them. She sharpened her sword and had a tunic made. She would have to cut off her long golden hair as well, to blend in. The Day arrived. She suited up and sheathed her sword. Would she have the courage to ride out and face the invaders? She mounted with the rest of the men and Wallace gave the signal. She looked back at the widows and fatherless-children and knew what she had to do.

This is only the first part of a thrilling short story by Isolt Patrow. 

A FAIRYTALE by Kristen

Charles was a true prince. For that reason he was as handsome as could be. When he was born, his parents did the same stupid thing

most kings or queens do. They held one of those parties where they invite most of the fairies and forget someone. And that's just what happened. They forgot Acrasia, a mean, grungy old creature that never did

anybody a good turn. She came into the great hall and said, "Since I'm not allowed these party pleasures, neither are you."

And she cast a spell that when the young prince became twenty, he should fall asleep until such and such things should happen. And she wouldn't tell them what those things were. At the end of Charles' 20th birthday party he was still awake. A month later he was very wide awake. Six months later the same was true. Four months later he was still fine, and his birthday was coming

up. The King and Queen held a grand celebration because the prince was still awake. On the morning of his 21st birthday he could not be awakened. He slept and slept. A hundred years later he was still

sleeping. Far away at exactly midnight, a princess was born. She was beautiful beyond words. Her father and mother were also

silly.They also threw a party and forgot a fairy. Fire-breath was his name. He cast a spell on the princess that when she was 19 she would fall asleep until a certain prince should kiss her. The morning of her birthday she could not be awakened. When she fell asleep, the prince awoke, but he did not fully awaken. He yawned a great deal and always slept in. During his long sleep, he had dreamed all about himself from the moment he was born to the moment he fell

asleep. He had also dreamed of the princess her entire life. He fell madly in love with her and set out to find her. He climbed

high mountains, forded rivers and walked plains. During his journey, He heard a lot of the princess until he reached her. And he, being a VERY unwise, Prince (You should really never kiss any one unless you are closely related or married) kissed her right then and there, but nothing happened. Like I said, he was very UNwise he also was rather stupid (naturally.) So even though she remained under an enchanted sleep,

he decided to marry her. And arranged every thing with her parents they didn’t want to and he persuaded them by saying "True princes don’t come along very often you could be dead before one does". It was a fine wedding and the guests had to smuggle their laughter when they saw the KING dragging his daughter up the aisle. As soon as the parson said, "You may kiss the bride" he did.

And she awoke. And so did the prince. He quit yawning so much and didn't sleep in any more. And they all, I guess, lived happily to their deaths.

         -K.J.

DID YOU KNOW?

     -That The Bishop Asser has traced King Alfred’s genealogy all the way back to Adam? That is what I call a far-fetched genealogy!

     - That the population of Sweden will not double for over a thousand years?

POET’S   CORNER

“I heard a thousand blended notes,

While in a grove I sat reclined;

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What man has made of man.”

     -William Wordsworth

Myself

I have to live with myself and so,

I want to be fit for myself to know.

I want to be able as the days go by,

Always to look myself in the eye.

I don’t want to stand, with the setting sun

And hate myself for things I’ve done.

I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf

A lot of secrets about myself

And fool myself as I come and go

Into thinking that nobody else will know

The kind of man I really am

I don’t want to dress myself up in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect

I want to deserve all men’s respect

But here in the struggle for fame and pelf

I want to be able to like myself

I don’t want to look at myself and know

That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show

I never can hide myself from me

I see what others may never see

I know what others may never know

I never can fool myself and so,

Whatever happens, I want to be

Self-respecting and conscience free.

         -Edgar A. Guest

JOKES and RIDDLES ROOM

“Broken Phone”

Bill was a frequent user of a pay telephone at a popular truck stop, and was greatly inconvenienced when the phone went out of commission. Repeated requests for repair brought only promises. After several days, Bill again contacted the phone company and told that there was no longer a rush. The phone was now working fine...except that all money was being returned upon completion of each call. A repairman arrived within the hour.

     Thanks to Jocelyndixon for this joke!

     “By faith, not by sight!”

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children.  The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.

TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later)  Yes, I saw the sky.

TEACHER: Did you see God up there?

TOMMY: No.

TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there.  Possibly he just doesn't exist.

 A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy  some

questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the  boy: Tommy,

do you see the  tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass  outside?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the  teacher?

TOMMY: Yes

LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?

TOMMY:  No

LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

-Author unknown, contributed by R.C.

Advertisements

     - Join the year’s Christmas Axis and Allies tournament!  Due to the length of the above-mentioned entertainment taking eight hours to complete one game, we will only be completing one round per evening.  At this rate, we should be able to pronounce the winner by New Year’s Eve! 

     - R.C. and C.V.

It’s Good To Remember…

“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for it’s swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory.  I love only that which they defend.”

     - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers