6.Quentin’s Quest
Now in another palace lived
a King, a Queen and Prince
with so much gold and splendour
it would make the poor folk wince.
Yet all was not content amid
this opulence galore.
About their son, the King and Queen
were very anxious for
Prince Quentin was
a daring chap
who loved a tricky
quest;
the tasks with
dragons breathing fire,
he liked the very
best.
Despite his keen
demeanour
taking danger on
quite gladly,
if Quentin helped
a damsel in distress,
it turned out
badly.
The King and Queen
both worried
for they secretly
agreed,
although the
prince was brave,
he was unlikely to
succeed.
The servants had
to bathe his wounds
and clean his
sooty features,
when he limped
home from tussling
with fire
breathing creatures.
He’d heard Old Sal had dealings with
a lass who’d been enchanted
and as a bacon
butty had been
on a plate
transplanted.
So when young
Quentin changed back from
an ogre to a royal,
he felt a quest
was needed
and this witch’s
fun he’d spoil.
His mum and dad
became concerned,
for with a witch
involved,
Prince Quentin
could be zapped, blown up
or maybe get
dissolved.
In fact, two weeks
before,
the Duke and
Duchess of Eldritch
had disappeared
abruptly
in encounters with
this witch.
“Oh Quentin dear,
she sounds so mean,”
his mum the Queen
entreated.
“She might
transform you to a humble frog
if you’re
defeated!”
“Don’t worry,” was his brave
retort,
“triumphant I
shall be.
No witch could
ever make
a green amphibian
of me!”
So off he set upon
his horse;
with fanfares he
was cheered
until into the magic
wood nearby
he disappeared …
The trees were
tall and ominous
and scary beasties
scurried
within the bushes
near the prince,
which made him
slightly worried.
“Be brave!” he thought, as just above his head
the rooks and
crows
flew circles round
and round before
they swooped and
pecked his nose.
“Gerroff!
Gerroff!”
the prince exclaimed
so loud that every
word
rang out until by
Spooky Sal the Witch
the lad was heard.
Now Spooky Sal could
be quite nice,
although she
looked quite weird:
with warts, a
crooked nose, green teeth,
eyepatch and wispy
beard.
The trouble was
that folks were scared
whenever she flew
by:
they’d run off
screaming or chuck bricks,
which helped her
justify
her predilection
to respond
with spells that
rearranged
their arms and
legs and heads and things
until they looked
quite strange.
“Hello young man,”
old
Spooky said,
“I think you must
be lost.”
“No, no. I’m here
to right a wrong,”
was Quentin’s
quick riposte.
“Oh yes, what’s
that?”
came Sal’s reply,
pretending she
knew nothing.
“You changed a
girl,” Prince Quentin
said,
“into a bacon
muffin!”
“Oh her! Well, she
was mean,” Sal
said,
displaying no
remorse,
while Quentin took
his big sword out
and fell down off
his horse.
Old Spooky Sal
then helped him up
and whispered in
the ear
of Quentin’s
steed, which strangely made
some zig zag bolts
appear,
all followed with
a fizz, a crash
and swirling lilac
smoke,
before the horse
transformed into
some naked ginger
bloke.
“It’s Uncle Phil!” Prince Quentin
gasped
as Phil checked
out his bearings,
then dashed behind
a bush
due to the clothes
he was not wearing.
“Duke Phillip
here had vexed me once;
he said I was a
hag!
He tried to banish
me and so
I changed him to a
nag.”
While Uncle Phil nipped
off to find
some leaves to
hide his shame,
young Quentin
stood all righteous and
with sword in hand
proclaimed:
“I charge you,
Spooky Sal, with crimes
of
transmogrification;
your misdemeanours
carried out
for self-gratification.”
Old Spooky sighed
and from her robes
produced her
witch’s wand:
“Dear Prince, are
you quite sure you want
to end up in a
pond?”
Prince Quentin
took no backward step
but simply cleared
his throat,
then stared into
the distance
as he gave this
stirring quote:
“If I should end
my life a frog,
and folks about me
speak,
I’d like it known
my quests were to
protect the poor
and weak.”
On hearing such a
heartfelt speech,
old Sal felt
rather sad.
Could using spells and charms mean that
she was so
very bad?
But she was
interrupted by
a screech from out
the blue,
as flying high
above their heads
a dragon came in
view.
This massive,
scaly, scary beast
with wings just
like a bat,
then landed,
breathing fire nearby,
which singed the
witch’s hat.
Once more bold
Quentin screwed
his courage to the
sticking place
and stood there
shielding Spooky Sal,
a grimace on his
face.
“Stand back and do
not fear, for though
you’re not a young
princess,
I’ve sworn an oath
to save
all ladies in such
dire distress.”
“Oh don’t be
daft,” the
witch replied.
“I’m not some
shrinking flower.
No fire-breathing
dragon’s
gonna make old
Spooky cower!”
And with a spell
the prince was stopped,
as Sal approached
the beastie,
then with a swish
and flick of wand
transformed it
most completely.
“Good grief, the
dragon’s Aunty June!”
the prince cried
in dismay,
while June ran off
into the woods,
quite keen to get
away.
“Your Aunty June,
the duchess, was
most horribly
unkind.
She said I
was a dragon,
so I knew I’d have
to find
a shape for her to change into
that might just
help June see
how tricky it is
for a witch
who’s ugly, just
like me …”
Then Quentin sat
upon a log,
his mind all in a
spin;
you shouldn’t
disrespect a soul,
a pauper, witch or
king.
He knew this quest
just wasn’t right
and it would need
to change.
You mustn’t pick
on anyone,
especially if
they’re strange.
“I’m sorry Spooky
Sal, I feel
I must apologise:
my family and I
were wrong.
You’ve opened up
my eyes!”
Enchanted by his
true remorse,
Old Sal bestowed a
wish
upon this
thoughtful royal youth
which she’d grant
with a swish
of witch’s wand.
So thinking hard,
he chose his
heart’s desire:
young Quentin
asked for dragon’s wings
and lungs that
could breathe fire …
And so Prince
Quentin flies about
with dragons all
day long,
debating with them
whether stealing
princesses is
wrong,
and with his
social conscience,
advocates all
global views,
breathing fire
only sparingly
at palace
barbeques.
And as for Spooky
Sal the Witch
she still lives
round the bend
within a world of
make believe,
a world of let’s
pretend;
where dragons fly
and mermaids swim
and ogres are
well-known
for playing cool melodic
tunes
upon the saxophone
…
End
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