Sea Monster Lore

Simon's next writing assignment was to take a very popular folktale or fable and make it is own. He chose to write under the umbrella of "A Boy Who Cried Wolf." You should be able to see the resemblance.

A three masted brigantine, christened the “Monkey” carried a group of swash buckling pirates on the high seas. These pirates were the oddest bunch of pirates that lived. They believed if you were lucky enough to be eaten by a sea monster, you would be reborn and receive all of King George’s gold; although, all the ‘normal’ pirates knew this wasn’t true. Immediately before the boat set sail, an exceptionally bored kid stowed away onto this particular pirate ship. This kid, who was shifty by nature, overheard some pirates talking about sea monster lore. He appreciated the humor in the brainless pirates’ chat. One day, the captain, a burly man by the name of Capt’n Jules, assigned him to be on the lookout for sea monsters, of course the kid was happy and delightedly responded in his best pirate voice. “Aye Sir!”

The kid headed up to the rickety crows nest. While high on his perch, he thought of a good practice drill for his prank. The crew, which was just about to doze off to sleep, needed to be fired up. He bellowed. “Avast!” While pointing his finger out to sea the crew heard him shout, “SEA MONSTER, SEA MONSTER ON STARBOARD SIDE!” This definitely got the crew’s attention. They all ran to the starboard side and started desperately diving into the water. After awhile it became apparent that there was no sea monster. The kid told the captain that it was just a drill. The captain, since he was still in his pirate pajamas, got angry and gave him three warnings – one of which would be to get flogged with a licorice whip. Consequently, the kid performed his prank again three more times; the first two were just like the first. The third however he thought for certain he saw a sea monster.

The captain called him to his quarters after the third and final prank. While in the quarters Capt’n Jules warned him not to do it again. If he did he would be flogged with a licorice whip. The next day the young lad spotted an authentic sea monster. He recognized it as a Leviathan, the biggest monster of them all. It was like twenty humpback whales all in one body. The boy, within the unstable crows nest cried out, “SEA MONSTER ON PORT SIDE!” All was quiet. Not a sound. Since this was no drill, the boy yelled again, “This is not a drill, I am not kidding, SEA MONSTER!” Surprisingly, no one came. Whoosh. An out sized wave crashed over the brigantine and as it ferociously rocked, the boy fell in the water. The sea monster, which had not eaten in quite some time, devoured the boy. Possibly, the next day, the boy awakened to a significant heap of jewels, coins and a key lying by his side.

Do you believe in the lore of the Sea Monster?