Strange Tales

Boys Will Be Boys

Twins Sam and Gareth were always on the go - enjoying life as young lads should, climbing trees, running races, getting into scrapes. “Boys will be boys,” nodded grandma sagely, after one of their escapades. Big sister Nelly thought otherwise. “They are a pain in my brain,” she said with the authority of her 15 years to their 10. She would fume when the rest of the family sniggered and guffawed at the boys’ antics. One day they climbed the King’s Oak and hoisted a chamber pot on high. When it rattled in the wind, granddad called it Guzunder Thunder. Another time they tied the curate’s bootlaces together and he fell flat on his face. Fortunately, he saw the funny side. The fun and pranks reflected the seasons. Snowmen found their heads tucked under their arms.

In February some of the unlikeliest people received homemade Valentine’s Cards. Emily the undertaker even received one from old Mr Potts who she had buried a month earlier.

In summer, there was a spate of trip-ups in cottage gardens: someone had tied grass stalks together to catch the unwary. Then there were loud raspberries blown through letter boxes at dusk.

Autumn saw outside lavatories disappearing under piles of leaves, resulting in desperate attempts to move them in time.

by Anton Valdemart

There was a warning from father during the seasons of fun: “Don’t go near the old mine shaft. You never know what’s down there.” Then there was the balloon. It was uncertain where it came from. Some said it must be from one of the big houses because of its fine quality. Others opined that it was a weather balloon. “That’s vulcanised rubber,” said granddad prodding the three-foot wide black sphere. The twins commandeered the balloon, using it as a big football or letting it float off so they could chase the bouncing blimp. Down hills it went, over cottages it soared - always with the bounding boys following close. The final straw came when it knocked Nelly into the rhubarb patch. She vent her fury in silence as the twins chased the errant balloon. Then it disappeared - as soon as it came, it was gone. The boys never could fathom how Nelly tricked them to go down the mine shaft. They’d been for a swim in the mill pond when she cheerily made the suggestion. “I dare you to go down theredad says it’s all right,” she fibbed. Her brothers hesitated then climbed into the bucket. “I’ll bring you back up - just shout when you’ve reached the bottom.” They screamed ... and screamed and screamed. In the pitch dark, they felt the slithering touch of something cold and lifeless. Nelly hauled them up at once, then collapsed, shaking with laughter. Snared on the bucket beneath the boys, the balloon was being squeezed tighter and tighter. It exploded with a thunderous roar, blasting the twins to safety.

read my next Strange Tale in The LINK: The Miser.