The Soldier's Values

LongBeard and Podgy were sharing a mint drink in the shade of their favourite red and white toadstool. Podgy had come to see LongBeard as he had had a strange dream which he wanted LongBeard to help him understand. He had asked LongBeard to help him with dream interpretation before, and came prepared with his 6 words neatly written on a maple tree leaf.

LongBeard looked at the words, took a sip of his cool drink and said: “Podgy, my friend, here is the story which will help you understand your dream:

Billy knew that the happiness he was feeling now was short-lived. From where he was standing in the shade of the trees, he could hear the single bell tolling in the castle tower. This was a warning to the guards that someone had escaped, and the search would soon begin.

Earlier in the day, dissatisfied with the way the soldiers were treated, he had demanded an audience with his superior officer to discuss the situation. To his dismay, however, the colonel was annoyed by his request to grant the soldiers more time with their families.

This uncaring attitude had prompted him to resign on the spot.

Disappointment and anger had washed over him in waves as he left the office. It seemed as if the status quo was to remain. His vision of leading a battalion of men who were satisfied and highly motivated had been cut down by the cruel decision of the commanding officer.

Billy had been so upset that he decided he could not even stay to honour his one month resignation period. He was suddenly desperate for his freedom from the tyrannical entrapment of this regiment. Their false promises had been exposed and he was having none of it any longer.With stealth and strength he had climbed over the castle wall, and disappeared into the nearby forest.”

Acknowledgements: www.blazelightaround.com

2010 Copyright © LongBeard story Susan Bellingan Fourie