MISTER PERIWINKLE

MISTER PERIWINKLE

 

Spikenard was famous for its beautiful waterfalls and pretty clusters of purplish yellow flowers that grew in every nook and corner. People from nearby lands came here to spend the day,

There lived a man named Mister Periwinkle in Spikenard who was rather shy and coy and when he faced folks especially ladies, he would become so very nervous that he would wink for the very least thing.

This annoyed the folks of Spikenard and they mistook it for impudence. They complained to the mayor Mr. Sock Do Loggers and had Periwinkle imprisoned.

Poor Mr. Periwinkle he went to prison for a crime he did not commit and being so shy, he could not prove his innocence.

In prison he made friends with Do Do a doddering old man and Hobo the tramp. All of them exchanged their tales why they had been imprisoned.

Hobo the tramp said, “I was hungry so I stole some goodies from a shop.”

Do Do the doddering old man said, “I was a squatter but I tried to sell a piece of land to a squire and was paid a part payment, but before I could be paid further, the squire discovered that I was not the real owner of the land. He had me arrested and here I am.”

Periwinkle also narrated his bit, “I am innocent, but my nerves get overcharged and I begin to wink at people.”

When night fell, the three inmates went to their bunks and as they were about to sleep, a tiny little fellow crept through the prison bars carrying with him splinters of colourful wood and introduced himself saying,

“I am JU JU the charming elf

Of Spikenard

With spiky ears

And am here to set one free

Who wins the game

Of Spillikin’s

With me”

They all staggered in astonishment upon seeing this strange little elf and asked him what the game of Spillikin’s meant. Then Ju Ju the elf retorted, “Spillikin’s is a game where you remove each splinter of wood one by one without disturbing the rest.” He then lay the colourful splinters of wood on the floor and asked Hobo the tramp to begin.

Hobo

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was over confident and thought that Do Do the doddering old man would surely lose ‘cause his hands quivered too much, while Mister Periwinkle would never win the game cause he winked too much. So happily he set forth with the game, but on his very first attempt he lost.

The second was Do Do the doddering old man, who too lost the game as his hands were too unsteady.

Now both Hobo and Do Do tittered amongst themselves for they felt that Periwinkle would surely lose the game. But when Periwinkle played the game of Spillikin’s, though he winked too much he won the game much to their surprise.

Ju Ju the elf cast a magical spell saying,

“Jiggery Pokery

Let Periwinkle’s eyes

Wink no more

Jiggery Pokery”

And Lo! Periwinkle stopped winking and was much pleased. Then the elf waved goodbye and went away.

But Mister Periwinkle took pity on Hobo the tramp and Do Do the doddering old man. Looking at their sad faces, Periwinkle promised to set them free if they would not swindle, cheat or steal anymore.

So his friends agreed and the next day when the Mayor Mr. Sock Do Loggers came around, he was happy to see the change in Mr. Periwinkle and set him free.

Mr. Periwinkle pleaded with Mayor Sock Do Loggers to set his friends free too, but the mayor got angry and said “Those scrimshanks, should never be set loose again.”

Mister Periwinkle calmed him down and told him that they wanted to become worthy citizens of Spikenard and did promise to do so. So Mr. Sock Do Loggers took pity on them and did not shilly shally any longer.

He employed Hobo the tramp now as his chauffeur of his old rickety shandrydan and Do Do the doddering old man as his gardener and they worked faithfully for many many years.

If you ever get a chance to go to Spikenard, Mister Periwinkle will be your tourist guide and will show you Mr. Sock Do Logger’s beautiful garden being tended by Do Do the doddering old man and his chauffeur Hobo the tramp driving his old rickety shandrydan, happily whistling away!