Nigel. Chapter 17

In a remote part of Gondwana roam herds of Hadrosaurs. They have crests on their heads, full of hollow tubes, which they can blow through to make wonderful music. The songs they sing are full of hiraeth which is the Hadrosaur word for sadness, and their male voice choirs are famous throughout the swamp. But these special dinosaurs do not often come to the Hurly Burlys, preferring to sing their songs of hiraeth in the hills and valleys of their own country. Sometimes some of the younger and jollier ones get tired of the sad songs, and decide to travel and see the world. Such a one was Nigel. He was a brilliant musician, the best his teachers had ever taught, but although he sang the songs of hiraeth, he liked happy songs as well, and he enjoyed dancing. So one day he asked his Mum and Dad if he could go on his travels to visit the Prehistoric Animal Brigade and join in their Hurly Burlys. His Mum and Dad said they would be very sorry to see him go, but they knew that he would be happier with the brigade, he was so irrepressibly jolly. So his Mum baked him a huge fruit cake which she said would last him for ages, his music teacher gave him an introduction to Clara, so that he could continue his lessons, and his Dad told him, when he arrived, to look out for his Uncle Paul. Nigel kissed his Mum and Dad, then he set off. He sang as he danced along in his new trainers, and the miles passed happily by. 

Soon he could see the twin peaks on Mount Buttock in the distance. When he got a little closer, he stopped to rest and eat a piece of fruit cake. A voice spoke behind him. 

“What's a nice young Hadrosaur like you doing alone, so far from home? Your mother and father don't take much care of you do they? Come and live with me in my cosie cave, I will be a Mother to you.” Nigel turned to look at the creature that had spoken. Anything that looked less like a nice kind mother he could not imagine. But Nigel was not stupid. Looking into her cold and greedy eyes, he knew that he had better be careful, she might even be a witch. He said, 

“Thank you, if you will wait here while I fetch my little brother who is resting in the wood over there, we will both come to your cosy cave, and you can be a mother to both of us.” The creature licked her lips, and Nigel was certain that it was a witch. 

“I will sit here and do a bit of knitting,” she said, “don't be long dear.” Nigel danced off to the woods. As soon as he got there he stopped dancing and ran as fast as he could away from Mount Buttock. The witch sat and knitted for hours, but then, when Nigel did not come back with his brother, she flew back to her cold and dirty cave in a rotten temper.   

Nigel went on his way until he reached the banks of a wide river. There he settled down to spend the night, and was soon fast asleep after his adventure. In the middle of the night, the wind rose and began to blow down the river. The water was soon tugging at the part of the river bank where Nigel lay. It came loose, and the little island, with Nigel on it, floated away down stream. When he woke up he was surprised to find himself in the middle of a broad river. He did not know if he could swim, he had never tried, and it looked a long way to the shore. He sat and ate his last piece of fruit cake, while he wondered what to do. He saw a Pteranodon in the distance. He stood up and waved and called. Sophie looked down and wondered how one Hadrosaur could make so much noise. She landed beside him on the floating island. 

“Hello, my name is Sophie,” she said.

“My name is Nigel but my friends call me Nige.” said the Hadrosaur, and he told her how he had come to be stuck on the little island. Sophie said, 

“You are too big for me to carry, but if I spread my wings for a sail, you can steer the island by holding on to it with your front legs, and paddling with your back ones.” After a few attempts they soon got the hang of it, and slowly they sailed towards the shore. Nigel chatted happily to Sophie as he paddled, he made even the most frightening bits of his adventures sound fun. Then he told her how he had a letter for Clara from his music teacher. 

“Then take the next turn right down that little stream, and steer for the big red cedar tree in the distance, it grows at the bottom of Clara's garden.” Sophie said. “I was on my way to see her, because today she is holding one of her musical afternoons. Uncle Bron will invite his friends. The Swampy Stompers will be there, and perhaps Sir Edward Eel Gar will come.” In Clara's garden, Uncle Bron was pouring out drinks for his guests when Clara called, 

“Come here, and bring the binocs Bron,” They stood by the river's edge, and looked at the strange craft steering towards them. 

“It looks like Sophie to me, and who can that be, splashing about behind?” The floating island came to rest under Clara's tree, and Sophie and Nigel stepped ashore. One of the Swampy Stompers ran forwards, 

“Nige!” he shouted, and Nigel hugged him and said “Hello, Uncle Paul.” Clara and Bron welcomed them both and while Sophie told them of their adventure, Uncle Paul took Nigel with him to meet the other Swampy Stompers, whose names were George, John and Ringo. 

The musical afternoon began, and as Clara listened to Nigel, she realised she had a pupil of genius. Sophie and Sir Edward had a long chat. They talked about the Hadrosaur's interesting crests, and how similar they were to Pteranadons. As the sun set, Nigel and his Uncle Paul sung a song full of hiraeth called “The long and winding river.” and at the end of the musical afternoon Nigel thanked Sophie for rescuing him and said he was going to live with Uncle Paul and the Swampy Stompers, and he hoped he would see her again at the next Hurly Burly. Sophie flew home, well pleased with her days work. She did not think much of Hadrosaurs as a rule, but she was pleased that Nigel had said that she could call him, “Nige.”