Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia. Walter Hooper
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Название: Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia
Автор: Walter Hooper
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Сказки
isbn: 9780007386086
isbn:
Not untill the early years of the 15th century, was any ‘stir’, so to speak, made at all. Then a certain Chess king appeared full of determination to put an end to the ill-treatment of his fellow-Chessmen. This individual, as no doubt you know, was the famous Gengleston Herbert Flaxman.
It is all very well to sit in your study reading this essay, and think of all the things in favour of Flaxman; but for him it was hard, very hard. Now: – a man in not very good circumstances wants to start an undertaking of great importance, and difficulties; – how can he begin? This was the problem which confronted King Flaxman, when first he got the idea. Never baffled, however, he tried to raise volantary contributions from Animal-landish people. This was worse than a failure, for it earned him the hatred of the people, who didn’t trust in him. His idea was to found the first Chessary, near Boot; as we have seen, the difficulties in Animal-land had proved too insurmountable, so he must try elsewhere.
Accordingly (in company with 2 pawns, and a certain Castle Richards, who were faithful to him), Flaxman set-sail, in a trading ship, for Clarendon. On his arrival there the semi-civilised inhabitants made an attempt to (though they didn’t mind the traders) drive out the 4 strangers. Flaxman, however, drove his way into the interior; and, having settled, sent a message back by the ship in which he came. This message was sent to Chessmen in India and Animal-land, telling them of Flaxman’s scheme and bidding them come, – he would help with the expences. Soon they came: and the first Chessary in the world, of but 90 Chesspeople, was founded in Clarendon.
(PART II)
In a former treatise I have described the foundation of Chessaries, and discussed the matter. In that little work (owing to lack of some requesites), I ommited to say, (1) How King Flaxman put down the natives, (2) How he paid for the building of the Chesary, (3) Anything about Chess orders, and social organisation. On the request of my father, I am now penning an essay to supply these wants, or try to, rather.
In the first place, we must remember that Flaxman’s Chessmen were civilised, and had, naturally, better weapons than the crude and savage natives of Clarendon. But before the little colony of Chessmen could do anything, they must have somewhere to live in. Flaxman caused the Chess-people to work at the building of the Chessary, with their weapons on, as assaults were frequently made by the natives. The work, Flaxman decided, was to be done methodically: 2 or 4 men were always posted on the outskirts of the scene of labour, to warn the workers of an attack. One body of men felled the trees, another chopped them up, another carted them to the site of the Chessary, and a fourth body built. Flaxman did as much work as any other two put together!
In about a month the work was finished. And while they had been working, new Chessmen had been arriving, so they were now in a condition to fight.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF
ANIMAL-LAND
Capital: Murry on the Jemima.
Animal-land is a dagger-shaped island lying West of the Great Continent. length 720 miles, breadth 380 miles, total area 110,600 sq. miles.
Surface: The mountains of Animal-land are numerous. The chief are: in the North the Mourme Mts. with point Phaze, and Mt. Donnair: in the South the Aya-Gutch Mts. with Mr Podiphattea, and the Gorge di Diabolo 200 ft. deep: in the centre of Pig-land the Marston Hills, or the Marston Wolds. As well as many smaller ranges of hills, as the Dugg Hills in Horse-land.
Rivers: Animal-land is a very well watered country. The largest rivers are, the Jemima, the Poulder, the Maolar, the Great Hud, the Lack River, and the Little Hud on the East coast. The Bunyar, the Thoolnaar, and the Araboa: on the West coast. The Bushat on the North coast.
Animal-land is divided into 13 provinces.
Province: Bear-land
Capital: Figurdied
Province: Wolf-land
Capital: Sclarustown
Province: Squirrel-land
Capital: Fuczy
Province: Mouse-land
Capital: Murry1
Province: Rabbit-land
Capital: Cannon-town
Province: Pig-land
Capital: Marston
Province: Bird-land
Capital: Whing
Province: Horse-land
Capital: Main Hocking
Province: Fox-land
Capital: Sklyton
Province: Land of Typical Animals
Capital: Brall
Province: Insect-land
Capital: Boot-town
Province: Rat-land
Capital: Tipp
Province: With the island of Piscia, or Fishland
Bear-land
Bear-land is situated in the north east of Animal-land. It is mountainous, and cold. In the south: the Ravine of Dirnom is the scene of the Animal-landish HIEMPIAL SPORTS.
Wolf-land
Wolf-land is scantly populated, and thinly covered with vegatation in the west where the soil is arid and sandy: timber however is largely grown in the north. Sclarustown its capital is of much importance, being a Great Northern Railway terminus.
Squirrel-land
Squirrel-land, owing to its magnificent mountains is much resorted to by tourests. Fuczy on Lake Fuczy is world-famed for corn. Great Eglington is an enormous railway centre.
Mouse-land
Mouse-land is the seat of government. Murry on the Jemima is a great port, and has imense shipbuilding yards. Here the Parliament is situated. It is a beautiful country of undulating hill and dale.
Rabbit-land
Rabbit-land is the first provence in learning and art. Cannon-town is so called because it is situated in the cannon of Butatsheek. Poultry are reared in the west.
Pig-land
Pig-land is very flat, and produces much coal and iron. Lake СКАЧАТЬ