The Adventures of Cat Skard

by Hart, Joan

  A salty tang in the air alerted them to the closeness of the sea long before they saw it. Then, there it was, a tantalizing glimpse between the trees. Word had reached the coastal village too though none in the party really knew how. The group was greeted warmly, and it seemed to the children that the whole population had turned out to greet them. Surrounded by joyous jostling people they were herded into the market place. There the head man held up his hand for silence.

  “We are honoured and most relieved to have you all here in our village. We look forward to hearing of your adventures. Our Skard is ready to compose a sagathat will live in our hearts forever.”

  “Tell your Skard he must wait.” Thor brought the three children to stand in front of him. “There is a fourth young adventurer. We separated so that we could complete our tasks. We do not know what happened to our fourth young member, so until we do your Skard will have no story.”

  “Well I think that’s a great shame!”

  The voice drifted over the heads of the crowd. Smiling villagers parted to reveal a small band of warriors and a smiling Cat.

  The celebrations that evening were tremendous and very noisy as villagers and warriors alike drank more than normal feasting dictated. In the byre, the quietest place in the long house four children huddled together and slept soundly.

  The next day saw them along with Thor searching the quayside for a suitable ship. Unfortunately there didn’t seem much of a choice and the children were beginning to worry that they would be stuck there for some time. Kiert became aware of a small dwarf like man standing beside him.

  “I hear you are looking for a ship.”

  “Yes we are. Do you know of one?”

  “I have just what you are looking for but it will cost you.”

  Kiert tugged at Thor’s arm.

  “This man knows where to get a ship.”

  Thor bent down. “So, where is this ship?”

  “Here in my pocket.”

  With a roar Thor lifted the man by his tunic high up into the air.

  “Do not make fun of me little man. In your pocket. What kind of a fool do you take me for?”

  “No fool Thor. The ship I have is Skidbladnir.”

  Slowly and more gently than he went up the man returned to earth. Thor turned to the children.

  “We have a ship IF we can give this man a great deal of treasure.”

  “We don’t have any treasure,” Sharon piped up; “and even if we did where’s the ship?” She looked around her, the edge of the quay was deserted.

  Amanda faced the man.

  “You want riches for the rest of your life? You want to be able to buy your way into good village life?”

  The little man nodded eagerly.

  “Then I can help.”

  To the amazement of the others Amanda put her arm around the little man and together they walked down the quayside.

  Twenty minutes later they returned. The man stood on the side of the quay and took out a folded piece of wood from his pocket. He threw it into the sea and there before them lay a huge sea going ship. The prow and stern were both carved into tight spirals and from the middle a huge mast soared into the sky.

  “Right then,” Amanda clapped her hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  While the warriors prepared the ship Cat and the others huddled around Amanda.

  “What did you do?”

  “I asked him which he’d rather have. Treasure now, which wouldn’t last long, or treasure whenever he wanted it. He was a man who bought and sold stuff and liked making a profit. The knack of doing well he said, was to know when you were onto a good deal. So I gave him my talisman. Now when he buys things he can see whether people are telling him the truth!”

  For several days the weather was good and they made good speed, but late on the third day the sky grew dark, the wind grew even stronger, howling around the mast and the waves built higher until they began crashing over the ship’s sides. Men and children alike clung desperately to ropes and oars, powerless in the face of such a force. Both Amanda and Sharon had been sick and Kiert felt he wouldn’t be far behind them. In front of him Cat stood swaying violently back and forth trying to get her hand into her tunic. Finally she managed to pull out a piece of carved wood and she slowly held it skywards. Kiert closed his eyes. Watching Cat sway was not a good idea. Deep in his misery he heard Cat muttering.

  “C L O no, no that’s col.”

  After about ten minutes Kiert became aware that the violent moving had moderated. He opened his eyes. Cat was still muttering but her swaying had calmed. He looked sideways at Amanda and Sharon. A faint interest in life was showing on their pinched white faces. Over the next half an hour conditions improved enough for the ships company to go about their business. No-one noticed Cat slip the wooden rune under her cloak. Bits of blue sky were returning and with a stiff breeze in the sail the boat skipped over the waves like it too was eager to reach its destination.

  “Land!”

  The cry they had all been waiting for came at last. The children stood near the prow watching as the distant blue grey mass turned into beautiful green coastline. The ship hugged the shore then turning slowly entered a narrow inlet, and was beached on the gently shelving sand. It took a while to find their land legs but soon the children were ready for the last part of their journey to Kiert’s village. The ship was finally emptied of crew and cargo.

  “This is where we part” Thor held out his hand to the children. They stood unable to believe what they had just heard. It hadn’t occurred to them that Thor wouldn’t come the whole way with them. Thor stood in front of Sharon.

  “When we first met I said how like Freya you were and I was right. Your wisdom has kept us safe throughout our adventure. Go well. You Amanda have shown your courage and fiery nature, you will succeed in your long life to come. Kiert a true warrior, your deeds will live on in our sagas, your sons will be famous too. I salute you. Cat, thanks to your efforts, young people in the future will read our sagas and learn the truth about Sigurd and our other heroes. They will learn how strength of character and love of friends can help in times of need. You children, by working together and looking after one another have shown how there are still heroes to be found.”

  Thor turned to the assembled warriors.

  “Skard, you and your men... we will meet again,” Thor raised his axe in salute, mounted his chariot...

  “Thor wait!”

  Amanda ran to the chariot side. “In the story about you and the Giant King... what did you do to him?”

  Thor smiled, bent over and whispered in Amanda’s ear, then without a backward glance he drove away. A distant rumble of thunder indicated the mighty Thor had truly gone, and the emptiness left behind was unbearable.

  The trek to Kiert’s home began in sombre mood. On the way curiosity got the better of Sharon.

  “What did Thor whisper? What did happen to the Giant King?”

  Amanda smiled at her friend. Thor told me to “read it for myself!”

  The village appeared in front of them and the children broke into an excited run. The long house was packed. The boards outside were packed. People jostled to hear about the adventure. Kiert’s father managed to get quiet. “Tell us your story.” Cat looked towards the Skard. He nodded gently. Cat looked at the expectant faces in front of her, took a deep breath and began. Kiert, Sharon and Amanda took their turns in narrating their adventure, making the story come alive in the telling.

  “And that,” concluded Cat, “is the Saga of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer.” She looked again at the faces in front of her. Hands clapped in appreciation of their story.

  “Now that’s what I call an exciting, heroic adventure. OK. The bell has gone. Well done you three. We will finish the rest next lesson.”

 
Mrs Cosyner collected her books and left the classroom. The class filed out leaving Cat, Sharon and Amanda still sitting on the floor.

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