The Green Men of Gressingham: Part 3

By PHILIP ARDAGH

Because it was so early in the day, everyone drank 'small' beer and not the strong stuff. Small beer? Well, like all men and women of noble birth, they never drank water from their well because it was usually a horrid brown colour and tasted like mud. So they always drank beer and small beer was the weakest.

Now the day had arrived, his mother wasn't hungry, so she chewed her hanky instead. Her eyes were red and swollen and she looked as though she'd been lying awake all night. That was because she had been. She'd been thinking of her little boy leaving home.

"I propose a toast," said Tom's father, Sir Simon, rising to his feet. "To my son, Thomas, on his first step on the road to honour and glory!"

"Honour and glory," agreed Able Morris, and everyone raised their goblets to their lips. Tom felt so proud that his face glowed bright red.

"We must take our leave of you now, Sir Simon," said Able Morris. "Tom and I have a long ride and a dusty road ahead of us."

Publisher: Barrington Stoke

Price: $14.95

Age group: 8 plus years


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