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| Emily - 9th Grade |
Clip clop, clip clop. Nicon the
donkey trotted down the Roman road, hauling a cart, en route to the Ionian Sea . His owner and driver-Eutychius-looked like an
ordinary peasant: leathery skin, graying hair, plain tunic and sandals. While
his donkey worked, Eutychius took a nap beneath his floppy, wide-brimmed
petasos. He justified his restfulness with the optimistic fantasy that Nicon
knew where to go.
Suddenly Nicon halted, jolting Eutychius
awake: a richly clad man stood beside them! He looked tense and anxious, though
Eutychius did not know why. As Eutychius gazed at the stranger, he beheld the
supple velvet, furs, and precious metals that lavishly decorated this person.
What could such a man want with a peasant like Eutychius?
Unfortunately he never found out,
for at that moment Nicon did the unprecedented. Grabbing the opulent cloak with
his teeth, Nicon yanked repeatedly until he heard the taut velvet rip. Mortified
to silence, Eutychius could only stare as Nicon slowly chewed up the expensive cloak.
Crimson-faced, the man seized his garment and began a ridiculous unrestrained tug-of-war
with the obstinate beast. Finally the man succeeded in wrenching the soggy mess
from Nicon’s jaws.
Full of consternation, Eutychius
dragged Nicon off the road (with considerable resistance from the donkey).
Nicon, who hated off-road driving, began experiencing the consequences of
swallowing costly clothing. Meanwhile, Eutychius heaved a great barrel of wine
out of his cart and mutely offered it to the bedraggled man. Luckily, the
disgruntled stranger accepted the wine, consuming it all on the spot. Eutychius
drove away as quickly as Nicon could go while toting a stomach burdened by a
solid gold cloak clasp.
Short Story
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