mrv3000 | Ahoy, and other nautical expressions!

I'm still trying to get over the flu. Fortunately the fever part of it is past and now I just sound like a frog.

I've been re-reading the Thursday Next series and my favorite bits of it still are the dodos. :D Even Alan (Pickwick the dodo's unholy terror offspring) and Hamlet (as in the Hamlet).

"Plink!" said Alan, who had been padding grumpily around the garden.

"I think that bird is looking for trouble," observed Hamlet.

Alan, who clearly didn't like Hamlet's attitude, decided to attack and made a lunge at Hamlet's shoe. It was a bad move. The Prince of Denmark leapt up, drew his sword and, before I could stop him, made a wild slash in Alan's direction. He was a skilled swordsman and did no more damage than to pluck the feathers off the top of Alan's head. The little dodo, who now had a bald patch, opened his eyes wide and looked around him with a mixture of horror and awe at the small feathers that were floating to the ground.

"Any more from you, my fine feathered friend," announced Hamlet, replacing his sword, "and you'll be in the curry!"

Pickwick, who had been watching from a safe corner near the compost heap, boldly strode out and stood defiantly between Alan and Hamlet. I'd never seen her acting brave before, but I suppose Alan was her son, even if he was a hooligan. Alan, either terrified or incensed, stood completely motionless, beak open.

I glanced into the garden and saw Hamlet walking on the lawn, deep in thought -- with Alan following him at a safe distance. As I watched, Hamlet turned to him and glared. The small dodo went all sheepish and laid his head on the ground in supplication. Clearly Hamlet wasn't just a fictional Prince of Denmark but also something of an alpha dodo.

"I want you to have...Alan." [Thursday]

"The dodo?"

"I think he'd be an invaluable addition to Elsinore Castle -- just don't let him get into the main story."

Hamlet looked at Alan, who looked back at him longingly.

"Thank you," he said with as much sincerity as he could. "I'm deeply honored."

Alan went a bit floppy as Hamlet picked him up, and a few moments later they both vanished back to Elsinore, Hamlet to further continue his work as a career procrastinator, and Alan to cause trouble in the Danish court.