‘TWAS the night of the solstice, and we were afloat. Not a creature was stirring under our boat. The children were snug in their berths below decks, dreaming of treasures in sunken shipwrecks. And mama in her PJ’s and I in my skivvies, had just settled down for some late night TV. When out on the waves there arose such a splashin’, I sprang to the gunwale to see what was happenin’. When, what to my amazement did I discern, a small wooden dingy moored to our stern. With a diminutive sailor so lively and slick; I knew in an instant it was old Salt Nick. He was dressed in bellbottoms, pea coat and cap, a bottle of rum nestled in his lap. He doffed his trooper as he did bid me.
“Forgive me,” he said, “if I’m a bit tiddly. But it’s my custom on this, the longest night of the year, to bless all the boats be they far or near. I take a wee nip at every mooring, tis an arduous task, but it’s never boring. So I wish you safe passage,” as he lifted his glass, “May the gods smile up on you and your craft.” He drank half the glass, poured the rest in the sea, said “a little for Poseidon and a little for me.” Then he cast off the line and put hand to oar, with just a few strokes I could see him no more. But I heard him exclaim as he rowed out of sight, “Peace to us all on this long winter’s night.”
It's a bit early for Christmas wishes but from our house to yours,
Merry Christmas!
Mike and Tina
“Forgive me,” he said, “if I’m a bit tiddly. But it’s my custom on this, the longest night of the year, to bless all the boats be they far or near. I take a wee nip at every mooring, tis an arduous task, but it’s never boring. So I wish you safe passage,” as he lifted his glass, “May the gods smile up on you and your craft.” He drank half the glass, poured the rest in the sea, said “a little for Poseidon and a little for me.” Then he cast off the line and put hand to oar, with just a few strokes I could see him no more. But I heard him exclaim as he rowed out of sight, “Peace to us all on this long winter’s night.”
It's a bit early for Christmas wishes but from our house to yours,
Merry Christmas!
Mike and Tina
