Met at John & Sheila's, all very good but Brian's was elected the best story.
TIME
Once upon a time in ancient China, no one was allowed to own Pekingese dogs except the Imperial family. Therefore, when in the 16th century the Emperor wished to honour England’s Elizabeth 1st, there was no greater gift he could bestow than a pair of the dogs, he valued so highly. The bitch was placed in a carved ivory box, while the dog ran free. A royal princess was chosen to escort the animals across the world.
During the long and arduous journey, the bitch gave birth to five pups, and the little dog guarded his family in the ivory box, and guarded the princess too.
The ship put into a port in France, for fresh food and water, at the same time took on six English sailors.
On the voyage up the channel the crew wove wild tales about their passenger: they said she was a slant-eyed demon, and the box she carried contained treasure.
When the ship rounded the Kent coast a storm arose, driving the ship towards the murderous cliffs. The frightened crew blamed the impending disaster on the princess, burst into her cabin. One of the sailors tried to grab the Ivory box, but drew back with his hand bleeding from the little dogs bite. In terror the crew threw the princess, dogs and the ivory box overboard. The wind changed, and the ship veered to safety.
The princess body and the box were washed into a lonely cove near Dover. No one would approach the supposed devil on the beach, except one man, village simpleton, and it was he who discovered that the princess was dead. Only the dog remained alive, and it was dying. It watched the simpleton dig a grave in which he placed the bodies together. Then he gathered wild daisies and placed them in the shape of a cross. Finally, he placed the little dog among the daisies, where it licked his hand and died.
The ship reached London, and the tale of the treasure spread along the shore. The sailor that had been bitten died a long slow agonizing death; no one would go near the mound on the beach, with it cross of daisies. It was said that a ghostly dog defended the lonely grave, and its bite is DEATH.
Perhaps it keeps its vigil still, for it is said that as late as 1900, a boy found a piece of carved ivory near the cliffs. As he picked it up, he felt himself bitten. Though his injuries were slight, the boy died. HAD the daisy dog bitten him? And was therefore DOOMED, only TIME will tell.
