and
shot the old man a crooked glance. He saw it just in time.
“She reminds me a little of you my dear.”
The girl smiled again and blushed pink at the cheeks.
The boy saw it and asked eagerly, “Did you love her?”
“Oh indeed. Indeed I did,” came the quick reply.
The old man was not yet convinced these two children
really wanted to hear his story. He decided he would wait until
they could stand it no more.
“This girl, did she have a name?” asked the lad.
“She did, she did indeed.”
“Well, what was it?” asked the girl as she moved
closer to his feet.
It was then he knew he had their attention. So he
invited them both to sit on the small stools either side of him and
he poured a glass of lemonade for each of them. When he reached
into his pockets, the two children beamed with anticipation. He
pulled out two large lollipops, so bright with swirling patterns
that they would water the mouth of even the least hungry child.
“It’s a long story,” he started, “but one you do not
want to miss.” He paused, allowing the words to build the
anticipation further as the two children started sipping their
drinks and licking the sugary sweetness of the candy.
“Please Papa, please tell us.”
“Ok then, but you have to pay attention. Or you might
miss the best bits of this incredible and true adventure…”
chapter 1: Kipp & Nip
It’s not very unusual for a boy to have a friend, but
when your only friend in the whole world is a little scruffy brown
dog called Nip, well, let’s just say they were lucky to have each
other. Kipp was not scruffy like his dog Nip, but he did have a
mass of curly copper colored hair all over his head.
During school, Kipp always sat staring out the
window, watching the birds and listening to the sounds of machinery
way off in the mines. Not the old mines he often played in, mind
you, but the big, modern mines right on the edge of town.
Kipp could hardly wait to get home each day. He
always made sure he did his chores and rushed his homework, scoffed
down something to eat, gulped down a large glass of milk and within
an hour of being home he was off down to the old mines again.
There was only really one reason he even liked it at
school at all. A girl. Jane, with fiery red hair, just like his,
only hers was all flowing and beautiful. It was soft too like the
silk sheets his grandmother occasionally hung on the line to dry.
He’d get in so much trouble after coming home from a day in the
mines, because the silk was too irresistible and he couldn’t help
touch it, getting his grubby, copper-covered hand prints all over
them.
“Kipp!” his grandma would yell out and he would leg
it past the laundry and down to the shed where he would hide until
she gave up the chase or else forgot completely why she was after
him in the first place.
But it was the weekends and school holidays Kipp
looked forward to the most. If he could have, he would have spent
every single day, from dawn until dusk at the mines. If his gran
and grumps would let him. Yes, that’s what he called his grandpa
whenever his back was turned, grumps.
Grumps was very old and hard of hearing. He spent
most of the day on the front porch, rocking in his chair and
mumbling to himself. Every now and then Kipp’s gran would ask him
to fetch this or that for grumps. Kipp would roll his eyes and pull
a face, but he knew better than to argue. Besides, the sooner he
did what he was supposed to, the sooner he was allowed to take off.
And take off he did too, sometimes overnight, occasionally for a
day or two. But always on his own. Well, almost on his own. He
always took Nip wherever he went.
Chapter 2: a girl called jane
Kipp knew the mines like his own back yard. He knew
where all the really good shafts were. He knew where he could find
water. He knew how to get to the top of the old engine house and he
also knew
shot the old man a crooked glance. He saw it just in time.
“She reminds me a little of you my dear.”
The girl smiled again and blushed pink at the cheeks.
The boy saw it and asked eagerly, “Did you love her?”
“Oh indeed. Indeed I did,” came the quick reply.
The old man was not yet convinced these two children
really wanted to hear his story. He decided he would wait until
they could stand it no more.
“This girl, did she have a name?” asked the lad.
“She did, she did indeed.”
“Well, what was it?” asked the girl as she moved
closer to his feet.
It was then he knew he had their attention. So he
invited them both to sit on the small stools either side of him and
he poured a glass of lemonade for each of them. When he reached
into his pockets, the two children beamed with anticipation. He
pulled out two large lollipops, so bright with swirling patterns
that they would water the mouth of even the least hungry child.
“It’s a long story,” he started, “but one you do not
want to miss.” He paused, allowing the words to build the
anticipation further as the two children started sipping their
drinks and licking the sugary sweetness of the candy.
“Please Papa, please tell us.”
“Ok then, but you have to pay attention. Or you might
miss the best bits of this incredible and true adventure…”
chapter 1: Kipp & Nip
It’s not very unusual for a boy to have a friend, but
when your only friend in the whole world is a little scruffy brown
dog called Nip, well, let’s just say they were lucky to have each
other. Kipp was not scruffy like his dog Nip, but he did have a
mass of curly copper colored hair all over his head.
During school, Kipp always sat staring out the
window, watching the birds and listening to the sounds of machinery
way off in the mines. Not the old mines he often played in, mind
you, but the big, modern mines right on the edge of town.
Kipp could hardly wait to get home each day. He
always made sure he did his chores and rushed his homework, scoffed
down something to eat, gulped down a large glass of milk and within
an hour of being home he was off down to the old mines again.
There was only really one reason he even liked it at
school at all. A girl. Jane, with fiery red hair, just like his,
only hers was all flowing and beautiful. It was soft too like the
silk sheets his grandmother occasionally hung on the line to dry.
He’d get in so much trouble after coming home from a day in the
mines, because the silk was too irresistible and he couldn’t help
touch it, getting his grubby, copper-covered hand prints all over
them.
“Kipp!” his grandma would yell out and he would leg
it past the laundry and down to the shed where he would hide until
she gave up the chase or else forgot completely why she was after
him in the first place.
But it was the weekends and school holidays Kipp
looked forward to the most. If he could have, he would have spent
every single day, from dawn until dusk at the mines. If his gran
and grumps would let him. Yes, that’s what he called his grandpa
whenever his back was turned, grumps.
Grumps was very old and hard of hearing. He spent
most of the day on the front porch, rocking in his chair and
mumbling to himself. Every now and then Kipp’s gran would ask him
to fetch this or that for grumps. Kipp would roll his eyes and pull
a face, but he knew better than to argue. Besides, the sooner he
did what he was supposed to, the sooner he was allowed to take off.
And take off he did too, sometimes overnight, occasionally for a
day or two. But always on his own. Well, almost on his own. He
always took Nip wherever he went.
Chapter 2: a girl called jane
Kipp knew the mines like his own back yard. He knew
where all the really good shafts were. He knew where he could find
water. He knew how to get to the top of the old engine house and he
also knew
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