Petronella & the Trogot by Cheryl Bentley Page B

other.”
    On hearing this the beasts started roaring and roaring. The din was unbearable. Looking around Petronella and Percy saw heads of lions, leopards, tigers and panthers - all on bodies of shadows. The He-Wolf moved over to a switch and flipped it on. Both wolves then swivelled their heads round to the cages and began howling. They howled until the roaring gradually fizzled out.
    It was now The He-Wolf ’s turn to speak: “You may have seen that I turned on the gas just now. It always works. It quietens them down after thirty seconds.”
    â€œYou mean to say you gas them,” said Petronella.
    â€œYes, we do. It’s only calming gas. Makes them dozy. They get over it soon enough. I don’t think you should stay too long in here. The effect will be over in about five minutes,” he said.
    â€œHow cometh ye be beasts but not be in cages?” Percy asked.
    â€œThe difference between the beasts in cages and us is that we feel deep sadness about the bad things we did in the past. These beasts do not admit their wrongs.”
    â€œWhat hath they doneth?” Percy said.
    â€œThey are all guilty of being beastly. In other words, these creatures were bullies when they lived on earth. They used their strength and power to terrorise those weaker than themselves. Forced others with threats if they didn’t do as they were told. And they felt joy when they saw others suffer. Because they behaved like beasts when they were on Earth, they will be beasts for ever down here. Never will they leave their cages. We, too, will be here for ever, but my wife and I are free to roam around this cave because we are sorry. These animals still think they were right to do what they did,” The He-Wolf said.
    â€œYou had better leave now,” said The She-Wolf , “before they start roaring again. I see you both have boots on. Please take these waterproof raincoats and umbrellas as well. You are about to go down to The Chamber of Eternal Rain. You will arrive there after you have gone down five flights of stairs.”
    With the help of The He-Wolf , she opened a large wooden door and let Petronella and Percy out.
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  6  The Three-Headed Hog
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    Sure enough at the bottom of the stairs there was a great downpour of rain. Petronella had always liked rain, but not as heavy as this. It bucketed down without easing off for a moment. The sound of it was loud too. They reached a steep brink to an enormous pit. The bottom was lined with mud. On this slimy softness, shadows were lying face down grovelling around and gulping in mud through their mouths. While the rain kept coming down on their backs.
    A man dressed in a black shiny waterproof cloak with a hood, came towards them. With him he had a Three-Headed Hog on a lead. It was the most disgusting creature. Kept grunting up all the time.
    â€œPe...tro...ne...lla, it’s me,” said the man.
    â€œI would recognise that voice anywhere,” said Petronella.
    â€œDoth nat worry, Pe...tro...ne...lla, I shall show ye the way out,” said The Hooded Horseman . “There usually be no guards here. The shadows cannat getteth out, so it be left unguarded most of the time. A guard cannat worketh in this eternal rain. Me thinketh I must needs come down because ye and Percy would hath been terrified here on ye own. You would nat knoweth where to goeth from here.”
    â€œThank you,” Petronella and Percy said together.
    â€œHow far be it to the last chamber from here?” Percy asked.
    â€œYe hath yet to reach the bottom,” The Hooded Horseman said.
    â€œWhat hath these shadows doneth?” Percy asked.
    â€œThese be the gluttons. They taketh more than their fair share of everything when they be on Earth. They shall swallow mud for ever. These greedy eaters bitteth off more than they could cheweth. Now they be neither biting nor chewing, just swallowing. Their greed leadeth them to hoardeth food while others