Cracked

Humpty Dumpty wasn't an egg in reality. He was once a man, a man who lived a life, and inspired a rhyme.

I'll tell you a story, one of great peril and fraught. A tale of a joke and a note, gone terribly distraught. This story involves Kings and nobles, townsfolk and the like, all with their own dreams and plans of mischief for the night. Although some appear more innocent than they might seem, all to be sure, are responsible for the death in the last scene.

Our story starts, with a man sipping wine. The trees over head in a garden so fine, fit for a King, or his nephew just the same, were most gracious to him on this so fateful day. Everything was in its place, the grass on the ground, the birds in the sky. Nothing was wrong, or so it would seem. But then again, there is always the inter working of things.

As the man sipped his wine, bitter sweet to his tongue, he found himself dozing off, to a dream world much like his own. Where the birds were free to spread their feathery wings and the grass was free to grow so green. Nothing would appear wrong, or so the man thought, that everything was fine, dandy, on this little spot.

In his dream he walked and talked with himself. Had himself a good chat he did, with the King's nephew, Earnest Nickel of Wales. He walked and he talked, finding new things to discus. For where there was a Nickel, there were always things in need of a fuss. Speaking with himself, and finding some new thoughts, he thunk of a way to reduce taxing costs. Pish, he should perish the thought. The townsfolk owed his uncle money. Why should he help them with their what not's?

While walking through the dreamy garden, following the path of stones that shined so bright, deep in conversation with himself, he found that he had stumbled on a most peculiar thing. Shining like a beckon of light, pure and simple, an egg had found its self in his line of walking forcing him to cease his talking.

Staring down the egg that blocked his path, Earnest Nickel thought it to be a fortune for a topic. When next he would be alone with himself, he could begin with a simple mention of words. Finding that as his conversation would progress, he'd lead it to his dream of a garden that was home to an egg. And not stop till brunch, when he would eat his egg and then begin once more with a thrilling retelling to none other than his dearest friend.

So curious a thing, was this egg in his path, that Earnest wondered just how it came to be like that. Was it due to his dream, his imagination and thinking, or was it simply because that's where it was meant to be resting? Once he awoke, for surly he would, would he find that along the path, there'd be an egg sitting so much like a stool?

Brushing away invisible dirt from his hideous shirt, he continued on his way, taking with him his topic to save up his sleeve till one day it'd be needed, meant to set off a telling of a tale for weeks on end. Nothing would stop him. Not now, surely not again. With one foot before the other, he made his way through the dream garden, nodding to maidens and grounds keepers, even on occasion an otter.

Keeping up his pace, he found his way to be one that lead him to a wall, a great wall, indeed. It was high and it was mighty, built of large stones. Nothing would be able to over come this torturous foe. So Nickel stepped back and admired the great thing that it was, taking notice of the posts and the places things could be flung. He thought to himself, "my word! What a thing this must be! So tall and so big, quite much like me!"

And so he sat down on the path, with the dirt at his rear, his eyes wide and in tact. Thinking of things so silly and odd, he knew in this dream, there were things that could still be so wrong. Giving up hope of finding a reason, to just why this wall before him was so big and so not very missing, he laid down his head there in the dirt. With no worry or carefulness, he was so very curt.

The lids to his eyes fluttered to a close, the grass all around him began to grow. Birds high above, so majestic in their way, took very little notice of Earnest Nickel on this day. His mind began to drift, from walls and stones, from eggs and paths. And as he began to fall asleep, he started to dream a dream within a dream, two dreams he was dreaming, to be exact.

Then suddenly with a jolt, he awoke with a start. His glass of wine had fallen, oh it had fallen so very far. Its contents were splattered, in an untimely manner, and Earnest Nickel knew not what to make of the disaster. With a turn of his head and a look with his eyes, he searched for a maid, a servant to fix his mess, save him some time. But in the garden there was none but himself, none to cure his mistake unconsciously made.

But wait, his salvation he could hear coming. The sound of footsteps caused his eyes to be a stirring. Either that or trickery, but could the two not coincide? Nothing, no matter. At the very least itd be a reason to stare upon when and where Lucy of Riving became known and existing.

She'd been born with a lack of a quirk, and therefore had spent her life doing odd works. When one would find they enjoyed stringing threads with needles, she set to trying her hand at and learning the trait. Failing miserably, she'd earned a reputation, one that none could duplicate. When she'd tier of one thing, she'd just as quickly find herself another. For this was her curse, maybe her God given gift, but this was indeed Lucy of Riving, composed of good intentions and every now and then gifts.

"Ah, Lucy! My dear girl! Come closer, have a brandy, a drink or some ale. Find yourself closer, come! Be well!" Said Earnest Nickel with a large grin, so very much unlike and like him.

With flushed cheeks and a bead of sweat, Lucy of Riving was certainly a fret. "My good man, perhaps a drink would calm my nerves, for it would seem I've lost just what I was looking for."

"Then come, relax yourself here in this place. These gardens will be your treat as they are mine. We'll live and we'll laugh, we'll drink and explore! The things we could see, the sights in waiting, all for us! All for the taking!" At this he lopped his large head to his side, and acted as though he were surprised. "My dear, come closer! Come see! There's something here, something right beside of me!"

And at this Lucy rushed with a little huff and puff, across the gardens so green and the paths so not very ruff. She tilted her head to the side, and for a moment, Earnest thought she was about to cry. "Blood has not been shed over these flowers on this day, there is no reason to worry for reasons without a why. But is wine that has been lost, such a far greater cost."

Rushing off to fetch a maid, Earnest Nickel thought it wise to be on his way. He left his spilt glass there in the green blades of grass, and found that walking was just a bit too much to bear. Placing himself beneath the cool shade of a willow that had paused in its weeping, he could feel his mind, he could feel it drifting.

In his dream he was a boy, playing with his much beloved toys. Sunlight poured through his nursery windows, and he found that things shone and seemed quite pretty. As he watched his toy train move along its tracks, he wondered just when it would come back. Something so pretty surely must be just as witty! What a devious trick, what a ploy! Oh how the train was making its escape, oh its ways!

It shone in the light, yet hid its schemes, as though it were a secret, one meant only for the King. Little Nickel knew not what to do, with a fist he could put his toy train to a halt, and with a look away his toy train could continue on its way. The things that must be done, the choices that must be made. One would surely tire of this from day to day.

Jumping quick to his feet, he knew what would be need. With a strong child's hand, the toy train was lain on a high shelf, and little Nickel knew not what to do. If he should ever play with it again.

And then with a calmness, much unlike himself, he heard through his dream the sound of something so well. The sound of good food, for it is as though it's a spell. Rather than smell something so sweet and define, he could hear it through his lids, his consciousness, his mind.

Awaking with a start, rising to his feet in record time, he dashed to the great hall, his head glistening with shine. There before him, laid out so nicely, sat foods so gloriously toasted. The hams and the breads, the cakes and the pies! The fruits and the greens, oh what a prize! For his laziness and slumber, it would seem have sought out reward for him.

With such a feast set before him, he hardly took notice, of the King sitting there quite large and malodorous. At the table's head, staring down his nephew, the King knew not quite what to do. Banish, disgrace, ask politely his servant for another plate? His guest sat beside him, watching with wonder, as Earnest Nickel of Wales, began to, it would seem, plunder.

Mouths agape, eyes so very large, they watched in horror till their meal was gone. Saying not a word, for no words could be said, the King sat in wonder with just what to do with this fat man's head. Should he be hanged, perhaps beaten? Placed in stocks or something of the like?

With a leg of finely roasted duck coming forth from his mouth, Nickel thought he'd completed his work. Having gorged himself of all good food, he knew not what else he could do. So he sat in a chair at the large table and sat dreaming of great fables.

With a cough and a stare, the King knew not where to begin. Should he first condemn or shame, flog or explain? So he started with an air of humility and such, "my good sir, my nephew at that, it would seem you've made your stomach filled. With my meats and . . . Where is my cat?"

With a shake of his side, he felt his large tummy, and noticed once again something quite yummy. Rising to his feet, he answered the King with a wave, for he knew not what could be done to save the day.

"Ahem, no matter. I'm sure she's safe. Back to your belly. My word! Good grace!" Said the King in fright, for his nephew or cousin, whatever he is, had begun on the last of the pies.

Taking action at once, he placed a hand on Nickel's shoulder. Tried to calm down his own nerves, find his balance, his composure. "Return to your quarters, my good man. And I'll have my servants send up as many of those pies as they can."

Eyes wide with glee, stomach full of fat, Earnest Nickel was indeed very pleased with that. "My King, my liege, I could eat like this for days. I should set to thanking you in so many ways!"

"No matter, no matter. For a man of your stature, you'll be entered into contests! Games and the like! You'll win every one, eat everything! Oh, you'll positively give others a fright! You'll have my word, the word of a king, your bill of good health. Remember, my good man, this is coming from the King! Do this for me, and all of your dreams will come true. The pies and the meats, all made for you!"

With no second thoughts, no questions asked, Earnest Nickel agreed to the last. Crust in his hands, crumbs on his lips, he was quite the sight to behold on an occasion so fine as this.

"Return to your quarters, if you would. And I'll send up some cakes, some pies, some delights . . ." Said the King to his nephew, his new found friend. "Come what may and what can, trust me with my hand."

He took his leave, left without a word, and then for a time nothing was heard.

"Good sir, my King. May I ask what is to be done about this?" The guest asked with an ease, so very much one would like to please.

The King thought and he pondered, just what would be right. Just how could he play at this game so late in the night? Should he discard or throw away the spectacle that was just displayed?

"He ate your food without so much a word at first. But imagine! He could have done much, much worse," the guest sat idle in his chair completely unaware. "Just what should be done, what thing would be right? To show him his errors and the light?"

With a smirk and a smile, the king turned in place for a while. His voice was yet in a whisper, yet could not be any louder. "Why, we'll send him atop the skies, above the Earth and our lot. On the wall he'll go, oh. He should like that a lot!"

"But what good will that do, your majesty? Your grace, how will that expose to him his ways?"

"Simple, simple! We'll use a trick and a scheme! He'll fall and he'll tumble . . . oh! He might even scream!" Whispered the King in with a laugh, and a merciless shine. "He'll shake the wall, that nephew of mine."

Back in his bed, slept Earnest Nickel. Sound asleep, but not dreaming, oh how he was so fickle. Dreamless he slept through the night, he gave not a wink, a nudge or a fright when he was carried away. Although he most certainly did the next day.

It took many of the King's strongest men, to carry Earnest Nickel through the castle's den. With a "heave" and a "ho", they brought him to a room in the wall. Overlooking the valley, it'd be as though in a dream, what he would have seen.

He awoke with a lazy eye, one that could not have been awoken even with surprise. His belly over hung, his mouth agape, he looked as though he'd just awoken from a very long nap.

"Where am I, I wonder?" He questioned himself. "Am I here, am I there? Just exactly where?"

He paced the small room, finding no window or shelf. He wondered what woke him, what brought him to become cooped up like an elf. He questioned his sanity, he questioned his morals. Had he done something under the moonlit night, beneath the fallen time? Was it he who stole away with Mother Earth in a land far, far from here?

"Just what have I done! What grief have I caused! Who have I angered! Oh, what is my wrong!"

"Why sir, you've done nothing of the sort," said the King's guest from the door. "Tis but a blessing that you've been brought here, to this abode of sorts."

He turned on his heal, his head swiveled and turned, to look at just who was taking up his concern. In the doorway stood the man, so very strong and tight, that Earnest Nickel began to not feel quite alright. With one look downwards at his physic, he felt as though it were a trick, a ploy, an attempt to lower himself in his mind.

"The King has ordered you be sent here, for your training in pies and meats and the like . . . Asked that you not leave, to save your energy for your winning night." The man continued on with an ease, one that made Nickel not very pleased. "But come, have a look at the valley, the view will make you quite madly in love."

And with that he left through the door, leaving Earnest left to stand on the floor. With a heavy step here, a pant of exhaustion there, he left his room and climbed the steps to the top, one by one, till he could come to a complete stop.

The sun was setting, the skies were alight. Nothing had ever been prettier, not ever before in his sight. Purple there, then pink! The wonders that the sky seems to bring!

He waddled, he walked and sat himself down on the very edge. He swung his large legs back in forth to express his jolly, and thought of all the things that made his follies folly. His love of food, so rich in their tastes. Just what made his day, a day.

He watched the sky and he wondered, not taking notice of the man behind him that earlier he had partially plundered. With a rush and a ram, the King's guest used his force. Sent Earnest Nickel flying with the wings of a dove, the body of a wale. Nothing could be done, so he fell and he fell.

As he fell he began to drift to sleep, for it was a rather tall wall, and dreamed of flight and freedom. Birds sang songs of peace with words, maidens blushed at his approach. Pies and cakes galore, oh how he couldn't have wanted anything more.

Then everything stopped, mid song, blush, and dream. His life had ended, he had split at his seams. With a broken skull and heavy body plus mind, Earnest Nickel found things rather real, more so than things in time.

Author's Note

Yes, this is my take on Humpty Dumpty. Hope you enjoyed it!

Reviews

[Dawn Davis]

I loved this one! great work it looked so effoortlessly WONDERFUL PIECE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Starting Over]

I love your take on Humpty Dumpty it was great! Nice Write!