The Chase

Dandelion was the youngest of the O'Greenhoe children, so when Napoleon, her elder brother Digby's pet pig, decided that he wanted to go for a walk instead of taking his annual St. Ninnian's Day bath and ran off, Dandelion was the one who had to go chase the wretched pig all through the village of Willy-Nilly-on-the-Wash, first through Booty-Rooty-on-the-Bush and into Willy-Nilly; through the town gate and across the market square; past the stocks and over the bridge across the wash pond; down Minstrel's Way to the Wash; over the Wash and up the hill; around St. Peter's church and though the graveyard-dodging every headstone-and along the Ups 'n Downs; past Gamer's Grove-where Napoleon stopped briefly to eat a tomato left over from the Vegetable Vengence game, then dashed off again across the Wash; under the Swordsman's Stage and through Lady Ettie's camp, leaving an annoyed Lady Ettie standing amid the wreckage; three times around on the Carasello; past a startled Sir Jonathan Dudly, who joined in the chase but got distracted as usual; across the Troll Bridge, narrowly missing Captain O'Sheeanus, who mistook Napoleon for a cannonball and jumped into the Wash; through the Aleing Knight Pub, whose less than sober patrons applauded Napoleon's squeals as a fine drinking song; into the Maze and down the slide; past the Knight's Encampment, badly scareing the horses; down the hill and into the Joust Arena, where the whole episode came to an unpleasant and muddy end right in front of the arena's reviewing stand.