Magic Quilt - part 7

The Magic Quilt

PART 7

	Sam fidgeted impatiently with the edges of the quilt until Lee burst into the garden carrying a plastic carrier bag bulging with bits and pieces.
	Lee	I told you I wouldn't be long.
	Sam	Not long!? I've nearly died of boredom waiting for you! What have you been collecting?
	Lee	Just a few bits and pieces. You'll see.
	Sam	Come on, then. Get on the quilt - then we can take off. Otherwise it will be time to come back before we've even gone!
	Lee	Right. The "take-off" rhyme.

	Sam	We're hovering! Now for the poem!
	Lee	As I was travelling to Egypt, I saw someone who tripped. She fell into the River Nile And landed on a crocodile. In a pyramid I saw a tomb - Suddenly, there was a loud BOOM! As I looked across the dark room, There I saw Tutankhamun. There lies a mummy who was dead, Covered in bandages from foot to head. The organs were stored in canopic jars And unfortunately they got sold to lots of bars.
	As usual, the quilt quivered and shook, but this time, instead of rising rapidly into the air, it started to whirl round and round. At first it twisted fairly slowly, like the "waltzers" ride at a fairground, but soon it was revolving faster and faster, until Sam and Lee were so dizzy they didn't know where they were or what was happening. Suddenly, there was a flash of brilliance - all the colours of the rainbow at once - and then .....
	Sam	Everything's gone dark! I can't see anything! Where are we?
	Lee	I don't know. Do you think something's gone wrong? I can't breathe! Do you think we are lost in ....
	Sam	Wait! Can you feel something strange underneath us?
	Lee	It feels gritty - like sand.
	Sam	And can you feel something strange on top of us?
	Lee	It feels soft - like a quilt.
	Sam	It is a quilt! We haven't got lost in anywhere. We've just tipped upside down. Let's pull it off us and see where we are.
	Cautiously, Sam and Lee pulled back the quilt. As they did so, they could smell a rich perfume that filled the air around them. The air was also filled with hundreds of sounds. Sounds of a jostling crowd. Sounds of shouting in a strange language. Sounds of crying and moaning. Not far away, they could hear the sounds of high-pitched wailing trumpets. As they looked around, they realised that they were indeed in Egypt. The ground beneath their feet was rough and sandy and there were two rows of tall swaying palm trees lining a long road. Crowding along both sides of the road and spilling over onto the roadway were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people, dressed in rough tunics and sandals.
	Sam	What's going on? Why is everybody wailing and moaning? The whole crowd seems to be sad about something.
	Lee	I think I know. Look up there!
	Sam looked in the direction of Lee's pointing finger. Not far away, there stood an enormous pyramid. Its sides glistened white in the sunshine and it was topped with a cap of gold.
	Sam	Wow! It's fantastic. Better than any of the pictures we've looked at. But why would that make people cry?
	Lee	Because of what it's used for.
	Sam	Of course. The ancient Egyptians buried their dead Pharaohs in pyramids.
	Lee	And I think this is a funeral procession.
	Sam	Wow! It could be Tutankhamun. We did mention him in our poem. Come on! Let's take a closer look!
	Lee	Do you think it's safe?
	Sam	Of course! No-one will notice us in all these crowds.
	Sure enough, as they shoved their way through the crowds that lined the wide sandy street, few people looked at them. Most people were straining to get a glimpse of the magnificent funeral ornaments that were being carried aloft by hundreds of slaves. Others were making a loud commotion, waving huge, swaying palm leaves that seemed to stir up the dust - so that the air was like a thick, grey cloud. Although they were dressed rather strangely compared to the rest of the people that lined the route, Sam and Lee attracted little attention. Gradually, they pushed and shoved until they were at the front of the heaving mass of people: so close to the procession that they could have reached out and touched the passing priests.
	Sam	I've just had a brilliant idea!
	Lee	Oh, no .... that usually means trouble.
	Sam	Why don't we join on at the end of the procession, then we can follow it all the way to the pyramid?
	Lee	Well, I don't suppose there's much harm in that.
	Sam	Have you got any string in that bag of yours?
	Lee	As a matter of fact, I have .... and a pair of scissors to cut it.
	Sam	Brill! Cut me some string and help me fix the quilt around my shoulders.
	Lee	What for?
	Sam	Because I am "Sam-tan-car-moon", a royal visitor from a far-off country. The quilt can be my royal cape .... and you can be my servant.
	In just a few minutes, Sam and Lee had joined the end of the procession. Sam walked proudly, head held high, looking quite distinguished in the multi-coloured quilt-cape, while Lee followed behind, holding the ends of the quilt off the ground. With all the dust that was in the air, few people seemed to notice the two strange foreigners that brought up the rear of the procession. Steadily, to the sound of the trumpets and the background beat of a deep bass drum, the slow-moving marchers made their way out towards the huge shining pyramid.
	Sam	Look! There's a long slope leading up to an entrance part-way up the pyramid.
	Lee	Yes! I can see the front of the procession going inside. They are carrying all sorts of gifts for the dead Pharaoh.
	Sam	It's really strange. There's tons of gold in the procession ahead of us but all the people seem so poor. Some of the little kids have hardly got any clothes on.
	Lee	That's because they don't need them. It's so hot.
	Sam	I know. I'm sweltering under this quilt.
	Lee	We've nearly reached the slope up to the entrance. Perhaps we should sneak off now.
	Sam	No way! Now we've come this far, I want to have a look inside.
	Lee	I'm just a bit worried that something could go wrong.
	Sam	Don't be daft! If it looks like there's any danger, we'll just get on the quilt and fly home.
	Lee	O.K. You had better be right.
	Ahead of them, the front part of the procession had reached the top of the slope and was passing through a grand archway into the depths of the pyramid. Drummers and trumpeters lined the route as Sam and Lee made their way steadily upwards. Ahead of them, they could see a number of guards at the entrance, each armed with a huge spear. The guards looked sternly at everyone as they shuffled past into the tomb entrance.
	Lee	Oh, no! Look! Everyone that is going through into the tomb is carrying a gift - and we haven't got anything.
	Sam	Quick! Look in your plastic bag! You must have something. Did you bring a torch? That would impress these Egyptians. I bet they have never seen a torch before.
	Lee	I couldn't find a torch ... so I brought this.

	Sam	Disco-ball-lights! What did you bring that for?
	Lee	I told you ... I couldn't find a torch. My Mum puts it on near my sister's bed as she goes to sleep. It makes a light ... and it's got batteries in.
	Sam	These Egyptians have certainly never seen one of those before. No use arguing. Switch it on and give it to me. This is our gift to Tutankhamun!
	Lee	Do you really think the guards will let us through?
	Sam	There's only one way to find out.
		What will happen next? Click here for PART EIGHT of the story
		Click here for main MAGIC QUILT page