The Magician and the Merchant

By David Phillips

Pelagius is a young man in an old town. Bored by the safe and dull, he decides to leave home to make his fortune his own way. In this world, money does not grow on trees, so he takes on the career of a merchant. Loading a cart with fancy goods, accompanied by his faithful horse and cunning cat, he starts his journey to a distant town. To get there safely he must cross a land of thieves. Once there, he will meet two wise men. One is a scientific magician. The other is the secretive chief of police. Pelagius learns the strange ways of that city and begins to sell his goods. But it is a vain and dangerous place. Indeed, it plans an invasion of his own home town. The magician has a love of football, so offers to join him on condition that they create a proper football team while preparing the town for defence. Helped by his wife (our hero married young) and the children of the local school, our friends must come up with one cunning plan after another to save them all. First, Pelagius crosses the sea to find allies. These turn out to be an alien tribe with a logic different to our own. The story builds to a climax when the two sides must battle each other.

This is a story enlivened by humour and some original songs. It is written clearly enough for younger readers but has some advanced ideas that will appeal to all ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Oct 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781800466326

Book preview

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Copyright © 2021 David Phillips

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study,

or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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ISBN 9781800466326

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Dedicated to his grace the Duke of Wellington

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 1

My bum hurts, said Pelagius, dismounting from his horse.

Actually, that was a lie. Pelagius was untroubled in his basement. He lied for the sake of his horse, Eric. Eric was a proud horse, who was sure he could gallop for miles. Or jump over the widest river after pulling a cart all day. He would have felt insulted if anyone had suggested that he could be tired. So Pelagius pretended that he, not Eric, found their journey hard.

Pelagius had been riding for one hour, walking for the next hour, and so on, all morning. This was his first journey out of his hometown, Fordingsnap. He had heard rumours of bandits along the road, and he was alone. He wanted his horse and himself to be fit and alert if they met danger.

Fordingsnap was a market town. Pelagius had grown up amongst its sights and smells, and learnt its traders’ ways. They advised him that the distant townfolk of Bridgetown would pay highly for goods they themselves didn’t make. And that the greatest risks bring the biggest rewards. (If you don’t get killed first, joked one trader.) So, that Monday he had left home for the job of a travelling salesman, hoping to make his fortune.

He would also be popular if he could find a good new manager for the Fordingsnap football team.

As well as a cart and a horse, Pelagius had brought his cat with him. She was called Zazie. She was as clever as man and horse combined. Which turned out to be very useful very soon.

Chapter 2

The vicar’s church was cold and wide but all its hearts beat warmly.

The day before, Pelagius’s father had called him into his library. He was a learned man and the town vicar. My boy, since your mother died, I have brought you up as she wished: to be fit and fair in all your dealings. I have grown old and forgetful, so shall soon retire. I should like you to share my work in the church.

Father, replied young Pelagius, I have learnt all that I can from these books I see. I am now twenty years old. It is time for me to choose my own path amongst men.

If you mean the market, my son, beware! Its gods are not as ours. Do not leave the church!

I leave the church, Father, but I will still follow the teachings of its founder, wherever I go.

"Then bless you, my son. I see that your mind is made up. Keep the courage of youth while you gain the wisdom