The Grammar World

By Teddy Kimathi

It was late at night.

Three boys hid in a library, waiting for the library guards to complete checking a hall where they were in.

Simon, Chen and Mutua weren’t in the library because they loved reading a lot.

It was because they heard about a mysterious dictionary, which had no words written in it!

Only its jacket had the name “THOTH’S DICTIONARY.”

According to legend, Thoth was a very powerful wizard, who created his own world using the dictionary.

As he uttered a word, a word appeared in a page.

Words were fiery like the sun, making the book to glow.

One day, Thoth decided to create a king using his magic dictionary.

Thoth was too old and tired to rule his world alone.

He needed someone who was strong and young, and a ruler who was able to lead people who were created before him.

He called the king “Grogor”, which meant “man of steel”, in wizard language.

The wizard went ahead to create knights, maids, and a castle.

Little did he know that Grogor was planning something evil against him.

In one summer afternoon, the king called Thoth to his castle.

Grogor was lying on his favorite, silk couch, looking tired and weak.

“It is by giving me your dictionary, that I will become well again,” he told Thoth.

“I originated from the dictionary. My cure will come from the dictionary.”

Filled with pity for the king, Thoth gave out his book.

The king slowly opened the dictionary, as his fingers trembled.

“Dungeon! Chains!” the king shouted.  “Guards, arrest this man! Take him to the dungeon!”

The guards tied Thoth’s hands using chains, and took him away to the dungeon.

The chains and dungeon were both meant for the wizard.

Grogor was hungry for power which was in the dictionary.

Hurt with betrayal, Thoth cast a spell, making the book disappear!

“It is only the good at heart that will possess the book,” Thoth whispered.

 

“How can we tell whether the dictionary has magic?” Simon asked.

“Just open it, look at any page, and call out a name,” Mutua answered.

His hands trembling with curiosity, Simon opened the dictionary, and shouted “Grogor!”

The name appeared on a page that was opened, looking fiery as the legend claimed!

A mean-looking man appeared, wearing a red robe and a golden crown. It was king Grogor!

Filled with fright, the boys threw down the book, and ran towards the hall’s exit door.

Chen tried to open the door, but he couldn’t.

It was only one thing that could make it possible to seal a door without nails or glue; the magic dictionary!

“Knights!” the king shouted.

“Arrest these naughty boys!”

The three frightened boys could hear the sounds of men marching towards them.

Their only way of fighting the knights was to throw heavy books at them.

They emptied every shelf they found books that would cause pain on the enemy.

Unfortunately, the swords overcame the books.

Held like little thieves, the boys were dragged to the king.

They were then forced to kneel before him.

As the king thought on the best way to execute the boys, Mutua noticed that the magic dictionary was open.

As fast as lightning, Mutua jumped on the king, and snatched the dictionary.

“Portal!” he shouted.

The word “portal” appeared on a page, but below it, a dark spiral appeared.

It was a time portal, connecting Earth to the Grammar World!

Luckily for the boys, the time portal only sucked the people or things that belonged to the grammar world.

Shrank to mist, the king and his knights were swallowed by the portal.

“No fortress!” “No chains!” Mutua shouted.

At last the wizard was free!

As a punishment, he turned the king and his knights to pigs.

The palace was turned to an amusement park, which had clowns, magicians, and singers from all over the universe.

Simon, Mutua, and Chen were given full rights by Thoth, to possess the magic dictionary to this day…..

- Total nr. of readings: 2,408 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.