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HENGIST just
couldn’t wait. As soon as the boat touched land he jumped into the
shallow water and splashed ashore. He watched the men drag the
boat up the beach.
His parents had brought
him and his younger brother Horsa across the river from the far land to
visit his uncle in the village they called Pritteuuella. His uncle had a
special guest staying with him that all the family wanted to meet.
His uncle met them at the
entrance to the big compound which surrounded the houses in Pritteuuella.
Most people kept a respectful distance, but Hengist knew his uncle as a
kind man with sparkling eyes and a big smile. He was always very well
dressed, usually in a suede coat held at the waist by a golden buckle
and always carried at his side a large sword with handle of
silver studded with glittering jewels.
Once, his uncle had let him hold the sword. It was very heavy. He could
hardly lift it.
Hengist’s father didn’t
carry a sword but his mother always wore a long knife partly hidden
within the folds of her dress. It also had jewels set in a
silver handle.
Today, Hengist, Horsa and
their parents were led straight to his uncle’s house. Here they met the
family including Hengist’s cousins (who he hoped would later take him to
catch eels in the fish ponds) and also the special visitor. The visitor
was dressed quite differently from everyone else, in fact Hengist
thought he looked like a poor man. He wore a plain dark green cloak and
sandals which seemed quite unsuitable for walking in the sometimes muddy
paths around Pritteuuella. He didn’t have any jewels either, just a
plain wooden cross hanging from a cord around his neck.
As Hengist had hoped, his cousins soon
suggested they go to the fish ponds, but first they had to make special
sticks with three prongs at one end to catch the eels.
It was nearly dark when
they returned from their fishing trip and all the grown ups were still
talking. Even after the evening meal they still talked. Hengist was
tired and could hardly keep awake. His brother Horsa had fallen asleep
in his mother’s arms long ago. And so he and his brother and cousins
were settled down to sleep in a quiet part of the house.
Next morning they had to prepare for their
journey home. As the cart climbed up the track beside the hill Hengist
noticed that men were busy cutting down trees on the very top of
Pritteuuella
hill around an old stone ruin. “When we come here next time that will
be a special meeting place”, said his mother. “We will be able to sit
there and you will hear exciting stories from far away and long ago that
the man from Rome told us”. “Exciting stories!” thought Hengist - he
liked a good story!
Note: In about
the year 607 Mellitus came from Rome to bring Christianity back to the
East Saxons.
Pritteuuella was the Saxon name for the village of Prittlewell.
The fete was
opened by Southend's Carnival Queen and her Court.
We thank her, all the sponsors and helpers and all the adults
and numerous children who came to make the event a success.
Profits from this year's Summer Fete will go to the Southend
Homeless Action Resource Project (HARP), and to the
fund to provide disabled facilities within the church.
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