The Swashbuckling Tale of Captain Moses
By: Kathryn Elisabeth Albano
Once upon a time, there was a kindly pirate named Captain Moses. He had a beautiful bride back home named Zipporah, who lived on a small private island.
One day, Captain Moses was giving orders to his crew on the deck of his humble but beautiful ship, the Egyptian Emerald, when one of them fell overboard. And of course, like the good captain he was, he dove in after him. Once the young lad was safely aboard however, the captain heard such a sweet melody he couldn’t resist.
He swam after the siren, for that is what it was, following the gracefully flicking tail, until they came to a place where the water grew lighter, and merfolk swam everywhere. He saw the tip of a castle emerging from the glassy water, and overcome with curiosity, he swam toward the entrance, realizing excitedly that he could breathe underwater in these parts.
He approached the entrance to the palace, but when he attempted to enter , the two merman guards standing in front to the entrance stopped him. “ Take off your hat before His Majesty, King Neptune of Atlantis!” they shouted. Humbly he obeyed, and they granted him entrance.
When he came into the foyer, he was amazed by its beauty, but was shy, and could not look the king in his eyes. “MOSES!” the king boomed. “You must save the Jerubites from the clutches of a wicked prince residing on an island in this land.” He then gave Moses a map containing the location of the Jerubites and their cruel master. “He is oppressing and enslaving the Jerubites. You must save them, and deliver them to the island of precious pearls and gold in abundance. I warn you, Moses, this will not be easy.”