The Mission Is Not Going Badly

Saint Roley treads water. He commences his story.

I had a brother, says Saint Roley. We were born from ruined eggs, in the Rance estuary.

Woo, says the dolphin. Thus the cheeses.

No, says Saint Roley. Not thus the cheeses. Don't jump to conclusions. You have all day.

Sorry, says the dolphin.

We belonged, at that time, to two infants, continues Saint Roley.

Do I know them? asks the dolphin. Taras? Telemachus?

Terence and Baldy, says Saint Roley. They thought we were parrots.

Ha ha, laughs the dolphin.

But Terence and Baldy were part of a team, says Saint Roley. A team on a mission.

Ah, a mission, says the dolphin. Thus the cheeses.

Closer, says Saint Roley.

You look tired, says the dolphin. Is the mission going badly?

No, says Saint Roley. I'm just not used to swimming.

Aha, says the dolphin. Are you a wader?

I am, says Saint Roley, but I haven't done much wading.

You should head over there, says the dolphin. indicating the Ile des Landes, with his snub nose.

That's exactly where I'm supposed to be heading, with the cheeses, says Saint Roley.

I see, says the dolphin. Have you a vessel?

I had one, says Saint Roley. A potato box. It broke up. My brother and I became separated.

A potato box, says the dolphin. It broke up. Hey!

Hey what? asks Saint Roley, looking wistfully up at the cheeses.

Did it have a hand printed on it, with one finger pointing? asks the dolphin.

Yes, towards the horizon, says Saint Roley.

Woo, says the dolphin. Maybe I saw it.

Was there a bird like me on it? asks Saint Roley.

No, says the dolphin. Never mind. Maybe I didn't. Shall I jump up for the cheeses?

Yes please, says Saint Roley.

The dolphin leaps gracefully out of the water and captures both cheeses.

Easy, says the dolphin.

Easy for you, says Saint Roley.

Now what? asks the dolphin.

A lift would be nice, says Saint Roley.

........

On the back of the dolphin. Saint Roley continues his story.

Had it not been for granny oyster, I should surely have drowned.

Phoo! says the dolphin.

I landed on the beach at Cancale, and from then, I remember nothing.

Nothing, says the dolphin. That's hard.

Until, says Saint Roley.

Oh, says the dolphin. There's more.

Yes, says Saint Roley. Two kindly old Welsh monks buzzed me, and then I could talk. It was amazing

I can talk, says the dolphin.

You're a dolphin, says Saint Roley.

Sure am, says the dolphin. A proud cetacean. Did you know that cetaceans' closest living relatives are the hippos?

No, says Saint Roley.

Not everyone does, says the dolphin.