Holy Olio

Come on up, dear, says the Madonna. Sit by me.

Sweetpea climbs up to his usual position

The Madonna sniffs the air. Sniff! What is it?

Do I smell goat's cheese?

No! says Sweetpea. 

I do, says the Madonna. It's very distinctive.

Can I get down again? asks Sweetpea.

All right, says the Madonna.

Sweetpea gets down.

She can smell my feet, whispers Sweetpea.

Own up to what happened, whispers the Kroombit tinker. 

What if I wash them? whispers Sweetpea.

Sweetpea, says the Madonna, I may have poor eyesight but my hearing is perfect.

Oops! says Sweetpea.

If you stepped on some goat's cheese it's hardly your fault, says the Madonna.

Yes, says Sweetpea. 

Is there any water in this cathedral? asks the Kroombit tinker.

There is, says the Madonna. We have special feet-washing water.

Where is it kept? asks the Kroombit tinker.

In that little room over there, says the Madonna. It should be marked 'feet-washing water'.

Sweetpea and I will get it, says the tinker.

Get one of them to go with you, says the Madonna, indicating Arthur and Nicolo who have wandered over the mosaic floor decorations to look at the portrait of Dante Alighieri on one of the walls.

But Sweetpea has already run to the small room, and turned the squeaky door handle.

The Kroombit tinker follows, and they go in.

There are rows of vials of various liquids with labels.

In Italian!

Can you read Italian? asks the tinker.

Only O says Sweetpea.

That's not helpful, says the tinker.

There is lavaggio dei piedi, lavaggio delle mani, aqua santa, olio santa and vino altare.

You choose, says the tinker. But don't choose the red one

No way! says Sweetpea.

He chooses the olio santa ( because of the Os).

Open it, says Sweetpea.

You open it, says the tinker.

Sweetpea pulls out the stopper, and pours holy oil on his feet.

A sweet odour arises.

Good. This is promising.