Here be dragons!

Yesterday I fell into the sea, slipping rather alarmingly between two rocks. For once, I needed help to get out safely but as the tide was coming in there was little to fear.  The risk was mine but the joy of bouncing was too great. Though I am the smallest in our family, I am adventurous and hold myself as a king or prince before the Lord.  Having heard much about what there is in the world, courage and caution are my watchwords. The closest encounter of an uncomfortable kind I ever had was with an otterhound, who towered over me, gently it is true but with determination.  The grille betweeen Mabel and me enboldened this pictured meeting at Crufts with a breed of dog everyone does well to treat with suspicion until friendliness is assured. I learnt that from Uncle Jonny, whose London life taught him a lot. And this was before one of our dearest friends, all innocent and unwitting, was savaged by another such, suffering dreadfully for many weeks. Dangerous reality gives life colour but keeps me on my toes. There are those who would hurt me and I do well to get to grips with how they might go about it, in thought or word or deed: a certain kind of innocence is neither comely nor appropriate.