Post Christmas relief.

Little Benjamin was out for a walk with his father on the first fresh, crisp day of 2017. It was the first time that Benjamin really understood the concept of the new year and he had been excited for weeks about it, even more excited than he had been about Christmas.

As the two walked alongside the river that meandered along the floor of the valley, the little boy noticed a cloud gathering over the family home up on the side of the hill. It began small but grew in size quite quickly. It was an unusual cloud because it wasn't white or grey like all the other clouds. This cloud was green.

"Daddy", he said. "Why is that big green cloud rolling down the hill towards us?"

Zachariah looked up the valley wall in the direction Benjamin was pointing, and sure enough the green cloud had detached itself from the house and was tumbling down towards them, gathering speed as it tumbled.

"Quick son", Zachariah shouted. "Hide in here till it passes."

He pushed Benjamin into a small fisherman's hut that sat beside the river and squeezed into it himself as well.

When the cloud passed and dissolved in the river Zachariah explained to Benjamin why it was so important to get out of the way of the green cloud.

"Benjamin", he said in reply to the questioning expression on the little boy's face. "It was important to get out of the way of that green cloud because that was your grandpappy' s Christmas fart rolling down in our direction and you never, ever want to get in the way of that".