The Ivory Dragon 2/14

“Now whatever does Eve want this time,” said Mary, as her neighbour came through the side gate between their houses and walked towards the kitchen door.

She was carrying a long wooden box and looking very pleased with herself. As usual she tapped politely on the window before letting herself in.

“You’ll never guess what I’ve just bought in the village!” she said, “I was browsing through the shelves at the back of the ‘Smuggler’s Cave’ and found this. The man said they’d only just been delivered and I was the first customer to buy one”

The box she placed on the kitchen table was roughly two feet long and a foot square in section. It had been beautifully made from what appeared to be some sort of tropical hardwood. The fittings were brightly shining new brass, while the woodwork had the satin glow of beeswax polish. Altogether it was a lovely piece of work in its own right. She put her hand in her pocket and brought out a tiny brass key.

“Hurry up,” said Dave, “I’m bursting to know what’s in there. Nobody would take the time to produce a wonderful piece of work like that unless he wanted to put something equally wonderful inside!”

Eve unlocked the box and opened the lid. The first thing to be seen was a large quantity of fine wood shavings and Mary hurriedly placed sheets of newspaper round the box to protect the table from the mess. Then reaching carefully inside, Eve pulled out a strange form nearly as long as the box, swiftly followed by three more.

Jennifer Jane gasped, “I think I know what its going to be!”

“So do I,” said Dave, “and I’m starting to feel worried already!”

Eve took no notice of the comments, but began assembling the component parts together. Carefully holding what appeared to be a dragon’s body, she first screwed on a long tail, then the two huge wings, one on either side. The assembled work was a model of a dragon, back winging as it came in to land with its feet reaching forward and its tail stretching out behind for balance. There was no stand, the whole sculpture sat firmly on the table resting on its own two feet and tail, surrounded by rather a lot of wood shavings.

“I wonder what it can be made from?” said Dave with a bit of a twinkle in his eye.

Eve sat at the table, proudly taking note of all the interest she’d caused. “The man at the shop assured me that it wasn’t made from ivory, he even gave me a certificate to say so. I think it might be marble, I’ve seen modern sculptures that have been polished to a similar standard. I did wonder if it was plastic the first time I saw it, but if you pick it up you’ll find it’s far too heavy!”

“It must be made from huge pieces of material,” said Mary, “but however do they manage to get every thing to line up so well when the pieces are screwed together?”

“At least the answer to that question is easy,” replied her husband, “the rough lumps are screwed together before the finished sculpting is done. Then all the joints are carefully carved so that it appears to be made from a single piece. If its taken apart too often and the joints aren’t cleaned each time its put back together, eventually a thin line of dirt will show up at the junction of each part.”

Once the Bells had finished admiring the model, Eve took it apart again and repacked it in its box. “I’m going to keep it in a display cabinet to keep the dust off. I think it’s really beautiful, the man at the shop thought it might be made by native craftsmen in a country like China, where they have a strong tradition of stories about dragons, but he didn’t really know where it came from.”

She waved to the Bells as she passed the kitchen window again, carrying the box carefully back to her house.

“That’s one of the dragons from the alternate world,” said Jennifer Jane without any hesitation, as soon as Eve had gone. “I’ve seen far too many landing in just that way, to be in any doubt!”

“I’m sure you’re right,” said Dave, “nobody in this world would spend the time turning out a piece of craftsmanship like that box, however valuable the contents. Not only that, but the packing would be bubble wrap plastic for sure. Sawdust and wood shavings haven’t been used here for at least fifty years. I think Jane’s right, it has come from the alternate world. Good for Polly, if it really was her idea!”

“However did it get here?” asked Mary, “I didn’t think
there were any trading connections with this world!”

They all looked at each other then burst out laughing. “There’s only one way to find out!” they all said at the same time and collecting the items they always took on their family visits to the alternate world, they trooped off along the garden towards Wilfred’s pool.