A week with Peter 3/17

“No need to pay,” said Phil when they finally arrived for their turn, “children have a free go.”

Jennifer Jane stepped forward amongst cheers from the watching villagers. The mallet was surprisingly heavy and she could only just lift it. She struggled to hold it as high as she could and then dropped it on the peg. The slider hardly moved.

Peter managed to lift the mallet above his head and was able to hit the peg with a good bit more force. The slider moved a small way up the scale and several of the watchers applauded.

Jennifer Jane noticed the village blacksmith holding on to a fence post for support, doubled up and crying with laughter. “If you think it’s so funny let’s see you have a go.”

The blacksmith dried his eyes on a rather grubby handkerchief and stepped forward, grinning all over his face. The crowd parted respectfully as he walked towards the mallet and picked it up with one hand.
He didn’t even bother to raise it above his head. When it was about three feet above the peg he just appeared to tap it gently. The slider hurtled up to the top of the machine and struck the bell with considerable force, then he walked back to his fence post roaring with laughter again.

“He’s so much stronger than every body else and thinks our efforts are really funny,” said Phil, “it’s like this every year.”

“Can I have one more go?” asked Peter, “I was watching his technique and think I can do as well.”

Phil laughed and gave him the mallet. Jennifer Jane watched closely as Peter patted the upper end of the mallet head. She didn’t think anyone else noticed but she was sure he’d stuck something on to the wood.

“Yee-hah!”

The hammer swung down in a blur of motion. The wooden slider shot up to the bell with a terrific clang and split into three pieces. The crowd was silent for a moment and then burst into wild cheers.

The blacksmith walked over and shook Peter’s hand. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the like. I’ve seen them come and go but never a blow like that before and all down to technique you say?”

Peter had removed his addition to the mallet head in all the fuss and was accepting the admiration and congratulations with a quiet grin. Phil soon fitted a new slider and Peter eventually managed to escape the crowd, who immediately began to queue up again for another go, each one quite sure that he’d spotted how the kid had done it.

“Whatever did you put on that mallet head?” asked Jennifer Jane, as they walked away.

“Oh, you noticed that did you, It was a small solar powered linear accelerator that Dad has been working on. Quite effective wasn’t it!”

Jennifer Jane had to smile, even though Peter had cheated. It had been worth it to see the expression on the blacksmith’s face.

“There isn’t a ‘bat the rat’ game,” she said suddenly.

They walked back to Phil who was taking money from a very long line of frustrated villagers still attempting to ring the bell. She explained the game to him.

“It should be quite easy to knock something up, all we need is a plank of wood and a covering of some sort to make the tunnel.”

Phil called the blacksmith over and explained what was required. Then one of his workmen waiting in the queue was sent off to the timber yard to fetch a good long plank, while the blacksmith went off to find something suitable to use as a tunnel.

About twenty minutes later the game was ready. The ‘rat’ was still only a piece of wood to slide down the main plank but Phil said it was too short notice to make a proper one and it would have to do for this year’s fair.

Jennifer Jane was given the first go and was lucky enough to hit the ‘rat’ on the second of her three tries. Everyone had an attempt, with interesting results.

The more agile of the villagers had a distinct advantage over the stronger ones. The blacksmith was far too slow and couldn’t hit it at all. Most people voted the new game a success.