The dream of Owen (1)

The dream of Owen (1)

Once there was a happy man, Owen O'Mulready, who lived with his wife Margaret in a pleasant house with a large garden.

They had space to grow all the food they needed, and Owen's kind master paid him good wages.

Owen had never had a dream.
He was fascinated by other people's dreams, and he very much wanted to have a dream of his own.

One day, Owen was digging potatoes when his master started to talk to him, as he often did.

They talked about dreams, and Owen admitted he had never dreamt, and that he would love to have one.

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The dream of Owen (2)

The dream of Owen (2)

" This is how to make yourself have a dream, " said Owen's master.
" Before bedtime tonight, clear the fire and make your bed in the fireplace. Sleep there tonight, and you will soon have a dream thatyou will remember for a long while, mark my words. "

That evening Owen cleared the fire  and made his bed in the hearth.

When Margaret saw him doing this, she thought her husband was mad.

But he explained, and she let him do what he wanted, for she knew how badly Owen wanted his dream.

So Owen got into his bed.

He had not been asleep for long when there was a loud knock at the door.
" I have a letter from the master which must be taken to America. "

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The dream of Owen (3)

The dream of Owen (3)

He had not been asleep for long when there was a loud knock at the door.

Owen opened it and a stranger was there.
" I have a letter from the master which must be taken to America. "

" You've arrived very late for such a message, " replied Owen.

But he accepted the message, put on his boots, and went off, striding towards the west.

He met a young lad at the foot of a mountain.

The boy seemed to recognize him, " where are you going in the middle of the night ? " asked the boy.

" I have a letter to take to America. Is this the way ? "

" Yes it is. Keep going westwards. But how will  you travel across the water ? " asked the young lad.

" I will work that out in good time, " said Owen.

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全6回です。 

The dream of Owen (4)

The dream of Owen (4)

And on he went, until he came to the sea.

Owen found a crane standing by the shore.

" Good evening, Owen O'Mulready, " said the crane, who, like the young lad, seemed to know Owen.

Owen explained his business and said that he was puzzled about how to get over the water.

" I will ferry you to the other side, " said the crane.

" And what if you get tired before we arrive ? " asked Owen.

The crane assured Owen that he would not get tired and off they went.
Owen on the crane's back. 

They had not flown for long, when the crane started to tire.
" Get off my back, Owen, for I am beginning of tire, " said the bird.

" But I'll drown in the water, " said Owen.

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The dream of Owen (5)

The dream of Owen (5)

Owen then saw some men threshing above his head.
He shouted to one of the threshers:
" Thresher, reach down your flail so that I can hold on to it and give the bird a rest. "

The man held down his flail and Owen clung on.

As soon as Owen had gone, the crane flew off with a mocking cry, leaving Owen hanging in the air.

" Bad luck to you ! " Owen shouted at the bird as it vanished into the distance.

Owen's troubles were not over.

The thresher shouted for his flail.
" Let go of my flail, Owen O'Mulready. I cannot get on with my work. "

Owen said that he would fall into the sea, but the man still shouted for his flail, shaking it, as if trying to make Owen slip off into the water.

Suddenly Owen saw his chance.

A ship had come over the horizon, and Owen shouted and waved with his free hand.
Slowly the ship steered towards him but Owen though he might not be able to hang on long enough.

" Are we under you yet ? " shouted one of the sailors.

" Not quite, " replied Owen.

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The dream of Owen (6 完)

The dream of Owen (6 完)

The ship came nearer, and the captain began to shout to Owen.

" Throw down one of your boots. If it lands on deck we shall know we are under you. "

Owen kicked one foot, and his boot fell towards the ship.
But Owen did not see where it landed.

He was distracted by a terrible scream, and suddenly he heard his wife's voice shouting " Who is killing me ? Owen, where can you be ? "

" Is that you, Margaret ? " asked Owen, not quite sure where he was, or how she had got there.

"Of course, it's me, " replied Margaret.

Margaret lit a candle.
The bed was covered in soot and she couldn't see her husband.

He was up the chimney, clinging on with his finger tips.

One of his boots had come off and had woken Margaret when it hit her on the head.

" So the master was right about your dream, " said Margaret, smiling.

" Yes, he was right enough, " said Owen.

And Owen O'Mulready never wanted to have another dream again.

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