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The
Ballad of Lynndie England
May
13, 2004
By Joshua Shelov
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Once upon a time the king came down to the village and told
the villagers that there was a monster living across the sea.
The king said that an army had to be assembled, to bring across
the sea to kill the monster. Most of the villagers immediately
volunteered their children for the king's army. A few pretended
to be childless.
One of the villagers was on the fence. This villager was
an old soldier, who had spent many years of his life in battle.
The old soldier was a good judge of character, and he knew
the toll of war. He looked deeply into the eyes of the king
and saw a man untested by the temperature of battle. The old
soldier wondered if there really was a monster living across
the sea.
The king saw the old soldier's hesitation and approached
him. The king asked him if he had any children. The old soldier
said that he had only one: a daughter. The king asked him
to volunteer his daughter for the army.
The old soldier said, "I understand that there are times
when brave men and women must stand up and fight. But my daughter
is the only thing I love in this world. So I must ask you
to make me a promise. Is there really a monster living across
the sea?"
The king said: "I will give you my most solemn vow: I will
personally bring back the head of the monster to this very
village."
So the old soldier gave the king his only daughter. As they
departed, the king assured the old soldier that he would not
place a weapon in his daughter's hands. Instead, he would
place her in charge of the prisoners. With that, they left
the village, and went off to war.
A year later, the king returned to the village, bringing
with him the old soldier's daughter. The king presented her
to her father. Then the king began to leave.
The old soldier stopped the king, and reminded him of his
promise. "Where is the head of the monster?" asked the old
soldier. But the king departed without answering. The old
soldier and his daughter were left alone.
The old soldier was a good judge of character, and he knew
the toll of war. He looked deeply into the eyes of his daughter,
and, in a sharp, sudden whisper, his heart told him that the
king had kept his promise.
Joshua Shelov is a writer living in New York City. His screenplay
"Hooligans" was recently filmed in London, starring Elijah Wood.
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