Candide: the Baron’s Household.1.2

Baron Thunder-ten-Tronck built his castle for view and his household for his will and pleasure.The baronness weighed three hundred and fifty pounds and she brought thirty million gold pieces, which pleased him. Her daughter, Cunegonde, aged seventeen and son taking after his vanity and bad jokes, were their chief joy. Baron told jokes point of which escaped all but at the way the servants laughed it was plain that he was a man of wit. He was the lord of the manor and he doted on Candide whose parentage was somewhat lost in translation. But no matter the boy was mild and honest. He as guardian had taken him under his wings.
Benny

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In the Belly of a Leviathan

Quo Vadis? ©

 

 

PART I

 There is no mistake you spot him

How he totters under weight-

It’s not by any means a pretty sight,

‘Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

 

The borders are barr’d, so are hearts of men.

‘You seem more curious

Than vicious, and I am cautious

Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

 

My sins are writ large and scarlet

These papers scream ‘gainst me:

My birth under sorry hour, place

Worse still stamps me alien.’

 

‘That makes me,’ said I, a brother-

An alien I was once.

Brothers at arms, it’s no bother

For arms that bore a cross.

 

Ah under this bright Aegean Sun

You choose to bear my sin

Of being born in a curséd spot

And we’re cold and we’re hot.

 

And now there came border control,

And it grew wondrous cold

Of being swallowed by a whale-

Man’s godless protocol.

(in the style of The Rime of Ancient Mariner)

benny

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Gingerbread Boy-FableScape illustrations

“Catch me if you can!” So said the gingerbread boy to the old couple who stood there with mouths agape.

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Candide -Comic strip/1:1 adapted from Voltaire

In a castle of Americana, Vermont , belonging to the banker Jonas Rosenberg, lived a youth, whom nature had endowed with the most gentle manners.  I suppose, of his being called Candide owes to his transparency to the point of being gullible. He was eager to be taught. He did not mind what as long as it was what passed for facts. Oh his tutor Pangloss never tired of making this impressionable youth know facts of this life and of world to come; he led him with precepts he had learnt at the cost of life experience. They would be seen at all hours during the day under all kinds of weather. The castle grounds were extensive and there were parks and benches that took care of the weariness of walking. Dr. Pangloss was sure to drill into the head of his pupil why the banker was the most blessed. ‘You are the most lucky to have found the Castle of Americana for growing up. He belongs to the One Percent Club  and you have a head start on all other youths of your generation.

Pangloss was professor of metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-nigology. He proved admirably that there is no effect without a cause, and that, in this best of all possible worlds, the Banker’s castle was the most magnificent of castles.

“It is demonstrable,” said he, “that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for all beings created for an end, all are necessarily for the best end. Observe, that the nose has been formed to bear spectacles—thus we have spectacles,-Mind you, do not dismiss your guardians wealth is a cause.”

“So do I spend it all, Dr. Pangloss, so we honor the cause -effect?

For Dr. Pangloss it sounded reasonable since money was the cause for all misery for 99 Percent Muppets.

(To be continued)

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