The lighthouse keeper’s lunch Once there was a lighthouse keeper
Called Mr Grinling. At night time, he lived in a small white cottage perched high on the cliffs.
In the day time he rowed to his lighthouse on the rocks to clean and polish the light. Mr Grinling
was a most industrious lighthouse keeper. Come rain… or shine, he tended his light. Sometimes
at night, as Mr Grinling lay sleeping in his warm bed… the ships would toot to tell him that his
light was shining brightly and clearly out to sea. Each morning while Mr Grinling polished the
light Mrs Grinling worked in the kitchen of the little white cottage on the cliffs concocting a
delicious lunch for home. Once she had prepared lunch she packed it into a special basket and
clipped it onto a wire that ran from the little white cottage to the lighthouse on the rocks. But one
Monday terrible happened. Mrs Grinling had prepared a particularly appetising lunch. She had
made… A mixed seafood salad A lighthouse sandwich and more She put the lunch in the basket
as usual and sent it down the wire. But the lunch did not arrive. It was spotted by three
scavenging seagulls who set upon it and devoured it with great gusto. Clear off you varmints’’,
shouted Mr Grinling, but the seagulls took not the slightest notice. That Evening Mr and Mrs
Grinling decided on a plan to baffle the seagulls. ‘‘Tomorrow I shall tie the napkin to the basket,’’
said Mrs Ginling. “Of course, my dear,’’ agreed Mr Grinling ‘‘A sound plan.’’ On tuesday evening
Mr and Mrs Griniling racked their brains for another plan. ‘‘They are a brazen lot, those seagulls
said Mrs Grinling. Brazen indeed said Mr Grinling. Brazen indeed said Mr Grinling. What shall
we do? Our cat does not appear to like seagulls said Mrs Grinling. Brazen indeed’’, said
Mr Grinling. What shall we do?’’ Our cat does not appear to like seagulls,’’ said Mrs Grinling.
No my dear said Mr Grinling. Hamish is an accomplished seagull chaser.’’ Of course!’’ exclaimed
Mrs Grinling Tomorrow Hamish can guard the lunch.’’ A most ingenious plan agreed
Mr Grinling. Hamish did not think that this plan was ingenious at all. He spat and hissed as Mrs
Grinling secured him in the basket. ‘‘There’ there, Hamish,’’ said Mrs Grinling consolingly, ‘‘I’ll
have a tasty piece of herring waiting for you when you arrive home.’’ Sadly, flying did not agree
with Hamish. His fur stood on end when the basket swayed, his whiskers drooped when he
peered down at the wet, blue sea and he felt much too sick even to notice the seagulls, let alone
scare them away from the lunch. Lackaday, lackaday,’’ said Mr Ginling sadly. ‘‘Miaow, miaow,’’
agreed Hamish pitifully. On Wednesday evening Mr and Mrs Grinling racked their brains again
for a new plan. ‘‘What shall we do? Said Mr Grinling . Mrs Grinling looked thoughtful. I have it!’’
she exclaimed. Just the mixture for hungry seagulls.’’ Indeed my dear,’’ said Mr Grinling What
have you in mind?’’ Wait and see,’’ said Mrs Grinling, just wait and see.’’ Mustard sandwiches,’
’ chuckled Mr Grinling. A truly superb plan my dear, truly superb.’’ On thursday morning Mrs
Grinling carefully packed the mustard sandwiches and sent them off down the wire to the
expectant seagulls.
