Wednesday, March 17

excerpts from Jingo, a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett:

* * *
It was a moonless night, which was good for the purposes of Solid Jackson.

He fished for Curious Squid, so called because, as well as being squid, they were curious. That is to say, their curiosity was the curious thing about them.

* * *
Solid, squinting hard, could just make out the shape of another boat, heading toward him. He grabbed his boat-hook.

"I knows that's you, you thieving foreign bastard!"

The oars stopped. A voice sang over the water.

"May you be consumed by a thousand devils, you damned person!

The other boat glided closer. It looked foreign with eyes painted on the prow.

"Fished 'em all out, have you? I'll take my trident to you, you bottom-feedin' scum that y'are!'

My curvy sword at your neck, you unclean son of a dog of the female persuasion!"

* * *