The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch By :Hanami Year 2s

Once upon a time there was a lighthouse keeper called Mr Grinling who lived with his wife Mrs Grinling and their cat, Hamish, in a little white cottage perched high on a cliff.

Every morning, Mr Grinling rowed across to the lighthouse to clean and polish it so that it shone brightly at night helping ships to pass by safely. Each morning, Mrs Grinling concocted a delicious lunch for her husband, packed it in a basket and sent it on a wire across the sea to the lighthouse.

One Monday something terrible happened. Mrs Grinling sent the food down the wire as usual but the lunch did not arrive. Not one, not two, but three scavenging seagulls saw the basket and stole the tasty meal for themselves. “Clear off, you wretched seagulls!” cried Mr Grinling. But the seagulls took no notice.

That evening, Mrs Grinling came up with a plan. The next day, she tied a napkin around the basket but... not one, not two, but three hungry seagulls saw the basket and devoured the tasty meal. “Clear off, you varmints!” shouted Mr Grinling. But the seagulls took no notice.

That evening, Mrs Grinling hatched another plan. The following day, she placed Hamish in the basket with the lunch to scare away the naughty seagulls. But, Hamish was scared being in the basket so high above the sea. As he trembled and meowed, not one, not two, but three brazen seagulls saw the basket and gulped down the tasty meal. “Clear off, you pests!” yelled Mr Grinling. But the seagulls took no notice.

That evening, Mrs Grinling racked her brains for another plan. “Aha! I’ve got it!” said Mrs Grinling, excitedly.

The next day, Mr Grinling watched his wife prepare lunch. “Mustard sandwiches,” he chuckled. “What an ingenious plan!”

As the lunch travelled across the wire, not one, not two, but three mischievous seagulls saw the basket and greedily pecked at the tasty meal. No sooner had they taken their first mouthful, there was a shout... “Yuck!” exclaimed the seagulls and they rose quickly to find a tastier meal.

Mr Grinling laughed jubilantly and sat down to enjoy a leisurely lunch in the warm sunshine.