True Wisdom

Wow, it is good to be writing again after an enjoyable holiday. Here's my entry in the Monday Mixer, Jeffrey Hollar's weekly challenge over at the Latinum Vault.We need at least three of the nine prompt words, but I chose five (luminary, compendium, chirrups, slapdash, ethereal), so I am shooting for the overachiever.

Picture from here, they have a lot more cool images and some good advice for making castles

True Wisdom

Once his litter was carried down to the beach, His Holiness seemed to get a second wind. The wizened, pain-wracked face was suffused with childish glee... tongue poking out of the side of his mouth, his breath came in whistling chirrups past his few remaining teeth. Patiently the luminary shaped the sand into ethereal turrets and dug a moat. Not a childish slapdash castle, it was a work of art that was a joy to behold. The senior monks stood to one side, watching with puzzled frowns. They were listening for any gems of wisdom to add to his compendium of sayings. Finally, one cleared his voice and asked "Master, what lesson do you wish to show us?"

His Holiness sighed. 

"I am truly sorry. I have failed you all in your teachings. Sometimes, a sandcastle is just a sandcastle." 

With a final smile, His Holiness left this plane.