THE PLINS

The Plins lived in a sewing basket which was hurled onto a passing comet by a very large gust of wind. Magic from the comet’s dust brought life to the basket and it’s inhabitants. The King Plin found his golden needle hanging upside down attached to the side of the sewing basket as he looked up from beneath the rubble of material and cotton reels on the first starlight. The other plins decided that to find this wonderful golden needle, the only one in the basket, must be very auspicious, so they made him King.

It seems that everything in the basket had an order to it that no plin could explain, but one plin was always determined to try; his name was Safety Plin. Safety was the custodian of the Library of the Plindom, an amazing chamber with high shelves of books full of dust that no plin had read, it is here that the records of plindom were found in the form of parchments hanging out of the back pocket of an old pair of dungarees suspended on a hook to the back of the library lining. Safety plin, so named because he was scared of everything, especially falling off the comet, wore a parachute for extra security. He was engrossed in trying to find the meaning of the hidden words on the parchments when he heard a tapping noise coming from the other side of the lining that separated the library from the corridor outside.

“Who’s there?” he stammered in his squeaky voice.

“Only me.” Said Drawing Plin as he pushed aside the lining to enter the library. Drawing Hippy Plin was Safety Plins’ best friend, in fact he was friends with everyplin. Drawing Plin designed all the artwork in the basket, the gowns, cloaks and jewellery worn by the Royal family and the citizens were all his creation.

Safety plin fiddled with the harness on his parachute while his umbrella jumped open in his clumsy hands.

“Oh!” he said nervously. “Good, I hoped it wasn’t that Rusty Plin again, he’s been hanging around here suspiciously. I think he wants to know what I find out in these parchments about the Plindom.”

“Don’t you worry about that now Safety, have some Intergalactic Carrot Cake.” said Drawing Plin offering a plate towards the startled plin in front of him.

“Oh, no, I might get ill” he stammered again.

“Nonsense, I got it from Fast Buck just this starlight, and you know that Fast Buck Inc. makes the best Carrot Cake in the universe!”

“That is true.” Said Safety eyeing the mouth-watering cake.

“Did I hear something about carrot cake?.” Said a voice at the door. Popping her head around the lining into the library was Her Highness The Queen Hat Plin, and in her arms, gurgling as usual, was Her Highness The Princess Baby Nappy Plin.

“Your Plinliness.” cried Safety bowing. “I wasn’t expecting company, the library is in such a mess.”

“Come, come now, it’s spotless.” said the Queen rustling her skirts as she entered the chamber.

Settling herself on a large plin cushion the Queen enquired if Safety had made any progress with the records of Plindom.

“Your Plinliness, I have been pouring over these parchments for a stargreat now, and I can make no sense of all this nonsense.” Replied Safety.

“Well, let’s hear it, and see if we can help.” Said Drawing Plin pulling up another plin cushion to sit next to the Queen. He placed his platter of carrot cake on a cotton reel between them.

In the meantime, a little way outside the basket stood a large pair of scissors poking into the ground upside down, they had fallen out this way when the basket landed on the comet. This was now commonly known as Scissor Gate and since no plin would venture past scissor gate, it was here, just inside the perimeter that General Firing Plin was marching his army up and down his plinyard, as he liked to call it. The lid was always open and many a plin found this an entertaining spectacle every starlight, some even joined in.

The General had ideas of his own about who should be in charge of the basket, he was jealous of the King and thought he was a bit dim, he had decided that he would be a much better king, if only he could get hold of the Golden Needle.

His little army consisted of Captain Gemini Split Plin, a basket case, suffering from a condition called plins and needles, leaving him only held together by a thread most of the time, Rusty Plin the basket spy, and Hair Plin who was the General’s right hand plin.

Rusty Plins’ eyes swivelled in their sockets, allowing him to see everywhere at once, a useful thing if you are a spy.

”Plin, Plin, Left, Right, Plin.” He shouted aloud as he tried to keep his eyes straight ahead, marching to and from Scissor gate with Captain Gemini skipping along behind at his heels.

Hair Plin and the General stood side by side, their uniforms gleaming in the late starlight.

Back at the library Safety was showing his guests the parchment and reading the contents.

“The Royal Needle is the only needle that will allow a thread from the King’s cloak to pass through it’s eye….” Was his first announcement. Followed by : “The Plins are timeless, only one…..”

“Is that it?” asked the Queen in a high-pitched voice.

Safety fiddled nervously with his parachute once more.

“So far your Plinliness, I will keep looking.”

“I wonder what it all means?” said Drawing Plin getting up.

“There is this bit too.” Said Safety shuffling through some papers on his desk. “I found it hanging out of a book.” He held up a small scrap of paper.

“What does it say?” said Drawing Plin turning back.

“There must be a ceremony to decide who is King, in the Ceremony Hall.” Read Safety Plin from the paper.

“Nonsense, we haven’t got a Ceremony Hall.” Said the Queen. “And we already have a King! Don’t we my sweetheart.” She added looking down at the Princess Baby Nappy Plin in her arms. I think it’s time for tea.” She announced, and with that, she rose from her cushion, rustled her skirts once more and sauntered out of the library without turning back.

“I hope I haven’t upset her Plinliness.” Said Safety to Drawing Plin. “It’s not my fault, I am just reading what is here.” He cried, holding up the paper in dismay.

“Don’t you worry your Plinhead about it.” She will have forgotten about it by the end of the starlight, you know what she’s like.”

“Do I?” said Safety to himself as Drawing plin took his leave of the library.