Thanks to GAHlearner for this prompt, you’ll have to give me a few minutes to dream something ridiculous up, these fairy tales/ nursery rhymes seem to be ever diminishing. We shall see!!
Many years of marching up to the top of the hill and back down again had left the Grand old Duke with multiple Nerve compression injuries to his knees and thighs.
His inactivity increased his weight and his ankles swelled; struggling to support him.
The 10,000 men were laid off and housed in back to back terraces, developing alcohol and drug problems, typical of endemic unemployment. Then the army uniform factory closed.
The Duke looked out from his bedsit, across the estate and factory, at the hill , and wept as his memory of morning sunrise over Flamborough from there gradually faded.
There it is 100 words on the nose! Quite a sad tale today, I’m not feeling particularly melancholy but it just seemed to fit. I’m not sure if it is possible to see Flamborough from York, but as ever I will take some artistic licence there!
Excellent and amusing take on the prompt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Penny! Slightly sadder than usual today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another good twist on an old nursery rhyme! Nicely done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot, my aim is to totally transform nursery rhymes in the minds of folk for the rest of year!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really imaginative. Very much liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, i enjoy the after life of some of our children most loved nursery characters
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant imagination. What a great take on the prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, its a theme i’ve been developing over these last 3 months or so in the FF; A kind of Nursery rhyme/ kids characters where are they all now type thing, check them out!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A pretty interesting take on a popular nursery rhyme.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Check out my others! Equally as stupid!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure, I will 🙂 Give me sometime
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor old Duke of York D: I think his 10,000 men are better off than some soldiers who’ve been de-mobbed. At least they’ve got housed and aren’t out there begging on the street!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true but I didn’t have space for that and I didn’t want to be too bleak, there’s enough of that around
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are right. There is far too much bleakness in this world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Far too much, indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Had to google this one too! Somehow had never heard this one.
I just love what you do weekly with these prompts… Brilliant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really??!!
I can even sing it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are hundreds of nursery rhymes out there… what can I say? One of them thar thangs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s funny, I know surprisingly few which I think is why I don’t get it done till Friday ( the official submissions date!) I’m having to think and google nursery rhymes!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s great that you do… they are most enjoyable. I look forward to yours every week! (As for the official submissions date, there is none 😉 Any time from Wednesday to Tuesday is accepted 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not from where I’m standing Missus! Friday for me, the title is otherwise misleading.
I do love it when the photo appears on Wednesday though!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has morphed over time, I admit… I am not opposed as it gives me a chance to read ’em all (well those who actively participate, that is. Those who never return the favour, get dropped by moi)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve not really got a system of reading them. Usually I start at the beginning and then get told to get off by wife, kids, dog, duties, etc.
Today I read from the back, it seems the later ones get fewer views.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True. That is why people started posting earlier and earlier – to get more reads. Not all the participants read all the stories…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Start at the back that’s where the cool kids hang out!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You saying I ain’t cool?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wouldn’t dream of it! Just thought you might not know yet!😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well… I end up somewhere in the middle even when I post on Wednesday so… maybe I’m a wanna be…
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m always fashionably late!!
LikeLike
😁
LikeLike
Fantastic write combined with a whimsy of an imagination.
Nicely done …
Isadora 😎
LikeLike
Thank you isadora! Muchos appreciatos!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Terrific piece and great rewriting of that tale. Poor Duke. Who would have thought they’d be so many knock on effects
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks unfortunately shit happens to everyone, even the famous! Check out my other FF for some more nursery rhyme weirdness
LikeLike
So sad.. the repercussions of his ill health were far too many
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, like a pack of cards they fall
LikeLike
Dear Shrawley,
You took that nursery rhyme and landed it on its ear. But that’s neither here nor there…or up or down, as it were. 😉 Love it!
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rochelle, always love doing this and am loving the support, it buoys me onwards!!
LikeLike
You certainly mined a rich seam of originality there. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha!! Thank you very much Sandra, I enjoyed it!
LikeLike
A very interesting take on the prompt and a new to me nursery rhyme. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading JohawkTheWriter, I appreciate every comment!! Have a look at my other FF it’s all about the nursery rhyme
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will do. Thanks,
LikeLike
Poor old Duke and his creaking limbs – your whimsical takes march on though. Well done indeed.
LikeLike
Interesting portrait sad but intriguing
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know, it’s the saddest one I’ve done thus far, thanks for reading
LikeLike
So the nursery rhyme doesn’t end in the kindergarten. Glad we got a peep into what happens when the Grand Old Duke and his ten thousand men stop marching up and down the hill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s life after the nursery, see my other FF stuff, it’s a theme!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely reimagining. You summed up the pains of maturity and changes it brings so well.
LikeLike
Wow thank you that’s very kind
LikeLike
I’m inspired by this. Loved your take on the prompt, and will attempt my own fairytale or nursery rhyme twists in future 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Fatima, life’s so damn serious nowadays, too much awfulness abounds, this makes me laugh!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had to google it, too. That was fun, what a sad development for the poor duke.
Early posting: like Dale I try to do it early because I hardly get around to reading a fair share as it is. There once was the rule of ten posted: comment at least on the ten stories before your post and on the ten behind (and adjust when you’re very late). That way the middle gets some comments, too. The real secret is in commenting a lot and often, then you get many comments back, no matter when you post. When you comment often, people get to know you and seek you out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thats a good plan, the rule of ten, I’ll try that next week! Thanks for reading too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Imaginative take on the prompt, it reads as a piece of actual history.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is actual history!😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] is a poor sequel to Injured Duke writer about a year […]
LikeLike