The great wall

In the beginning it rained and it rained and it rained until it started to flood, and the water rushed down from the hills and swept away everything in its path.

The terrible power of the flood waters threatened to sweep up and destroy the great palace of the people on Meander road. Luckily though, Jan the hero, dug a deep trench to divert the water away.

The trench dug by Jan the hero

Naturally, the people wanted to build a giant statue of Jan the Hero to thank her. But she chastised them, saying “Don’t be foolish”. “What will you do next time the floods come? … I may not be here to save you next time. Don’t build me a statue. Build me a drain, and while you’re at it .. fix that rotted old retaining wall!!”

So the people began their great task.

First they started to dig away all the dirt. They dug and dug and were happy. But then they dug down to rock and hard cement and they worried that the project would fail.

How will we remove the old cement posts that have been cemented into the bedrock said the people? Use the crowbar said Jan the hero, and she showed them the way.

When they defeated the first concrete block the people were overjoyed … until they discovered the four other concrete blocks and the giant slabs of rock that needed digging. Jan the Hero saw that the people could never finish the job with the crowbar alone, so she said to them. “Hire a Jackhammer”.

The Jackhammer, so empowered the people that they dug all the holes they needed in no time. But then it was time to fill them all with concrete. They worked hard, mixing it into the night, and sometimes they truly thought it would never end.

But they did it. Soon the posts were in, and their spirits lifted.

Until they saw the mountain of scoria that needed carting;

and the complex web of piping that needed to be laid.

But they kept working .. night after night, until one day. Suddenly … they realised that they had almost done it.

And they rejoiced and rejoiced with much expensive champagne.