It was a bright sunny morn in the small village of Cheltenham. I was up early and leaning over the gate of my small farm-stead, watching the hens pecking and scratching, whittling out the grubs betwixts the planks of my olde rotten shed when I heard a great clattering and hammering of hooves. Turning I took the split piece of hay from my mouth, and I didst spy Brother Paul reigning his giant black mare to a stoppe outside in the lane.

"Goode Day", cried I, "what news?"

"The abbot has spoken", cried Paul, "The holy flour has speakest last night in one of his dreams, we are to go forth once more in search of pie"

"Bless the Lord!", I cried and leaping inside to fetch my harness led olde dobbin from the stables.

"Do my eyes deceive me Paul or does thou look dapper and spartan this day?"

"Your eyes do not lie, for today I had only half donned my ceremonial attire whenst Abbot's messenger didst appear, and there was no time to change"

"Fear not", cried I, "for all shallst know of our quest by your robe"

"Let us hurry forth and find brother Ben", spoke Paul, "and we must also discover the mind of brother Dan, our newest noviciate.He has wandered beyond the cloistered gate and must be found if he is to accompany us"

We didst gallop forth and arriving at brother Ben's house hail and caper with gusto. Brother Ben on learning the urgentness of our quest didst rally forth and don the ceremonial garb of his homeland in respect of the honour bestowed us. We galloped up and down the cobbled streets of Cheltenham, yet nowhere couldst we spy Brother Dan. Beginning to dispair we returned to the Abbey and kneeling in prayer asked for divine directions. With a cry Ben didst goggle and clap his hands in joy, for the spectacle of Dan striding forth, stout cudgel in hand did present itself from the window. We gave chase and hollered and bellow and in time didst heave alongside. The four of us didst depart northwards skirting the edge of the town, and soon we found ourselves in a barren wasteland of marsh. For near two hours did we tramp down side of dirty cart track with no real hope of salvation. It was then we came to the outskirts of a small village surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Pointing Ben cried "Tavern ahead", and sure enough we saw that most welcoming of sites.

Entering the tavern's main room with we taken all of a loss, for it seemed that the good landlorde had trained a hound to tend to the needs of patrons at the bar. We were corrected when the landlorde didst appear, explaining how it was the faithfull hounds fancy to perform this good deed when he was not in sight. We didst murmer and cry that this was indeed a faithful hound! After a mere jug we did feel the pangs of duty call us, and as there was no pie to be spotted around we hastened forth thanking the goodman for his fine ale. The way ahead looked bleak so did we decide to head east in stead, and it was here that we came to the foot of a mighty incline. Brace ourselves we climbed for what seemed hours. Brother dan was all of a fluster as he had not experience such steeping having travelled from more gentle of lands. Stopping to cluch pain'ed sides halfway up didst we spy a small group of donkeys and we didst spent many a fine minute in the pursuit of wishing them well. Topping the rise a magical sight didst appear.

"There must be pie to be found in such a hostelry", cried Paul, and summoning the remaining strength in our spent legs did we climb and enter. The very place itself was fit for a king, and many a fine banquet must have taken place in such a grand hall.

It was only work of minutes before jugs of ale in hand we made our way back into the gardens and sat in veritable paradise of tranquility overlooking the looming hills of wales. As the day grew darker we didst request foodstuffs, and on steaming platters did the barkeep bring forth steaming dishes of cobblers. Wolfing this down in appreciation we were disturbed by sound o'merriment, and to our delight found that minstrels had arrivel and were banging a merry tattoo on instruments of melody. The patrons didst sing and stamp in appreciation, spilling quantities of mead apon the floor in their goode humour. It was halfway through the troope's performance that a man didst bring forth two spoons and didst beat the things with such furvour and relish that Brother Ben fell off his chair in attack o'mirth. The only calamity of the fine day was then when Brother Ben did gallop around on Dobbin at the near close of the evening he didst drop and crush his favourite wooden flute under calloused boot.

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