The Tale of The Lionheart Boy

Growing up, I never had a traditional bedtime story. No getting tucked in, no sweet fantasies of epic battles and saving princesses. But that did not stop me from creating stories of my own, and learning about what makes a true bedtime story vividly memorable. Bedtime stories often center around a knight who needs to save a princess, or a princess that meets her true love. Classic bedtime stories turned into films such as Cinderella, Snow White, Robin Hood, and many more. I believe what makes these stories so memorable and relatable is that we, especially as children, have the longing and the desire to be something grand, to do something great, and to live a life of adventure. And it is with this in mind that I present you with an original bedtime story for when I have children of my own, A Tale of The Lionheart Boy. I hope it brings you back to those magical moments before turning out the lights and drifting off into sweet sleep.

Once upon a time, the sailors of old told tales of fantastical creatures swimming in the oceans, some beautiful and some terrifying. Mermaids, sirens, the Kraken, all of the famous mythical sea-dwelling folk had ballads and songs written about them. But one such tale that has been lost in time is the story of a young boy, no more than fifteen, and his battle with the most fearsome monster of the deep of them all--The Leviathan.

Leviathan was a creature straight from the depths of hell, and the pirates and sailors told stories and tales about how the devil himself rode on the back of the beast. The monster was large, ten times the size of the largest whale. Leviathan had a body similar to an enormous crocodile, with scaly armor that no man’s harpoon could penetrate. They said that this beast had jagged teeth in the thousands, and that fiery breath came out of her wicked mouth. Indeed this was a creature to be feared, something so terrifying that some of the bravest sailors dropped dead at the mere sight of him. Yes, indeed Leviathan was a creature not to be reckoned with, but that did not stop a young boy, by the name of Phineas, from stepping up to the challenge of defeating the beast from the deep.

Phineas was a boy about fourteen or fifteen when he joined the crew of the pirate ship Miriam. He was an orphan, and had escaped his orphanage to become a pirate, living a life of adventure and danger. When he had joined the crew, the captain, Captain Bartholomew, sized up the young lad and took an immediate liking to the boy’s attitude and disposition. For Phineas was not your average boy. He had the heart of a lion. Not even some of the most seasoned pirates had the courage and tenacity as young Phineas did.

“Boy, come sit here.” Captain Bartholomew said as Phineas entered his musty and dimly lit cabin.

Phineas sat down, looking over the old bearded man, with colored beads running through his knotted hair and a patch over his left eye. The cabin was like a typical captain’s cabin; an old wooden desk with maps, charts, and compasses on it. Book shelves lined the back wall and there were thick, half burned candles lighting the cozy room.

“Yes, Cap’n?” Phineas asked, sitting up straight and attentive.

“Boy let me tell ya something,” The grizzled old captain said, getting up and walking over to a covered painting on the wall of his cabin, “This here ya see boy, this be Leviathan.” Captain Bartholomew exclaimed as he pulled the sheet off of the painting.

Phineas had heard the tales of the beast, and the portrait was exactly as the young boy remembered Leviathan from the stories. Phineas gave out a shudder at the thought of the beast. Nothing could trouble the young boy, but in that moment a shred of fear pierced his soul.

“Why do you cover it Cap’n?” Phineas asked, curiosity overcoming his fear.

“Ah, well ya see ‘ere boy,” The Captain said, running his dirty fingers down the canvas of the creature, “This is no ordinary portrait. This ‘ere picture is how you lure out the foul beast. When it is covered, Leviathan sleeps, but when uncovered, he awakens from his slumber.”

“By Neptune!” Phineas shouted shooting up from his seat, “You are going to be the death of us all Cap’n!”

“Aye, boy, I suppose I am. But I have lived a long and troubled life upon these seas. I am ready to face that creature. Whether I live or die, the sea be the judge of that.”

Phineas was tempted to incite a mutiny among the crew. But he soon realized most of his shipmates were of a similar disposition to the mad captain. So he waited, long into the night, hardly feeling tired...waiting for that awful hour when they would all perish. To Phineas it was a death wish, but he had grown to become loyal to the captain, and if the captain ordered it be done, then Phineas would make sure it be done. And right now, the old Captain Bartholomew ordered Leviathan’s head.

It was about noon the next day when it happened. It started out as a rocking of the ship, then some crests in the sparkling blue water, and finally a huge head emerging from the depths and breaking the surface. The creature was even more fearsome than any sailor could describe. It let out a loud and defiant screech and plunged back into the water. With that the entire ship was in a frenzy.

“Ready the harpoons!” Bartholomew shouted to one group. To another he ordered the sails to be brought half mast, and to yet another he ordered cannons to be manned.

“Be on the ready, men! She ain’t gonna be sinking us outright, Leviathan likes to play with her food first!” The captain shouted as the creature raised up above the water on the other side of the ship. For several minutes the commotion was chaotic, harpoons being hurled at any sight of scaly green flesh, same as with cannon balls.

The fight to the death continued for some time before Leviathan went in for the kill. The monster opened up her mouth wide and let out a burning fireball. The flame struck the main mast, and it was splintered in half, crashing down onto the deck. Phineas realized that their time was coming to an end, and if he did not do something quick, then all would be lost. He was not a particularly strong boy, but he was brave, and knew that with a little bit of courage, he could face any trouble that came his way.

The young boy Phineas picked up a harpoon and climbed to the top of the second mast. He grabbed hold of a rope and, gripping the hemp in one hand and the harpoon in the other, swung out over the water, directly towards Leviathan. It was as if the world had slowed down. Phineas felt like he was moving at the speed of a snail, ever slowly getting closer to his death.

The Leviathan’s moth was directly in front of him, and Phineas saw the glow of fire building up in the back of the beast’s throat. Phineas thought for sure he was dead, but just as Leviathan was going to deal the final blow, a single loud bang rang out, and Leviathan’s head snapped to the side. Phineas quickly looked over to the ship, and there was Captain Bartholomew standing, waving at Phineas with his cap from a still smoking cannon. This gave Phineas the opportunity he needed. He readied his harpoon and threw as hard as he could. The metal hissed through the air and planted itself deeply into the monster’s eye, hitting its brain.

As Phineas completed his swinging arc, now perceiving everything in real time once again, Leviathan let out a horrified scream, and sank down into the depths of the water. Phineas landed with a thud back on the ship and the crew let out a resounding cheer, lifting Phineas up into the air.

“My boy,” Bartholomew said walking up to young Phineas when the crewmates finally set him down, “You have proven yourself before god and man today.” Placing his captain's hat on the head of the boy Bartholomew continued, “When it is truly my time to go, you will become Captain Phineas the Lionheart.”