Written for Esther’s “Can You Tell A Story In…..?
#291” – exactly 55 words using the six required
prompts: ‘wheel’, ‘cruel’, ‘soak’, ‘labyrinth’, ‘yellow’
and ‘crab’. In 55 words, here’s my take.
What a cruel twist of fate!
The ship’s wheel on the old Yellow Crab was stuck; the captain, unable to steer, was heading straight for the Devil’s Labyrinth. In a last ditch effort, he convinced the ship’s chaplain to soak the wheel ropes with holy water.
Saints alive! It worked!
NAR©2025
55 WORDS
This is “Stuck On A Boat” by Port O’Brien
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️ 🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al. and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
Great suspense packed in your short story! 👏🏻💧 Thank you for the song share. 👍🏻
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It’s a new song for me; I’m glad you liked it. Thanks very much, Michele! 🎶😎
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Yes, I saved it in a playlist. 🎼🎧🙏🏻
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Good story Nancy
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Thanks very much, Ernie!
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fifty five wonderful words!
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Lovely comment. Thanks, Dylan!
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There’s a lot of story here for 55 words! Fantastic job!
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Thanks so much, Lisa. It’s a bit like playing Scrabble but instead of letter tiles, we play with word tiles. Toss ’em out and see what develops!
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Wow, fantastic story. Well done, Nancy!
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Thanks so much, Brenda! I certainly appreciate your comments.
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Brillant take Nancy 💜💜💜
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Thanks so much, Willow! 💜
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A pleasure Hun ❤️❤️❤️
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Great take Nancy!
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Thanks very much, Di!
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Brilliant! That is all I can say.
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I’ll take it! Thanks so much.
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Tucking that trick away for the next time I go sailing…another great use for holy water! 🧛♀️
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I have a joke about a nun and holy water but I can’t print it here without jeopardizing my pristine WP reputation! 😂
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😂😂😂
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Love, love, love it N.! Great ending.
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Thanks so much, D! I’m glad you loved it!
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Oh, stuck without a rudder, in the middle of nowhere, its time, to meet me in the middle of the air …
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That was mighty purty, dear Ivor. Thank you.
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My pleasure, Paul Kelly is an Aussie fav of mine 🎶😍🌏
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Holy water saves the ship.
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I’ll never forget the day I saw the custodian at our church taking a break with a cold bottle of Poland Spring water, then he proceeded to refill the stoups with the same water! He was either drinking ‘blessed’ water or there was nothing in the stoups but plain old bottled water.
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In the Catholic Church, a priest can bless anything.
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Yup. They can do whatever the hell they feel like!
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Hallelujah! Nice one, Nancy.
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Holy water: it’s not just for vampires anymore!
Thanks, dear Keith.
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Saints alive, … a wonderful degree of faith there, … but it worked, … great little snippet, Nancy, …💫
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Quite a leap, I’d say. Well, whatever floats your boat …. pun definitely intended! Thanks so much, Penn! 😎
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That’s a lot of drama in very few words.
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Thanks, Iris! It was divine intervention!
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Very suspenseful story Nancy
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So glad you enjoyed it, Sadje!
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😍😍😍
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I love the drama of this!
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Thanks so much, Esther. The words were great fun this week.
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Neat use of the prompt words!
Interesting song, too. They have a touch of Great Lake Swimmers about them, which for me is no bad thing.
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The prompts were extra fun this week.
You’re right about the Great Lake Swimmers, Clive; I can hear it.
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