Thor's Hammer Teacup Travels

Here they come.

My two intrepid explorers.

Charlotte and Lokesh.

I'm their Great Aunt Lizzie, you see,

and I wonder which one is coming to see me today?

Ah, so it's Lokesh.

-Hello, Great Aunt Lizzie!

-Hello, Lokesh!

Once upon a time, I travelled the world,

discovering treasures from long ago and far away.

And no end of stories to remind me.

But my most precious possession of all

is my extraordinary collection of teacups.

Here we are.

No time to count the clouds.

Let's have a nice cup of tea and a story.

But first we need a teacup.

But which one?

-That one.

-Ah, Thor's Hammer pendant.

It's a type of amulet.

What's an amulet?

It's a good luck charm, people believe it will keep them safe.

-And who's Thor?

-He was a mighty god in the old Norse mythology.

The Vikings believed he could flatten mountains with his hammer.

No wonder they wore those pendants to keep them safe.

So, shall I tell you the story of Lokesh...

and the adventure of the Thor's Hammer amulet?

It all began long, long ago in the Viking lands.

When courageous Viking warriors sailed the seas

on their magnificent dragon ships,

conquering lands of over four continents.

After journeying for days through wild forests and majestic fjords,

Lokesh found himself one bright morning

in a little coastal village.

From out of the distance, he could hear a baby crying.

BABY CRIES

He followed the sound along a footpath

until he came to a small hut.

And there he saw two new parents huddled over a crib.

Oh, how can I leave little Olaf?

You're going on a very important journey, Evan. You make him proud.

He's crying because I'm leaving. I know that.

He's crying because he's tired. Or hungry. Or both.

Please stop worrying, dear Evan. We will be fine.

-Do you have everything you need?

-I wish I could take you with me.

A ship sailing the great seas is no place for a little baby. You see?

-Even Olaf agrees with me.

-Promise me you'll look after him, Tona?

-Of course I will.

-I'll be back for you.

Bye, Olaf.

It's just you and me now, beautiful boy. What's that?

Oh, no. Don't say your dad forgot to take his lucky amulet.

OLAF CRIES

What shall I do, Olaf?

Your dad needs his amulet close by

to make sure Thor protects him out there in the world.

Don't cry, Olaf.

We'll find a way to get it to him.

Lokesh didn't know if he could help,

but he thought he should try.

Hello?

Hello, baby.

He likes you.

I need to find my husband to give him his pendant.

-But I can't leave Olaf here.

-I can help.

-I could take it to your husband.

-Oh, will you? Thank you so much.

If you run quickly to the river bank, you'll find him.

Lokesh clasped the cold metal amulet in his hand.

He wasn't sure if he could feel the strength of Thor's Hammer

but it felt very important.

-I'll take good care of it.

-Good luck.

Lokesh ran to the river bank,

the lucky pendant safe in his pocket.

And soon he came to the docks.

Goodbye! And good luck!

Have a safe trip!

See you at Yuletide.

Oh, no, had they sailed already? Was Lokesh too late?

-Excuse me, is that Evan's ship?

-It is indeed.

Going on a very long journey to the East.

May Thor be on their side and protect them from all bad things.

What could Lokesh do?

He'd promised Tona he'd get the amulet to Evan,

but now he'd missed him.

-So strange, that looks exactly like Evan's lucky amulet.

-But it is.

-I promised Tona I'd return it to him. But I'm too late.

-Oh, dear.

Well, an amulet like that should be returned to its owner.

Especially when they are going on such a long and difficult voyage.

-He'll need all the luck he can get.

-But how can I get it to him now?

Tell you what,

their ship will make one final stop before sailing the ocean.

-If you hurry up, you could catch him there.

-Really? That's great news.

-Where do they stop?

-Half a day from here.

Over those mountains and down the other side

where the river meets the big sea.

But if you leave now, you might get there in time.

Could Lokesh possibly make it before the ship sailed?

It wasn't even lunchtime and already he was all adrift.

In Viking times, a voyage across the seas such as Evan's

could mean he wouldn't see his family for months, possibly years.

That's a long time.

There was nothing to eat except what they could keep on the boat.

-Wouldn't be any fruit.

-That's terrible.

How would Evan keep in touch with Tona and baby Olaf?

Well, wouldn't be easy. No telephone.

No postbox to send postcards.

So the amulet could be the only thing to remind Evan of his family?

-Yes, I think it could.

-That makes it more important.

-It must be the most precious thing for him.

-Exactly.

So Lokesh couldn't go back to Tona

without trying to catch Evan at his last stop.

Off went Lokesh in his hat, bag and boots.

Along shining fjords...

..and over the snow-capped mountains...

..until when he was almost out of breath...

..the path ran out.

Lokesh took a deep breath.

Lokesh came to a cove,

where magnificent Viking ships lay anchored in the afternoon sun.

Lokesh had to find Evan and return his lucky amulet.

-Evan, I found you.

-Don't move.

-Why?

I'm sorry, but I really need to find my fire steel. It's here somewhere.

What is a fire steel?

It's a little piece of metal that you start a fire with.

I dropped it when we were loading the ship. We're late.

-We should have left hours ago.

-Lucky you didn't.

-Why?

Because I've been looking for you, to give you this.

My amulet.

-Where did you get it?

-You left it in Olaf's crib.

Tona found it and asked me to get it back to you.

-I knew I should have told her.

-What do you mean?

Well, I left it there on purpose to protect baby Olaf

and remind him of his dad.

This pendant has always been so lucky for me.

Oh, I miss my little boy already.

My fire steel! Finally.

You see how lucky this is?

You've been a great help to me and my family,

-but could I ask you to do me one last favour?

-Of course.

-Could you please take this back to Tona?

-Take it back?

-Yes.

Tell her to keep it close to Olaf so he doesn't forget his old man.

OK.

-What's your name?

-Lokesh.

Then I shall name our ship Lokesh,

so we'll continue to have the good luck you brought us.

I have to go now.

Tell Tona and Olaf I love them. And tell them I'll be back for Yule.

-I will. Goodbye and good luck.

-Goodbye.

Back came Lokesh.

In his hat, bag and boots.

OLAF CRIES

-There you are. Did you find Evan?

-I did.

You were so long, I thought he'd gone.

It took longer than I thought, but I caught him before he set sail.

Thank you so much. See, Olaf?

I told you everything was going to be just fine.

-He'd be happy to have his pendant.

-He was very happy.

-I knew it.

-But he told me to bring it back.

-What?

He wants Olaf to have it now. To protect him from bad luck.

And remind him of his dad while he's away.

Oh, I see. That's so sweet.

OLAF STOPS CRYING

Works like a charm.

He must feel his dad close to him.

May I?

And that was that. The whole kit and caboodle.

The story of Lokesh,

and the adventure of the Thor's Hammer amulet.

-Did Evan make it back home safely?

-Oh, yes, he did.

And when Olaf grew up, he gave the lucky amulet to his daughter

and she gave it to her son, and so on and on and on.

Do you have a good luck charm, Lokesh?

-I used to have a lucky hat my mum gave me.

-What happened to it?

I lost it. I wore it for running competitions.

-Did it bring you luck?

-I don't know.

I liked the feeling it was there.

I think charms are lucky because they make us feel good,

-and close to the people we love.

-Like Evan and his pendant.

-Exactly.

It's a very powerful feeling. Almost as powerful as Thor and his hammer.

Oh, my, is that really the time? Come on, we better get going.

How did that get there?

Home time now, Lokesh.

-Thanks, Great Aunt Lizzie!

-Cheery-bye, Lokesh.

-Bye!