William and the Senator's Daughter - Narration Very few people know about a long time ago when a dog …… was a witness to History. It was in the month of July when a family from Capri arrived in Rome to take a one day tour of the city. A mom and dad, and a brother and sister, were walking down the avenue, And the family brought with them their dog named William so he could enjoy the city, too. They walked around Rome and took in all the sights: The Tiber River, the Senate Forum, and the ancient city gates. But when they reached the coliseum, there were so many people packed in, The family was separated from William. They called his name, but it was all in vain. William was nowhere near them. The family kept looking for William. They didn’t want to leave Rome without him. The family grew afraid. They could only stay for the day, and they had to get back to their boat on time. But in spite of all their trying, they simply couldn’t find him, and the family had to leave William behind. William tried to find his family, but he was in a very large city with people around every corner. William looked high and low, but everywhere he would go, he would only see a stranger. The day grew long and even though he was young and strong, William felt he might be in danger. William wandered around the town, and as soon as the sun went down, He saw the city come alive with light. The city seemed friendly with a happy sound, but William’s family could not be found, Even though he kept looking both left and right. So on the edge of the town where no one else was around, William found a safe place to spend the night. William was tired as he found a place to lie, and fell into a restful sleep as the wind played a lullaby. The night passed quickly, and with it came the dawn, and the sun rose majestically in the sky. And with the light of day, starting on his way, William set out to see what he could find. The first place he found was the market, where everything was for sale. With people talking, and walking, and shouting, someone almost stepped on his tail William looked up and saw a bird perched inside a cage. A buyer was talking to a seller, arguing and arguing about how much to pay. Suddenly the cage was knocked to the ground. The door flew open and the bird flew out. The little bird looked at William and said, “You look like you might be lost, But don’t be afraid; it’ll all be OK. I’ll be glad to show you the way out!” William said to the bird, “Lead on, kind sir, and I will follow gladly. And when we get clear of the confusion here, will you help me find my family?” Then suddenly, the people cleared the street. Everyone got out of the way, and off in the distance, William could see some chariots heading his way. Then trumpets began a fanfare; the people began to cheer. The people waved their arms in the air, for Caesar was about to appear. The chariots drew close, and they were all passing by when suddenly, one of them stopped, And a beautiful young girl, to William’s surprise, reached down and picked William up. “You look like you’re lost, you poor fellow, and you can’t find your family. But you can stay with me in luxury, and I’ll help you find your way home.” The bird looked over at William and said, “This is your lucky day.” Then the bird waved goodbye, and in the wink of an eye, the bird flew away. So she took William to the palace where she gave William food and water. “You’ll be safe here,” she said with good cheer, “for I am the Senator’s daughter.” They played together for quite a while. She made William laugh and smile. “I’d love for you to be my own and stay with me where I live, But I know your family cannot rest till you are once again, back with them. But I’ll take good care of you As if you were my own, And we’ll keep looking every day until we find your home.” William was happy as she set him on the ground, and he spent the rest of the day taking a look around. William could see the palace was big, and it would take a while to explore something this size. William walked round a corner, and much to his surprise, he was staring at not one, not two, But three pairs of eyes! The eyes belonged to three Persian cats in a parallel stance who began to dance. The cats said to William, “Catch us if you can!” And William playfully chased the cats as around the palace they ran. William thought to himself, “This is all new to me. It’s exciting and different, and I’m enjoying myself, but I really must find my family.” Night fell on the palace when people suddenly started to yell, “Fire, fire. Rome’s on fire! Ring the fire bell!” Caesar’s name was Nero. William could see him walking, carrying an instrument outside the palace while people were running and shouting. And while Rome was filled with fire, William watched Nero, playing his lyre. William and the Senator’s daughter, both were afraid. William thought of his family, who seemed so far away. The senator’s daughter held William, and told him not to be afraid. And though many parts of Rome burned down, the palace itself was safe. Days went by and the month of July turned into the month of August. And though he never forgot his family, William enjoyed life in the palace. Then one day, the Senator’s daughter said, “I’m going to take you with me. Today, we’ll sail across the water to a beautiful Isle in the sea.” When they got to the dock, William could see a wooden ship, ready to sail the seas. As they were boarding the ship, William looked back at a view of the city, And to his surprise, on a tree nearby, his friend the bird was sitting. William said, “Come with us! We’re taking a small vacation.” With a happy sound, the bird flew down, and so the bird sailed with them. They sailed for many hours across the Mediterranean Sea. And when they got in port, William said to himself “These sights and smells are familiar to me. I think we might be back on the Isle of Capri.” William’s heart jumped with joy and sang with every beat. He knew at last there might be a chance to find his family! Then the Senator’s daughter said, “Today will be a fun day! There’ll be sunshine and music and laughter. We’re going to be in a parade!” The parade reached the center of town while William looked all around. The music played at a lively pace as William looked at every face, Straining his eyes to see, hoping to find his family. And lo and behold, proud and bold, four people ran out from the crowd. When he saw the mom, the dad, the girl and boy, William felt ultimate joy and even barked out loud. The bird told the Senator’s daughter when she saw the family too, “You won’t be alone, if William goes home, for I can stay with you. “ William looked at the Senator’s daughter and quickly licked her face. “Thank you,” he said, “for taking me in and always keeping me safe!” And he said to the bird, “Thank you too! I’m going to miss both of you. But you will always know where I am. Come and visit whenever you can.” The family said to the Senator’s daughter, “The dog you have is our own.” And she said as she handed him over, “I would have loved to have kept him. He and I became good friends, But from the moment I took him in, I knew he’d find his way home!” THE END © 2013 R. Bourdages B. Harris Bourdages Music, BMI All Rights Protected Worldwide