Chapter 20: Journey By Boat
Author's Note: Alright, as promised, the next chapter of What Could Have Been is finally here! Like last time, Chapter 21 is finished as well and will be published in a few days. I hope that you all will enjoy this one. Now, it's time for me to respond to your reviews.
ABBAbethTheHamster, yeah, it is really strange that the Gloops would still go on the tour despite being infected with German measles. It reminds me of Miranda Mary Piker, for when she visited Wonka's factory in her demise, she hadn't taken a bath in weeks. Regarding the book, Dahl was intending to shorten the songs (similar to the 2005 film), with the drum music. Of course, though, I couldn't find anything about the book and as such ported over the whole song so I'd have something for the children.
MattTheWriter072, it may interest you to know that Tim Burton and John August had access to all of Roald Dahl's early papers while writing their scripts, so the whirlpool moment might as well been a moment they found in this script that they decided to include in their movie.
The Vagabond Scribbler, I hope your move goes well. I really love the description of the early Chocolate Room as well, and I wish it made it into the final film. Regarding the Knids, as I said to Avimo in the last chapter, an often overlooked fact is that the Vermicious Knids were referenced in James and the Giant Peach as one of the creatures the New York citizens thought the insects were. However, unlike Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, they were called "vermicious Knids", like Chapter 18, rather than "Vermicious Knids." Regarding the songs, please refer to my response to ABBAbethTheHamster, which can be found above.
And now, with the reviews responded to, enjoy the next chapter, everyone! :D
"We shall make the next part of our journey by boat," Mr. Wonka said. "There she comes!"
In the distance, there was faint singing, and out of the mist, still far away, there was a strange Viking boat that was tall on both ends, with many oars on either side. The singing grew louder as the boat came closer, and everyone could see that each oar was being operated by several Oompa-Loompas.
"Jolly boating weather," the Oompa-Loompas sang as they were approaching the shore,
"And a hay harvest breeze,
Blade on the feather,
Shade off the trees,
Swing swing together,
With your bodies between your knees,
Swing swing together,
With your bodies between your knees.
Skirting past the rushes,
Ruffling o'er the weeds,
Where the lock stream gushes,
Where the cygnet feeds,
Let us see how the wine-glass flushes,
At supper on Boveney meads,
Let us see how the wine glass flushes,
At supper on Boveney meads.
Thanks to the bounteous sitter,
Who sat not at all on his seat,
Down with the beer that's bitter,
Up with the wine that's sweet,
And Oh that some generous "critter",
Would give us more ducks to eat!
Carving with elbow nudges,
Lobsters we throw behind,
Vinegar nobody grudges,
Lower boys drink it blind,
Sober as so many judges,
We'll give you a bit of our mind.
"Dreadnought" "Britannia" "Thetis",
"St George" "Prince of Wales" and "Ten",
And the eight poor souls whose meat is,
Hard steak, and a harder hen,
But the end of our long boat fleet is,
Defiance to Westminster men.
Rugby may be more clever,
Harrow may make more row,
But we'll row for ever,
Steady from stroke to bow,
And nothing in life shall sever,
The chain that is round us now,
And nothing in life shall sever,
The chain that is round us now.
Others will fill our places,
Dressed in the old light blue,
We'll recollect our races,
We'll to the flag be true,
And youth will be still in our faces,
When we cheer for an Eton crew,
And youth will be still in our faces,
When we cheer for an Eton crew.
Twenty years hence this weather,
May tempt us from office stools,
We may be slow on the feather,
And seem to the boys old fools,
But we'll still swing together,
And swear by the best of schools,
But we'll still swing together,
And swear by the best of schools."
"My private yacht!" Mr. Wonka beamed. "Isn't she beautiful!"
The Oompa-Loompas, resting on their oars, started chuckling at their visitors.
"You're the only full-size humans they've ever seen before me. It's quite a shock!...jump in, all of you! Come on! Hurry up!"
Everyone scrambled into a space at the stern of the ship, and it started to glide away from the river bank with all the passengers on board. Mr. Wonka was on the tiller, and next to him was none other than Charlie Bucket and Grandpa Joe.
(Another minor scrapped segment I thought I'd include here:
"Don't you love it?" Charlie gasped.
"What a ship!" Grandpa Joe exclaimed.)
Mr. Wonka began scooping chocolate from the river in a mug.
"Here, drink this, Charlie," he said, handing Charlie the mug. "You look starved to death!"
He handed another mug to Grandpa Joe.
"You, too," Mr. Wonka continued. "You look like a skeleton! Hasn't there been anything to eat in your house lately?"
"Not much," Grandpa Joe answered, sipping the chocolate.
"Oh, it's wonderful!" Charlie exclaimed.
"The finest chocolate I've ever tasted!" Grandpa Joe said.
"Mixed by waterfall, you see…" said Mr. Wonka.
"Hey, Daddy, I want a boat like this!" Veruca Salt yelled. "I want you to buy me a beautiful big boat exactly like this!"
"She wants a good kick in the pants," Grandpa Joe told Charlie.
The Oompa-Loompas began to row faster, faster, faster…
"I think I'm going to be sick," Mrs. Beauregarde said.
"Oh, mother!" Violet Beauregarde sighed.
"Don't be sick, madam!" Mr. Wonka said. He took a bottle from the floor of the boat, took its cork off, then offered it to Mrs. Beauregarde.
"Take a swig of this," he said. "Wonka's Super Seasick Syrup! It'll cure you in a flash!"
Mrs. Beauregarde hesitated.
"Go on, drink it, woman, drink it!" Mr. Wonka said.
Mrs. Beauregarde took a drink from the bottle and began to gag. She began to gulp. She began to choke. She began to splutter. Mr. Wonka retracted the bottle fast, and his hand was not-quite-so-cleverly covering a label that said, "BRANDY-150 PROOF." No one else but him saw it.
"I think I'll just have a weeny drop more," Mrs. Beauregarde said drunkenly.
"Dangerous to exceed the stated dose," the chocolatier told her.
"Hey!" Mr. Salt shouted, standing up. "Where are we going?!"
Everyone saw that the river began to flow underground in a black tunnel that was inside of a mountain. As the rowers went faster and faster, the tunnel came closer and closer…
"Wonka!" Mr. Salt shouted. "Stop the boat! Turn round!"
Everyone began to stand up, and with that, shouts of, "Stop! Help! No, not in there!" began to echo throughout the boat. However, Charlie and Grandpa Joe were having the time of their lives.
"Row on!" Mr. Wonka shouted at the tiller, laughing. "Full speed ahead! Faster! Faster!"
The boat shot into the black tunnel. The group could see almost nothing except Mr. Wonka's dimly lit face and just barely, the Oompa-Loompas. The sides of the tunnel were invisible, and the group could hear the click-clack of the oars, as well as the river whooshing through the tunnel.
"Faster!" shouted the dim outline of Mr. Wonka. "Faster! Faster!"
"Stop!..." the group shouted. "Help!...I can't see!...I'm going to be sick again! More medicine quick!...This isn't funny, Wonka!...You can't possibly see where you're going!"
"Quite right, I can't!" shouted Mr. Wonka maniacally. Then, he began to sing.
"There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going…"
"Stop!" voices shouted. "Stop!"
"There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing…"
"Stop the boat!" the voices continued. "We'll all be killed!"
"Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing."
"I'm going to faint!" the voices continued. "Save me!"
"For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing."
"He's off his rocker!" the voices shouted. "He's crazy!"
"Calm down, everybody!" Grandpa Joe shouted. "The captain knows what he's doing!"
"Thank you, sir!" Mr. Wonka said. "Switch on the lights!"
Everyone saw that the tunnel was actually white. The boat continued racing along. Mr. Wonka absolutely loved it.
"Look, there's a door!" Charlie pointed out.
Everyone looked at the door that Charlie pointed at. It was a green color.
"STOREROOM No. 54
DAIRY CREAM, WHIPPED CREAM, VIOLET CREAM, COFFEE CREAM, VANILLA CREAM, AND HAIR CREAM"
"Hair Cream!" Mike Teevee exclaimed. "You don't use hair cream!"
"I'm a trifle deaf in this ear," Mr. Wonka said. "Speak a little louder next time, please."
Next, they passed a black door.
"STOREROOM No. 71
WHIPS- ALL SHAPES AND SIZES"
"Whips!" cried Violet. "What are they for?"
"For whipping cream, you foolish child!" Mr. Wonka answered. "Whipped cream isn't whipped cream unless it's been whipped with whips!...Just as a poached egg isn't a poached egg unless it's been poached from the woods in the dead of night! Row on!"
Next, they saw a yellow door next that said:
"STOREROOM No. 77
COCOA BEANS, COFFEE BEANS, JELLY BEANS, AND HAS BEANS"
"Has beans?" Veruca Salt asked.
"You're one yourself!" Mr. Wonka answered. "Press on! Press on!"
"Now I am going to be sick!" Mrs. Beauregarde exclaimed. "Quick, the bottle!"
"We're there!" Mr. Wonka cried. "Stop the boat!"
Author's Note: That's the boat ride! What did you think about it? Do you like this version or the final version better?
It may be interesting for you all to know that the song that the Oompa-Loompas sang as they were approaching the shore is known as the "Eton Boating Song." It's named after the famous Eton college, and is sang during events there, as well as during the procession of boats.
As usual, feel free to review, and stay tuned for Chapter 21, which will be published in just a few days! :D
Until then,
Gabe S. :)