This piece was written in response to the Six Sentence Challenge, with the prompt word of ‘scribe’.
In much the same way as there are Patron Saints (mine is St. Jude, Hope of the Hopeless), there are also Patron Demons, with one such being Titivillus, the source of error making and tempter into mischief of the mediaeval scribes who produced copies of the Bible.
Working from daylight to dusk, often in freezing temperatures, they were tasked with making immaculate exact copies and it was inevitable that there would be the occasional mistake, like the Word of Gob, or Sadam and Gomorrah, or the Virgin Merry.
Brother Anselm’s visitations from Titivillus were more likely to result in lewd scenes hidden in the background of an illustration of the Wedding at Cana or jokes scribbled in the margins about the Fish and Chip Monk.
Occasionally his devilish handiwork would be discovered by the humourless Scottish senior scribe (known as the Ayr Friar) and he would be required to say a thousand Hail Mary’s backwards without a mistake, but most slipped through unnoticed in a world not yet defiled by printers and word processors.
Until the fateful day that his monastery was chosen to present an example of their fine work to the Pope in Rome and the Bishop travelled many weeks to deliver the exquisite tome to His Holiness, one that Brother Anselm had transcribed.
The explosion could be heard around the Holy Roman Empire when the Pope discovered that his favorite passage had been transformed into ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no weevil’.
Six Crooked Highways 
Hahahahahahaha! This is Brilliant, pure Genius, Doug! I loved it, first word to last…and doubt I can measure up this week 🙂
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Many thanks, Zelda. IMHO It’s never a matter of ‘measuring up’ to others for a writer; it’s a matter of measuring up to your own rigorous expectations and saying what you want to say.
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Ah yes, you’re a scholar and philosopher…probably a poet too 🙂 And by the way, unexpectedly you inspired my 6–so thank you muchly! Many blessings to you 🙂 ❤
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Aw, shucks, you say the nicest things. 🙂
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Well, I’m sincere–and that’s the way I roll! 🙂
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🙂
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You have to watch out for those Patron Demons. Good point: today we are “defiled” by printers and word processors.
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Nrabo
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Typo. That should be BRAVO
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🙂
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Oh, Doug, this one’s priceless! Fab Six 🙂
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Thanks so much, Chris. My work here is done (at least for this week). 🙂
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yeah that demon (of)Titivillus is quite real and surely is now manifested in our 21st Century technology under the name ‘Spellcheck’. If I had a dollar for every email that communicated ‘How very much I would half the pleasure of your company.’
lol
Fun Sex Sentence Story, yo
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Many thanks, UP
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That mistake bugged him? Wholly moth err of gob!
Clever stuff, and watch yourself next lightning storm.
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🙂 More likely to get me via the grapes of wrath. 🙂
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Oh, dear. What a mess. Heeheehee!
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🙂
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Absolutely brilliant Doug! Shame it’s only six sentences, I’d love to read more!
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Many thanks, Keith. Blame Denise. She’s a harsh mistress. 🙂
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Sentence 2 had me 🤣, Doug. I mean, why not?! lol
Your Six was a bit of fun at the end of a somewhat hellish (😉) week.
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Glad to hear it.
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Honestly, one’s bound to get a little bored living the life of a monk…
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Yeah, not much room for monk-ey business. 😉
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Just fabulous, Doug! A wee piece of genius.
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Thanks, Jenne. Much appreciated.
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