Saltpetal Sailmakers — Sailmaking Character Sheet

The story of Saltpetal Sailmakers

A fictional story inspired by the artwork.

The sailmakers were halfway through cutting a new mainsail when the tortoise discovered a row of little numbers in the old cloth. They ran along a patch that somebody had sewn on the wrong way round. The pelican lowered her shears. A sail this battered ought to have been thrown out years ago.

The seal rubbed soft charcoal across the seams. Six sets of numbers appeared, each written by a different hand. The otter recognized his father's cramped sevens. He remembered the old fishing boat and the way his father used to measure him against the mast whenever they came back to port.

They carried the cloth down to the quay. Families gathered around it before anybody had time to explain. Each little number recorded a child's height. The patch had been turned around to fit the tallest child, who had grown past the edge of the sail long before the boat was retired.

The iguana cut fresh canvas for the fishing crew. The albatross hung the old sail in the loft, low enough for children to reach. Nobody had to ask what should happen next. By opening time the next morning, three new marks had appeared along the hem, and the smallest was accompanied by a paw print.

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