Dan Dan and the Noodles of Despair

The Vasace Code

After two days journey through the rolling hills of Han-Dwash, the pair arrive at the outskirts of the city of Miletus. A white adobe villa with a red-tiled roof, trailing vines atop a shaded alfresco and tiled fountains, is set amid an olive grove, the entrance lined with citrus trees. A bearded and bespectacled man emerges from the oak doors.

'Tea! Tea! the finest tea for my dear friend and his companion.'

'Anaximander, my dearest fellow, how good to see you again' says Tiddlepuss.

Anaximander smiles with his arms wide open. 'Floyd warned us of your imminent arrival, tea and food are waiting for you, please come into the library there is so much to discuss.'

'This is Dan Dan, he has been summoned by the sheep and came to us through the portal garment.'

'Dan Dan indeed - welcome Dan Dan to my humble home, I know you have travelled a long way, you are a courageous boy indeed.'

'Hello - How can you tell I am courageous?' asks Daniel.

'You must be very courageous to wear a garment like that in daylight - in plain view of everyone.' chuckles the old man.

'Oh, really? - the ugly jumper thing again - how original.' replies Daniel folding his arms.

'Please come inside and tell me of your travels, I want to know everything.'

The hall of Anaximander's villa opens into a vast library lined with shelves of books and scrolls. Celestial maps adorn the ceiling, and high stained glass windows flood the room with all manner of colour. Burnished brass candlesticks hold burning candles, while a stately table in the centre of the room is piled high with more books and instruments of navigation. The musty smell of old paper reminds Daniel of the jumble sales his nan had dragged him to on many occasions when he was younger.

Glancing around, Dan comes across a collection of ornately decorated tins of tea. Earl Pink; Lady Pink; Prince of Hounslow; Shimmering Caravan; Queen Xania Obedience Tea; Miletus Breakfast; Han-Dwash Afternoon; Orange Peacock; China Oolion Tea. Anaximander walks over to Dan as his eyes jump from tin to tin.

'Flavours as exotic as their names,' He says in a learned tone.

Orange Peacock, a crisp and refreshing tea with a timeless kick, while shimmering Caravan, smooth and mellow, evokes the smells and tastes of faraway lands. China Oolion tea is soothing and comforting, scarce, costly. Earl and Lady Pink from the Land of Grey and Pink create marvellous bright and fragrant tea. At the same time, Prince of Hounslow is no longer available since he moved up the title ladder as it were, not allowed to sell it anymore you know - do you drink tea young Dan Dan?'

'I do, my Nan introduced me to it, she takes her tea very seriously, and now I like it a lot,' stutters Dan.

'I think we are going to be good friends.' replies the old man.

The trio sits to a spread of juicy fruit and chilled Greenland Imagination tea. Tiddlepuss brings Anaximander up to date with the latest news and Daniel tells of his unexpected journey to this world. After what seems like hours of sharing and refreshment, they relax into the giant armchairs of the library and drink a fresh brew of tea while Anaximander tells of his latest discoveries.

'I managed to piece together the ancient histories that tell of the creation of the walled garden and who actually built it. There was once a gardener who collected the most exotic plants from around the known world. Fruit trees, nut bushes, roses and orchids, fragrant blooms that transport you to enlightenment. He arranged his collection in beautiful avenues with complex geometric flower beds. Everything leading to a famed apple tree at the centre of his creation, a tree which bore golden fruit. Kings and Queens travelled from far away lands to see the gardens with their fountains and rivers, to marvel at the beauty of the design and the glorious colours. But the gardener, gripped by greed and arrogance, build a high wall around his creation to keep it for himself. He made only one entrance to enter and leave the garden, and he fashioned three keys for the doors. A Red key, a Green key and a Blue key. Beautifully crafted magical keys, each said to hold the power to enslave a man's heart, must be used together simultaneously to open the doors.'