“Nullor whispered in Mig’s ear, and that night when Neptune called for one of the fairies to sing him to sleep, it was Mig who flew out over the ocean to Neptune’s rock. Well, the song that Mig sang to Neptune that night was an ancient one, and it put him fast to sleep – he slept so deeply that he didn’t notice when Nullor came creeping over the waves and lifted him onto his back. Neptune didn’t even bat an eyelid when Nullor brought him back to the marshes and plonked his great big brother on Nullor’s own rock. And Neptune didn’t even mutter in his sleep as Nullor chained his brother to Nullor’s own rock, and stole off with Neptune’s beautiful trident.

“The next morning, when he woke up, Neptune could see what had happened. He was furious.” Jorzy raises his hands and widens his eyes. “Neptune roared in fury!”

Babet gasps and shivers, and Nanna sends Jorzy a frown. He tones it down, sucking again on his pipe. “Of course, he couldn’t do anything about it – he was chained up good and proper.”

There is a long pause while Jorzy fiddles with his pipe, obviously trying to get the most out of his one gobbet of tobacco.

“What happened next?” asks Ma.

“Oh, well,” Jorzy gives a lazy smile, “if you must know … Neptune was not only handsome, he was also very strong – much stronger than his brother had given him credit for – and the ocean loved him. The ocean loved Neptune so much it would do his bidding on special occasions. That night, while Nullor slept on a rock out in the sea, Neptune stood up on his rock in the marshes and called up the spirit of the ocean. ‘Mother,’ he cried–”

I notice then that we’ve got an extra audience – several of the neighbouring children are huddled in our doorway, listening with rapt attention.

“For the ocean was none other than their own mother,” explains Jorzy. “‘Mother,’ cried Neptune, and his voice rolled across the waves and down into the briny deep, echoing off the very floor of the ocean itself. ‘Mother!’ he roared, ‘I have been cheated.’