loating Great War Mines

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

Lilliland Castle was located on the very large and beautiful Castle Lake. It was now 1919 and the Great War was over, everyone thought. But every so often, a boat would explode in the eastern section of the lake. Something was very wrong and everyone who loved boating was become afraid.

It was soon discovered that some floating mines from the war were still floating just beneath the surface around in Castle Lake.

The Baron dispatched Professor Hamblin to contact both of the navies involved in the war to find out who placed the mines in Castle Lake and how to get rid of them.

The answer that the Baron received was very frightening. Both sides had each placed 20 mines in the lake. Both countries dispatched anti-mine personnel to blow up the mines in a safe way. The Baron was also informed that he should ask all boaters to stop sailing while the mine sweeping activities were going on so that no one would accidentally be hurt.

After two months of work, all the mines had been found except one. That last mine was very important. It must be found immediately.

One of the schoolteachers told the authorities that she had overheard three youngsters talking about playing with a large metal black ball in Castle Lake after school. They were throwing rocks at it as it floated near the surface.

The children were found and they took the mine experts to the location on the lake where they had seen the black ball. It was there. With everyone safely out of harm’s way, it was exploded. The children did not realize that throwing rocks at the mine could have caused such a large explosion.

The parents asked if their children should be disciplined because of the floating mine incident. Both the Baron and Professor Hamblin thought that discipline should be considered for the countries that produced such weapons of destruction. Children are very curious by nature and they were just playing with what they thought to be a large harmless object. No one was hurt and everyone in Lilliland was glad that Castle Lake was safe again.