ARCH LION OF IBBLE
The Arch Lion of Ibble appears in an ancient Harpo chronicle, The Acrotwist Clown. He is, in fact, Harpo’s brother, Pepperhead Beanpackage. His first appearance in the tale is posted below.
Out on to the swaying rope bridge, wind howling, huge galones Ohhhhhhhhhing, inched Prince Dale, Jemby and Malvina. Prince Dale tried to fall twice, as was his custom, but was caught and protected each time by the strong and forest green hand of Jemby the Goblin. Forward, eyes tight shut, teeth clenched, into the ever louder Ohhhhhhhh they went. Until. Until Prince Dale set his Royal Magenta boot on firm level rocky ground. Across. They were across. The wind seemed disappointed and stopped howling. The Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh dribbled away to nothing in the night. A torch. There was light from a flaming torch. The huge galones, monstrous boulders, moved no more. Torch light played on frozen sculpted granite heads, motionless stone grins.
“What do you think, brave travelers, of our work?” asked a voice which came from somewhere near the flaming torch.
Before Jemby or Dale or Malvina could think of anything to say, a white blur spun by them, flipping and twisting.
“These statues of yours certainly would frighten lesser creatures than I,” said Nobb, who had skillfully acroed across the bridge after the moaning of wind and galones had ceased. “I am Nobb, Acrotwist Clown, leader of the Four of The Prophesy. We are on our way to Shangra Pass. Have you food? I need some. We wish to dine and spend the night.”
More torches appeared. In the flicker flame glow, the four could see that the torches were held by bearded men in long hooded robes.
“We are the Ibblers of Kraan,” said one. “We guard the way to Shangra Pass. Those who turn back frightened by our galones possess not the gimpus to survive the ice of Shangra Pass. You have gimpus. Welcome. We will feed you and give you shelter. I am Pepperhead Beanpackage, Arch Lion of Ibble.”
Welcomed with murmuring, Malvina, Jemby, Dale and Nobb were led through an ear door into a huge galone, which they soon discoverd was a hollowed out megaboulder filled with wheels, levers, pulleys, ropes and cranks, all dedicated to making the stony face move. There were tables, chairs, food, beds. Huge galones were huge. Prince Dale and Malvina stared wide-eyed at this, that, the other and the other other.
“How do you make the groan?” asked Malvina.
The bearded men gathered in rows. Pepperhead Beanpackage climbed up on a chair, raised his hand, and dropped it. The Ibblers of Kraan opened wide their mouths and filled the room with Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh until Pepperhead Beanpackage gave the stop sign. What was the stop sign? He knifed his hand through the air. The Ibblers shut down at once.
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