"Coral Island" as a Reference to "The Lord of
"Coral Island" as a Reference to "The Lord of the Flies"
There seem to be all kinds of desert islands that you could be washed up on. You could be unlucky and find yourself on a barren cay with no fresh water and no vegetation. Or, you could be lucky and find yourself in a glorious kind of playground where all kinds of delicious foods are there for the taking, there are beautiful coral pools to dive in and you have leisure time to explore your own island.
Ralph Rover, Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay are lucky. Ship's boys, they are washed up alone on their Coral Island after a storm at sea. What a dream! These boys have a wonderful time discovering all that the island has to offer:
The ground at the foot of this tree was thickly strewn with the fallen fruit, in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every possible attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and sizes, apparently quite surfeited with a recent banquet.
Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as we gazed at these coarse, fat, ill-looking animals, while they lay groaning and snoring heavily amid the remains of their supper.
'Now, Ralph,' said Jack, in a low whisper, 'put a stone in your sling - a good big one - and let fly at that fat fellow with his back toward you. I'll try to put an arrow into yon little pig.'
'Don't you think we had better put them up first?' I whispered; it seems cruel to kill them while asleep.'
'If I wanted sport Ralph, I would certainly set them up; but as we only want pork, we'll let them lie. Besides, we're not sure of killing them; so fire away.'
Thus admonished, I slung my stone with so good aim that it went bang against the hog's flank as if against the head of a drum; but it had no other effect than that of causing the animal to start to its feet, with a frightful yell of surprise, and scamper away. At the same instant Jack's bow twanged and the arrow pinned the little pig to the ground by the ear.
Well, they need a bit of practice, but they do get rather good at arranging pork for supper.
There follows a peaceful interval of a few months...