Chapter three - part two

And here comes the rest of chapter three, have fun!

They jogged along the street, past small castle-like mansions, greeting all the different kings, knights and generals who looked out of their windows, smoked pipes or watered the plants in their gardens with their golden watering cans.
From one of the gardens they heard shouting, but at first could not see anyone. So they stepped closer to the fence and looked over it.
Two serious-looking gentlemen in armour were lying in the gras, playing with tin soldiers.
„Oh no my dear Hannibal“, one of them shouted, „you must admit that the rose-bush has finally been conquered by my landsknechts!“
„Dear Mr Wallenstein“, the other one replied, pale with anger, „I don't think so! I will have my cavalry skirt around your left wing and attack you from behind!“
„Try, if you must“, Wallenstein, duke of Friedland jeered. „This attack will amount to nothing and cost you dearly. I will turn my reserves from the reseda-patch left and get you from the flanks!“

The battle for the rose-bush was in full swing. Hannibal led his riders into the back of the imperials who were hard-pressesd. But Wallenstein bombarded the regiments with peas from a cute little cannons and the riders fell in droves.

Hannibal was furious. He took new cavalrymen from a box and strengthened his vanguard.
But Wallenstein fired one pea after another into the african units. Hannibal's losses staggered, even the dreaded elefants dropped into the gras. The battle for the rose-bush was almost over.

„Hey you!“ Konrad shouted over the fence, „Draw your frontline back! Attack again later and break through his centre, he is especially vulnarable there!“
Hannibal and Wallenstein took a short break from their battle and looked over to the new arrivals. The carthaginian commander shook his head and said in a dignified voice: „I shall not retreat, even if it will cost me my last man!“

„But listen“, said Konrad „Your army is too valuable for this!“
Now Wallenstein joined the conversation: „You are a stupid little boy!“ he explained. „It does not matter, how many soldiers fall. It is only important how many you have in reserve!“
„Aren't you two darling!“ Ringelhuth said to the two generals. „You and your kind should only be allowed to wage war with tin soldiers!“
„Get lost!“ cried Hannibal. „If you don't have any ambition, you should keep your mouth shut! What is your job anyway?“
„Pharmacist“, replied the uncle.
„Of course“, said Hannibal, laughing contemptuously. „Of course a medic!“ Then he turned back to Wallenstein. „Dear duke, the battle continues!“
They once again started to fight for the rose-bush. „To the last drop of blood!“ said Hannibal.
„Surrender!“ shouted Wallenstein. He had by now surrounded the enemy troops and shot them to pulp with his pea-cannon.
„Only when my last man lies dead in the gras!“ Hannibal swore. But at that point, he had to sneeze. He looked up and said: „Allright, lets stop. The gras is too wet. When will i have the opportunity for a revanche?“
„As soon as your sniffles are over, dear friend.“ replied Wallenstein. „A cold is not to be trifled with.“
The two generals got up from the lawn, streched their stiff legs, let their troops lie under the rose-bush and walked towards the mansion. „A year before my assasination in Eger,“ Wallenstein told Hannibal, „I had a terrible cold. I'd rather lose three battles than have to sneeze like that again.“ With these words, the two disappeared into the house.
„Take an aspirin!“ shouted the uncle. „And drink a cup of lime-blossom-tea! And you can go to war again in no time!“ But Hannibal could no longer hear him.

„Lets get going“, said the horse, „I've had it with these heroes.“
The uncle and Konrad once again climbed onto their steed and rolled towards the border. „What a pity“, said Ringelhuth. „Can you believe it, my dear Negro Caballo, my nephew also plays with tin soldiers!“
„Why?“ asked the horse. „Do you want to become a general?“
„No“, said the boy.
„Or one of the tin soldiers who will lose their lives under the rose-bush tomorrow?“
„I don't think so“, objected Konrad. „I'll be a chauffeur.“
„So why do you play with tin soldiers?“ asked the horse.
Konrad fell silent. But uncle Ringelhuth said: „Why? Because his father gave them to him.“

At this point, they reached the border. They crossed another drawbridge and left the glorious past behind them.