The Adventures of Grancha Davies

These days there are not many real heroes left in the world - mainly because there are fewer heroic deeds for people to perform. However, one of those rare people who does stand out from the rest of us mere mortals is Grancha Davies. I will take this opportunity to describe briefly his background (and foreground for that matter) for those people who must walk around all their lives with their heads in potato sacks, and have not heard of him.Grancha Davies is the grandfather of Ben,...
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These days there are not many real heroes left in the world - mainly because there are fewer heroic deeds for people to perform. However, one of those rare people who does stand out from the rest of us mere mortals is Grancha Davies. I will take this opportunity to describe briefly his background (and foreground for that matter) for those people who must walk around all their lives with their heads in potato sacks, and have not heard of him.Grancha Davies is the grandfather of Ben, William and Bethan, for whom this book of short stories was originally compiled. These stories are the truth; the whole truth; and, 'scouts honour', nothing but the truth - well nearly. Grancha, as he is more often called, lives with Granny Davies and Ceri and Alun, two of their children, in Trehafod; a small coal mining village in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales. Their two older children, Rhianydd and Gareth, have fled the nest - as Granny Davies puts it - and now have their own families and adventures in life. Before retiring Grancha used to work underground as a collier - or coal miner - where men are men and boys are men. But nowadays you most often see him sat outside his bungalow on the side of the valley looking at his world spread out before him; or busily gardening in his vegetable plot. If you get the opportunity - and it would be well worth the effort - ask him something of the history of the valleys and the coal industry; what Grancha doesn't know about the Rhondda isn't worth knowing!Although Grancha is retired now, he is still called upon, from time to time, to help out in tricky situations and difficult circumstances where nobody else can help. Though the occurrence of creatures such as troublesome trolls, horrible hobgoblins and dreadful dragons is less frequent these days, though still more often than most people imagine, many other adventures have come Grancha's way and he is kept fairly busy.In particular it is worth noting that Grancha attributes most of his skills, strength, stamina and good health to a regular diet of rhubarb: be it raw, in tarts or made into cordials or wines. Perhaps he's right, he normally is, anyway make up your own mind.