Noh and Argh's Arch.

Noh and Argh were primitive men in a humble craft, a boat made strong and sturdy. In their loose loin clothes they took wooden paddles in their hands and battled nature to travel the globe. Noh and Argh wanted to travel far and wide and found God's mighty rivers were a pathway to be followed. They went up rivers. They went down rivers. And in their little boat they crossed country after country.

But watching the tiny men on the big rivers God grew angry. He grew angry that they challenged nature and he grew angry at their speedy and joyful progress. So God decided to send a great flood. He decided to send rain.

For four days and four nights it rained and in their boat Noh and Argh battled on. In the strong wind, their loin clothes flapped wet against their skin and the fat rain drops beat against their faces. Stroke after stroke their paddles attacked the water and they rode high waves that kicked up in God's mighty storm. On each wave they balanced precariously on the top then plummeted back down, splashing back into the water beneath, thrown around in the fury of the river.

Noh and Argh we're citizens of the world and, seeing the rain, they predicted the great flood. As water levels rose they took on insects two by two. Two mosquito's nipped aboard, two wasps buzzed around and appeared whenever Noh and Argh ate their lunch, two spiders clambered in the boat's rafters, and two slugs slithered on the deck. In fact, having let on insects two by two, Noh and Argh felt they had been taken advantage of somewhat since before long there was an abundance of slugs who did not intend to adhere to the strict pairs only ruling.

Now Noh and Argh surged down rivers in their boat that teemed with insects. They became not only primitive nomads, but saviours of arachnid species and their kindness won them some favor with God. At a quarter past six on the fourth day of rain he sent a dry spell that lasted fifteen minutes. Noh and Argh glimpsed the sun. Life was good again.

Then it rained for another six days so that now Noh and Argh we're soaked through and even their spare loin clothes were drenched. They would grunt in primitive speak about how a full ten days of rain had passed and they would remember with a fondness the fifteen minutes of sun they had seen.

After these ten days Noh and Argh felt sure the rain was done. As the drops petered out they sent a duck into the grey mist heading downstream. An hour later, in dry weather, the duck returned with an olive branch in its mouth. Noh and Argh were most pleased, the duck had an olive branch! A sure sign that dry sunny land lay ahead.

The next morning it was pissing it down more than ever. Argh killed the duck. Noh cooked the duck on a fire. Then Noh and Argh sat and ate duck in the pouring rain, it's tender meat the only thing keeping their hands warm. The rest of their bodies were numb. Numb, cold and wet.

Noh and Argh felt rightfully bitter that it had now rained for twelve days and twelve nights in a row. They had taken on insects two by two, they had visited more churches and cathedrals than anyone could imagine, and they had sent out a duck that returned with an olive branch. What more did God want? They wondered, what more did God want?