The galley-ship taskmistress warns the new galley slave not to expect any leniency from her WHIP just because of his advanced years. She expects him to pull his weight along with all the other slaves, otherwise, just like the other slaves, he will feel the biting STING of her WHIP on his bare back!
The old slave can tell just from looking at the pretty taskmistress's thigh-length boots that this young woman means business with her WHIP, and he resolves to knuckle down and be a good galley slave, pulling on the heavy, wooden oar with every bone and sinew in his puny, old body. For he very much fears the galley-ship taskmistress - and her WHIP!
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| 'Don't think for one second you will be spared the STING of my WHIP, old slave man!' |
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| 'Your puny, old back will soon feel its biting STING if you fail to pull your weight along with all the other slaves!' |
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| As the old slave listens to the taskmistress's threats he respectfully observes her boots from the corner of his frightened eye! |
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| He resolves to be a good galley slave - to pull his weight and be pleasing to the taskmistress... |
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| ...anything to avoid her WHIP's mighty STING! |
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| For he knows she's not joking! |
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| Her boots indicate that she clearly relishes her power over the galley slaves and believes fervently in the POWER of her WHIP! |
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| And it's blindingly obvious that the other galley slaves have already been cowered and subdued by the taskmistress's WHIP! |
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| The old slave man also resolves to kiss the taskmistress's boots if afforded the opportunity... |
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| ...to show her that he very much fears and respects both HER and her WHIP! |
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| He has, in effect, already been broken by the WHIP... |
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| ...even though it has yet to grace his back. But it most assuredly will, for this bright young woman LOVES to WHIP! |
