Download the audio mp3 Jack and the Pirates 4 (right click, save as)
Captain Blackheart sends a ransom note to Jack’s Dad, demanding money in return for Jack’s safe delivery home. The note is carried by a parrot who likes to stop off for snacks along the way. But the big question in Jack’s mind is ‘ Will Dad pay up?” Listen to find out.
Read by Natasha (who really enjoys doing Captain Blackheart). Duration 14 minutes.
Just in case you can’t quite remember what happened so far, Jack was a boy of seven who went off to sailing school one summer. But there was a bit of a mix-up…and Jack found himself at pirate school instead. But the lunch they made was so disgusting, Jack was sick. And Captain Blackheart decided to put him up for ransom.
Now, I’ll begin….
“For ransom…” cried Jack.
“Aye, lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “I reckon your parents will pay a pretty penny to get you back. Better that than see you walk the plank…”
“Walk the plank…” cried Jack.
“Well, of course,” said Ben the cabin boy. “Anyone doesn’t pay the ransom, we make them walk the plank. But don’t worry. The sharks will eat you in no time.”
Jack felt even queasier after that.
“Black Spot,” cried Captain Blackheart. “Bring me that parrot.”
Jack watched while the ugly looking pirate called Black Spot walked across that deck. On his shoulder, there was the very same parrot who he had seen at the railway station.
“Walk the plank, walk the plank,” squawked the parrot.
“Shaddup, you stupid bird,” growled Black Spot.
From his overcoat, Captain Blackheart pulled out a piece of parchment, and a bottle of ink. He grabbed hold of the parrot, plucked out a feather, and dipped it into the ink.
“Ouch, that hurt,” screeched the parrot.
“One more squawk out of you, bird, and you’ll be going in the stew,” snarled Captain Blackheart.
“Big meanie…”
“What was that?”
“I said, which stew,” squawked the parrot.
“Shaddup,” yelled Captain Blackheart.
Then he looked at Ben, handed him the feather and told him to start writing. Because Ben, it turned out, was the only person on the ship who could read and write, even though he was only the cabin boy.
Captain Blackheart scratched his chin with his hook, and tried to think.
“To Jack’s parents,” he began.
And then he looked at Ben. “Are you writing this down?”
“Yes, sir,” said Ben.
“Very well,” said Captain Blackheart. “To Jack’s Parents. Allow me the honour of introducing myself. My name is Captain Blackheart, the meanest, cruellest, black-hearted ruffian of the seven seas and the five oceans, and I am honoured, sir, to make your acquaintance. Into my possession has fallen a boy called Jack, whom I believe is your son — although you must be ashamed of the lilly-livered little land-lubber, and I could hardly blame you for dis-owning the cowardly wretch completely.”
“On first acquiring the said boy, my plan was to enrol Jack in my pirate school. I’d have taught him all the skills he needed for a life of mayhem, skull-duggery and piracy on the high seas. And yet, on the first day here, he has been sick. He doesn’t like the food, and he doesn’t care much for the waves either. In short, I am forced to conclude that he is nothing but a lilly-livered land-lubber.
“Therefore, I have no use for him. I will return him to you for a ransom of one million pounds, paid in gold bullion, or treasure. If we have not received the money in seven days, then Jack will be forced to walk the plank. And you will never see him again.
Yours in dastardly anticipation,
Captain Blackheart.
Ps If you happen to have a spare treasure map, please send that as well.”
The Captain rested for a moment. “Have you got that, lad,” he said, looking towards Ben.
“Indeed, I have Captain,” said Ben.
“But, but…” started Jack.
“Be quiet,” growled Captain Blackheart.
“Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet,” squawked the parrot.
“Silence,” roared Captain Blackheart.
He folded up the letter, pressed a seal of a skull and cross-bones into it, and handed it across to the parrot.
“Now, deliver that to Jack’s parents, you useless bird,” he said.
And the parrot flapped his wings, and flew away.
Oh no, though Jack, as Ben led him down to galley.
What’s Dad going to say when he gets that?
I’m in trouble now.
The wind was blowing hard, and the ship was rocking from side to side.
Jack lay down in the hammock in the cabin.
He suddenly remembered what Dad had said to him about not being captured by pirates while he was away at pirate school.
And Jack had said not to worry. He’d just fight them off with his cutlass.
Oh no, thought Jack.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
Now they are going to make me walk the plank.
And the sharks will eat me.
Now, it took the parrot quite a long time to fly all the way to Jack’s house.
That’s partly because a storm was bowing across the ocean.
And partly because he wasn’t a very fast parrot.
But mainly because he kept stopping for little snacks along the way.
Still, finally he got there.
And when the parrot arrived, he could see Jack’s six sisters. And they had just organised a tea party for their dolls in the garden.
The parrot dropped down to the ground, with the letter in its beak.
And all the sisters flapped around, shouting and shrieking.
“I’m looking for Jack’s Dad,” said the parrot.
And, whilst he was at it, he gabbed a bit of the doll’s cake and ate it all up.
One of the little girls rushed inside shouting. “Dad, dad, there’s a parrot here to see you.”
But Jack’s Dad thought it was just a joke.
Eventually he came outside, and saw a slightly podgy looking parrot polishing off its third helping of cake.
And there was a letter at its side.
He picked up the letter and started to read.
He frowned.
And scratched his head.
And then he started to laugh.
“It says Jack’s been captured by pirates, and is being held to ransom,” he said.
“Oh, that’s just Jack with his silly pirate games,” said one of the sisters.
“Remember he said he’d fight them off with his plastic cutlass,” said another.
“You are quite right,” Jack’s Dad decided.
And he sat down to write a reply.
“Dear Captain Blackheart,” he began. “I too am honoured to make your acquaintance, dear sir. My son Jack, far from being a lily-livered land lubber is the bravest boy who ever sailed the seven seas. He assured me personally, before he left, that if he was captured by pirates he would fight the rascals off with his cutlass.
No force on earth can keep him prisoner, and certainly not the cowardly Captain Blackheart.
Your faithful servant,
Jack’s Dad.
P.S. Your parrot has eaten all my cake.”
And when he was finished, he handed the letter across to the parrot. “Now take that back to the Captain, fatso bird,” he said. “And don’t delay.”
The parrot flapped its wings, but was finding it quite hard to fly, on account of all the cake he had just eaten.
He flew across the land, and then over the sea.
Until finally he landed on Captain Blackheart’s pirate ship.
“Ah-ha,” cried the Captain. “So you’ve returned, my pretty bird. Let’s us see how soon that stupid boy’s father plans to pay us our treasure.”
Jack was already hard at work scrubbing the floor of the ship.
He watched as Captain Blackheart handed the letter to Ben — because he was the only person who could read.
And Ben started to read….
“Dear Captain Blackheart,” he began. “I too am honoured to make your acquaintance, dear sir. My son Jack, far from being a lily-livered land lubber is the bravest boy who ever sailed the seven seas. He assured me personally, before he left, that if he was captured by pirates he would fight the rascals off with his cutlass.”
Oh no, thought Jack.
I was only joking.
And he could see captain Blackheart growing redder and redder and redder…as if he was about to explode.
“No force on earth can keep him prisoner, and certainly not the cowardly Captain Blackheart,” continued Ben. “Your faithful servant, Jack’s Dad.”
There was a silence on board the ship.
All the pirates were standing still, looking at the deck.
And all you could hear was the rustling of the wind in the sails.
Whilst Captain Blackheart turned red, then green…then purple.
“PREPARE THE PLANK!” he roared suddenly.
And he looked at Jack. “Your father has gravely insulted this ship, sir,” he snarled. “And one week from today, you will walk the plank.”
57 Comments
I really hope that Jack and the Pirate School 5 will come out soon. I hope that Jack will be ok. I care about the wonders of Jack and the Pirate School.
I hope Jack will be okay.
I think that Jack has got himself into some trouble. I guess that Jack will ether wake up and it be Just a dream or get through his fears and fight captain blackheart
Please tell us when ‘5′ will come out. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Thankyou
Hello Becca, Sorry to keep you waiting. I can confirm that 5 will the last episode of Jack and the Pirate School - and you will find out whether or not Jack ever reaches home to see his Dad and his sister.
We are planning to publish it next weekend, but we do sometimes have hitches with our schedule. Still I think I can almost promise.
Thankyou Bertie. My 4 year old son will be pleased! Cant wait for next weekend now!
good
very good
very good
im scared about whats going to happen to jack in part 5. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! I it will be
soooooooooscary in part 5 I think it will be 100000000%
good!!!!
I think it is going to be good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
good bad story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????????????????
good4
I love storynory.com! I hope Jack will be all right.
It takes to long to Load!
I liked the story.
5 is out now
I like this story ang you
The story is very good!
I LOVE “≮长乐☆未央”;
THIS IS SOOOOOO EXIETING I CANT WAIT TILL PART 5 HAPPINS WHOOOO HOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was awesome.
I CAN’T WAIT TILL PART 5
I can’t wait till I hear part 5.
in the story in so exceting
uuuuuuuuuuuuuMMMMMMM
it was good
I hope that Jack will fight bravely.
I really liked this part beause Captain blackhearts was acting really funny by always using bad words. The other part I liked was when captain blackhearts face turned red then green then purple because he was angry at the Jack.
I think Jack shouldn’t have told his dad not to worry because he really did walk the plank.
If Jacks parents don’t pay money or treasure in 7 day he’ll have to walk the plank.
exiting cant wait for part 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was great
Part 4 is great.I can’t wait to read part 5
so cool
My favourite part was when CaptainBlackheart
said shatup!
and when the speach ok the parrot’s speach!
It was so funny!
Is Jack gonna walk the plank or are his parents going to pay ONE MILLION POUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR PART FIVE!!!!!!!!This story is soooo exciting!
And also I really like the parrots lines they are way funny!!!!
It was very good
Captaian Black heart is a bit mean
can’t wait till pert 5
it was brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack father think that Jack was good at doing Pirates but Jack is not good at doing pirates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
strange
I think that part 4 was very funny because of the parrot’s voice.I wonder how Natasha would make such a noise? It was realy funny.
whats going to happen in part 5?
I think Jack’s dad is loco and I don’t think Jack will walk the plank.
It was AWESOME cant wait till part 5
Maybe Jack should not walk the plank and get away without walking the plank at all, OK.
I really liked this story, it is fully and cool.
I cannot wait for part 5!
I’m so exiting I can’t wait to read part 5.
booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WONDERFUL!!!
THIS IS THE BEST STORY I`VE READ SO FAR.
DON`T YOU THINK SO???
It was ok!
That was very interesting part of the story I can’t wait until the next part to see how it will all end.
I love part when he thought in his mind that he was just joking.
Jack dad said it was a joke.
Now Jack has to walk the plank.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
SSCARY
FFUNNY
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!