lesson

On why not to swear.

An Excerpt from 

The Once and Future King

by T.H. White

"Oh flout the boy!" cried the magician passionately.  "You don't seem to see anything this morning.  What is it you want me to do?"

"Turn me and Kay into snakes or something."

Merlyn took off his spectacles, dashed them on the floor and jumped on them with both feet.

"Castor and Pollux blow me to Bermuda!" he exclaimed and immediately vanished with a frightful roar. 

The Wart was still staring at his tutor's chair in some perplexity, a few moments later, when Merlyn  reappeared.  He had lost his hat and his beard and hair were tangled up, as if by a hurricane.  He sat down again, straightened his gown with trembling fingers.

"Why did you do that?" asked the Wart.

"I did not do that on purpose."

"Do you mean to say that Castor and Pollux did blow you to Bermuda?"

"Let this be a lesson to you," replied Merlyn, "not to swear.  I think we had better change the subject."