Storyteller's World

For the benefit of anyone who did stop reading this evening's OT reading where we were told to, the story ends like this:

The king gave a command, and those who had accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions - they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

Once again, those pusillanimous, patronising, mealy-mouthed lectionary compilers have excelled themselves. (What is it they've got against Daniel?) Mustn't let people know nasty things happen in the Good Book! Let's pretend all is sweetness and light. And so they ruin the Story once again. How do they imagine it's supposed to end? Like this:?

And so, children, the satraps and all the people who had been nasty to Daniel and tried to bully him realised how naughty they had been and promised ever so solemnly that they would never be naughty again. And they all lived happily ever after.

No child would ever stomach that kind of ending. A child can appreciate a Story's proper ending. It's the grown-ups who find that more than they can stomach.