I embroidered this for @endymion in the Go Bananas swap. As I stitched the happy couple up, I listened to a few sea shanties and came up with this story.
There once was a sailor who was a very good at being a sailor but not good at growing a beard. He was constantly made fun of by other sailors. His crafty wife noticed how sad this made him. One day his she knitted him a handsome beard out of the finest wool. Not only did it keep his face warm but the color reminded him of the sea which he loved. Once again other sailors made fun of him until they realized how warm the sailor was and how his face was free of wind burn. It was baby smooth! The sailors now wanted a knitted bead of their very own. They paid the wife lots of money to make beards for them. She made a small fortune. The sailor could retire with the money that was made, but the wife refused to let him; for she knew he loved the sea and truth be told, she loved to hear of his adventures and the gifts he brought her from other lands.
