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@Chimchar98; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;
Brock and the gang are back for a sixteenth season, filled with redone old favorites and some brand new tales!
Week 401: The Hero's Sword
(real tale: The Good Sword)
"There was a man who had a son, who lived with him." Brock begins as he arrives onstage. "The man was a hunter, but as the years went by and he grew older, he got weaker and weaker, and eventually had to tell his son--we'll call him Greg--that soon he would no longer be able to hunt for him, and it would not be long before Arceus called him to the heavens. Greg tried to comfort him, and assured him he would recover; but his father said no, if his time to die was really close, he had nothing to leave him. What money they had would be just enough for his own funeral. Yet he had one thing of value to pass on to his son. It was only a sword, and badly rusty at that, but it would cut down any foe that dared harm its wielder."
"Aw"s go up as Brock continues. "Before long the father joined Arceus in the heavens, and Greg had to sell what he left in order to bury him. All that he kept of his inheritance was the rusty sword. Now he had to find work to do, and this was not easy, since he had never learned a trade, and at best could only herd Mareep. So he went to the village, and had to content himself with work as a shepherd. His master sent him out with the Mareep, and warned him to keep away from three particular meadows, which belonged to three mountain trolls. They lived on a hill known as "Troll's Mount," and if one of his Mareep were to wander to their meadow, the mountain troll would come, and not only carry off the Mareep, but their shepherd as well."
He adds as an aside "But Greg knew the master only said that to scare him."
Nervous giggles waft through the auditorium as Brock continues "The new shepherd promised to take good care of the Mareep, and so he did; for he never lost a single one, and his master was very pleased with him. The one day, he happened to think of his sword, and figured it might able to help him should he run into the mountain troll. So one day, he intentionally let the Mareep stray into one of the forbidden meadows, and the mountain troll, raging and roaring, rushed up to him, and asked who had allowed him to let his sheep graze in that meadow. Greg replied that he had allowed himself to do it, and when the mountain troll threatened to carry him off with his Mareep, he attacked him and slew him with his sword."
Some light applause goes up at this. "Now the first meadow was his; but not long after the Mareep felt like visiting the second meadow, and Greg let them go. The second mountain troll rushed up to him in a towering rage, and Greg slew him, too. The same thing happened with the third meadow too, and Greg came home with his Mareep, singing all the while." Brock continues. With that, he makes a few laps around the stage, the audience clapping along as he sings "The Hearthome Pilgrim".
Once back at center stage, Brock continues "Then he got the idea to see "Troll's Mount," and there he found three Ponytas, a normal one, one whose mane shone bright yellow, and a Shiny one, and the Legendary Beasts, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, as well. Each Ponyta had a saddle, and a full suit of armor as well, and they, too, were red, blue and yellow. Besides, there was food for the Ponytas, and food for the Beasts, and gold and silver out the wazoo. Greg was understandably ecstatic with all the splendor that he had discovered, and went home singing."
With that, he makes a few more laps around the stage, this time singing the jig "Ash's Welcome to Pewter".
When the song ends and Brock is back in his place, he intones "Then his master had one of the hands tell Greg that although he was very happy with him, he wished he would stop singing. Greg was puzzled--what was wrong with singing? At first, the farmhand did not want to tell him the true reason, and said that he should stop because his master said so. But Greg kept bugging the farmhand to tell him why he was not supposed to sing, and the farmhand relented, after having Greg swear to Arceus he would not tell anyone else."
Piqued murmurs fill the air. "The farmhand told Greg that great sorrow reigned throughout the land, because the king had been forced to give each his three daughters to three trolls. The trolls would be arriving to take them very soon, and the king had promised a third of the kingdom to anyone who could save one of them, and if the hero were male, the hand of the princess he saved as well." Brock explains, quieting the chatter. "It was for that reason Greg was not to sing in town, although out in the fields it was okay."
He pauses for a beat, then continues "Greg could not stop thinking about the story of the poor princesses, and it occurred to him that perhaps he might be able to save them. He could leave his Mareeps behind with a clear conscience, since now he had nothing to fear from the mountain trolls, and the next day, he went to town to find out what was being said about the calamity that was due. He learned on which day the oldest princess--we'll call her Robin--would be led out to the troll while he was out. When he got home, he put on his red armor, mounted the normal Ponyta, and with Entei at his side, rode out to the place where the troll was to receive Princess Robin. She arrived in a coach, and the coachman scrambled up a tree for fear of the troll. At the exact second the red knight came riding up, a three-headed troll rose out of the sea. The knight rode up to him, easily cut off all three of his heads with his rusty sword, took the ruby it dropped as it died, and rode off again."
Some in the audience start to applaud, but Brock interjects "Now, the coachman was feeling greedy, so after he climbed down from his tree, he threatened to kill Princess Robin unless she promised to say that he was the one that saved her. She readily complied, he gathered up the heads, and they returned home. Eight days later, the middle princess--we'll call her Livia--was driven out, and the same thing happened. The coachman sought safety in a tree, and a blue knight came riding up on a Shiny Ponyta with Suicune at his side. Then out of the sea rose a monster with six heads. The knight cut off the heads, took the sapphire it dropped when it died, and rode off again. This coachman also threatened Princess Livia, and demanded she say he was the one that saved her."
Angry murmurs waft through the left section as Brock continues "Eight days later, the youngest princess--we'll call her Alyssa--was driven out to be handed over to her troll, and again the same thing happened. The coachman climbed a tree, and a yellow knight appeared on a Ponyta with a yellow mane, with Raikou at his side. The troll rose out of the sea and he had nine heads: but the knight cut them all off, and took the topaz it dropped when it died. When Princess Alyssa saw that he had saved her, she took off her topaz pendant and tried to throw it around his neck; but it fell on his head. He just gathered it up and wound it in his hair, then put his helmet over it so that no one could see it. Then he rode away. This coachman acted just as the others had. and compelled Princess Alyssa to say that he had saved her."
The auditorium is quiet as the audience contemplates how the greedy coachmen will get their just deserts. "You can imagine that there was much rejoicing in the castle, and all three princesses were to be married on the same day." Brock finally breaks the uneasy silence a few moments later. "By now, Greg had had his fill of Mareep herding, and told his master goodbye, who did not like to let him go, since he did so well. But there was nothing he could do; his shepherd wanted to go, and so they said their goodbyes and off he went. He traveled to another town, and took a room in the inn for the night, where he heard rumors about the splendor with which the coming triple wedding was to be celebrated. The barkeep mentioned how pleasant it would be to have a chance to taste a bit of the fine bread that was baked in the castle.
Excited whispers waft through the middle row. "Greg wasted no time, and sent Entei to get some bread. Entei ran to the castle and scratched at one door after another. The people opened their doors for him, and in this way he reached the room where the bread lay. He grabbed a loaf of bread, and the king said that they were to let him keep it--there was no sense in refusing a Legendary--so he came safely home with it. Then the barkeep talked about how pleasant it would be to sample the freshly roasted meat that came from the royal kitchens. Greg sent his Suicune to get some meat, and Suicune ran to the castle, sniffed about for the kitchen, grabbed an entire roast and ran off with it, and the king gave the order to let him go--the Legendary Pokemon must not be refused what they wanted."
Murmurs of agreement fill the room. "When the barkeep saw the roast, he wanted to have wine as well, and Greg sent Raikou to get some." Brock explains. "Raikou actually found the wine cellar, took a bottle of the best wine, and ran into the room where all the princesses and their husbands-to-be were seated. When Princess Alyssa saw Raikou, she clapped her hands, and said that his master had saved her. Her betrothed grew angry, and said that up until now, she had always said that he had saved her, and what did she mean by saying what she did? But she insisted that the Raikou's master had saved her. So the king sent out men to follow Raikou, in order to discover his master and bring him to the castle. Raikou ran as fast as he could, so that the men could barely keep up. Yet they reached the tavern, puffing and groaning, and told Greg that he was to come to the castle. When he got there he asked whether the Beasts had done something in the castle that called for punishment, He himself wondered what in the heck he had done."
Fearful murmurs go up at this, but Brock assures the crowd "The king said nothing, but motioned for Greg to come into the great hall. Greg excused himself, and said that he was not used to meeting royalty. But he could not help himself, for the king insisted that he enter. So he went into the great hall, and no sooner had Princess Alyssa seen him did she say that he was the one that saved her. When her betrothed grew angry, and the others would not believe it, she asked him if he had her topaz pendant. So he drew it from his hair, and all saw that it was the princess's own. But her betrothed spoke of the nine heads which he had. At this, Greg produced the topaz the nine headed troll had dropped and all recognized that he had saved the three princesses."
He concludes "The three deceivers were put to death right then, and the true hero received Princess Alyssa's hand and the third part of the kingdom, and the rest of the kingdom when he succeeded to the throne. He had a long and prosperous reign, and went on many more adventures with the Beasts--but that is another story for another day!"
The crowd roars with applause as Brock takes a bow...
Brock and the gang are back for a sixteenth season, filled with redone old favorites and some brand new tales!
Week 401: The Hero's Sword
(real tale: The Good Sword)
"There was a man who had a son, who lived with him." Brock begins as he arrives onstage. "The man was a hunter, but as the years went by and he grew older, he got weaker and weaker, and eventually had to tell his son--we'll call him Greg--that soon he would no longer be able to hunt for him, and it would not be long before Arceus called him to the heavens. Greg tried to comfort him, and assured him he would recover; but his father said no, if his time to die was really close, he had nothing to leave him. What money they had would be just enough for his own funeral. Yet he had one thing of value to pass on to his son. It was only a sword, and badly rusty at that, but it would cut down any foe that dared harm its wielder."
"Aw"s go up as Brock continues. "Before long the father joined Arceus in the heavens, and Greg had to sell what he left in order to bury him. All that he kept of his inheritance was the rusty sword. Now he had to find work to do, and this was not easy, since he had never learned a trade, and at best could only herd Mareep. So he went to the village, and had to content himself with work as a shepherd. His master sent him out with the Mareep, and warned him to keep away from three particular meadows, which belonged to three mountain trolls. They lived on a hill known as "Troll's Mount," and if one of his Mareep were to wander to their meadow, the mountain troll would come, and not only carry off the Mareep, but their shepherd as well."
He adds as an aside "But Greg knew the master only said that to scare him."
Nervous giggles waft through the auditorium as Brock continues "The new shepherd promised to take good care of the Mareep, and so he did; for he never lost a single one, and his master was very pleased with him. The one day, he happened to think of his sword, and figured it might able to help him should he run into the mountain troll. So one day, he intentionally let the Mareep stray into one of the forbidden meadows, and the mountain troll, raging and roaring, rushed up to him, and asked who had allowed him to let his sheep graze in that meadow. Greg replied that he had allowed himself to do it, and when the mountain troll threatened to carry him off with his Mareep, he attacked him and slew him with his sword."
Some light applause goes up at this. "Now the first meadow was his; but not long after the Mareep felt like visiting the second meadow, and Greg let them go. The second mountain troll rushed up to him in a towering rage, and Greg slew him, too. The same thing happened with the third meadow too, and Greg came home with his Mareep, singing all the while." Brock continues. With that, he makes a few laps around the stage, the audience clapping along as he sings "The Hearthome Pilgrim".
Once back at center stage, Brock continues "Then he got the idea to see "Troll's Mount," and there he found three Ponytas, a normal one, one whose mane shone bright yellow, and a Shiny one, and the Legendary Beasts, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, as well. Each Ponyta had a saddle, and a full suit of armor as well, and they, too, were red, blue and yellow. Besides, there was food for the Ponytas, and food for the Beasts, and gold and silver out the wazoo. Greg was understandably ecstatic with all the splendor that he had discovered, and went home singing."
With that, he makes a few more laps around the stage, this time singing the jig "Ash's Welcome to Pewter".
When the song ends and Brock is back in his place, he intones "Then his master had one of the hands tell Greg that although he was very happy with him, he wished he would stop singing. Greg was puzzled--what was wrong with singing? At first, the farmhand did not want to tell him the true reason, and said that he should stop because his master said so. But Greg kept bugging the farmhand to tell him why he was not supposed to sing, and the farmhand relented, after having Greg swear to Arceus he would not tell anyone else."
Piqued murmurs fill the air. "The farmhand told Greg that great sorrow reigned throughout the land, because the king had been forced to give each his three daughters to three trolls. The trolls would be arriving to take them very soon, and the king had promised a third of the kingdom to anyone who could save one of them, and if the hero were male, the hand of the princess he saved as well." Brock explains, quieting the chatter. "It was for that reason Greg was not to sing in town, although out in the fields it was okay."
He pauses for a beat, then continues "Greg could not stop thinking about the story of the poor princesses, and it occurred to him that perhaps he might be able to save them. He could leave his Mareeps behind with a clear conscience, since now he had nothing to fear from the mountain trolls, and the next day, he went to town to find out what was being said about the calamity that was due. He learned on which day the oldest princess--we'll call her Robin--would be led out to the troll while he was out. When he got home, he put on his red armor, mounted the normal Ponyta, and with Entei at his side, rode out to the place where the troll was to receive Princess Robin. She arrived in a coach, and the coachman scrambled up a tree for fear of the troll. At the exact second the red knight came riding up, a three-headed troll rose out of the sea. The knight rode up to him, easily cut off all three of his heads with his rusty sword, took the ruby it dropped as it died, and rode off again."
Some in the audience start to applaud, but Brock interjects "Now, the coachman was feeling greedy, so after he climbed down from his tree, he threatened to kill Princess Robin unless she promised to say that he was the one that saved her. She readily complied, he gathered up the heads, and they returned home. Eight days later, the middle princess--we'll call her Livia--was driven out, and the same thing happened. The coachman sought safety in a tree, and a blue knight came riding up on a Shiny Ponyta with Suicune at his side. Then out of the sea rose a monster with six heads. The knight cut off the heads, took the sapphire it dropped when it died, and rode off again. This coachman also threatened Princess Livia, and demanded she say he was the one that saved her."
Angry murmurs waft through the left section as Brock continues "Eight days later, the youngest princess--we'll call her Alyssa--was driven out to be handed over to her troll, and again the same thing happened. The coachman climbed a tree, and a yellow knight appeared on a Ponyta with a yellow mane, with Raikou at his side. The troll rose out of the sea and he had nine heads: but the knight cut them all off, and took the topaz it dropped when it died. When Princess Alyssa saw that he had saved her, she took off her topaz pendant and tried to throw it around his neck; but it fell on his head. He just gathered it up and wound it in his hair, then put his helmet over it so that no one could see it. Then he rode away. This coachman acted just as the others had. and compelled Princess Alyssa to say that he had saved her."
The auditorium is quiet as the audience contemplates how the greedy coachmen will get their just deserts. "You can imagine that there was much rejoicing in the castle, and all three princesses were to be married on the same day." Brock finally breaks the uneasy silence a few moments later. "By now, Greg had had his fill of Mareep herding, and told his master goodbye, who did not like to let him go, since he did so well. But there was nothing he could do; his shepherd wanted to go, and so they said their goodbyes and off he went. He traveled to another town, and took a room in the inn for the night, where he heard rumors about the splendor with which the coming triple wedding was to be celebrated. The barkeep mentioned how pleasant it would be to have a chance to taste a bit of the fine bread that was baked in the castle.
Excited whispers waft through the middle row. "Greg wasted no time, and sent Entei to get some bread. Entei ran to the castle and scratched at one door after another. The people opened their doors for him, and in this way he reached the room where the bread lay. He grabbed a loaf of bread, and the king said that they were to let him keep it--there was no sense in refusing a Legendary--so he came safely home with it. Then the barkeep talked about how pleasant it would be to sample the freshly roasted meat that came from the royal kitchens. Greg sent his Suicune to get some meat, and Suicune ran to the castle, sniffed about for the kitchen, grabbed an entire roast and ran off with it, and the king gave the order to let him go--the Legendary Pokemon must not be refused what they wanted."
Murmurs of agreement fill the room. "When the barkeep saw the roast, he wanted to have wine as well, and Greg sent Raikou to get some." Brock explains. "Raikou actually found the wine cellar, took a bottle of the best wine, and ran into the room where all the princesses and their husbands-to-be were seated. When Princess Alyssa saw Raikou, she clapped her hands, and said that his master had saved her. Her betrothed grew angry, and said that up until now, she had always said that he had saved her, and what did she mean by saying what she did? But she insisted that the Raikou's master had saved her. So the king sent out men to follow Raikou, in order to discover his master and bring him to the castle. Raikou ran as fast as he could, so that the men could barely keep up. Yet they reached the tavern, puffing and groaning, and told Greg that he was to come to the castle. When he got there he asked whether the Beasts had done something in the castle that called for punishment, He himself wondered what in the heck he had done."
Fearful murmurs go up at this, but Brock assures the crowd "The king said nothing, but motioned for Greg to come into the great hall. Greg excused himself, and said that he was not used to meeting royalty. But he could not help himself, for the king insisted that he enter. So he went into the great hall, and no sooner had Princess Alyssa seen him did she say that he was the one that saved her. When her betrothed grew angry, and the others would not believe it, she asked him if he had her topaz pendant. So he drew it from his hair, and all saw that it was the princess's own. But her betrothed spoke of the nine heads which he had. At this, Greg produced the topaz the nine headed troll had dropped and all recognized that he had saved the three princesses."
He concludes "The three deceivers were put to death right then, and the true hero received Princess Alyssa's hand and the third part of the kingdom, and the rest of the kingdom when he succeeded to the throne. He had a long and prosperous reign, and went on many more adventures with the Beasts--but that is another story for another day!"
The crowd roars with applause as Brock takes a bow...