Another myth. I hope you like it. If you do, stay tuned for "How Eurmal Got His Stick Back". After that, I'll try to get my mind out of the gutter.
Regards,
Bruce
HOW EURMAL LOST HIS STICK
One day, when Eurmal was dressing, he found something unexpected in his
trousers. It was a stick, and Eurmal was very pleased with it. It was long and
it was hard and it felt just right when he held it in his hand. He was so
pleased that he almost didn't leave his house at all that day. In the end,
though, the novelty of playing with his stick wore off and he decided to find
something useful that he could do with it.
First, he tried to use it to help the warriors with their weapons practice, but
he was soon discouraged after Elmal bashed it with his shield. Besides, all the
warriors had laughed and said it wasn't as impressive as their swords.
Next, he tried to use it to help Barntar plough the fields, but all this did
was bash the end of his stick up even more. Besides, his stick wasn't really
big enough to make a decent furrow.
Finally, he used it to stir the stew pot at the feasting hall, but the stew was
too hot and it scalded his stick. Besides, everyone complained that Eurmal's
stick had made the stew taste funny. So Orlanth hit Eurmal on the head and
threw him out into the cold.
Eurmal decided that he was fed up with trying to do useful things with his
stick. He was bored with playing with it on his own, though. So he went to find
someone else to play with it.
First, he showed it to Voria. "Would you like to play with my stick?" he asked.
But Voria was not interested at all. In fact, she screamed out loud that the
last thing she was interested in was his horrible stick!
Vinga heard Voria shouting and came to see what the fuss was. Eurmal had always
liked her, though she didn't like him much at all. He showed his stick to
Vinga. "Would you like to play with my stick?" he asked. But Vinga was not
interested at all. In fact, she hit him very hard in a sensitive place. Eurmal
sat down and began to cry. "No one is interested in my stick!" he wailed. "I
will always have to play with it on my own!"
Vinga smiled and looked at Eurmal with what he deluded himself into thinking
was pity. "Listen, Eurmal," she said. "I know someone who would love to play
with your stick. But I'm not sure you'd really want her to." Eurmal leaped up.
"Oh, I do," he cried. "I really want to meet your friend. Is it Redalda? I've
always liked her and I'm sure she'd like to ride my stick more than any horse!"
But Vinga told him that it was not Redalda. "Perhaps we had best not," she
said. "I'm not sure you'll like the same games she does." Vinga began to walk
away.
Eurmal was sure, though, and he followed her. "I really, really want to meet
your friend," he said. "Is it Roitina? I've always liked her, and I'm sure that
I can show her some fine new dances with my stick." But Vinga told him that it
was not Roitina. "Perhaps we had best not," she said. "I'm not sure you'll like
the same games she does."
Eurmal was still sure, though, and he still followed her. "I really, really,
really want to meet your friend," he said. "Is it - " and Eurmal went quiet
then, for he noticed that Vinga had stopped, leaving him to walk on ahead into
a dark hole in the earth. Suddenly, he had a very bad feeling.
Vinga smiled and now even Eurmal could not delude himself into thinking this
was pity. "Yes, it's Babeester Gor." And at that very moment, the Earth's
avenger herself leaped out and chopped off Eurmal's stick with her axe. And she
picked it up, and she laughed and she hung it above the door of her home.
Eurmal wailed and ran outside. He complained to Vinga that this really wasn't
what he'd had in mind. But Vinga told him: "I did try to warn you, and you were
so sure. It's not my fault that you tricked yourself into playing a game you
didn't like!"
And Eurmal bemoaned his fate. "It's no wonder they call me the Trickster," he
cried. "I even trick myself!"
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