Nick Davis's Blog, page 139

In honor of JRR Tolkiens Birthday – A Tolkienesqe Fable, The Archer, the Horse & the Princess

Today was the father of fantasy JRR Tolkiens Birthday, he was born January 3rd, 1892 in Bloemfontein South Africa. In honor of his Birthday I wrote a Tolkeinesque Fable, The Archer, the Horse & the Princess

Once upon a time in a land far, far away lived a mighty King, it would be fair to say he was as greedy as he was mighty, as cruel as he was fickle, and he ruled his land with an iron fist. In the service of this King was an Archer, who was as brave as he was noble, as keen eyed as he was lightning fast with his bow. The Archer was kind, and generous soul, but he had to wear a mask to cover the horrible burns to his face suffered while rescuing the royal horses, from a stable fire. Disfigured the Archer was alone in the world apart from his own beloved horse Keshi, who was as sharp witted as he was fleet of foot. Unknown to the King or anyone else but the Archer, Keshi could talk, and was his one loyal companion.

One day the Archer mounted Keshi and rode off into the forest to hunt, he rode along a wide road and caught the glint of gold in the corner of his eye. Dismounting he found a golden feather on the ground, which shimmered in the light of the sun. In wonder he held it up his horse and proclaimed he would give the feather to his King, and the King would surely reward him for his prize.

"Nah," said Keshi. "This is a feather of a Firebird, a Phoenix; leave it where it is, so it can reclaim it. A stolen Phoenix feather always brings the thief bad luck."

The Archer listened to Keshi, for the Horse always gave him good advice before. However, this feather was resplendent in its majesty and would carry great favor with his King, and who does not wish to win the favor of their Sire?

He decided to take it, and carried it back from the forest and presented it to his King.

"Many thanks to you Archer," said the King. "This is a fine feather, but now I must have the Phoenix it belongs too, and you will bring it to me."

"But your Majesty," said the Archer. "I do not know where to find this Phoenix."

His plea fell on deaf ears, for the King was enraptured by the golden glow of the feather. "You will bring me the Bird, or I will have the Royal Executioner take off your head!"

The Archer bowed low, returned to his Horse and told him the King would have his head if he could not find this Firebird. The Archer despaired, for even though he was a great hunter, he did not know how to find this creature and he feared for his life.

"I told you taking the feather would bring us bad luck," said Keshi. "Still do not despair; we are not in great danger yet. From the other horses stabled here, I've heard a rumor of where this Firebird nests. We must go the town lands, camp in the golden wheat fields and wait until Dawn."

On hearing this news the Archer was overjoyed and the next day he rode Keshi to the town lands. Together they camped under a tree in the middle of the golden wheat fields.

At Dawn a great wind swept over the fields, and the wheat flowed like waves on the sea. Down from the sky dropped a great bird; its plumage shimmered like gold and rustled like fire. The Archer was amazed at this sight of the Firebird, and quickly tied a length of rope to one of his arrows. Carefully he stepped out from behind the tree and shot the arrow at the Phoenix, even though the Firebird was quick to notice him, such was the skill of Archer with his bow that the arrow binded itself around on the Phoenix claws as it took flight. Leaping on the rope the Archer was dragged along the ground as the Firebird pulled itself into the air, and he called to Keshi to help him.

Even as powerful as Keshi was, it took all the horses and Archers strength to pull the Phoenix back to the ground and subdue it. As it lay exhausted from the struggle the Archer quick bound it, and rode at a gallop back to the Castle to present this magnificent bird to his King.

"Archer you have done well," said the King. "You are man of worth in my service, who can make the impossible happen and you shall be rewarded. Once you complete one more task for me. You have proved you can fetch the Firebird for me, so now you will fetch me the Maid I wish to marry, her name is Princess Aurelia. It is said she lives at the very end of the Earth where the bright sun rises and the Firebirds fly. It is her I want and none other, and you shall bring her to me."

"Sire, I am honored, but I am a humble Archer and do not know how to find this Princess for you," said the Archer.

His plea fell on deaf ears, for the King was entranced by the golden glow of the Phoenix. "You will bring me the Princess, or I will have the Royal Executioner take off your head!"

Despairing the Archer went back to his horse and told Keshi the impossible task the King had set for him.

"Do not despair Master, for the task could be worse," said Keshi. "I have heard rumors from the horses from this stable and know how to entice the Princess to you. Go ask the King for permission to take one of the Firebirds feathers to set in your cap for luck, and gather food and drink. For this will be a long journey for us both."

To the Archers surprise the King granted him permission to take one of the Phoenix's feathers and he set it in his cap. He gathered food and drink, mounted his horse and set off his way. For many days they traveled leaving the Kings land far behind them and they rode through the nine Kingdoms, until they came to the end of the earth and a vast blue sea was before him.

"We are here Archer," said Keshi. "Set up camp on the beach and wait until dawn, for rumor has it this is when the Princess can be seen out on her boat. When she comes to shore tell her about the King's Phoenix, for she has a great love for the Firebirds and dearly wishes to see one."

The Archer camped that night on the beach, and was greeted the next day with the rising of the sun, and in the distance he could make out the Princess on her small boat.

The Princess Aurelia caught glimpse of the sun gleaming off the Phoenix feather in the Archers cap and paddled to the shore. Stepping from the boat, she stood there admiring the feather in the Archers cap.

"Good Day to you Princess Aurelia," said the Archer amazed by the Princess's beauty, her eyes were the color of the sea, and her hair almost golden, flowing with red. just like the feathers of the Phoenix..

"Tell me Archer, were did you get such a feather?" asked the Princess.

"Come share breakfast with me and I will tell you a tale of far away lands, and of a King who keeps a Firebird as a pet," said the Archer.

The Princess and the Archer ate breakfast; and he told her more about the Phoenix that was now in the Kings keeping. The Princess wished to see the Firebird and asked the Archer to take her to it. The Archer called Keshi, and with the Princess in his arms set off towards home. As fast as an arrow they rode, and they soon found themselves back at the King's castle.

The King was overjoyed at the sight of Princess Aurelia. He thanked the Archer and promised him a great reward. However, when the Princess saw the King, and his greedy ways she was horrified, and she began to sob. For she knew no one as craven as that King, could capture an animal as noble as a Phoenix. The King's heart grew cold towards her, but he would not let anyone else have his prize and he demanded that she marry him.

The Princess now far, far away from her beloved blue sea became haughty and refused the King's proposal. She was smart though, knowing the King could ask for her head she set him what she thought was an impossible task to prove himself worthy of his hand.

"Fetch me my wedding dress, which lies under a large rock in the middle of the great sea. If you can bring me this dress I will marry you, for I will not marry without it," said Princess Aurelia.

The King fumed for the task seemed impossible, and he desired the Princess's hand in marriage. He summoned the Archer and set him the task of bringing the dress to him.

"You are doer of impossible things Archer," said the King. "Fetch me the Princess's dress from the bottom of the sea."

"But Sire, I thought my tasks complete have I not brought you the Princess you desire?" said the Archer.

His plea fell on deaf ears, for the King wished to have the Princess's hand. "You will bring me the dress, or I will have the Royal Executioner take off your head!"

The Archer went back to his horse, this time the task seemed too great and wept a bitter tear. "I will not escape death this time."

"Why do you weep Master?" the horse asked.

The Archer told his beloved horse of the task he had been commanded to undertake to fetch the Princess's Wedding dress from the bottom of the sea.

Keshi shook his head, "Master, did I not tell you taking the Phoenix feather would bring us bad luck, for this is hard task to complete for any man. But do not fear for I have heard a rumor from the horses from this stable of a creature that might help you complete this task. Now get on my back, for we must return to the end of the earth and that blue sea."

Unknown to the Archer, the Princess watched him leave from the highest tower in the castle, and she cried. For now she knew it was the noble heart of the Archer that had caught the Firebird, and she feared she has sent him to his death.

Many days passed, and the Archer and his horse passed through the nine kingdoms and eventually came to the end of the earth, and the blue sea.

"It is said when the moon is at its highest," said Keshi. "That a large Crab comes out the sea to bath in the moonlight, if we can best him he might take us to the Princess's dress."

That night just as Keshi had said a large Crab crawled its way onto the shore and bathed in the moonlight. The Archer arose quickly and drew back his bow.

"Sir Crab, I need your help to retrieve the Princess Aurelia wedding dress from the bottom of the sea."

The Crab gurgled and spat bubbles at the Archer, "I think not for I take orders from no one unless I am beaten in a fight, and I am yet to be bested."

"Then best you I shall," said the Archer leaping on the back of his horse.

What followed was a mighty battle, for the crab was a fast as he was large and many times the Archer and Keshi were in peril. But through their skill and fleet of foot they pitched the Crab onto this back, and the Archer, bow drawn stood on his belly.

"Sir Crab, you are bested I ask you this one favor and I will set you free of my service," said the Archer. "Fetch me the Princess Aurelia dress."

"Sir you have beaten me, and I do not wish to die. I will complete this task for you" said the Crab. "Please right me up, for I cannot catch my breath on my back."

Back on his legs the Crab let out a great roar that carried across the blue sea, the water grew choppy and the waves crashed upon the sandy beach. Then out of the water, big and small crawling from all sides came many Crabs, so many that there were no counting them! For the Crab that called them was King of all Crabs, and he ordered them to fetch the Princess's dress. As one they plunged into the sea, and before the hour was up the Crabs returned with the shimmering dress.

The Archer packed up the dress, and mounted his horse. He bade farewell to the Crab and his minions and rode straight as an arrow back to his Kingdom. The King was pleased to see his Archer, and taking the dress he presented it to the Princess, who now reluctantly agreed to marry the King.

The King though was a craven selfish man, and he saw the Archer, who had now become a great hero in the eyes of the people by completing the impossible tasks the King himself had set, as great threat. Even worse he saw how the Princess Aurelia looked at him in admiration and in his jealous rage he set the Archer one more task.

"Archer, you have made the impossible possible, but I have one more task for you before you can claim your reward," said the King. "It is said he who walks through a wall of fire with naught but a Firebirds feather will claim great riches. I wish you to claim these riches for me."

"But Sire, that is impossible and I will surely die in the flames," said the Archer remembering the sting of the burns on his face.

His plea fell on deaf ears, for the King wished to be rid of the Archer. "You will do your duty, or I will have the Royal Executioner take off your head!"

The Archer bowed, "As you wish Sire, may I bid my Horse goodbye before I die?"

"Very well," said the King. "Guards let him see his Horse for the last time, and prepare the fire pit."

The Archer head bowed went to say goodbye to Keshi.

"Master why do you despair?" said the Horse.

With tears in his eyes the Archer told his beloved Keshi of the Kings final task, and that he was to walk through the fire pit.

"Oh Keshi, why did I take that feather? All this misfortune because I craved the favor of a selfish man. Why did I not listen to you?" said the Archer.

Keshi lowered his head a nuzzled the Archer, "Fear not Master, for I have heard a rumor that you will not die this day. Do no weep, be noble of heart and the flames shall not touch you."

The Archer kissed his horse on the forehead and was lead away by the guards to the fire pit.

It did not take long to set the fire pit ablaze and soon it was burning as hot as the Firebirds feathers. The Archer was stripped of his clothing, including his mask and grasping the Phoenix feather was thrown in the pit. The fire rose and consumed the Archer from view. Then slowly he emerged, unscathed from his trip through the flames, the horrible burns on his face had healed and he was one again, as handsome as neither pen nor tongue can tell.

Enraged that the Archer was still alive, and was made whole the King grabbed the Phoenix feather and leapt into the flames himself wishing to claim the riches for himself. The fires rose, and the King screamed as the flames consumed him, for he had stolen a Firebirds feather and great misfortune comes to those that do this.

The Archer was chosen to be the new King of the Realm, and he became the Phoenix King and married the Princess Aurelia. As the Archer started his reign, late one night Keshi came to him.

"Master I wish to be released from your service," said the horse.

"Why dear friend, are you not happy?" said the Archer.

"I am Master, for I see you've come into your own as I vowed to make happen," said Keshi.

"I do not understand, what vow was this?" said the Archer.

Keshi bowed his head, and told the Archer it was he was not always a horse, but a Mischief Spirit, a Kobold, a Rascal, and it was his mischief that set a fire in the stables. He was horrified to see the noble Archer burned so badly as he rescued to horses trapped within, and to atone for his actions Keshi took the form of a horse, and vowed to serve the Archer until he was made whole again.

"Can you forgive me?" said Keshi with tears in his eyes.

"Oh my dear friend, I forgive you thrice by thrice as many times for all you have done to make me whole. I do release you from my service and you may go in peace. I beg though that you stay for all that I now have is because of you," said the Archer weeping.

Such was the love that Keshi had for the Archer that he agreed to stay be his side, and together with Princess Aurelia they lived happily ever after.

This story was an adaptation of a fairy tale told to me by my Grandfather when I was a young boy. Half remembered, retold, and re imagined by me in honor JRR Tolkien. Remember there are no new stories anymore, just different ways of telling them. Thank you JRR Tolkien for opening my eyes to a whole new world.

Domo Arigato,

Nick D

Surviving another journey around the sun… Happy New Year!!!

Welcome one and all to the New Year, we are finally in 2011 and this is the real start to a new decade. This is time for us all to have new adventures, to brave the unknown and make a grab at one of your dreams. Make this year, make this decade yours, an adventure is waiting for you all you need to do is open your eyes and look around.

Now don't be afraid, even standing still you've survived another journey around the sun, and have traveled an astronomical 584 million miles revolving at 18.54 mph through the most hostile environment known to man – outer space… Keep in mind the risk and mileage you experience just standing still, everything else after that is really easy, eh?

Happy New Year Everybody… Go have an adventure, just don't forget your Towel

A Very Nearly But Not Quite RetroScreamers Podcast a Review of Emotes…

Shooting Screamers… A Day of Geeky Photography and licking Optimus Prime…

Spent Wednesday in the company of Rose 'Screamers' Ward and had the pleasure of being able to take some fun sexy geeky pictures of her. Always a joy and you can check some the best of her two hour set here on her blog…

And yes, that is Optimus Prime… And yes, Rose is giving him a little geeky love… It was kooky fun day Check out her pictures here.