Story Contest Entry (2010) Let me tell you a story...

[Mirimaran]

Let me tell you a story...

Many years ago came the last battle for the men of Arnor. The armies of Angmar came crashing down on them like a wave, and bravely though they fought, the Dunedain broke that day and the North-Kingdom was no more. The army scattered, most fleeing to Lindon while their King fled to the cold North, but others ran into the wilderness. One of these men, wounded unto death, staggered deep into the forest, where finally his wounds proved too great and he fell to the ground, his last life's breath threatening to leave him. As he lay there, the animals of the great wood gathered around him, curious to see a Man in their midst. There came to him a rabbit, a great bear, a fox, a hawk, a magnificent stag, and a mouse. Each of the creatures, great and small, walked around the Man, smelling at him, seeing his wounds, and each making a comment.

"The Man will die", said the rabbit.

"Agreed", said the others.

"He is of the Dunedain", said the stag, pushing at the bloody black and white livery the man wore with a hoof, "if they have fallen, then the forest is open to the Orc."

Each of the animals were silent, for not even the mouse would be safe if the Orc would be allowed to run free in their forest. They would hunt all that lived there, and evil would flourish, and the forest would become a place of horror.

"What can be done?" asked Mother Rabbit, for in truth she was the Queen of her Kind.

"I will guard the forest", said the bear, rising up on his legs, "let the Orcs come. I will slay them all."

But the fox shook his head.

"You have not seen them", he said to the bear, "they come in great multitudes, and your kind they hunt with cruel and wicked spears, and nets of curious weave. They would trap you and kill you. Then we would be left with no defense at all."

The animals, seeing the truth of it, lowered their heads in silence, the only sound the last rasping of the Man's final breath.

"There is a way", Mother Rabbit said finally, "that each of the great animals may protect the land, and allow the Dunedain to live."

"What is that?" asked the hawk, brother of the wind.

"Each of us must bequest to the Man a Gift of our Kind, so that he might be prepared to fight the evil that comes."

Mother Rabbit hopped to the Man, and whispered in his ear.

"I give to him the Gift of Understanding", she said, "let no thing that grows or blooms be unknown to him, let him be able to out think his foes, as I do you, brother Fox."

The Fox laughed, and then whispered in the Man's ear.

"I bequeath the Gift of Guile and Cunning", he said, "so that he may make confusion among his enemies."

The Hawk flew down and whispered to the Man,

"To you, I give the Gift of Sight and Sound; let there be no language of beast or bird that you cannot follow. Let your sight see and See so that your arrows fly true, and you know the Truth when you hear it."

The Stag lowered himself to the ground, and whispered to the Man,

"To you, I give the Gift of Speed and Agility, for you will always outpace those who hunt you."

The Bear lumbered to the Man and said,

"I give you my Strength. May it aid you against your enemies."

Finally all moved away from the Man, whose wounds began to heal themselves, his breathing slow and steady. All the animals then looked to the mouse, and talked amongst themselves.

"What of the mouse?" they asked of each other, "what can the mouse give to the Man?"

The mouse, quick and nimble, ran across the man's leg, and onto his chest.

"I will tell you all something", said the mouse, "while all of your Gifts are good ones, I already have them all. For as small as I am, I still live amongst all the great creatures of the forest, as do my kith and kin. Small as I am, I survive while the World around me turns deadly each time I leave my home. But still I go out, and I live while I may, and each day that I do is a blessing in my small eyes. I have the courage to know that one day I will die, and when I do that I will meet Death unafraid, but not without a fight, for a cornered mouse can be as deadly as the lot of you."

The mouse lay low on the Man's chest, as the other animals bowed to its wisdom.

"I give you the Gift of Courage", said the mouse, whispering to the Man's heart, "for your enemies will always outnumber you, and each day you live might be your last. Live them well. When Death comes for you, make it pay dearly."

The mouse scampered away into the forest, as the other animals walked around the Man.

"What shall we call the Man then?", asked the animals.

The Moon rose, and then to the animal's astonishment, floated down to be among them.

"This Man, let him wander far under my light", said the Man in the Moon, "let him take his name from me."

So they named him Randir, the wanderer, and then all left him.

When he awoke, he was amazed at the Gifts that he now bore. With ease, he made his way back to his people, and in time he gave the Gifts to them. The forest was ever after watched and warded by his people, whom the Bree-folk came to call,

"Rangers."
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The boy lay dying on the ground, an ugly black arrow still deep in his shoulder, the rusty green of his tunic now black with blood. The Ranger finished his story, his eyes trained on the young boy's pale face.

"Am I to die?" he asked faintly.

"That is up to you", said the Ranger, "for you must remember the Gift of the Mouse. I am going to pull the arrow out. When I do, Death will come for you."

The boy nodded, and then the Ranger pulled the arrow free. The boy screamed in the night, Death came for him, and went away empty-handed...

Ken Rankin 2010

1038 words!

[kaelln]

Myth making now! This is so cool!

[Greg]

Awesome, Ken! Love it! It appears there's a Reepicheep in Middle Earth as well!

[Mirimaran]

I had to google that, Greg! I'ma gonna sue LOL hehe never been a big C.S. Lewis fan, I am sure that talking mice were all the rage back in the day LOL. Thanks to you and Kaelin, I am glad you liked the story. Part of the fun of the writing (and everything else on this board) is the recreation of Dunedain culture, which would include myths and allegorical stories.

[Eric C]

which would include myths and allegorical stories.

Indeed it WOULD! Very good read. You and Greg have thrown down the gauntlet for the rest of us.

[Ernildir]

Okay, so I'm finally getting around to reading all the story contest entries... and I still need to read the writings of Ms. Underhill.

Anyway, I loved this, Mirimaran. Very unique.