side, recollected a great legend. It went like so…”
Shaw clapped his hands and all seemed to go dark around us. Like
the lights dimming in the cinema, when he began to tell the story
it was as though we meditated into a state where we could all see
the same vision. I cannot describe it to you but it was truly
amazing.
“I know little of your people, and less of
your tales. I however would take the greatest of joy to share one
of mine. In your solitude, I take that you are unaware of Aidan. He
once stood as Thane of Renir – a Kingdom nestled in the Gulf of
Antomn. The Thane had fallen deathly ill from a terrible plague.
The blight had spread throughout most of the Kingdom. Cloaking in
its clutches man, woman and child. Stealing breath from lungs and
hope from hearts. Even his greatest priests could not shelter him
from it. They summoned enchanters and priests from every land to
discover a remedy for his condition. Most passed through without
shedding a flicker of light on his condition. Until a strange man,
trained druid he was, entered the village. He brought with him
strange knowledge and advised the Thane to seek out a red-eared
albino mare. Supposedly, the blood of this horse could cure the
condition. Aidan, proud man as he was, commanded his advisors that
he would seek out the mare himself. But it was ultimately decided
that his first-born son, Prince Kain-Finn, would seek out the mare
in the Thane’s stead.
Kain-Finn was an excellent trapper and
located the steed within a fortnight. He followed it covertly to
its dominion: the shack of the Black Hag.”
“You don’t mean the Black Hag from Fish Heaven, do
you?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. It was a story I
had in store for Dertrid’s deed but couldn’t find anywhere to place
it.
Shaw must have smiled, impressed at my
knowledge because the pause before the story continued was longer
than was natural
“Indeed, I do. Perchance, you’ve heard of
her? But of course you have! Who hasn’t heard of the beautiful
wench who grew brittle before her time? The very same woman to whom
the Heaven owes infinite debts. The King meant her exactly, and it
was exactly her who held the key to saving the Thane of Renir.”
Shaw explained with the tone not unlike that of a teacher
explaining a theory and reason.
“The Black Hag was well-known for the quality
of her land. As well as the crops it produced. Wives tales told of
vegetables as large as sheep. Cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, beans
and onions. Too large to carry, each enough to feed a family for a
week. At first people came from far and wide to buy them but once
the whispers of witchcraft spread like locust. The townsfolk
stopped buying the vegetables and pies she sold at market.
When Kain-Finn arrived, he found it in
shambles. Many seasons had passed since the days of her market
stalls. Long had the oven stood cold and bare. Still, he approached
the Black Hag’s porch and humbly and politely requested her
company.
A cold, croaking voice, strained with age
answered him. The Woman appeared from the shadows of her shack. The
title of ‘Hag’ fitted well. A long black cloak draped around her
shoulders. She shuffled on feet black with dirt. Dust and mud
covered her long cloak that was tattered and dragged on the ground
as she walked. Twigs and grass stains were reaching up her cloak
towards her waist. She was doubled over with a crooked back forcing
her to be ever watching the floor as she moved. Relying totally on
a thick, varnished staff. Hanging from the top were small skulls
from rodents and birds. Her face was in total shadow as a cowl
covered her head. No features could be seen except her pointed,
bony chin, white like thin parchment, wafer thin skin drooping over
her bones. The eerie figure complied with his request, but when
Kain-Finn offered two sacks of gold in exchange for the horse,
taking pasture in the small patch of grass behind the hut, which
was the only part of her property in
Shaw clapped his hands and all seemed to go dark around us. Like
the lights dimming in the cinema, when he began to tell the story
it was as though we meditated into a state where we could all see
the same vision. I cannot describe it to you but it was truly
amazing.
“I know little of your people, and less of
your tales. I however would take the greatest of joy to share one
of mine. In your solitude, I take that you are unaware of Aidan. He
once stood as Thane of Renir – a Kingdom nestled in the Gulf of
Antomn. The Thane had fallen deathly ill from a terrible plague.
The blight had spread throughout most of the Kingdom. Cloaking in
its clutches man, woman and child. Stealing breath from lungs and
hope from hearts. Even his greatest priests could not shelter him
from it. They summoned enchanters and priests from every land to
discover a remedy for his condition. Most passed through without
shedding a flicker of light on his condition. Until a strange man,
trained druid he was, entered the village. He brought with him
strange knowledge and advised the Thane to seek out a red-eared
albino mare. Supposedly, the blood of this horse could cure the
condition. Aidan, proud man as he was, commanded his advisors that
he would seek out the mare himself. But it was ultimately decided
that his first-born son, Prince Kain-Finn, would seek out the mare
in the Thane’s stead.
Kain-Finn was an excellent trapper and
located the steed within a fortnight. He followed it covertly to
its dominion: the shack of the Black Hag.”
“You don’t mean the Black Hag from Fish Heaven, do
you?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. It was a story I
had in store for Dertrid’s deed but couldn’t find anywhere to place
it.
Shaw must have smiled, impressed at my
knowledge because the pause before the story continued was longer
than was natural
“Indeed, I do. Perchance, you’ve heard of
her? But of course you have! Who hasn’t heard of the beautiful
wench who grew brittle before her time? The very same woman to whom
the Heaven owes infinite debts. The King meant her exactly, and it
was exactly her who held the key to saving the Thane of Renir.”
Shaw explained with the tone not unlike that of a teacher
explaining a theory and reason.
“The Black Hag was well-known for the quality
of her land. As well as the crops it produced. Wives tales told of
vegetables as large as sheep. Cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, beans
and onions. Too large to carry, each enough to feed a family for a
week. At first people came from far and wide to buy them but once
the whispers of witchcraft spread like locust. The townsfolk
stopped buying the vegetables and pies she sold at market.
When Kain-Finn arrived, he found it in
shambles. Many seasons had passed since the days of her market
stalls. Long had the oven stood cold and bare. Still, he approached
the Black Hag’s porch and humbly and politely requested her
company.
A cold, croaking voice, strained with age
answered him. The Woman appeared from the shadows of her shack. The
title of ‘Hag’ fitted well. A long black cloak draped around her
shoulders. She shuffled on feet black with dirt. Dust and mud
covered her long cloak that was tattered and dragged on the ground
as she walked. Twigs and grass stains were reaching up her cloak
towards her waist. She was doubled over with a crooked back forcing
her to be ever watching the floor as she moved. Relying totally on
a thick, varnished staff. Hanging from the top were small skulls
from rodents and birds. Her face was in total shadow as a cowl
covered her head. No features could be seen except her pointed,
bony chin, white like thin parchment, wafer thin skin drooping over
her bones. The eerie figure complied with his request, but when
Kain-Finn offered two sacks of gold in exchange for the horse,
taking pasture in the small patch of grass behind the hut, which
was the only part of her property in
Similar Books
