Post by Naraseren on May 9, 2012 10:02:39 GMT -5
It's an older writing assignment of mine.
"Kaod" is a militaristic country in my own lore (in case I didn't clarify it in the text)
I just thought I share it here
The following story is well known by the peoples in the easternmost parts of These Lands, especially by the traders of both the kingdom of Kaod, and the tribesmen south of the river Steel.
A little girl, hardly older than thirteen years, was walking in the woods. She wore a red hooded shroud, so let’s call her Little Red for short. She was headed through the woods to visit her grandmother who was ill. The grandmother lived in a house that was built in the middle of the woods, unreasonably far from any village. This was strategically a bad decision because the forest was rumoured to be full of various monsters. Little Red was carrying a little basket with her, with some food in it for her sickly grandmother. She also had a standard issue military bow as the laws of Kaod, being a warrior nation, allowed weapons for every citizen, so in times of war even the freshly recruited soldiers had some skills in fighting. The standard issue military bow she had – one of the shortest type – was one and a half meters tall, reinforced with iron and it had a smaller crossbow attached to it under the grip. All in all it wasn’t like something such a little girl could easily handle.
She reached the darker part of the forest where the least dangerous creature she could confront was a harmless butterfly. Although this wasn’t a reason for extensive caution, the second least dangerous was some murderous robber lurking around the narrow and crooked path, attacking the unaware travellers. And that was only the second least dangerous creature.
She was now advancing from tree to tree, taking cover behind them, leaning out and sweeping the area with an arrow on the bowstring pointig forward. Sometimes, when there was a clear area ahead, she sprinted the length arrivng to the next tree with her back leaned against it. She leaned out to see what is ahead, but when she turned back to prepare for the next sprint, an enormous wolf was standing in front of her. She released the bowstring in her surprise, sending an arrow flying. (A butterfly – the least dangerous kind, as described above - was fying by when the stray arrow pinned it to the closest tree.) The wolf was standing on two legs, had a rather humanoid body and he was two meters tall. Moreover he could speak, these together meant that Little Red was in a grim situation.
’Where are you going, little girl?’ The wolf asked.
’To my grandmother.She lives in the forest, and she is very ill.’ Little Red told the wolf, naively giving out information to the obviously dangerous monster.
’You know that these woods are dangerous, don’t you? You look so clever’ The wolf said with a smile. His teeth were menacingly red with... (Are there any children reading this?) ...So they were red because he ate strawberries recently.
’No I don’t, and the only reason I have a heavy bow and a bunch of steel headed arrows and crossbow bolts on me is because they don’t slow me down at all.’ She replied sarcasitically, as well as a bit frustrated.
’It would take two hours on foot as the crow flies but I know a shorter route.’ The wolf whispered, covering his mouth with a paw so nobody else could hear it. Actually nobody else was near them if we don’t count the butterfly pinned to a nearby tree.
’Why would I go on an unknown path if I know this one I’m on is the safest?’
’You said your grandmother is ill. I advise you took the shorter path and arrive as soon as possible, but it’s just an advice. Or are you a sissy, daughter of the Kaodi people?’ This one was a hit. The warlike nation of Kaod was well known for it’s bravery and pride. It would be a shame if Little Red would swallow the insult. Pride dictated that she took on the challange.
’So be it.’ She said with a black look that frightened even the wolf. Just a little bit, but it frightened him.
The wolf showed her the ”shorter path”, and bid her farewell as the little girl set off. This ”shorter path” was full of hedges but it was straighter. In about two and a half hours she found her grandmother’s house. It was late night by then, the only source of light being the silver glow of the full moon. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it.
’Come in, my dear.’ She heard her grandmother’s voice. She walked in, to the bedroom, where she found in her grandmother’s bed a wolf clad in her grandmother’s clothes. ’Wolfgang came by about half an hour ago nd told me you were coming’ Grandma said. Litle Red did not know this Wolfgang was, the wolf she met in the forest, but she cared more about Grandma’s strange appearance.
’Grandma, what big arms you have!’ Little Red started a conversation that somehow seems familiar.
’All the better to hug you with, my dear.’ Came the answer
’Grandma, what big ears you have!’
’All the better to hear you with, my dear.’
’Grandma, what big eyes you have!’
’All the better to see you with, my dear.’ And so on...
’Grandma, What big teeth you have!’ Came the decisive remark from Little Red.
’All the better to eat you up with.’ Grandma said, attempting to pounce on Little Red, but the girl managed to dodge the attack.
’Grandma, what big silver knife I have!’ Said Little Red, standing in a defensive pose, bow, basket thrown away, only holding a large knife. The blade shone silver in the light of the full moon. ’The doctor gave it. It’s labeled ”werewolf medicine”. Can you tell me why?’
Some retellings of the story may differ, but all of them agree that an epic battle followed. The outcome of the fight is not easy to decide either, there is a version with every possible ending. You can decide what ending you like the best, and finish the tale that way. After all it is just a tale.
But one thing is sure. The traders that have to pass by with their wagons prepare for the worst, and those rich enough hire mercenaries to guard them on their way because many of the trader wagons around the forest are attacked. On such scenes bodies lie everywhere, the wreckages of the wagons are burnt, and if there was any red cloth in the cargo or even on the traders themselves, it disappears without a trace.
Surviving witnesses report that the wagons were attacked by werwolves, led by a little girl. Rumours tell it is the infamous Little Red Raiding Hood and her Wolf Gang, possibly named after her first lieutenant.
"Kaod" is a militaristic country in my own lore (in case I didn't clarify it in the text)
I just thought I share it here
Little Red
The following story is well known by the peoples in the easternmost parts of These Lands, especially by the traders of both the kingdom of Kaod, and the tribesmen south of the river Steel.
A little girl, hardly older than thirteen years, was walking in the woods. She wore a red hooded shroud, so let’s call her Little Red for short. She was headed through the woods to visit her grandmother who was ill. The grandmother lived in a house that was built in the middle of the woods, unreasonably far from any village. This was strategically a bad decision because the forest was rumoured to be full of various monsters. Little Red was carrying a little basket with her, with some food in it for her sickly grandmother. She also had a standard issue military bow as the laws of Kaod, being a warrior nation, allowed weapons for every citizen, so in times of war even the freshly recruited soldiers had some skills in fighting. The standard issue military bow she had – one of the shortest type – was one and a half meters tall, reinforced with iron and it had a smaller crossbow attached to it under the grip. All in all it wasn’t like something such a little girl could easily handle.
She reached the darker part of the forest where the least dangerous creature she could confront was a harmless butterfly. Although this wasn’t a reason for extensive caution, the second least dangerous was some murderous robber lurking around the narrow and crooked path, attacking the unaware travellers. And that was only the second least dangerous creature.
She was now advancing from tree to tree, taking cover behind them, leaning out and sweeping the area with an arrow on the bowstring pointig forward. Sometimes, when there was a clear area ahead, she sprinted the length arrivng to the next tree with her back leaned against it. She leaned out to see what is ahead, but when she turned back to prepare for the next sprint, an enormous wolf was standing in front of her. She released the bowstring in her surprise, sending an arrow flying. (A butterfly – the least dangerous kind, as described above - was fying by when the stray arrow pinned it to the closest tree.) The wolf was standing on two legs, had a rather humanoid body and he was two meters tall. Moreover he could speak, these together meant that Little Red was in a grim situation.
’Where are you going, little girl?’ The wolf asked.
’To my grandmother.She lives in the forest, and she is very ill.’ Little Red told the wolf, naively giving out information to the obviously dangerous monster.
’You know that these woods are dangerous, don’t you? You look so clever’ The wolf said with a smile. His teeth were menacingly red with... (Are there any children reading this?) ...So they were red because he ate strawberries recently.
’No I don’t, and the only reason I have a heavy bow and a bunch of steel headed arrows and crossbow bolts on me is because they don’t slow me down at all.’ She replied sarcasitically, as well as a bit frustrated.
’It would take two hours on foot as the crow flies but I know a shorter route.’ The wolf whispered, covering his mouth with a paw so nobody else could hear it. Actually nobody else was near them if we don’t count the butterfly pinned to a nearby tree.
’Why would I go on an unknown path if I know this one I’m on is the safest?’
’You said your grandmother is ill. I advise you took the shorter path and arrive as soon as possible, but it’s just an advice. Or are you a sissy, daughter of the Kaodi people?’ This one was a hit. The warlike nation of Kaod was well known for it’s bravery and pride. It would be a shame if Little Red would swallow the insult. Pride dictated that she took on the challange.
’So be it.’ She said with a black look that frightened even the wolf. Just a little bit, but it frightened him.
The wolf showed her the ”shorter path”, and bid her farewell as the little girl set off. This ”shorter path” was full of hedges but it was straighter. In about two and a half hours she found her grandmother’s house. It was late night by then, the only source of light being the silver glow of the full moon. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it.
’Come in, my dear.’ She heard her grandmother’s voice. She walked in, to the bedroom, where she found in her grandmother’s bed a wolf clad in her grandmother’s clothes. ’Wolfgang came by about half an hour ago nd told me you were coming’ Grandma said. Litle Red did not know this Wolfgang was, the wolf she met in the forest, but she cared more about Grandma’s strange appearance.
’Grandma, what big arms you have!’ Little Red started a conversation that somehow seems familiar.
’All the better to hug you with, my dear.’ Came the answer
’Grandma, what big ears you have!’
’All the better to hear you with, my dear.’
’Grandma, what big eyes you have!’
’All the better to see you with, my dear.’ And so on...
’Grandma, What big teeth you have!’ Came the decisive remark from Little Red.
’All the better to eat you up with.’ Grandma said, attempting to pounce on Little Red, but the girl managed to dodge the attack.
’Grandma, what big silver knife I have!’ Said Little Red, standing in a defensive pose, bow, basket thrown away, only holding a large knife. The blade shone silver in the light of the full moon. ’The doctor gave it. It’s labeled ”werewolf medicine”. Can you tell me why?’
Some retellings of the story may differ, but all of them agree that an epic battle followed. The outcome of the fight is not easy to decide either, there is a version with every possible ending. You can decide what ending you like the best, and finish the tale that way. After all it is just a tale.
But one thing is sure. The traders that have to pass by with their wagons prepare for the worst, and those rich enough hire mercenaries to guard them on their way because many of the trader wagons around the forest are attacked. On such scenes bodies lie everywhere, the wreckages of the wagons are burnt, and if there was any red cloth in the cargo or even on the traders themselves, it disappears without a trace.
Surviving witnesses report that the wagons were attacked by werwolves, led by a little girl. Rumours tell it is the infamous Little Red Raiding Hood and her Wolf Gang, possibly named after her first lieutenant.
