Pelwrath
April 16th, 2013, 06:08 PM
The Bridge of Woe
The three princes while out surveying their father’s lands came to a far corner of the kingdom, A small forest with a medium stream that had a bridge over it. The bridge was nothing special, save that it was old and appeared such that only people and horses would use. What drew their attention was a very crude sign to the right:
Dis is da bridg of Woe
They looked at each other and then around them and saw little save some birds, a rabbit and a few butterflies. The eldest said. “Well there's nothing around, no hovels or fields. Who could've written such?” the second oldest added. “I don't know but how dare they say that this is Woe's bridge when all this land belongs to our father the king!”. The youngest replied. ”Perhaps we should ask. Someone wrote the sign.”
The elder just scoffed. “Little brother, we are princes of the realm,this will all become ours. Whoever did write such is obviously uncouth, for they can't spell.”
“True, but that isn't important.Where does it lead to?” the second queried. “Why dear brother, it leads to the other side.” the youngest said with a smile.
It was then that they all heard the deep booming voice. “I be troll and this be my bridge, would princes three like cross bridge?”
“Who are you!” the eldest demanded. “Show yourself, so that we may see who speaks.”
“Why need eyes to speak? Have you no ears?” the voice said.
“Such impertinence, of course we have ears you fool. Now show your selfor face the king’s justice.”
“If I no show, then how I face?” the voice countered.
“Well troll, I would like to see the owner of the bridge.”
“If king is father, then go back to castle.” Replied the voice
The eldest was becoming agitated and said. “You seek to jest with us troll? Come out then and I promise no harm to you.”
There was a pause before the voice replied. “Okay, troll promise, no harm to you.” and out from under the bridge came a troll. Even for trolls he was ugly, small and smelled very bad. “I be troll of bridge. How I help little princes?”
The second brother said. “We seek to cross your bridge, is that okay?”
“This be troll bridge. Need pay me.” and the troll just stood there, arms crossed, in front of the bridge.
“What do you charge for people to cross?” the youngest added.
“Three things that you brought with you, if sons of king you are then have them you must and valuable they must be.”
The three princes began checking their packs to see what they might have. “ How valuable must they be troll?” asked the second.
“Oh I not know, value is to giver not receiver for in giving is true value known.” The troll responded.
“Listen, he is but a stupid troll, just give him anything to be done with him.” said the eldest who went first.“Troll, I have these three small pretty stones. Will this be acceptable?”
“If pretty for prince to keep, then value to you they have. Fine, I take.” and the troll reached out his wort covered and dirty hand and the eldest put the three small stones in his hand and then crossed the bridge.
The second son went next. “Troll, I have these three grasshoppers. Are they acceptable to you?”
“If prince gives food to troll, that is good.” and again the troll reached out his hand and the three grasshoppers were put in it.
The youngest went last. “Woe, I have three silver coins for you. Is that to your liking?”
“Oh I like silver so take coins.” and for the third time the troll extended his hand and the three silver coins were placed in it.
“Now, you all pay troll Zendas to cross bridge. Do so with permission.” The three princes crossed and when they got to the other side the youngestsaid. “Wait. Isn't your name Woe?” he said to the troll.
“No little prince, name is Zendas, the bridge is named Woe and gives to those what they gave to me” and then Zendas disappeared back under the bridge.
Now, several years later, the three princes were now each a king as their father had died and had split his kingdom into three parts, one for each of his sons.
The eldest found that when his farmers went to plow their fields, they turned up many colored rocks, this made farming very hard and the harvest was poor and his people went hungry .The second son was thinking things were good until swarms of grasshoppers began eating all his crops and his people also went hungry.
The youngest son was worried that his farmers would not have enough time but when they plowed their fields, they found silver and were able to buy enough food so that none went hungry. Legend has it that in the kingdoms of the eldest and second, you can hear their ghosts saying: “Woe is me.”
The three princes while out surveying their father’s lands came to a far corner of the kingdom, A small forest with a medium stream that had a bridge over it. The bridge was nothing special, save that it was old and appeared such that only people and horses would use. What drew their attention was a very crude sign to the right:
Dis is da bridg of Woe
They looked at each other and then around them and saw little save some birds, a rabbit and a few butterflies. The eldest said. “Well there's nothing around, no hovels or fields. Who could've written such?” the second oldest added. “I don't know but how dare they say that this is Woe's bridge when all this land belongs to our father the king!”. The youngest replied. ”Perhaps we should ask. Someone wrote the sign.”
The elder just scoffed. “Little brother, we are princes of the realm,this will all become ours. Whoever did write such is obviously uncouth, for they can't spell.”
“True, but that isn't important.Where does it lead to?” the second queried. “Why dear brother, it leads to the other side.” the youngest said with a smile.
It was then that they all heard the deep booming voice. “I be troll and this be my bridge, would princes three like cross bridge?”
“Who are you!” the eldest demanded. “Show yourself, so that we may see who speaks.”
“Why need eyes to speak? Have you no ears?” the voice said.
“Such impertinence, of course we have ears you fool. Now show your selfor face the king’s justice.”
“If I no show, then how I face?” the voice countered.
“Well troll, I would like to see the owner of the bridge.”
“If king is father, then go back to castle.” Replied the voice
The eldest was becoming agitated and said. “You seek to jest with us troll? Come out then and I promise no harm to you.”
There was a pause before the voice replied. “Okay, troll promise, no harm to you.” and out from under the bridge came a troll. Even for trolls he was ugly, small and smelled very bad. “I be troll of bridge. How I help little princes?”
The second brother said. “We seek to cross your bridge, is that okay?”
“This be troll bridge. Need pay me.” and the troll just stood there, arms crossed, in front of the bridge.
“What do you charge for people to cross?” the youngest added.
“Three things that you brought with you, if sons of king you are then have them you must and valuable they must be.”
The three princes began checking their packs to see what they might have. “ How valuable must they be troll?” asked the second.
“Oh I not know, value is to giver not receiver for in giving is true value known.” The troll responded.
“Listen, he is but a stupid troll, just give him anything to be done with him.” said the eldest who went first.“Troll, I have these three small pretty stones. Will this be acceptable?”
“If pretty for prince to keep, then value to you they have. Fine, I take.” and the troll reached out his wort covered and dirty hand and the eldest put the three small stones in his hand and then crossed the bridge.
The second son went next. “Troll, I have these three grasshoppers. Are they acceptable to you?”
“If prince gives food to troll, that is good.” and again the troll reached out his hand and the three grasshoppers were put in it.
The youngest went last. “Woe, I have three silver coins for you. Is that to your liking?”
“Oh I like silver so take coins.” and for the third time the troll extended his hand and the three silver coins were placed in it.
“Now, you all pay troll Zendas to cross bridge. Do so with permission.” The three princes crossed and when they got to the other side the youngestsaid. “Wait. Isn't your name Woe?” he said to the troll.
“No little prince, name is Zendas, the bridge is named Woe and gives to those what they gave to me” and then Zendas disappeared back under the bridge.
Now, several years later, the three princes were now each a king as their father had died and had split his kingdom into three parts, one for each of his sons.
The eldest found that when his farmers went to plow their fields, they turned up many colored rocks, this made farming very hard and the harvest was poor and his people went hungry .The second son was thinking things were good until swarms of grasshoppers began eating all his crops and his people also went hungry.
The youngest son was worried that his farmers would not have enough time but when they plowed their fields, they found silver and were able to buy enough food so that none went hungry. Legend has it that in the kingdoms of the eldest and second, you can hear their ghosts saying: “Woe is me.”