Tale 3: Under the Leppa Tree

(real tale: The Harper in Fairyland)

"There was once a minstrel named Tristan who ruled over an entire land of minstrels--which meant he could play the harp like no one else." Brock begins as he arrives onstage. "When he played, birds stopped singing, just to listen."

"Wow"s fill the air as Brock shows the crowd his own harp. "It was a small harp, probably not much bigger than mine, but it was one he could tuck under his arm, on his back or in a bag, and take with him wherever he wanted.

After quickly putting on his harp's fingerpicks, he continues "On afternoons when the weather was nice, he and his queen, a lady named Fiona, would go into the palace garden. They would spread out a blanket to sit upon, lean against a tree and eat a picnic lunch. Then he would play his harp and she— and the birds —would listen."

With that, he plays "The Fairy's Waltz" for effect, as if he is Tristan serenading Fiona in the garden. "On one such day they sat down beneath a Leppa Berry tree and leaned as usual against the trunk. Its blossoms were open, with the sweet smell pouring out." Brock continues as the last note echoes into the auditorium. "In fact, it was not long before Fiona fell asleep. So Tristan called two servants to come and guard her."

"Protect her well." he whispers in a mimic of Flint for Tristan.

As himself he continues "Once sure his queen was safe, Tristan then went back to the palace to hold court, and other things that all kings--even a king of a land of minstrels--must do. "The servants stood under the Leppa Berry tree, one on each side of Fiona, when suddenly, and at the same time, they sneezed. Their eyes closed for just an instant — as it often happens when you sneeze — and when they opened their eyes, she was gone. Just like that...." Brock snaps on the word "that" to emphasize his point. "...she was gone. The servants looked behind the trees, the bushes, the flowers, inside the palace and out, but she was nowhere to be found."

He sighs, as if he is one of the servants. "There was no way out of it, they had to tell the king."

“What do you mean, gone?” he gasps as Tristan. “How could that be? Tell me what happened!”

As himself, he narrates "The servants told him about the sneeze and the blink. As he listened to them finish the story, Sir Tristan was already taking off his crown."

“I know what’s happened--it’s the Fair Folk." he announces as Tristan. "They have taken my beloved Fiona. When they see something they want, they make you sneeze, and in that blink, the Fair Folk take what they want. My beautiful Fiona has been taken by the Fair Folk. Well, I don’t want to sit on the throne without her beside me.”

He interjects as himself "As he took off his royal shoes, he called for the Lord High Chamberlain."

“I’m going away to find the Lady Fiona." he instructs an imagined person as Tristan. "I want you to look after the country until I return. And I won’t return, until she is with me”.

As himself, he continues "He took off his royal finery, and put on the colorful clothes of a traveling minstrel. He took no food or weapons. All he took was his harp as he walked away from that place."

After playing a "traveling" song to simulate the passage of time, he goes on "For days, weeks, months, he walked and he looked. He ate only the nuts and berries he could find. He washed in the streams, he slept on the ground. He lived the way an ordinary traveling minstrel would. But every night, before going to sleep, he’d lean against a tree and play his harp. The wild Pokemon would come to listen, furred, finned, and feathered alike. They were his only companions in all that time."

He plays "The Prayer to the Sea" for effect before continuing "One morning, as he was still waking up, he heard, then saw, 50 Rapidashes walking by. Sitting on each Rapidash, was a beautiful lady. He knew by the way they sat, so still, that they were the ladies of the Fair Folk. In the midst of them, was his own lady, Fiona. He moved to wave, so she would see him. But he forgot how he looked. In all that time, no one had cut his hair, nor trimmed his beard. His clothes were torn from the briars. He did not look like the king that he was, and so Fiona didn't recognize him. So he picked up his harp and began to play. She knew the music, and knew it was him, but a spell was on her and she could not even wave nor even smile."

He then plays "Come Give Me Your Hand" for effect. "As the Rapidashes moved on, he followed after them, hiding from bush to tree. They came to a mountain, and he thought they would go one way or the other. But no, a tunnel opened into the mountain, and the Rapidashes moved on into that tunnel. It was so dark, nothing could be seen — not even a hand before the face. Tristan followed the sound of Rapidash hooves on the stone floor, and ran his hands along the cool, damp stone walls of the tunnel. When he came out of the darkness, he was in the land of the Fair Folk."

Excited whispers fill the room as the children speculate what fairyland looks like. "As beautiful as ever it is imagined to be, that’s how beautiful it was to Tristan." Brock assures the children as parents rush to quiet the whispers. "There, across a meadow, he saw the castle of King Oberon and Queen Titania--the rulers of the Fair Folk. Around the castle was a garden, and sitting on the ground, leaning against a Leppa Berry tree was his beloved Fiona, sleeping, just the way she was when she’d been taken. He tried to speak to her, to touch her, but the spell was still on her. So he went right into the castle, marched right up to King Oberon and Queen Titania, and without even being asked, began to play his harp."

He plays "The Beautifly" for effect before continuing "His music was so beautiful, that King Oberon and Queen Titania stopped what they were doing to listen. From all over the land, Fair Folk came to listen. Tristan played happy music, for he had found his lady. He also played sad music, for he had no idea how he would get her from there. When he stopped, all the Fair Folk were silent for a moment. Then as if they were one entity, they took in a deep breath, and let out a sigh of satisfaction."

The room is silent for a moment, then Brock continues "Queen Titania leaned toward the king of mortals and said..."

In a mimic of Clair for Queen Titania, he smiles “Sir, we have never heard anything so lovely. We hear our music which is fine itself, and yours is even more grand.”

“We want to give you a reward for playing that music." he adds in a younger version of himself for King Oberon. "Just ask for what you want, and it is yours--we promise”.

“I know what I want." he replies as Tristan. "There is a beautiful lady sleeping under a Leppa tree outside your castle. I’d like her to come away with me.”

As himself, he narrates "Although the rulers of the Fair Folk were reluctant to do it, his wish was granted. He went out of the castle, right to the garden, right to the Leppa Berry tree. The spell was gone now, and he could touch her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes and took his hand as she stood. Together they walked across the meadow, away from the Land of the Fair Folk. In the tunnel, they listened to their shoes on the stone floor and felt with their hands, the cool, damp walls, ’til, there they were, back in their own land again. To their own castle they went – walking and talking – telling each other of their adventures in all that time. There in the garden, their Leppa Berry tree was still standing. Its branches were so full, the Berries nearly touched the ground. Even so, they tiptoed past it, being careful not to sneeze."

He smiles at the enthralled looks on his audience's faces. "As luck would have it, the Lord High Chamberlain was standing outside the castle. He welcomed them both, and Sir Tristan went into his room. He washed, the barber came to trim his hair and shape his beard. He put on the royal clothes that made him look like the king that he truly was.

He concludes "From that day on, Sir Tristan and Fiona ruled wisely and carefully, together. But never again did either of them sleep under a Leppa Berry tree."

The crowd laughs and applauds as Brock sets the harp aside and takes a bow....