Tale 186: How Ho'oh and Lugia Met (part 2) (Misty)


(real tale: The Sister of the Sun)

"So, was Lugia literally tarred and feathered?" Melody asks.

"Well, as the years wore on with no princess to be had, Lugia grew anxious and uneasy, especially when he was told that the great cauldron in the torture chamber was being filled with tar, and the guards were in the process of building a fire to boil it with." Misty resumes her cliffhanger. "Lugia stood at the window all day, watching the sea for any sign of his beloved; but there were no signs of her, not even the tiniest hint of a sail."

Ash swallows hard as Misty goes on "Just then, the guards came and led him up to the cauldron, where a huge fire was blazing, and the horrid black tar boiling and bubbling over the sides. He took one look and shuddered, but there appeared to be no way out; so he closed his eyes in preparation for the end."

Everyone is on the edge of their seats to learn Lugia's fate. "Minutes before the guards took Lugia to the cauldron, some messengers hurried into the torture chamber, saying that a magnificent ship was headed for the city. No one knew what the ship was, or where it came from; but the king declared that he would not have Lugia burned."

"Talk about a reprieve..." Ash muses as sighs of relief fill the tent.

"It wasn't long before the vessel was safe in port, and a whisper went through the watching crowd that on board was Ho'oh, who had come to marry Lugia as she had promised. After Ho'oh disembarked,she asked to be shown the way to the house which her bridegroom had so often described to her. But Lugia was still terrified from his close call, and he didn't recognize her, even after she kissed him."

"Did Lugia recognize his love?" Even Brock is worried.

'When even a kiss didn't jog his memory, Ho'oh was very frightened, and told him the story of his meeting with her from start to finish, and how she had come a long way in order to marry him." Misty continues. "Just as she had finished, the king walked in, curious to see if what Lugia had said was true. But hardly had he opened the door of the house when he was almost blinded by the light that filled it; and he remembered what he had been told about the beautiful aura around the princess. He staggered back as if he had been struck by a Thunderbolt, and falling on his knees before Ho'oh, he implored her to give up all thought of the peasant boy, and to share his throne. But she laughed, and said she had a finer throne of her own, if she wanted to sit on it, and that she was free to do as she wished, and would have no husband but the boy whom she would never have seen except for the king himself. She went on to say that she would marry Lugia the next morning; and ordered the preparations to be made."

"There has to be a catch..." Brock sighs.

"Or a challenge, or some monster or evil wizard takes her..." Ash agrees.

"When the next day came, however, the king informed Ho'oh that, by law, the marriage had to take place in his presence."Misty continues. "When the wedding party and all the guests were assembled in the royal shrine, he said..."

'" have no objection to this holy ceremony; but, before I can allow it to commence, the groom must prove himself worthy of such a bride by fulfilling three challenges." Brock fills in the king's dialogue. "First, he must cut down every tree in an entire forest--in one day!"

"Lugia stood aghast as the king's words. He had never cut down a tree in his life, and had no earthly idea how to begin." Misty narrates "But Ho'oh sensed the frantic thoughts in his mind, and told him..."

"Don't be afraid...." Melody assures Ash as Ho'oh. "In my ship you will find an axe, which you must take with you to the forest. When you have cut down one tree with it just sing 'Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...' and all the trees will fall on the ground. But pick up three chips of the tree you felled, and put them in your pocket."

"And Lugia did exactly as he was told, and soon returned with the three chips safe in his coat." Misty narrates.

Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... Ash sings as Lugia for effect.

"The next day, when everyone arrived, the king issued the second challenge..." Misty narrates again.

"Second, he must put back all the trees he cut down yesterday." Brock announces as the king.

"This sounded much more difficult than what he had done before, and he turned in despair to Ho'oh.

"It's okay." Melody assures Ash as Ho'oh before offering him a small bottle of water. "Take this water and sprinkle it on one of the fallen trees, and sing to it 'Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...' and they will be standing again like nothing happened at all."

"And Lugia did what he was told, and left the forest looking just as it was before." Misty narrates.

Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... Ash sings as he pours out the water on a wildflower sprout, as if expecting his spellsong to make it bloom in seconds.

"On the third day, the king issued the final challenge: Lugia was to slay a Gyarados which lived in a river that flowed at the back of the castle." Misty intones. "Everyone had heard stories of this fearsome Pokemon, though no one had actually seen it; but from every so often a child wandered too far from home and never return, and then mothers would forbid the other children to go near the river, which had juicy Berries and lovely flowers growing along its banks."

She adds as an aside "So it was little wonder Lugia trembled and turned white as a Gastly when he heard what he had to do."

"You will succeed in this too," Melody assures the jittery audience as Ho'oh, 'for in my ship is a magic sword which fires beams that cut through anything. Go down to the river and unfasten a boat which lies moored there, and throw the chips into the water. When the Gyarados appears, you will cut off its head with one beam of your sword. Then take a scale from its body and go with it tomorrow morning into the royal kitchen. If the king himself should come in there, just say to him: "Here is a gift I offer you in return for the services you demanded of me!" throw the scale, and hurry to the ship as fast as you can go. But be careful not to look behind you."

"Lugia did everything Ho'oh had told him." Misty continues. "In his eagerness to get to the ship, he got lost and wandered about. Just then, he came to an oracle's hut in the forest, and explained his quest to her. The Oracle told him that Ho'oh was near dead with grief. When he saw her, he was to sing the song 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul'. Then she would recognize him. She also told him of a castle of jewels in the heavens, but he still had many more trials left to face before he got there."

"This is getting good..." Brock notes. Pikachu sparks excitedly in agreement.

"Lugia thanked the oracle with tears of happiness for the good news she had given him, and continued his journey." Misty went on. "He helped many people with their disputes, earning a cloak of invisibility, a tablecloth that produced meals fit for royalty, a mage's staff, and shoes of teleportation for his wisdom."

"Wow!" Ash gasps, impressed.

"Lugia put on the shoes of teleportation and sang Karuto, iichiida shou.... warping him to the jeweled castle in the heavens." Misty continues. "He found Ho'oh dying of grief, so he knelt down by her side, and sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

She concludes "Ho'oh recognized Lugia's voice, and threw herself in his arms. Their joy was amplified by the spellsong, transforming them into majestic bird Pokemon. Arceus then appointed Ho'oh as guardian of the sun, and Lugia the guardian of the moon. The wedding was celebrated right then and there, and there was great rejoicing in the heavens and on the earth for at least a week!"