Tale 24: Chance and the Witch (Misty)

(real tale: Ebsen and the Witch)


"There was once a man that had twelve sons." Misty begins. "While the other eleven were strong and brave, the twelveth preferred to stay at home instead of joining in the rough and tumble games his brothers played. Since his parents didn't expect to have him, he was named Chance--since it was by chance he was born."

"Very nice name." Brock notes.

"The year finally came when the boys were of age, and Chance's brothers went out into the world to seek their fortunes." Misty continues. "While Chance enjoyed having the house to himself at first, he secretly wished he could go out into the world himself. But as his parents had gone all out on his brothers, they didn't have the money to secure a Ponyta for Chance."

"Moral of the story--live within your means." Brock whispers to the Pokemon.

"I'm nowhere near done!" Misty snaps. Brock slinks away as she continues "So Chance went into the forest, broke off a tree branch, enchanted it to fly when he cast a certain spell, gathered his belongings, and went off after his brothers."

There is silence as everyone contemplates what Misty has told them so far. Finally, Ash works up the courage to ask "So, what adventures did Chance get into?"

"Before I tell you that, I have to tell you what adventures his brothers got into." Misty assures Ash.

"Pack a lunch--this could take a while." Brock groans as he pictures Misty telling each brother's adventures in excruciating detail.

"Relax, it won't take THAT long." Misty replies. "The brothers made their way into a forest, and came upon a witch's cottage. They asked the witch for a night's lodging, never mind the large numbers of Oshawotts and other Pokemon running around the house. The witch agreed, in return for a day's service for her. The brothers discovered that the witch had eleven daughters. and each took one as a bride."

She continues. "Meanwhile, Chance had followed his brothers and hid himself under one of the beds. He knew well why there were millions of Pokemon running around the house--every night, as any guests slept, she would turn them into Pokemon and keep them as her pets."

"Oh..." Ash muses as he figures out what fate awaits Chance's brothers.

"Chance woke up his brothers and told them what was about to happen to them. He told them to give their caps to their brides, and leave them behind." Misty continues. "Not long after Chance and his brothers had fled, the witch crept into the bedroom, and wound up turning her own daughters into Pokemon!"

Melody's laughter is the loudest as the group pictures the witch's reaction. "Chance's brothers thanked him for saving their lives. They rode on until they came to a palace in another land, where they asked the king if they could enter his service. The king agreed, and put the brothers in charge of the royal stables, and Chance in charge of the royal library."

"Pini!" Happini cheers--if there is a king, then a princess is not far away!

"Now, among all the king's knights was one particular knight named Sir Duncan." Misty continued. "While the king favored Sir Duncan for his loyalty and bravery, the rest of the kingdom hated him for his black heart. He grew jealous of the eleven brothers, and plotted to get rid of them and Chance."

"Uh oh..." Ash is fearful for the twelve brothers' fates.

"Every day, Sir Duncan would come before the king with some charge or another against the brothers, and every time, the king refused to believe him." Misty continues. "Finally, Sir Duncan claimed he had heard the brothers say that they knew of a Pidove that shone like the moon. The king summoned the brothers, and although they insisted they knew of no such Pidove, the king told them to find the Shiny Pidove, or else."

"What about Chance?" Brock asks.

"Chance heard his brothers crying over their task, and offered to help them." Misty explains. "He told them he would find such a Pidove. True to his word, Chance took a bag of Rindo Berries and his enchanted stick, and commanded the stick to fly." She pauses to sing Karuto, iichiida shou...

"Keep going!" Brock smiles, pleased at how well Misty is doing. "You're doing great!"

"Chance flew towards the witch's cottage, and scattered the Rindo Berries on the ground." Misty continues. "Sure enough, the Shiny Pidove flew down to eat the Rindo Berries, and Chance caught it easily. He hoped to get out of there without being seen, but the witch found him!"

"Azu? Azu?" Azurill asks.

"She asked him..." In character as a witch, she intones "Is that you, young man?"

"Y-yes..." she stammers as herself.

"Did you take my Pidove?" she demands as the witch.

"Y-y-yes...." she replies. Ash stifles a giggle at Misty's feigned fear.

"Did you turn my daughters into Pokemon?" she asks as the witch.

"Y-yes..." she replies as herself. This continues for a while:

"Will you be back again?"

"Maybe."

"Then you're gonna get it!" she screeches as the witch, startling Happini and Azurill.

'Ha pini pi?" Happini asks, shuddering a little.

"Before the witch could catch Chance, he had already flown off with the Pidove." Misty assures Happini as herself. "The king was stunned that the brothers managed to find a Shiny Pidove, and rewarded them handsomely. But this made Sir Duncan even more jealous of them."

"This is getting good...and then what happened?" Ash asks, excited.

"Some months went by, and Sir Duncan came before the king again, claiming he had heard the brothers talking about a Tepig that shone like gold." Misty continues. The king summoned the brothers, and told them to find the Shiny Tepig, or else."

"I have a feeling I know where this is going..." Brock whispers to Ash.

"Yeah, but your version involves a Shiny Ponyta and three magic instruments." Ash whispers back.

"Chance agreed to help his brothers again, and left aboard his magic stick." Misty continues, pausing to sing Karuto, iichiida shou... again. "He took along a bag of grain, and scattered it on the ground. The Shiny Tepig came out to eat the grain, and Chance caught it easily. But before he could get out of there unseen, the witch found him!" She then proceeds to singlehandedly create the conversation between Chance and the witch:

"Is that you, young man?"

"Y-yes..."

"Is that you that took my little Tepig?"

"Y-yes..."

"Did you take my Pidove?"

"Y-yes..." The boys giggle at this.

"Did you turn my daughters into Pokemon?"

"Y-yes..."

"Will you be back again?"

"Maybe."

"Then you're gonna get it!"

Happini and Azurill scream with delight at this. "The king was stunned that the brothers had found a Shiny Tepig, and rewarded them handsomely." Misty assures the group as herself. "Though the brothers were relieved their lives were spared again, they had no clue that Chance had found both Pokemon."

"Who wants to bet Sir Duncan sends them after a gold Riolu next?" Ash whispers.

"Or a crystal Onix?" Brock suggests.

"That reminds me, I need to tell you that story." Ash smiles at the memory.

Misty, meanwhile, has other ideas. "Some months went by, and Sir Duncan came before the king a third time, saying he had overheard the brothers talking about a lamp that shone so bright, it could be seen everywhere."

Ash fills in what is coming next. "So the king summoned the brothers and told them to find said lamp, or else."

"Even though the brothers had no clue where such a lamp existed." Brock adds.

Misty smiles. "Since you're obviously paying attention, can you tell me what happened next?"

"Chance saw his brothers crying, and asked to help." Melody replies.

Misty nods, pleased that the boys and Melody have caught on to the repeated elements in the lengthy tale. "he asked for some salt, and left aboard his magic stick." She then sings Karuto, iichiida shou... again.

"Pini pini?" Happini asks.

"Chance arrived at the witch's cottage as it was getting dark, so the courtyard was closed up." Misty explained. "So he landed on the roof and went down the chimney instead."

"Azu azu!" Azurill smiles.

"Yeah, just like Santa." Brock smiles as he pets Azurill.

"Chance saw the lamp in the kitchen, but just as he reached for it, he saw the witch's only remaining human daughter enter the kitchen to make dinner for the night." Misty explained. "When she wasn't looking, Chance slipped some salt in the broth. That ruined the soup, and so the human daughter had to go out to the well to get more water to make new broth."

"Hapi?" Happini asks.

"Chance followed her, took the lamp when she set it on the rock, and pushed her in the well!" Misty continues, making the boys laugh. "The yelp got the witch's attention!" She begins the rigamarole again:

"Is that you, young man?"

"Y-yes..."

"Did you take my Pidove?"

"Y-yes..."

"Is that you that took my little Tepig?"

"Y-yes..."

"Did you turn my daughters into Pokemon?"

"Y-yes..."

"Did you soak my remaining daughter to the bone?"

"Y-yes..."

"Will you be back again?"

"No, never again!"

The boys applaud the interplay. "That got the witch so mad, she became a puff of smoke and disappeared, never to be seen again." Misty continues. "All the people she had turned into Pokemon--including her daughters--became human again, and the brothers were reunited with their brides."

She concludes "Chance told the king what really happened, and Sir Duncan was put to death for lying to the king. Chance was hailed as a hero, and they all lived happily ever after."

"WOW!!!" Ash leads the applause. "I didn't know your tale was that long!"

"Believe me--Violet made it even longer." Misty cautions. "But I had to end it somewhere, and since things in folktales usually come in threes, I stopped there."

Brock smiles. "I have trained you well in the way of the storyteller, Nincada..."

"Aw, it was nothing." Misty giggles. "It helps when you have two really good teachers!"