Tale 33: The Twin Mages and the Taillows (Misty)

(real tale: Tritill, Litill, and the Birds)

"There was once a princess that was well loved and well liked by everyone in her homeland." Misty begins. "One day, she mysteriously disappeared, leaving her father the king devastated."

"I would be too if I were a king and my princess disappeared...." Brock notes.

"The royal guard searched the whole kingdom from top to bottom, but didn't find her." Misty continues, before it dawns on her that the princess has not been named. "What shall we name this lovely princess?"

"Raya!" Ash suggests.

"Wendy!" Brock suggests.

Both of those are nice names...but which to choose? Misty thinks. After mentally flipping a coin, she goes with Ash's suggestion. "We'll call her Raya."

Ash grins when he hears his name was chosen. "Finally, the king issued a proclamation saying whoever could find Princess Raya and bring her home safely would have her hand in marriage. Many princes and adventurers tried to find Princess Raya, but had no luck."

"But who, or what, took Princess Raya?" Melody worries for Princess Raya's fate.

"I'm getting to that." Misty assures Melody. "In a certain town not far from the palace lived a man and his three sons--the youngest of which was named Andrew. While his brothers lived free wheeling high lives, Andrew was quiet, kind, brave, and unselfish."

"How sweet..." Melody smiles.

"One day the eldest brother decided to go out into the world and seek his fortune." Misty continues. "He walked on for a while before stopping to rest for lunch. A fire mage passed by, and asked if he could share his food, but the eldest brother refused."

Melody is shocked that the boy turned away someone in need. "That isn't very nice!"

"He'll get what's coming to him--don't worry." Ash assures Melody.

"A little farther on, the eldest brother stopped for dinner, where a water mage met him on the road." Misty continues. "She too asked him to share some of his food, but the eldest brother refused her. He finally made camp in a cave in the mountains after chasing a flock of Taillows away, not knowing it belonged to a terrifying ogre!"

The Pokemon gasp at this. "Pi ha pipi?" Happini asks.

"When the ogre found the eldest brother, he allowed him to sleep in the cave, provided he spend a day in his service in return." Misty explains. "The boy agreed, and in the morning, the ogre told the eldest brother to sweep the dust from the cave, and have it spotless by nightfall, or else. The eldest brother had never worked a day in his life, but did what he could. The ogre was mad when he saw the cave all dusty, and killed the eldest brother right there."

"Serves him right for not helping those mages and the Taillows before." Melody muses. "They could have helped him."

"Back at the house, the middle brother heard of his brother's fate, and vowed to go out into the world to seek his fortune in his brother's stead." Misty continues. "But the same thing happened to him--he refused to share his food with the two mages, chased away the Taillows, discovered the ogre's cave, where he too met his demise."

"So what about Andrew?" Ash is interested.

"Andrew vowed not to repeat his brothers' fatal mistakes as he went out into the world to seek his fortune." Misty assures Ash. "When he met the fire mage at lunch time, he gladly shared his food with him. The fire mage was touched by Andrew's kindness, and introduced himself as Aidan. Aidan taught Andrew a special song to call him if he needed help. When he met the water mage, he shared his food with her. The water mage introduced herself as Talise, and she too taught Andrew a song to call her should he need help. He also shared his food with the Taillows, and the Swellow in charge of the flock was so touched by Andrew's kindness, he taught him a song to call the flock should he need help."

"Remember those songs..." Melody reminds the boys. Ash and Brock nod.

"Andrew also found the ogre's cave, and seeing where his brothers had fallen gave him more resolve to not repeat their mistakes." Misty continued. "It wasn't long before Andrew was discovered by the ogre, and he too was tasked with sweeping the floor the next morning."

"Azu?" Azurill gasps, excited.

"Andrew worked hard all day, but the floor was nowhere near clean." Misty continued. "Finally, he leaned on his broom and sang the song to call Aidan..." She then sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

The Pokemon cheer when they hear the song. "Aidan appeared in a flash of fire, and consumed all the dust in a ball of flame." Misty continues. "The ogre was pleased to see the clean floor, and gave Andrew extra dessert in return for another day of service."

"To which Andrew agreed, right?" Brock asks. Misty nods.

"I'd do anything for extra dessert!" Ash agreed.

Misty just ignores the comment. "On the second day, the ogre asked him to stuff his pillows--and if even one feather was missing, he would have his head. At first, the task was easy as Andrew threw out the old feathers, but before he could put fresh feathers in, a breeze came up that blew all the fresh feathers away!"

"Oh no!" Melody gasps.

"Andrew's first thought was to panic, but then he remembered the song the Swellow taught him..." Misty then sings Karuto, iichiida shou...

"Pika pi? Pika pika?" Pikachu asks.

"Sure enough, the Taillows came and rounded up every last fresh feather so Andrew could finish his chore. The ogre was pleased, and offered Andrew three rewards and to let him go on his way in return for another day of service." Misty continues. "On the third day, the ogre took Andrew to his fields, and told him to kill one of the Tauros there for dinner that night. He had a very specific Tauros in mind, and if Andrew killed the wrong one, it would be his life in exchange."

Brock swallows hard as Misty continues. "As soon as the ogre had left, Andrew sang the song that summoned Talise..." She then sings Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

Once sure everyone is listening, she continues. "Talise appeared in a flash of blue light, and brought the Tauros the ogre wanted prepared to Andrew on a wave of water. She told him that when the ogre asked him what he wanted for his three rewards, he was to ask for what lay beneath the cave, what lay under the bed, and what lay on top of the bed."

"I have a sneaking suspicion I know what one of those things is..." Brock muses.

"The orge returned, and although he had his doubts how Andrew could've been done so fast, he decided to give Andrew the benefit of the doubt." Misty continues. "When he asked what he wanted for his rewards, Andrew asked for what lay beneath the cave, what lay under the bed, and what lay on top of the bed."

"What were those items?" Ash is curious.

"What lay beneath the cave was a ship that could sail on wind as effortlessly as it did water...." Misty replied. "What lay under the bed was a large chest filled with gold and jewels...and what lay on top of the bed was Princess Raya!"

"YESSS!!!!" Brock cries when he hears his prediction confirmed.

"Andrew loaded the chest of jewels and gold aboard the ship, and flew for the palace with Princess Raya in tow." Misty concludes. "Her father was stunned to see Princess Raya alive, and they were married the next day. But Andrew never forgot the songs to call the mages and the Tailows, and always sang them when he was in trouble."