Tale 204: The Legend of Jack and Epona (Brock)

(real tale: Sivka-Burka)

Just as Brock is about to begin his next tale, he notices movement inside his bag. Huh? When he peeks inside, he balks when he sees a Pichu wearing a miniature red mage's hat and a matching cape. "Tarina? How did you get here?"

[Easy--I found a map to your campsite on the table, and followed it here.] Tarina explains, pleased with herself. [Since you were busy telling tales and playing music, I managed to find your bag and hide in there to dry off from the rain.]

Brock isn't sure whether to scold Tarina or be amazed that she managed to find the group from home, but Ash is quick to the Pichu's defense. "Don't punish her! She didn't know any better!"

"That, and the more listeners we have, the better." Misty agrees.

Brock thinks for a moment, but decides Tarina's journey isn't worth punishing. "Okay...but next time, if you want to go with me somewhere, ask first."

[Okay.] Tarina smiles.

"Well, since she's here, what kind of stories does she like?" Ash wonders.

[Oh! Tell the one about Jack and the magical Ponyta!] Tarina requests.

"Which one?" Brock presses Tarina for more information. "I know several Jack tales that involve a magic Ponyta, so you have to tell me which one..."

[The one where you do the grasswhistle every time Jack summons the Ponyta.] Tarina requests.

Brock grins--he knows which tale Tarina is requesting. "Long ago, there was an old man who had three sons. The two elder sons looked after the farm, and they liked dressing up in fancy clothes and fantasizing about being rich. But the youngest, whose name was Jack, liked to go off into the forest to collect mushrooms, and when at home he spent most of his time sitting by the great kitchen stove. One year, The father got very sick, and knew his time to die was close. So he called in his sons and told them..." He switches to a gentle older man voice. "When I have joined Arceus in the heavens, bring me bread to my grave for three nights."

He pauses to pick a suitable blade of grass. "After clinging to life for a few weeks, the father succumbed, and was buried. That same night the eldest son should have gone to the grave as his father ordered. But either he was lazy or he was afraid, for he said to his youngest brother...."

He whispers to Ash in a younger man voice "Jack, take my place tonight; you go to father's grave. I'll buy you a cookie in return."

As himself, he continues "Jack agreed, packed some bread, and went to his father's grave. There he sat down and waited. At midnight the grave opened, his father's spirit rose out of it and said..."

In character as the father he asks "Who's there? Is it you, my eldest son ? Tell me what is happening in the world. Are the Growlithes barking or the Mightyenas howling?"

"Yes, it is I, your son," Ash answers as Jack. "But all is quiet in the world."

"The spirit ate the bread Jack had brought and vanished." Brock continues as himself. "Jack made his way home, gathering mushrooms as he went. His eldest brother asked him..."

As the eldest brother, he asks Ash "Did you see Father?"

"Yes." Ash replies as Jack.

"Did he eat the bread?" Brock presses for more information.

"Yes. He ate all he wanted." Ash assures Brock as Jack

As himself, Brock continues "The next night, the middle brother should have gone to the grave. But either he was lazy or he was afraid, for he said..."

In a slightly higher pitched version of himself, he tells Ash, "Jack, you go to father in my place. I will make you a pair of shoes if you will."

"All right," Ash replies as Jack.

"So Jack packed some bread, went to his father's grave, sat down, and waited." Brock continues. "At midnight the grave opened, his father's spirit rose from it, and asked..."

As the father again, he asks "Who is there? Is it you, my second son? Tell me what is happening in the world. Are the Growlithes barking or the Mightyenas howling?"

"Yes, it is I, your son," Ash answers as Jack. "But all is quiet in the world."

"His father ate as much of the bread as he wanted, and vanished." Brock narrates. "Then Jack went home, gathering mushrooms on the way. When he reached home the second brother asked him...

He and Ash perform the rigamarole again. "Did father eat the bread?"

"Yes, he ate all he wanted."

As himself, he continues "The next night it was Jack's turn to go to the grave. But he said to his brothers..."

"I have been the last two nights. Now one of you go, while I rest." Ash complains as Jack.

"But his brothers answered..." Brock switches to his "brother" voice. "Why, Jack, you know the spot now; it would be better for you to go."

"Oh, all right," Ash sighs as Jack.

Brock narrates "He packed some bread, and went. At midnight the grave opened, and his father's spirit rose from it...."

As the father, he and Ash start the rigamarole a third time. "Who is there? Is it you, my youngest son? Tell me what is happening in the world. Are the Growlithes barking, or the Mightyenas howling?"

"Yes, it is Jack. But all is quiet in the world." Ash replies as Jack.

Brock forms a grasswhistle as he narrates "The father ate the bread, and then said...."

As the father, he intones "You are the only son who has done as I asked. You were not afraid to come to me in my grave three nights in a row. Now go out into the open field, pick a blade of grass, and play this song..."

Brock then proceeds to play the first six notes of Epona's Song on the grasswhistle. "A shining Ponyta named Epona will come galloping up to you. Sing to her..." Brock then sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul..., before continuing in character "and you will be turned into a handsome young man. Mount Epona, and ride her."

Tarina sparks happily when she hears the familiar song. "Jack thanked his father and went home, gathering mushrooms as he went." Brock narrates. "When he arrived home his brothers asked him..."

He and Ash perform this exchange a third time. "Did you see father?"

"Yes."

"Did he eat the bread?"

"He ate all he could, and did not order us to go any more."

"But Jack said nothing about Epona." Brock intones as himself. "A few months passed, and the king issued a proclamation: all the fine young men in the land who were unmarried were to assemble in the royal courtyard. His daughter Princess Amy, who was a girl of matchless beauty, had ordered a tower twelve stories high, and raised on twelve pillars, to be built for her. She was going to sit at a small window at the top of the tower, and wait there until a young man riding a Ponyta jumped right up to her and kissed her as he passed. Then, no matter what his birth or origin, the king would marry Princess Amy to this man, and would give half his kingdom as a dowry. Jack's brothers heard of the king's proclamation, and agreed that they would try their luck."

"So what did they do?" Melody asks as Tarina and Pikachu share a few excited sparks.

"They fed Ponytas well, and dressed themselves in their finest clothes." Brock explains as he toys with his grasswhistle.
"Jack, who was sitting on the stove, said to them..."

"Brothers, take me with you--I want to try too." Ash pleads as Jack.

"You dolt, you go on sitting on the stove, or else go off into the forest to gather mushrooms," Brock scolds in his brother voice. "And do not get in our way."

"That's not very nice!" Misty protests.

"With that, the two elder brothers mounted their good Ponytas, cocked their hats jauntily, whistled and whooped, and rode off, making the dust fly up in clouds." Brock narrates before readying the grasswhistle again. "But Jack went out into the open field, picked a suitable blade of grass, and played the song his father had taught him..."

He then plays Epona's Song on the grasswhistle again. "A few seconds later, Epona galloped up. The earth trembled under her hoofs, glowing flames streamed from her nostrils, and smoke rose in columns from her ears. She stood as though rooted to the ground and asked..."

"What are your commands?" Misty asks as Epona.

Jack petted Epona, saddled her and bridled her, laid his hands on her, and sang...." Brock narrates.

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sings as Jack.

"...and transformed into the most dashing young man one could imagine." Brock narrates. "Then he mounted Epona and rode off to the king's palace. As Epona galloped along, the earth trembled; it flew over hills and valleys, through plains and forests till they arrived."

"So what happened when Jack got there?" Melody wonders.

"When Jack rode into the royal courtyard, he found a great number of young men already gathered." Brock explains. "In the center of the courtyard a high tower, twelve stories high, was raised on twelve pillars, and at the very top Princess Amy was sitting at a little window."

"Pika..." Pikachu gains heart eyes as he pictures Serena as Princess Amy.

"The king came out to the courtyard and said..." Brock switches to his standard "king" voice "If any one of you can jump right up to that little window and kiss my daughter, Princess Amy, I will give her to that once as his bride with half my kingdom as the marriage dowry."

He continues as himself. "So the fine young men began to jump, one after another. But the window was very high, and not one succeeded in reaching it. Jack's brothers tried too, but they did not even get halfway. Finally, it was Jack's turn to make the attempt."

[How did he do?] Tarina asks, sparking happily.

"He urged Epona into a jump, and failed by only two stories." Brock explains "He turned Epona, ran up a second time, and failed by only one story. So he turned Epona again, circled around the courtyard, urged er on and took the jump at full gallop. Like a shooting star he flew up to the little window and kissed Princess Amy on the lips as he went past. Princess Amy's emerald ring left an imprint in his forehead as confirmation of his feat. Seeing that Jack had succeeded, everybody cheered."

[And then?] the Meowths ask.

"But Jack had already galloped away, and was nowhere to be found." Brock replies. "He galloped into the open field, where his transformation wore off, turning him back into Jack. He let Epona go, and returned home, gathering mushrooms on the way. He tied a bandanna on his forehead hide the emerald ring's mark, hurried to the stove and sprawled himself out in the ashes. When his brothers rode home they told him where they had been and all they had seen. Then Jack untied the bandanna and revealed where Princess Amy's ring had left its mark. The room was filled with a bright green light, so much so that the brothers feared Jack would set the house on fire."

Everyone laughs at this. "So he tied the bandanna over his forehead again." Brock smiles. "The next day, the king summoned all his princes and noblemen, and even ordinary people, whether rich or poor, old or young, to a big party. Jack's brothers also got ready for the party, so Jack asked them..."

"Take me with you." Ash requests as Jack.

"You would only make the people laugh, stupid!' Brock scolds in his "brother" voice, to everyone's laughter

As himself, he continues "The two brothers got on their Ponytas and rode off, but Jack followed them on foot. He arrived at the king's palace in time for the party and seated himself in a distant corner. Princess Amy began to go from one guest to another, offering each guest some candy and looking to see if anyone had the mark of her ring on his forehead. She greeted all the guests and gave them candy, and finally came to Jack sitting in the corner. As she approached him her own heart suddenly beat faster. She looked at him; he was smothered in dirt, and his hair was standing on end untidily. Nevertheless, Princess Amy asked him..."

"Whose son are you? Where are you from? Why is your forehead bandaged?" Melody asks as Princess Amy.

"I bumped it," Ash answers as Jack.
.
"She took the bandanna off his forehead, and the entire palace was lit up in green." Brock narrates. "Princess Amy announced to all the guests..."

"That is my ring's mark. Here is my destined husband." Melody fills in Princess Amy's dialogue.

"The king came up, looked at Jack, and said..." Brock switches to his "king" voice again. "How can he be your destined husband? He is covered in soot."
:
"Let me go out and wash myself." Ash requests as Jack.

"The king gave his permission. Jack went out into the courtyard with a piece of grass and played...." Brock plays Epona's Song on the grasswhistle again. "Epona came galloping up, making the ground tremble under her hoofs. Jack laid his hands on her, and sang again..."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sings as Jack.

"...and was transformed into the handsomest young man anyone had ever seen." Brock concludes. "All the people cried out in astonishment. Needless to say, the king threw another party some days later--and this one was a wedding party!"

[Bravo!] Tarina leads the applause as Brock leads the bows....