Tale 42: The Beasts and the Salamence (Brock)


"Once a boy was leading his Miltank to market when Jirachi appeared to him, leading Raikou, Entei, and Suicune behind him." Brock begins. "Jirachi offered to give the boy--who we'll call Hunter--the three Beasts in exchange for the scrawny Miltank. Hunter was bit hesitant at first, but then realized that the Miltank was old, and hardly producing milk any more. So Jirachi gave him the Beasts and a silver whistle to call them if he needed help."

Ash reaches for his whistle as Brock continues "Hunter's mom was none too pleased when she learned what had happened, but before she could beat him, Raikou knocked the belt from her hands."

Melody swallows hard in fear. "Hunter was then banished, but he didn't despair--the three Beasts protected him and brought him food every night." Brock stretches for a moment, then goes on "It wasn't long before he came to a forest filled with all sorts of beasts and Pokemon, and made his home there. "But for some reason, he felt a sickening feeling every time he went in the forest, as if Arceus himself was telling him to be wary."

"So what lurked there in the wood?" Melody asked.

"It turned out a band of giants lived there, and one day while Hunter was away, slipped some poison in the soup he was making for lunch." Brock replies. "But Raikou sensed something was wrong, and overturned the cauldron. Then the giants tried an enchanted chair that froze anyone that sat in it--but Entei destroyed that. They finally decided to catch Hunter themselves."

"And how did they do that?" Misty asks.

"They hid in the house while Hunter was away, and ambushed him." Brock explains. "They tossed him into a pit filled with the bones of other unlucky travelers, and rolled a rock over it so he couldn't get out. But then Hunter remembered the magic whistle!"

Ash plays the Zelda whistle song for effect. "Hunter had only blown a single note before the Beasts arrived to rescue him and slew the giants." Brock continues. "Although the giants were slain, Hunter worried about what other ghastly monsters lurked in the forest, and decided to settle in town. But when he got to town, he saw everyone was saddened. The townsfolk explained that a dark fairy had asked the queen to rear the princess as her own, but the queen refused time and time again. In her anger, the dark fairy sent a Salamence that would only be appeased if young girl of pure heart was sacrificed. The king was offering the princess' hand in marriage if anyone could drive the dark fairy away by defeating the Salamence."

"And then?" Melody is excited.

"Hunter told the king he wished to try and defeat the Salamence. Despite pleas not to do it, he bought himself a sword and set out for the Salamence's cave." Brock replies. "It was a long and drawn out battle, but Hunter summoned Suicune..." Ash plays the Zelda whistle theme again. "and Suicune helped him defeat the Salamence. Hunter cut off a scale as proof of his deed. But while he was out fighting the Salamence, a knight tried to steal Hunter's credit by passing off a Persian skull as a Salamence skull."

"Hap pini pini?" Happini is appalled at this. "Pini pini, ha pini pi!"

"The Beasts knew this too, and dashed into the throne room minutes before the king could declare that the knight and the princess would marry." Brock continues. "Hunter exposed the knight as a fraud, and showed the king his Salamence scale."

"And Hunter and the princess lived happily ever after, right?" Misty smiles.

Brock nods. "Although Hunter kept the whistle with him, just in case he needed the Beasts' help."

(The real tale is based on a French tale called "The Three Dogs and the Dragon", which you can read on Google Books)