Tale 51: The Enchanted Deerling (Brock)

(real tale: The Enchanted Deer)

"Once a boy was out walking with his Ponyta when he met a man on the road with a bow on his back, a Pidgeotto on his shoulder, and a Arcanine at his side." Brock begins.

[You mean like ribbons young human girls wear in their hair?] a Meowth asked.

"No--the kind of bow I mean here is what you use to shoot arrows." Brock explained to the Meowth as he drew a picture of a bow with a nocked arrow in the dust with a small stick. Once his drawing was complete, he continued. "The boy--we'll call him Takeru--offered to trade his Ponyta for the bow and the Pokemon, and the man agreed. Takeru's mom, however, was not too happy about what had happened, and beat him until he was black and blue!"

"Ow..." Ash winces at the thought of that much pain.

"I would've given Takeru's mom a good talking to!" Misty growls, angry that Takeru was beaten for no good reason.

"Takeru didn't like the idea of constantly being beaten either, and went out into the world to seek his fortune that night, while his mom slept." Brock agrees with Misty. "He walked for a while until he came to a farmhouse. The farmer and his wife fed him a hearty breakfast. While they ate, the farmer saw Takeru's bow, and told him of a Deerling that kept eating his crops. Takeru agreed to kill the Deerling, so that night, he waited in a bush for the Deerling to appear. When it did, he readied an arrow..." Brock pantomimes aiming a bow. "But before he could fire, the Deerling transformed into a beautiful lady!"

[Was she a princess?] a Meowth asks.

[Just wait and see, hon.] Mai assures the female Meowth.

"This happened three times--Takeru would aim an arrow at the Deerling..." Brock pantomimes aiming a bow again. "But the Deerling would become a beautiful lady. He would look again to be sure he wasn't seeing things, and sure enough, the Deerling would be there again. Finally, the Deerling ran off into the forest, and Takeru followed it."

"Where did the Deerling lead him?" Melody asks, interested.

"Takeru followed the Deerling through the forest, until he came upon an empty house." Brock replies. Though the Deerling assured him it was safe, Takeru didn't know the house belonged to a gang of bandits."

"Oh no..." Ash swallows hard in fear.

"The bandits were none too pleased to find an intruder in their house, and though Takeru managed to slay a few of the bandits, he was still badly wounded, and left for dead." Brock continues. "The Deerling, meanwhile, cast a healing spell..." He pauses to sing Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... before continuing "and Takeru was healed, good as new. After this had happened two more times, the Deerling led him on to another house in the forest, and told him to meet her in the shrine of Arceus that stood in a nearby clearing. "But that house belonged to an evil witch, who cursed the shrine to put to sleep the first person that entered."

"And then?" Melody asks.

"Sure enough, Takeru was put to sleep when he tried to enter the shrine." Brock continues. "As he slept, the young lady--who had been transformed into a Deerling and would only be freed by someone that risked his life for her--first left a small scroll with her name on it--Hirana. Then, she laid her hands on him and sang..." He then sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... before continuing "Takeru woke up with no memory of what had happened. He saw the scroll with the name 'Hirana' on it, and set out to find whoever, or whatever, 'Hirana' was."

"Hirana has to be the Deerling girl, I just know it!" Ash cries.

"After a long journey filled with many adventures--which are stories in themselves--Takeru came to a faraway kingdom, where a Pokemon race was being held." Brock explains. "Takeru's Pidgeotto brought him royal finery, and he entered the race himself, riding his Arcanine. It was a fierce competition, but Takeru won by a nose."

"Yes!" Misty smiles. Takeru and Hirana have to marry now!

Brock, meanwhile, has one more trick up his sleeve for Takeru. "Unfortunately, the fierce competition left Takeru all dirty, and the king mistook him for a bandit. But minutes before Takeru was to be executed, he saw Hirana run and tell her father how Takeru had risked his life for her three times and broke the spell on her."

Melody heaves a sigh of relief. "Arceus forbid the king execute an innocent person..."

"Takeru was immediately set free, and he and Hirana were married." Brock concludes. "They lived together for many years, and had many more adventures--but that is another story for another day!"

"There's your happy ending..." Ash smiles at Misty as he applauds....