Nicholas the Scamp

This is a story that changes with each telling, but also must be told exactly the same. An oral story from the hin clan Poutsannapannes. A tale of the heart, of clan, of kin, a confident bet and of course the just desserts. Not once is the tale told the same, for each retelling is done with the teller's own soul's truth. A story of how the priestess of Cyrrollalee Mabel Longwalk fooled Nicholas Lowsky, a thief and a true scamp of Brandobaris.

Mabel's clan was always on the move. Like many hinnish cans they were semi-nomadic, always treading the same ground but their path was long. So it was that Mabel would come to the same water hole over the years to wash her linens. It was on this fateful day when Nicholas laid eyes upon her. Nicholas was a free spirit, with no masters or place to call home, not a shred of loyalty to another. A materialist to a fault, everything he owned as a Thing, more Stuff, and it was overwhelmingly 'donated' unwilfully by whomever he had come across.

As Nicholas looked upon Mabel, he saw something more than just a jewel to be plucked, or a treasure to be taken. She was in but a single word: Beautiful. A soft smile with auburn hair that was long and silky, and like most clergy of Cyrrollalee, she was an inviting and warm presence. She was something that Nicholas just had to have. Yet, she was entirely and utterly unimpressed by his attempts to woo her, no matter that he pulled out all the stops. Charming lines, some juggling, a bit with throwing knives, an apple and accuracy. He did try and many a lass or lad would have swooned at his attempts, yet she was simply unimpressed.

Leaving his beautiful Mabel behind, Nicholas vowed to impress her. After all, Nicholas could get anything that he wanted. He always could. So Nicholas snuck into a nearby town, staked out the jewellery shop for a few weeks before breaking in and stealing their biggest and prettiest jewel. He disappeared into the night and quickly caught up with Mabel's caravan.

Once more he found her while she washed her linens alone. Grinning from ear to ear he presented the fabulous jewel to her, certain that this would finally impress her. While he was a scamp of Brandobaris he clearly didn't understand Cyrrollalee very well, as stealing isn't very impressive to the goddess and generally not to those who worship her. So all Mabel did was shrug her shoulders and let out a 'Meh'; a response that showed just how little she cared about it. Nicholas threw the jewel at the ground, marring it's beautiful surface, and stormed off, furious.

Disappearing for a bit he paced a rut in the earth attempting to think of what it was that he could possibly do to get this hin. It occurred to him that possibly he wouldn't be able to, that this was one person who was hellbent on making sure he lost. So if he couldn't have her, then he could have his revenge. If he couldn't have her then he would steal from her instead!

So Nicholas stalked Mabel's caravan and in the middle of the night he stole into Mabel's wagon. With a wide grin at his revenge he stole her family's most precious item, her father's ceremonial sword! A sword passed down to him from his own father, and from his father's father; it was an important sword; and not the least because having it stolen while you slept was a hard hit to her father's dignity.

Once more, Nicholas confronted Mabel, grinning ear to ear yet again as she washed her linens by the river. He admitted to her, laughing, that he had stolen the sword and that he could easily steal much more if he wanted to. However, he said that he was a generous hin, and after all he was getting bored of Mabel so maybe he could let her off the hook.

Mabel smiled as she wrung out her linens, and gave a small shake of her head. "I'm unimpressed", she said to him calmly, a moment later.

She might have said that she had kidnapped his favourite aunt, for how terribly he took her reply. He flew into a fury, stomping his feet. He shouted at her "Do you know, all the things I've nicked?! All the pockets I've picked?! The wealth I've gained?! The fools I've fooled?! I'm a scamp through and through!", he ranted and raved, nearly frothing at the mouth. Yet halfway through his tirade Mabel held up a hand to stop him.

"Well, if you're so good... Perhaps you can steal from me that which is most precious. It will be difficult though, in fact I'll give you a whole year to do it! And if you can't... You will return to me my father's sword, not bother us again and on top of that, give ME what is most precious to you instead.", Mabel continued, with a small smile.

Nicholas was taken aback, did this Mabel really think she could keep anything precious from him, of all people? He grinned and wrung his hands together as he chuckled, "Okay sure. I'll take that bet! But if I win then you have to come away with me.". They shook hands in agreement and Nicholas left to scheme. After all, he had a whole year to steal one thing, he had pilfered vaults and stolen from dragons. How hard could it be?

Days turned into weeks and into months as Nicholas brought her things that he had stolen from her caravan from time to time. Each and every time she would simply state "Nope. Try again." before sending him away. Slowly the poor scamp went mad trying to figure it out. In desperation he sought out and enlisted the aid of a seer. If he couldn't figure out what was most precious to her, at least he could figure out where it was. Two fortunes over he paid to divine where Mabel was hiding this treasure of hers, yet the seer's response made no sense. Her treasure kept moving! Not just with the caravan, but all over the place - from one town one moment to a town miles away another. He nearly tugged his hair out in frustration that he couldn't figure it out.

A year had passed and he finally gave up trying to steal Mabel's treasure. One day when she was washing her linens he came to her and tossed her father's sword to her feet, before stating with nigh hostility: "You cheated. You lied to me. What is your trick?"

Mabel simply smiled before replying, "Well. I just picked something I knew you couldn't steal."; before grinning ear to ear. "The thing that is most precious to me is my family, and I doubted you could manage to squirrel all of them away."

Nicholas, red in the face in equal parts embarrassment, anger and frustration, threw both of his hands up and stormed off. Never again did he bother her caravan, though he also didn't give up his most precious item either - not that Mabel thought he would. Mabel picked up her father's sword and returned it to her father, her clan had a good meal that evening and Mabel told the story of Nicholas the Scamp.

Originally told by Aesyvaari Brightburst during the first Day of Stories. Recorded, written and embellished by Minto T Fuzzypaw.