Menewsha Avatar Community

Menewsha Avatar Community (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/index.php)
-   Writer's Conference (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=95)
-   -   The Tale of Cledwyh's Harp (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178064)

Plotbear 01-26-2011 05:19 AM

The Tale of Cledwyh's Harp
 
The Tale Of Cledwyh’s Harp

Long, long ago, when the world was new, there lived a mighty warrior named Ashlan. Gaia had blessed him, for he was strong, wise, gifted, and handsome. When he let out a battle cry, enemies for miles around shook in fear. If there was a dispute that even the elders couldn’t solve, Ashlan could come up with a way to please both parties in the blink of an eye. When he played the bodran, even the trees seemed to sway with the beat. And so attractive was he that women buzzed around him like bees round a hive. Ashlan paid little mind to them, though, for none of them managed to touch his heart.

One night, when the moon spilled silver light upon the ground, Ashlan took a walk through the forest. As he ventured deeper into the thick, he heard the most beautiful music coming from the trees. The sound entranced him, and he followed it, over brook and under brush, round hillock and through vine, until he came to a clearing.

It was there that he found the source of the song. It was a strange old man with a long white beard, playing skillfully upon a harp. But Ashlan barely noticed this at all. What filled his vision was the stunning creature that danced to the music. Her hair was the color of summer moonlight; her eyes were the green of the newest bud of spring. The way she danced, it was as if her feet barely touched the ground. Ashlan took one look at her and knew she was the one he was meant to love.

The old man looked up and saw him approach. Without stopping the music, he called out “Ah, young boy who slips through the shadows, what is it you seek here? Turn round, we have nothing that you want.”

Ashlan stepped into the clearing and fell to one knee at the old man’s feet. “I do not intend to disturb the proceedings here; I was merely traveling through the woods when I heard your music playing. Tell me, please, who is the goddess who dances here? Is she your daughter?”

The old man let out a dry, creaky laugh. “My daughter! No, impetuous boy, she is no daughter of mine! Her name is Cledwyh, and she dances here only because I play upon this harp. Watch.” He let his fingers run lightly across the strings, and Cledwyh frolicked over to him. She looked down at Ashlan and smiled, and his heart was lost.

For three nights Ashlan traveled to the clearing in the wood to watch Cledwyh dance. Every night he would beg the old man to let him take Cledwyh away so he could marry her, and every night, the old man would shake his white head and say no. Ashlan grew heartsick, every moment of his day was filled with visions of her, and at night she even haunted his dreams.

Finally, Ashlan came up with a plan. When he came back to the clearing, he brought a bottle of wine with him. He gave it to the old man to drink, and drink he did, until he lay down upon the grass and snored. Ashlan picked up the harp and plucked the strings, and Cledwyh came running to him. His plan had worked! Very carefully, he played upon the harp, and stepped out of the clearing to see if she would follow. She did, and his heart was joyous.

And so he led her with the music, through vine and round hillock, under brush and over brook, and she followed him like a moth entranced by flame. Ashlan was so overjoyed by his success that he was not careful about where he walked, and he tripped over a tree root. His large hand broke three of the harp strings, and the snap seemed to fill the forest. Cledwyh stopped dancing.

She looked at him with a heartbroken expression, and suddenly her body twisted this way and that, and a sound like a thousand fiddles out of tune poured from her mouth. Her eyes grew dark as night, and her teeth were as sharp as blades. Gone was the gentle, beautiful creature that danced, in her place was an evil demon.

She turned on Ashlan and tried to attack him, but before he could think twice, Ashlan pulled out his sword and stabbed her in the heart. The awful screeching sound filled the air once more, and Cledwyh disappeared in a burst of light. Stunned, Ashlan dropped his sword and roared with grief.

Later, Ashlan repaired the strings and went back to the clearing, but the old man was gone. There was no trace that he was ever there at all. Determined to somehow bring his love back to him, Ashlan played the harp in that clearing for a year and a day. She never came back, and he died of heartbreak.

But some say, if you are ever on the moors of Razreesh, when the moon is bright and full and the scent of dew is heavy in the air, be still and listen closely. You might just hear the poignant sound of a harp, and see a flash of hair like summer moonlight in the trees.

kittenquills 01-26-2011 05:44 AM

Oh this was beautiful sweetheart! I love folktales like this so much, growing up on them as I did, and this gave me such an itch to re-read some! *huggles muchly*

fairywaif 01-28-2011 10:43 PM

That was really good! I usually try to give constructive criticism, but I can't find anything wrong with your story. Very nice.


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:41 PM.