Week 5 Story: "No Goblins for Me!"
Based on Twenty-Two Goblins from the Vetālapañcaviṃśati, translated by Arthur Ryder
"No Goblins for Me!"
There once was a great King named Victory, who ruled a small kingdom on the banks of a broad, sparkling river. The King was bold and brave and loved by all who met him. King Victory had a son very dear to him whom he named Triple-Victory, and as the boy grew older it was clear that he was even bolder and braver than his father, and would be even more loved by the people.
Many years passed and the boy became a man, and when his father Victory died, Triple-Victory became King. He resided in a grand palace with a view of the clear, blue water of the river. He took a beautiful wife and had sons of his own. The townspeople brought him rich gifts and in return he ensured their safety and happiness. The King was content.
One of the people who brought the King gifts was a poor Monk named Patience. Though he had no gold nor silver to offer Triple-Victory, he brought every day a stone fruit - a peach, plum, or mango - and gifted it to the King, who would pass it along to his servants as he had no need of fruit. The servants every day dropped the fruit out the window, where it would fertilize the lush, green gardens outside. The servants were well fed and they, too, had no need of fruit.
One day, the Monk Patience entered the palace with a round, red mango in his hands and knelt before the King, who kindly accepted the gift. As Patience left the palace, the King handed the fruit to his left, and by accident it fell to the floor. Before a servant could come and collect it, a small monkey dashed across the room and grabbed up the fruit. The King chuckled and thought no more of it, until a moment later when, upon the opening of the mango, a large, shining gem was revealed.
"What a glorious gem!" cried Triple-Victory, and summoned his servants.
"Pray tell, where are the other fruits from the good Monk Patience?"
The servants ran to the garden and there they saw a whole pile of such gems which had been revealed as the fruits rotted away. They delivered this news to the King, who requested that the Monk be summoned immediately.
"Why have you brought me all of these beautiful gems?" asked the King, "please, let me reward you for your generosity. What do you most desire?"
"Your highness, I desire but one small favor from you - there is a lone sissoo tree some miles to the south, and something precious hangs from its branches. Respectfully, I would ask that you go there to that sissoo tree and bring me what you find."
The King scratched his head, confused, but agreed to go, as he was an honorable man and desired to show the Monk generosity. So the next day, King Triple-Victory set out to find the sissoo tree. He walked southward all day and watched as the sun crossed the sky. As he reached the solitary tree, the sun was nearing the horizon and the air had grown cool from twilight and the light breeze which now blew across the field.
As the King drew nearer to the tree, he was able to see what hung in its branches. The dim light of the evening could not disguise the fact that there hung a body, bound up by its neck with the flesh rotting away. The King was disturbed.
"Why on Earth could the Monk require this decaying cadaver? Very well, I shall bring it to him, and then I may ask," thought the King aloud to himself.
The King scaled the tree and drew out his knife, and as he reached toward the rope to cut down the corpse, it gave a shudder. The King drew back, startled. The corpse began writhing wildly, like a serpent caught in a trap. King Triple-Victory quickly climbed down from the tree and gazed in horror as he realized that there was something inside the body - a goblin. Though he was brave and bold and honorable, the King was not stupid, and he knew that to bring this goblin with him would mean suffering a full night of riddles. He sheathed his knife and started back towards the town.
"No goblins for me!" cried the King, as he walked away.
Author's note: The original story begins in the same way as this one, but the king chooses to bring the goblin in the corpse to the monk and is treated to a night of riddles. I chose to end it this way, because when I was reading the original, I found the idea of a wriggling corpse with a goblin inside of it really horrifying, and I couldn't imagine choosing to carry it on my back for miles while solving riddles all night. I opted for a more realistic ending. I've attempted to mimic the style of the original story and I haven't changed any names.
"No Goblins for Me!"
There once was a great King named Victory, who ruled a small kingdom on the banks of a broad, sparkling river. The King was bold and brave and loved by all who met him. King Victory had a son very dear to him whom he named Triple-Victory, and as the boy grew older it was clear that he was even bolder and braver than his father, and would be even more loved by the people.
Many years passed and the boy became a man, and when his father Victory died, Triple-Victory became King. He resided in a grand palace with a view of the clear, blue water of the river. He took a beautiful wife and had sons of his own. The townspeople brought him rich gifts and in return he ensured their safety and happiness. The King was content.
One of the people who brought the King gifts was a poor Monk named Patience. Though he had no gold nor silver to offer Triple-Victory, he brought every day a stone fruit - a peach, plum, or mango - and gifted it to the King, who would pass it along to his servants as he had no need of fruit. The servants every day dropped the fruit out the window, where it would fertilize the lush, green gardens outside. The servants were well fed and they, too, had no need of fruit.
One day, the Monk Patience entered the palace with a round, red mango in his hands and knelt before the King, who kindly accepted the gift. As Patience left the palace, the King handed the fruit to his left, and by accident it fell to the floor. Before a servant could come and collect it, a small monkey dashed across the room and grabbed up the fruit. The King chuckled and thought no more of it, until a moment later when, upon the opening of the mango, a large, shining gem was revealed.
"What a glorious gem!" cried Triple-Victory, and summoned his servants.
"Pray tell, where are the other fruits from the good Monk Patience?"
The servants ran to the garden and there they saw a whole pile of such gems which had been revealed as the fruits rotted away. They delivered this news to the King, who requested that the Monk be summoned immediately.
"Why have you brought me all of these beautiful gems?" asked the King, "please, let me reward you for your generosity. What do you most desire?"
"Your highness, I desire but one small favor from you - there is a lone sissoo tree some miles to the south, and something precious hangs from its branches. Respectfully, I would ask that you go there to that sissoo tree and bring me what you find."
The King scratched his head, confused, but agreed to go, as he was an honorable man and desired to show the Monk generosity. So the next day, King Triple-Victory set out to find the sissoo tree. He walked southward all day and watched as the sun crossed the sky. As he reached the solitary tree, the sun was nearing the horizon and the air had grown cool from twilight and the light breeze which now blew across the field.
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| Twilight by Toshiyuki IMAI via Flickr |
"Why on Earth could the Monk require this decaying cadaver? Very well, I shall bring it to him, and then I may ask," thought the King aloud to himself.
The King scaled the tree and drew out his knife, and as he reached toward the rope to cut down the corpse, it gave a shudder. The King drew back, startled. The corpse began writhing wildly, like a serpent caught in a trap. King Triple-Victory quickly climbed down from the tree and gazed in horror as he realized that there was something inside the body - a goblin. Though he was brave and bold and honorable, the King was not stupid, and he knew that to bring this goblin with him would mean suffering a full night of riddles. He sheathed his knife and started back towards the town.
"No goblins for me!" cried the King, as he walked away.
Author's note: The original story begins in the same way as this one, but the king chooses to bring the goblin in the corpse to the monk and is treated to a night of riddles. I chose to end it this way, because when I was reading the original, I found the idea of a wriggling corpse with a goblin inside of it really horrifying, and I couldn't imagine choosing to carry it on my back for miles while solving riddles all night. I opted for a more realistic ending. I've attempted to mimic the style of the original story and I haven't changed any names.
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great story! It definitely did not end the way I thought it would from the introduction. I gave the first impression that it would be about kings and countrymen and a quest of some sort. It was pretty shocking when Triple-Victory came across the corpse! The plot elements were great, it really kept me engaged. I'm left wanting to know more: who was the monk, what did he want with the goblin, where did the jewels come from, is there significance behind the names? The addition of a little more background would have added a great layer of depth! I think a story that leaves the reader with questions is that much more impressionable. Your writing style is really wonderful, too. Can't wait to read the rest of your stories throughout the semester!
Hey Natalie!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, thank you for changing the ending. Riding all night with a goblin sounds at best disturbing, and at worst down right terrifying.
I appreciate how you stayed true to the story but made adjustments to fit your style and create a setting in which you were more comfortable expressing yourself. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Best,
- JD
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting read. What initially caught my attention was when the mango was opened up and a gem was found to be inside. I wonder how the fruits came to have these rich gems in them. I understand why you changed the ending, but now I am curious how the monk would respond since Triple-Victory did not return with what was asked of him. I'm glad to read a story that makes me ponder its outcome.
Hey, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI really like your retelling of this story and the fact that you added a little bit of realism to the ending. After all, that's a pretty disturbing image to come across -- who in their right mind would stick around to see what the goblin has to say? It's refreshing to read a fairy tale where the people behave more like real people would, not like characters in the typical heroic tale.
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteThis was certainly an interesting story, which seems to be common from you. The more realistic ending definitely feels more natural, if a little unsatisfying. I know for a fact I would have turned heel and ran the moment I saw a cadaver. I'd enjoy some finishing story on how Patience would react to not receiving his request, but I can also see the natural end to the story there.