Board :Tales of the People
Author :Archon Iyagi
Subject :"Fishing for more than fish" by Namu
Date :2/7
"Fishing for more than fish"                      
 
 
 I glared at the water, trying to intimidate it to give me a
fish. A small fish. A tiny fish. A minnow, I didn't care, just
something to fill my stomach with. My shabby fishing pole had
seen better days, that was for sure.
 
  They say "Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach
a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime." What they
neglected to mention was the lesson on when the damn pond was
was as empty of fish as my stomach was. I was about ready to  
rear a rock at the trifling waters when the most unlikely
reflection appeared, smiling good naturedly.
 
  "Emperor?" I said to the reflection. I rubbed my eyes,
surely this was just a clever ruse of the sun. It remained.
I was bewildered.
 
  "Talking to yourself?" It said, chuckling. I turned my head,
and the Emperor sat down next to me, barefoot and equipped
with his pole.
 
  "Uh.." Uh. Was this all I could muster in front of royalty?
I was giving peasants everywhere a bad name, they'd be calling
us "newbies" for Hyuls for this treacherous act...
 
  He smiled, white teeth peeking from behind his lips. "Don't
mind me. There's nothing like a relaxing day of fishing. Maybe
today will be my lucky day?" He said. It seemed rhetoric to
me, but I answered anyways.
 
  "Well, you'd have a heck of a time. Lady luck has seemed to
disappear along with the fish. Not a minnow swimming today.."
 
  "Ah, you haven't heard the legend?" I shook my head no. "I
have good word from some of my more expert fishing friends
that Flameblades lurk in these waters, minds of their own.
Logical? No. Possible? I think so."

Wait 'til I tell my friends that Emperor was crazy, they
wouldn't believe it!
 
  As I told the story in my head, manipulating it to make it
seem I was far more funnier and had more wit then I would in
the given situation, the Emperor's pole gave a tug. Another
tug -- This time almost throwing his highness in the waters.
 
  He yanked the instrument with surprising strength, and on
the hook was the hilt of a Flameblade, the sword burning
brightly with flame and desire. I gawked in surprise, and the
Emperor was laughing with disbelief.
 
  "It's true! It's true!" He said, his eyes reflecting the
fire clearly. "It IS possible to fish a sword of flame from
the river! Wait until I tell the.."
 
<b>                            *SMACK*
 
  They say "Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach
a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime." - I say "Give
a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Knock out the Emperor
with a rock and steal his fished Flameblade and sell it, and
he'll have enough money to buy food for a long time."
 
 
---------------
Namu