San'akeid and the Oranok
In every age their have been many famous people, whether they be kings, scholars, knighs or even clever old women. These people would become known for great deeds, or valuable lessons. San'akeid is not one of these people. No, San'akeid was a fisherman, a good fisherman, but this is not why we know him. He was stubborn and foolhearty, and constantly getting into trouble. However he had a cleverness to him, of a sort, and as much as he got into trouble he could get himself out of it in no time. This is the story of San'akeid and The Oranok.
San'akeid loved his days to himself, and found that one day he had made enough money one week to buy all the food he would need for a month without working his market stall, and could spare the coin for two bottles of wine to boot. Others would save this money for grander things, or put it toward bettering themselves. But San'akeid thought to himself "what do I want more in the world than a day alone to fish and a bottle of wine? And now I can have two bottles and many days to myself"! Soon San'akeid bought some meat and wine from the neighbouring stalls and left for home late that afternoon.
When San'akeid reached his home the sun was beggining to dip bellow the horizon. This upset San'akeid, as he wanted to go fishing soon. However San'akeid listened to his parents as a child, and knew that those who wandered the night alone might have to face the Oranok. So he stiffled his excitement and went inside to sleep the night away. First he went to bed, but he just could not sleep! "I'm far too excited, and I just cannot sleep! Mabye a full stomach will lull me!" he thought. So he cooked for himself a game bird, and ate it all in one Sitting! "That's better!" he said, and headed off too bed.
However when he got into bed his head was racing with thoughts of tomorrow. "My stomach is full, but my head is still racing!" he thought to himself. "I wish I had a way to quiet my head. Wait, I know, the Wine! That should calm my nerves"! And so San'akeid took a swig of wine, and then another, but still his head was racing, even after half a bottle. "If I keep drinking my wine, I won't have any for tomorrow!" he realised. "But my head is still racing! I can't help but think about everything I'll need to prepare for tomorrow! I know, I'll prepare tonight, so I can leave first thing!" And so he did, soon getting his finest rod and bait. Seeing all of his gear in one place, and with the wine playing games with his head he thought to himself "I wouldn't be the only one out tonight if I left! Surely the Oranok wouldn't come after little old me"! And with this ill-advised idea he picked up his gear and left his home, stepping into the night.
"See, I am fine!" he thought to himself when he was well on his way to his favourite fishing hole. "I am alive and the path is very quiet!" However the quietness didn't last long, and soon he heard weeping from the path ahead. He looked in the direction of the weeping, and saw two broken white horns, shining in the moonlight, above a figure hidden by the darkness. "The Oranok!" He panicked, stumbling off the path and hiding in a bush. "Oh Mayreign I am sorry! Make me a shroud of night to hide me from the Oranok!" and to his fortune he was hidden from the creature, hearing it's dreadful cries grow closer, and then pass, fading into the night. "Wow, that was easy! Mayreign must want me to make it to the fishing spot!" his wine addled brain thought.
So he continued on, making it too his favourite fishing hole. "Ha! the Oranok was no match for me!" He chuckled to himself as he cast a line into the water. For hours he fished, drinking and laughing and eating. Over time he caught one fish after another, big ones, small ones and ones that didn't bite during the day! Soon he caught a giant fish, bigger than him, with plenty of meat and beautiful scales. "Wow, this will feed me for a week, and I can sell the scales for a years worth of pay"! But his moment of joy was interupted by weeping from the path. He looked to the bushes on his left and right, but saw they were made of narled wood and brambles. "I can't hide in there! But if I don't hide she'll bite me and take my skin! Oh, if only I had a second skin so her bites wouldn't hurt, and that she wouldn't take mine!" he said before remembering his catch. "Of coarse, I'll skin the fish and wear it's skin"!
With fear on his side he quickly gutted the fish, putting it on in the knick of time. Turning around he saw the horns once more, and beneath them a woman in white, her face gaunt and her throat slit. Seeing him she began to wail louder, the sound now coming from everywhere. San'akeid froze in fear at the sight as she disappeared into the night, before reappearing beside him from the shadows. She lunged at him, her fangs sinking into the fish skin around him. Although he was scared the teeth did not sink far enough into the fish skin to do more than graze him. After multiple minutes passed a powerful lunge knocked him over, and she took that as a victory. "Here it comes!" he thought, "Now she'll take my skin and try to take me away! Lets hope this works"!
The Oranok kneeled over him, revealing long claws at the edges of her fingers. One split the fish skin from head to tail, ripping it off of San'akeid in one swift move. Quickly she went to hang it on a tree, and then turned to take the body to some unknown place, but when she turned her victim was gone! She began to thrash and wail, searching the night to find San'akeid. However he was already gone, running home at full speed. "Thank you Mayreign! I will never break my promise to you again"! Soon the wailing drew near, but he could see the door of his home. In a mighty leap he reached his door and swung it open, slamming it as the Oranok came into sight. The creature wailed and wailed, pacing outside his home until the dawn. The monster was forced to leave as the sun rose, and from that day San'akeid never travelled the lonely roads at night, nor broke a promise to the gods.
This is one of many cautionary tales that involve The Oranok, however it has a more lighthearted ending than most involving the creature (probably due to the inclusion of San'akeid, a subject of more humerous stories).
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