Gemone, speaker of caution, son of Firbonir, opened his idiot mouth to ask “What about those demons though?”
“Be silent Gemone, speaker of caution, son of Firbonir. Perhaps these demons will be generous and receptive to our company.”
So we began to climb the nearest tree, its thick branches supporting our weight without strain. When at last we reached the canopy, we moved from one tree to another towards the thin limbed demons and the fruits they guarded. One member of our ranks, Glemetra, of much wealth, daughter of Heirbirt, slipped and fell to the forest floor where her bones did shatter. My companions and I wept golf-ball-sized tears but pressed on.
When at last we were in earshot of the demons I called out “Hark! I am Diblobius, seeker of truth, heir to several thrones, son of Biromon. My companions and I seek the fruits that you guard for we are very hungry.”
One demon approached us quickly, deftly climbing with his slender arms and legs. “Hello Diblobius, seeker of truth, heir to several thrones, son of Biromon. I too am hungry, and your gang of intruders looks like a fitting meal!”
One by one this great demon reached out and devoured my companions as we clutched the tree in fear. Though this trial was daunting, I had a plan and reached into my pocket to pull out a sinister flask of poison.
I spoke with jet-powered words. “My demonic friend, spare the rest of my company and I will offer you a drink of the finest quality to wash down your ill-gotten meal.”
The demon snatched the flask from my hand and poured its contents down his throat. Immediately his grip on the tree loosened and in time he fell to the ground where his bones did shatter. What few of my companions were left alive sighed relief through their tennis-ball sized tears.
I spoke, “Do not hang your heads in grief. Though we lost many allies to the trials of this forrest, by my cunning we shall feast on demon flesh tonight”. My fellow travellers managed a weak cheer before following me down the tree to claim our meal.
Author’s Note: This story was based on Homer’s Odyssey, specifically the encounter between Odysseus and a cyclops. Odysseus is trapped by the cyclops and his party is eaten over the course of days until he fools the giant monster and blinds him with a stake. My story follows a similar plot and includes the thematic elements of personification of nature, respect for title and heritage, and visceral description of grief.
Bibliography. Odyssey by Homer, translated by Tony Kline. Web Link.
Photo: A fruiting palm tree. (Public Domain Pictures)
Dakota,
ReplyDeleteI think you do a really excellent job of writing in the style of Homer and evoking that kind of classical feel in your writing. You're obviously a very detail-oriented person, which is evident in your story. I'm also getting serious Game-of-Thrones vibes from some of your naming. The spacing also works really well to give the reader a sense of the forward motion you're trying to give the story.
Hey Dakota! Great job with your take on this story. The Odyssey is such a classic piece of writing and can be hard to duplicate. However, I think that you did a great job in voicing the story in your own words. I like how in your author's note you say your story includes a "visceral description for grief." Wow, that's quite the way of putting it because you can sense more than the fear in the narrators voice. Great job!
ReplyDeleteDakota,
ReplyDeleteYou did great with this retelling. There was a lot of intense things going on, death and being eaten and such, but I like the little break that came from describing “golf ball sized tears.” I also think the ending, where the survivors talk about eating the demon, shows that this is not a group to be messed with, without dire consequences.