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Curse of the Toads Stool LF2021 ---non.writer---

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posted on Oct, 10 2021 @ 11:29 AM
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Curse of the Toad's Stool



In the days of yore a throne was a throne, no matter where or how one sat? A throne remained, even whilst standing or laying down no one dared to try and place themselves on it. Over the course of time the reasonings for such were lost… from “Nay! Do not sit there!” to “I dare you to sit there.” as children haunted and played about instead of being out in the gardens staring awed with simple breath at butterflies and trying to catch crickets with their little hook fingers Learning crochet and spoiling a sweet roll from out of the kitchen.

Despite the ominous tales old as to why one doesn’t not sit… the game and fall of the throne was at hand. Perhaps making so much out of the throne was the issue but who as an adult did not admire such a thing? Some princess once tried to do the same thing with mattresses all piled up from all around her kingdom, but that is from another time and place.

Little boys placing frogs and then little girls daring each other to kiss it expecting a prince to fly out of its mouth as if the king had already croaked! Oh well as if the king was a stool and those little devils didn’t get the foot! Charles! Promptly he hit his head trying to fetch a pence out from under the duvet covered bed frame. Rubbing his head “Yes love what ‘tis it?” The female figure just stood there coyly “The crowns fit crowns fitting about a knot?” With the grimace disappearing “Oh dear yes quite.”

The king sort of had a way of story-telling in his head whilst he was about doing things, and well this Shhh! Don’t tell anyone as this is one of them. “I thought I saw a Ducat.” She gasped “A Ducat? What would a Ducat be doing under a bed?” … “Ha! Having kittens.” said he. “Kittens? Oh haha if your sword was as sharp as your wit.” The king turned “I wouldn’t have found a Pence?” She smiled and put her hands on her hips. “Indeed it must have fallen in love with a beautiful stranger, got scared and hid under the bed.” Gruffly he looked at her “You’re on my throne.”

The king wasn’t the sort to leave his throne unguarded and well telling tales was his game to shoot in the kingdom not have others arrows befalling him as if storytelling was a game and sport for everyone.

“You can play duck duck goose and musical chairs and crown yet another toad… but by god you can’t get on my throne and tell tales.” she giggled and held out her hand. He placed the Pence in it. “I love you because you are shrewd,” he said. “I love you because if I wait long enough you have to pay the piper for cursing the lord’s name.”The king smiling with his head slightly bowed in penance “Touche love touche.”

Dusting off his knees the king stood there as she left the bed chamber humming. “Perhaps if I didn’t speak out loud, she wouldn’t find me so easily,” he thought. “I heard that!” his eyes suddenly went to fright “You did not!” reclaiming himself “Oh! Oh! The humming? Yes, yes, quite lovely!” Her back to him as she continued to walk with the same smile as before, heels echoing off of the tile. “Ducat.” she said giggling and placed the coin in her lower outer vestment pocket.

Around the king looked for another coin. “It must have a pair or else there is a devil winking at me from afar. He stroked his beard “If I were the other coin, where would I be?” A small voice asked, “Is this it?” his eyes popped wide then settled on the small child narrowing inquisitive “Is this what?” The child “Not that this, this; This.” Holding up a coin. The king gasped “Indeed, it is!” taking the child’s hand “Let’s go find the shrew, she might want to tame some more words out of me.” The small child looked up at him “Ok my what a big knot you have.” walking along the corridor the king reached up feeling the bump indeed it had swollen considerably.

“Oh that’s from the lord for holding in a swear when I hit it.” said the king. “The coin?” said the child looking to pass the coin to him. “Oh, no. no. You keep it for now.`` They walked hand in hand mindfully adjusting their steps against each other’s stride. The child put the coin in their mouth. The king seeing this raised his eyebrow as such a thing was auspicious seeing how children do or act but rarely think until questioned wondering their reasoning's.

“You know a fallen tongue child?” he asked as the child nodded and gripped his hand tighter. “Tied to a throne it can be a dangerous thing, think you can remember that?” again the child nodded. “Good,” he said. “Good.” following the humming and echoing steps the met the dining hall. “I have this strange feeling that I am being followed.” she said “Oh, so you thought you'd run off with the lord's ransom and leave me this child in the coins place?”

She looked at him, narrowing her eyes, her smile unchanged “Good sir, are you accusing me of witchery?” The child slid the coin out from under its tongue and perched it on their lips. “Seems we have a three legged Chinese fortune on our hands.” The king said. “The pair?” she said looking astonished. “Yes I know such a thing is rare to find the rivers pair but better in the mouth than in the eyes.” He said. “Did the king swear at all in your presence, child?” The coin still perched in the lips, shaking their head back and forth in a “no.”

Reaching for a cup from the table and putting it before the child’s mouth, the child's lips relaxed and the coin fell in with a ploink. “I have a feeling about this one.” said the king. “I thought you might.” she said. “Well, child it appears my throne has fallen to you, as the curse of the frog prince has finally been broken from it”


The end







edit on Sun Oct 10 2021 by DontTreadOnMe because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 11 2021 @ 12:49 AM
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Congrats on your first story entered into our little Contest!


Wishing you success and good luck,
Johnny



posted on Oct, 13 2021 @ 05:46 AM
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Well done 👍😊

Good first entry

Welcome to the fray

I had no idea what games they were playing, but I liked it

Also, the throne at the start, sounded like a metaphor for the human body
edit on 13 10 21 by Compendium because: Correction



posted on Oct, 13 2021 @ 08:10 PM
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a reply to: Compendium

Well games there wasn't any TV etc etc and being royalty they basically just had to keep up appearances and well old wives tales and superstitions where in a sense a way to have fun and enjoy each others company in a light hearted manner and of course a bit crotchety to keep one's imposing figure as authority so everyone wasn't reduced to child like madness forgetting themselves and their place.

National novel writing month is coming in November as a re-occurring US event and many people yearly take to the task like they do with New Years resolutions it's something I have picked up doing just for the fun of it.




posted on Oct, 17 2021 @ 03:19 PM
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a reply to: Crowfoot

I was taken with the cadence of the conversations of your story so much that I did some research as to the cultural references. This was really quite a cerebral story and very witty. Thanks much for participating!



posted on Oct, 17 2021 @ 10:25 PM
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a reply to: argentus

If you think of tiny Tim being in a catholic orphanage that was a royal child donated after WW1 or WWII in recompense of project paperclip instead of money they didn't have already being sacked from work for having given too much... then you'll clearly see a picture of love and tradition before they were never to be seen again like lights out before sleep occurs or the mind shuts down to rem but eventually that fades until more "family" arrives only to come takes yours so you can see either the progress or mess they have made of "Home".

World wide has done this in both of those wars.



posted on Oct, 17 2021 @ 10:53 PM
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a reply to: Crowfoot

My only constructive criticism, is you need to use punctuation

You wrote a whole paragraph in your last post, without a single comma

It makes it a little hard to read, which betrays what you are writing, which is good 👍😊

edit on 17 10 21 by Compendium because: Spelling, etc



posted on Oct, 17 2021 @ 11:16 PM
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a reply to: Compendium

when speaking do you use such a thing?



posted on Oct, 18 2021 @ 01:43 AM
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a reply to: Crowfoot

Yes, it's called inflection



edit on 18 10 21 by Compendium because: Added video



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