Short Stories

Mercurio

by Martin Higareda

Once upon a time there lived a young man named Mercurio. Now Mercurio was the only son of a poor farmer, but he was no less a fine and handsome fellow, and full of good sense, and so it came to him one day that he ask for the hand of the Marquis’ daughter. So his father gave him an old sword and some traveling boots, and hugged him tight, whereupon Mercurio took himself off to the court of the Marquis, to make himself known. This was very bold of him, for you see, there were a great many suitors from all the fiefdoms already there, and they all laughed at his plain dress - they were clad in rich robes and finery. But Mercurio was steadfast and waited patiently.

Pretty soon along came His Excellence the Marquis Malachaestes Mnamalthistes (which is a lot to say, and is why everyone just called him the Marquis), and his kind and beautiful daughter Mystith. And straightaway Mystith and Mercurio fall in love, he was so handsome, and she so beautiful. But the Marquis was not so impressed, and said, “Good Mercurio, how is it that I should let you marry my daughter?”

And Mercurio answered him, “Why, milord, it is because I am the only one who truly loves your daughter and might give her happiness.”

And since this was true, the Marquis said to him, “That is all very well, but first you must prove this love."

"That is only fair," agreed Mercurio.

"Then," said the Marquis, "Do you travel through the western wood, the eastern mountains, and the southern deserts, into the foul lair of the great dragon Maelenchaetes...and slay him!” And Mercurio was very sad, for he had never slain anything before, much less a dragon, and he did not know how. But since he loved Mystith so very much, he agreed.

The very next morning Mercurio strapped on his sword and his traveling boots, and made to leave. And when no one was looking, Mystith came to Mercurio, and gave him a silver flask. "Take this, my good Mercurio," she whispered, "and you will never know thirst." And then she kissed him on the cheek, which is not the worst thing in the world, I assure you.

***

Well, on the first day of his travels Mercurio journeyed through a great dark forest, home to twisted shadows and twisted tales. And at night the air grew so chill and the darkness so dark that he built himself a large fire to keep himself safe and warm. And as he picked up a fine old stick to add to the blaze, the stick suddenly cried out, “O Mercurio! Do not slay me thus!”

Well of course Mercurio was surprised and shocked and said, “How came you, stick, to speak like this?”

To which the stick replied, “O Mercurio, I am enchanted by a powerful wizard to speak to all travelers and lead them into the forest to their doom. But since you have spared me, I will gladly serve you unto death.” So Mercurio kept the magic stick, and went to sleep. And wouldn't you know? That night and every other, every time some twisted creature drew near, the magic stick would call out, and warn Mercurio, so that Mercurio traveled all the way through the dark wood unharmed.

***

A few days later Mercurio came to the rough and rocky country of the east, where the ground was treacherous and steep. Well, towards evening he sat down to camp again, and picked up an excellent rock to sharpen his sword by the firelight. And lo! the stone cried out, “O Mercurio! Do not slay me thus!”

And again Mercurio was shocked and surprised and said, “Stone! Tell me, how is it you have come to speak?”

And the stone replied, “Oh, I am an enchanted lodestone. I might weigh a pound, or ten pounds, or a thousand pounds, a curse to all who find me. But since you have spared me, I will gladly serve you unto death.” And so Mercurio took the stone, and rested for the night. And wouldn't you know? Every time Mercurio almost lost his footing and slipped off the side of a cliff into some gaping chasm, the stone would grow heavy and root him to the spot, saving him. And this is how Mercurio traveled through the mountains unharmed.

***

And so Mercurio journeyed for many more days, and it was hard, for now he traveled through a wide desert, home of serpents and sand pirates. Towards evening he happened upon an oasis, and decided to camp. But he did not drink from the oasis, for he had Mystith's silver flask, and had never known thirst (although he did take a bath). But when he took the water from the oasis to put out his fire, suddenly the water cried out, “O Mercurio! Do not slay me thus!”

And Mercurio (only just slightly surprised this time) said, “Water! How is it that you also might speak?”

“Oh,” said the water, “I am the enchanted water of slumber. Should anyone drink of me, they would sleep until the end of the world. But since you have spared me, I will gladly serve you unto death.” And Mercurio was very glad of the flask, and rested for the night.

***

A few days later Mercurio reached the edge of the desert, and found a cave, and inside the cave he found Maelenchaetes (the dragon), who right away captured poor Mercurio, and said, “Ho, small man from a faraway land, woe to you and anyone waiting for you, because now I will eat you in one bite!” Mercurio was very frightened of course, for the dragon was scaly and ugly and horrible and had big orange eyes and was so mean he didn’t even have a grandmother.

But Mercurio was full of good sense, and said, “O Maelenchaetes! I am so small, why must you eat me?” And he threw the enchanted stick into the cave where it cried, “O Maelenchaetes! Eat me!” And the dragon, not about to pass up an extra morsel, ran into the cave to find the strange person who wished to be eaten. Quickly Mercurio took out the enchanted lodestone and put it on the dragon’s tail when it wasn’t looking, and ran away. But the dragon heard him and chased him all the way through the desert. The stone, meanwhile, had become a thousand pounds, and pretty soon the dragon was hot and tired. But Mercurio had the silver flask, and good sense, and ran and ran until they had at last reached the oasis, where he finally stopped and said, “Now, Maelenchaetes, it was a merry chase, but aren’t you thirsty?"

“Yes,” said the dragon, “Let me have a drink from this delightful oasis. But remember that straightaway afterwards I shall eat you.” So Mercurio saw him to the enchanted water, where the dragon took a drink, and--wouldn't you know?--promptly fell down, fast asleep! Then Mercurio slew the wicked dragon, and fetched his stick and stone (and some water from the oasis), and at last headed home.

***

And so, after only a few more days of travel, and no more adventures, Mercurio again found himself in the court of the Marquis, and there were gasps and whispers all around. Soon Mystith came, and hugged him tight, and someone fetched the Marquis, who was so amazed to see the dragon Maelenchaetes’ head, and the wondrous gifts of the enchanted stick, stone, and water, that he immediately called for a grand marriage between Mystith and Mercurio. And it was a magnificent thing, this wedding, with dancing and feasts, and everyone was so happy that they all laughed and cried at the same time. And so that is how Mercurio came to be Marquis, and how Mystith came to be his wife.

And if they haven’t died they are still alive today.