“Grandfather, come see! I planted that hobnail and a weird little weed has come out of the ground!” “Really? Ah, yes, a shoe tree.” “That’s…well, not ridiculous but really weird. It has bark that’s like, well, leather!” “Yes, it’s a faerie plant. They are often strange. The shoes it grows contain Rego vis, but better…
Read MoreThe Story in Which Rosa Discovers a Family Secret
“Rosa, you’re bleeding. Are you hurt?” “Oh, I cut myself on something. It doesn’t string like it did, but it just won’t stop bleeding.” “What did you cut yourself on?” “It’s a sharp little square with a point on it. It sunk right into my finger!” “Oh, that’s a hobnail that’s snapped off from the underside…
Read MoreMarco stories update
Hi all, Rather than stretch out the Marco stories, I’m going to move the last three stories up to today, tomorrow and the next day. The idea of Nagademon and NanoWriMo is to force yourself to work to deadline, and stretching things out to get the 30 stories I originally envisaged is kind of cheating, so I’ll…
Read MoreIn Which Marco Describes The Smallest Dragon in Mythic Europe
“Grandfather, can I have another dragon story? Just not a gross one this time?” “Certainly. Do you know about Bob?” “Who?” “Ravanculus the Destroyer?” “Not him either.” “No, we just call Ravanculus “Bob”, now.” “Why?” “Well, you know how faeries are stories?” “Yes, of course.” “And how even if you kill them, another faerie can…
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Marco the Liar on How He Met His Wife (the third time) and Why The Fish in The Village of Ashingham Often Taste Like Copper
“Grandfather.” “…” “Grandfather!” “Oh, sorry, I’d dropped off.” “No naps before stories!” “Twelve?” “I see you remembered. Yes, I’m twelve. Well done.” “Good. So, I’d like to tell you a heist story.” “What’s a heist story.” “It’s a story where I show how clever I am by stealing things.” “Is that..moral?” “Yes, in that the…
Read MoreIn Which Marco Discusses The Largest Dragon In Mythic Europe
“Grandfather, may I have a story before your nap?” “Yes, of course. What would you like?” “A monster story.” “Ah, well, there is this evil little faerie who lives in the sewer system in Paris, he smells terrible but he sings…” “Eww. Gross. No. Something less gross.” “Well, there’s a giantess in Italy who is eighteen feet…
Read MoreA Note on The Marco posts
The ill-health which meant I started this late has returned, so I’ll just get these done as and when I can, even though it will flow over the end of the month. I still plan 30 stories, of which 15 are written.
Read MoreThe Story In Which A Tribe of Trolls Is Trapped Briefly
“Grandfather…” “Oh, yes. A story. Did I tell you the one about…” “Twelve.” “Can we just agree you say ‘Twleve’ to yourself at the start of each story? I’ll pretend I’ve heard it.” “Do you promise to behave as if you’ve heard it?” “If you promise to say it to yourself each time, yes.” “Very well. …
Read MoreMarco’s Story About The Melancolia of Arcadius In Which A Vengeance Is Described
“Grandfather: it’s time for my story. Today I want to know about the history of our family. The redcap side, not the archer psilos side.” “What would you like to know? Shall I tell you of Eban, who used to claim to know where Diedne had hidden wealth, and scam noblemen with his reminiscences? Shall I tell…
Read MoreIn Which Marco Discusses A Banana
“Grandfather, I was going to ask you about how you accidentally killed a king with a banana.” “Well, that’s a strange thing to ask me about, but, yes, I did once kill a king with a banana.” “A banana?” “Yes.” “Where did you even get a banana?” “I was in the Levant at the time. …
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Games From Folktales 