Introduction: Therrilliar's player got the idea for this story simply by taking the title of a well-liked Genesis song and building a story around the words in the title. The play off of "tale" and "tail" came immediately, and both Therrilliar and her player are quite fond of mythological Trickster stories.

This is a story of ancient times, when gods and spirits were wont to walk Elanthia in the flesh or in fleshy guises, and when animals had the gift of speech. And one of these spirits was Trickster.

And Trickster was a scallywag, for he revelled in playing jokes upon both mortal and immortal alike, and delighted even more in contests designed to outwit and humiliate his rivals.

In these particular times Trickster preferred to wander in the form of a fox, for he admired the fox' cunning and stealthy ways, and this is why we say someone is "out-foxed".

And the Trickster came unto the village of a famous elvish ranger hero Tala-quenidil Ghaladran. And the Trickster, who always sought to lay low the mighty, began to unleash the ravages of his humour upon the hero and the village.

Now the village was plagued with all sorts of humiliations and embarrassments, until they became the laughing stock of the entire forest, and Tala-quenidil's mighty reputation suffered.

Finally the villagers came to the hero and begged him to rid them of this foxy menace.

Tala-quenidil agreed, and thinking the fox a mere rogue animal of surpassing cunning, he girded himself for the hunt, in bright elven chainmail, and with his great bow made of wyndewood named Corodruil.

Twelve arrows of ironwood took he in his dragon hide quiver. And upon his back he strapped his elven broadsword which was called Tarun-thithil (Heartseeker in the human tongue).

Finally the hero came to the shrine of Everild and there he knelt and made vow that he would not return until the fox had been killed or driven off.

And the villagers were much gladdened, for they knew that when Tala-quenidil gave his word, it was true, for he never lied.

And so he crept into the wilds in search of the fox. Long and hard did he hunt his prey, sometimes almost catching him with bow or snare, but always the fox slipped away from him.

One night, sulking amid his frustrations, a spirit appeared to him. This was in the shape of a ghostly wild boar.

And it spake unto him saying "Tala-quenidil, I must tell ye that this be no ordinary fox ye face, but rather tis the Trickster himself plying his trade upon ye and yours.

Ye cannot hope to slay a god, but perhaps ye can defeat him in other ways. Remember thou that most rangers know that a forest fire may be stopped itself by smaller fires." With that the ghostly pig disappeared.

Tala-quenidil thought long on the apparition's words, for though it seemed clear that he needed to trick the Trickster, he could not figure out how to do so and still keep from lying.

Finally, the inspiration of Faenella came upon him and he decided himself.

The next morn he sprang to the highest boulder in the area and called out in the Common Tongue

"Ho foxy one! I know tis not an ordinary animal I hunt but a god himself. Tis hardly sporting for a god to expect a man to slay him! Perhaps if I took a token trophy instead?".

Trickster, not showing himself, crept closer, wary, and returned "aye tis true that". "This is how I answer ye O! mighty elvish hero.

Ye have merely to take from me my most beautiful and flowing tail and I shall depart and leave ye and your kinfolk in peace, for I agree the fun is in the chase and not in the blood."

And with that the Trickster ran back into the woods.

For a week the hunt resumed, though now Tala-quenidil purposefully reigned in his efforts, so that he pursued the fox less closely, and ran less quickly, and, as he hoped, the Trickster became slightly bored.

When the time seemed right he sped off out of the woods and went to his mother's abode and there dressed himself as an old woman, with the help of a wig and makeup.

As an old hag he ventured into the forest with an armload of books and scrolls and began to wander around mumbling to himself. The fox saw the old woman and was curious.

He snuck up towards her and asked "Say! Who are ye old hag to be a-wandrin' in the woods by yourself and talking to yourself a-so?"

The woman laughed. "I am a tale-gatherer," she said as she displayed her books and scrolls for the fox to see, "and I am trying just now to come up with a tale".

The fox was intrigued and he sat on his haunches. "Tell me a tale then woman, for I am bored and desire amusement."

"Ah!" said the hag, "indeed I shall but I require payment." The fox laughed. "And what payment, praytell, could I, as a fox, render unto ye?"

"Simple" said the woman, "I shall simply require a tale of thee". To this the fox agreed, for he had a great many tales in his reperatoire.

"Agreed old woman, but ye must proceed first, for my tale shall be so grand that ye might be humiliated by it and be too embarrassed to tell me yours". The old woman agreed and chuckled slightly.

Then she told the fox a most captivating tale.

I wish I had time to tell it to you, but suffice to say that to the the fox it seemed as if the woman was speaking of her own experiences, and he became enraptured in the battles and intrigues contained in the woman's words.

When the woman finished, the fox sighed and smiled. "Indeed, I underestimated ye hag, for ye have told a tale that is perhaps the best I have heard in many a year. For such a tale I shall gladly pay ye in kind".

The old lady smiled at the fox. "Nay hold your tongue my friend fox, for indeed.....ye have already paid me in kind."

And with that she held up the fox tail that she had cut from the fox as he sat enraptured by her words.

And as the fox stood there dumbfounded, the woman threw off her garments and revealed herself as Tala-quenidil. "And now fox, true to your words, ye have pledged to leave this land."

But the fox was not through just yet. "Tala-quenidil! Ye have tricked me! Why should I honour my word when you have not honoured yours?".

But Tala-quenidil just laughed. "Because I have breeched no such word ye wily fox. I said, did I not, that in payment for my TALE, I would require a TAIL of thee!"

And the Trickster saw that he had been outwitted by the hero, and bound by his oath, he departed and troubled the village nevermore.

And it is said that the foxtail was worn by Tala-quenidil on his helm as a token of good fortune, and that it has passed from elf to elf until it was lost over time.

Script of the Tale [any bard may use this script as long as Therrilliar is credited]

#Tale-A Trick of the Tale

put recite This is a story of ancient times, as told to me by Therrilliar d'Onlor, when gods and spirits were wont to walk Elanthia in the flesh or in fleshy guises, and when animals had the gift of speech. And one of these spirits was Trickster.

pause 15

put recite And Trickster was a scallywag, for he revelled in playing jokes upon both mortal and immortal alike, and delighted even more in contests designed to outwit and humiliate his rivals.

pause 15

put recite In these particular times Trickster preferred to wander in the form of a fox, for he admired the fox' cunning and stealthy ways, and this is why we say someone is "out-foxed".

pause 15

put recite And the Trickster came unto the village of a famous elvish ranger hero Tala-quenidil Ghaladran. And the Trickster, who always sought to lay low the mighty, began to unleash the ravages of his humour upon the hero and the village.

pause 15

put recite Now the village was plagued with all sorts of humiliations and embarrassments, until they became the laughing stock of the entire forest, and Tala-quenidil's mighty reputation suffered.

pause 15

put recite Finally the villagers came to the hero and begged him to rid them of this foxy menace.

pause 8

put recite Tala-quenidil agreed, and thinking the fox a mere rogue animal of surpassing cunning, he girded himself for the hunt, in bright elven chainmail, and with his great bow made of wyndewood named Corodruil.

pause 15

put recite Twelve arrows of ironwood took he in his dragon hide quiver. And upon his back he strapped his elven broadsword which was called Tarun-thithil (Heartseeker in the human tongue).

pause 15

put recite Finally the hero came to the shrine of Everild and there he knelt and made vow that he would not return until the fox had been killed or driven off.

pause 9

put recite And the villagers were much gladdened, for they knew that when Tala-quenidil gave his word, it was true, for he never lied.

pause 12

put recite And so he crept into the wilds in search of the fox. Long and hard did he hunt his prey, sometimes almost catching him with bow or snare, but always the fox slipped away from him.

pause 15

put recite One night, sulking amid his frustrations, a spirit appeared to him. This was in the shape of a ghostly wild boar.

pause 12

put recite And it spake unto him saying "Tala-quenidil, I must tell ye that this be no ordinary fox ye face, but rather tis the Trickster himself plying his trade upon ye and yours.

pause 12

put recite Ye cannot hope to slay a god, but perhaps ye can defeat him in other ways. Remember thou that most rangers know that a forest fire may be stopped itself by smaller fires." With that the ghostly pig disappeared.

pause 15

put recite Tala-quenidil thought long on the apparition's words, for though it seemed clear that he needed to trick the Trickster, he could not figure out how to do so and still keep from lying.

pause 12

put recite Finally, the inspiration of Faenella came upon him and he decided himself.

pause 8

put recite The next morn he sprang to the highest boulder in the area and called out in the Common Tongue

pause 8

put recite "Ho foxy one! I know tis not an ordinary animal I hunt but a god himself. Tis hardly sporting for a god to expect a man to slay him! Perhaps if I took a token trophy instead?".

pause 12

put recite Trickster, not showing himself, crept closer, wary, and returned "aye tis true that". "This is how I answer ye O! mighty elvish hero.

pause 12

put recite Ye have merely to take from me my most beautiful and flowing tail and I shall depart and leave ye and your kinfolk in peace, for I agree the fun is in the chase and not in the blood."

pause 15

put recite And with that the Trickster ran back into the woods.

pause 8

put recite For a week the hunt resumed, though now Tala-quenidil purposefully reigned in his efforts, so that he pursued the fox less closely, and ran less quickly, and, as he hoped, the Trickster became slightly bored.

pause 15

put recite When the time seemed right he sped off out of the woods and went to his mother's abode and there dressed himself as an old woman, with the help of a wig and makeup.

pause 12

put recite As an old hag he ventured into the forest with an armload of books and scrolls and began to wander around mumbling to himself. The fox saw the old woman and was curious.

pause 12

put recite He snuck up towards her and asked "say! Who are ye old hag to be a-wandrin' in the woods by yourself and talking to yourself a-so?"

pause 15

put recite The woman laughed. "I am a tale-gatherer," she said as she displayed her books and scrolls for the fox to see, " and I am trying just now to come up with a tale".

pause 12

put recite The fox was intrigued and he sat on his haunches. "Tell me a tale then woman, for I am bored and desire amusement."

pause 12

put recite "Ah!" said the hag, "indeed I shall but I require payment." The fox laughed. "And what payment, praytell, could I, as a fox, render unto ye?"

pause 12

put recite "Simple" said the woman, "I shall simply require a tale of thee". To this the fox agreed, for he had a great many tales in his reperatoire.

pause 8

put recite "Agreed old woman, but ye must proceed first, for my tale shall be so grand that ye might be humiliated by it and be too embarrassed to tell me yours".The old woman agreed and chuckled slightly.

pause 12

put recite Then she told the fox a most captivating tale.

pause 5

put recite I wish I had time to tell it to you, but suffice to say that to the the fox it seemed as if the woman was speaking of her own experiences, and he became enraptured in the battles and intrigues contained in the woman's words.

pause 15

put recite When the woman finished, the fox sighed and smiled. "Indeed, I underestimated ye hag, for ye have told a tale that is perhaps the best I have heard in many a year. For such a tale I shall gladly pay ye in kind".

pause 15

put recite The old lady smiled at the fox. "Nay hold your tongue my friend fox, for indeed.....ye have already paid me in kind."

pause 8

put recite And with that she held up the fox tail that she had cut from the fox as he sat enraptured by her words.

pause 8

put recite And as the fox stood there dumbfounded, the woman threw off her garments and revealed herself as Tala-quenidil. "And now fox, true to your words, ye have pledged to leave this land."

pause 12

put recite But the fox was not through just yet. "Tala-quenidil! Ye have tricked me! Why should I honour my word when you have not honoured yours?".

pause 12

put recite But Tala-quenidil just laughed. "Because I have breeched no such word ye wily fox. I said, did I not, that in payment for my TALE, I would require a TAIL of thee!"

pause 12

put recite And the Trickster saw that he had been outwitted by the hero, and bound by his oath, he departed and troubled the village nevermore.

pause 12

put recite And it is said that the foxtail was worn by Tala-quenidil on his helm as a token of good fortune, and that it has passed from elf to elf until it was lost over time.

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