The Tavern of Tall Tales

Jack and the Giant

Laerin, choosing to take his time before his next tale, sipped wine from his goblet. 

Marguerite, on the other hand, had no more drinks. Being impatient, she yelled, "CMON STOP SIPPING LIKE A BABY AND TELL ME THE STORY ALREADYYYYYY!!!" 

Finishing off his wine, Laerin complied. "Ah yes, fine. Eryen, get me some more wine while I weave this tale told to me from my distant cousin. This story starts as many another, with a simple man and his dream."

"Who?" Marguerite asked.

"His name is Jack Spriggins, a poor farmer living with a few of his family members, fellow farmers a plenty, but still not enough for them to gain any significant wealth to live much longer. One day, Jack awoke to his mother sick from a very serious illness, a plague that had been rumored across the land, spread through the creatures and killed many people in their village"

"... Why is this one so sad... there's going to be a happy twist right?" Marguerite pouted.

Laerin replied thoughtlessly, "Why, of course! You see, Jack sought out for a healer, or a cleric, anyone who could help his mother from this plague. Whether it be medicine or God, he would have found this cure."

"Yeah, of course that wouldn't work. They're all talk and no show." Eryen snipped.

"All talk? Well, that be a bit rude. I don't call your drinks flat, now do I?" Laerin challenged back.

"Yeah, you don't have to. Your tab is making me a fortune, Laerin. But please, do continue." smirked Eryen.

"Fine, I'll continue..." grumbled Laerin, cursing in Elvish under his breath. "You see, Jack couldn't find anyone powerful enough to heal her, besides a few people. But even then, he had little money to pay them, and it was never enough... As he paced around, worried for his mother's health, he found a shady little tent he had never seen before in this village."

"Oohhhh, little tentttt!!! I'd go in there!" Marguerite exclaimed.

"Haha! I would not recommend going in shady tents if I were you. However, Jack did. And inside was a hooded man. He said to Jack, "Thou seems like thy own family is in danger, why the sad face stranger?" Laerin continued.

"OOH! That's even better! I met a hooded man once, he had a scythe. That was cool. I think he was a farmer like Jack!" a very drunk Marguerite interrupted.

Both men turned to stare at Marguerite. Marguerite looked back, puzzled by their bewilderment.

"What? He was super skinny though. I dont think he ate much... maybe he was poor like Jack... I offered him food, but he wouldn't speak to me. Very rude." she continued, going off on her own tangent.

"Ah, I have a tale about that man... maybe another time?" said Laerin, carefully. 

"Oh! You know him?? Maybe you can tell him to get better manners!" 

"Marguerite, how about we get to that after this one. I'd happily tell him for you, after Laerin finishes this story" Eryen said, firmly.

"Fineeeeeeeeeeeee..." sighed Marguerite reluctantly, "continue with the Jack and the shady hood man."

Laerin cleared his throat. "Ah yes. Jack walked to the hooded man, and asked "Sir, do you have anything that would help heal my mother from her sickness?" He insistently held out his only gold coin to the man. The man grinned, "Yes, I in fact have a very special bean that will help you with her pain, for she won't feel it much longer after it fully grows"

"Oohhhh, what kind of bean? I like the black beans.

Ooh, and the red beans!

And the green beans!