The Curse of the Speckled Stone

The Traveler

Yelena had said something about a traveler down by the mill and, John being your average curious twelve-year-old boy, decided he wanted to go see this person for himself.

Now out of the village, John broke into a run. He reached the mill in hardly any time.

There didn't seem to be anyone around but there, but there could be someone down in the little cave at the bank of the river. John shimmed down the bank and immediately tripped over someone and fell face first into the sand. Spitting out the sand and wiping his face, John looked up angrily to see who he had tripped over. A man about the age of twenty-five stared back at him with a face of pain.

"Mind watching where you're going next time, boy!" he scoffed, "You aren't doing any favors to my broken leg here."

"Sorry, sir," John muttered, still displeased. The man shrugged, leaned back and closed his eyes. John, though still curious about the traveler, got up to climb back up the bank. He was embarrassed and covered with wet sand.

"Come here, boy," the man said just as John had started climbing up. Reluctantly, John came back. "Look here," the man produced a paper out of his bag, "Can you read this?"

"No," John replied. Of course he couldn't.

"Well, I can!" the man boasted, "And I'll tell you what it says." He cleared his throat. "'Magic healing tree has been found in an old city on the mountain four miles down the Don River! The fruit from this tree is better than any Shaman's spells! Battle the dragon and the city and the fruit is yours!'" The man grinned.

"What about that, boy?" John was intrigued. If he had that fruit he could heal his sick dying mother!

"You think that's real?"

"I believe it!" bellowed the man. "And here's something else, if you climb that mountain and bring me back three of the fruits, I'll pay you handsomely." The man reached into his bag and pulled out some money. "Here," he handed it to John, "Bring back the fruits and I'll give you that tripled!" John could hardly believe it. He stared down at the fur money, with its official seal, taking it in.

"I'll bring you back those fruits, sir!" John exclaimed, "Give me three days and I'll meet you here at this time again with your fruits! I can promise you I'll get them!"