//------------------------------// // 7. Real pears? // Story: The Tale of Lord Barleycorn // by Blue Cultist //------------------------------// The Tale of Lord Barleycorn - - - - - - Chapter 7: Real pears? --- Cherry Nova tilted his head. "Your son saw what?" Bean Sprout set his drink down on the bar counter. One of the few places in Hollow Shades that seemed little affected by the economic and labor issues was the Rusty Nail pub. Well, that and the brewery. After wiping his mouth with his hoof, Bean Sprout repeated himself. "A scarecrow, making off with some of our eggs and a length of rope." Dr. Nova crinkled his nose at the stallion sitting next to him. "You're pulling my leg." "I was set to tan his hide, but you know colts; I had to check to make sure it wasn't his brothers pulling a prank to get him in trouble." Bean Sprout shook his head in frustration. "Sure enough, the rope was gone from the shed, and the eggs were a little light this morning. I can't say he saw was real or not, I'm just telling you what he told me." "And I told you about Mr. Soles, right? That shoemaker who came into town raving about monsters in the corn?" Bean Sprout nodded his head, signaling Dr. Nova to continue. "When he finally sobered up this morning he still insisted he saw a scarecrow emerge from the corn near the Harvest place. We also found his cart near the school, when he claimed to have left it back near the fields. And here's where things get weird..." "A story about a talking scarecrow gets weirder?" Bean Sprout chortled, "Sorry, what happened with the cart?" "The cart was full of shoes, both the normal kind and the kind you slip over your hooves. His whole inventory was ransacked, but the only thing gone was his lunch and a pair of boots he'd made for a griffin client." "Weird." Bean Sprout uttered before downing the rest of his beer. "Some critter from the Everfree you think?" "Maybe, but I never heard of a timber wolf that made off with oranges when there was a juicy pony in plain view." The cherry-red doctor sighed. "In any case, Mr. Soles took his cart and left town. Said he wasn't coming back to Hollow Shades ever again." "Just another in the long line of ponies to leave this town and not look back." Bean Sprout sighed, "Any more ponies to see tomorrow? I'd like another chance to yap about my life to somepony other than my wife." "Then maybe I should charge you for a psychologist visit." The smallest of smirks appeared on Cherry Nova's face. "Today I just had Summer Harvest. Just had to make sure he wasn't stuffing mud into his stitches or something." "He's got more sense than that." Bean Sprout said casually. "Summer knows his limits." "His limits maybe, but not his stitches' limits." The pegasus muttered, "I can't tell you more than that. 'Confidentiality and all that. At least I got a chance to see if I can still sew a wound closed." The farm stallion's features softened. "Still no word from the Canterlot hospital?" Dr. Nova signaled the bartender to come over, and slid three bits over the counter. His glass was promptly refilled with golden beer. "I just wish they'd say something. A 'no' would be better than this constipated silence they keep giving me." Bean Sprout looked to the drink that was now being brought up to Dr. Nova's lips. It was his fourth in less than fifteen minutes. "You'll get their letter someday. Just keep your chin up." The pegasus set his mug down and let out a morose sigh, flexing his wings. Bean Sprout politely averted his gaze, not wanting to stare at the limp section of Nova's left wing. "Do me a favor Beanie." Dr. Nova wiped his mouth with his hoof. "Keep telling me that." Another drink was quickly emptied before the doctor stood up and headed toward the door. His companion watched him stumble a little, but otherwise make it through the Rusty Nail's double doors successfully. Bean Sprout leaned back on his seat and shook his head. His friend needed a hobby of some sort. Sitting around in that clinic all day clearly wasn't good for Cherry Nova's brain... or his liver. Bean Sprout would have to suggest something tomorrow, which should give him ample time to think of something. --- Dinner at the Harvest household was only hours away, and Harvest Moon was scrambling to find anything among the foliage of the Everfree. All of the old spots were picked clean this morning. The basket she always carried in her mouth only held a few cat tails and dandelions. Sure, she could pull weeds from the fields but even she was getting tired of eating the same things over and over! The umber coated mare sighed as she pushed back a familiar patch of ivy, and there were no wild flowers... again. Pickings in Fall were always slim, Harvest Moon knew that, but in these sad times she had hoped the forest would be merciful on her family. Having little choice, Harvest Moon journeyed deeper into the forest. Dry limbs cracked under her hooves as she worked her way though the pathless undergrowth. Brambles clawed at her hooves, and spider webs caught in her face, but Harvest Moon persevered. Finally she felt the brambles give way to gentler vegetation, Harvest Moon set her basket down to clean the spider webs from her eyes. With her face sufficiently cleansed, Harvest Moon looked around. She was standing in poison ivy. Harvest Moon let out a dejected sigh as she looked back at the mess of brambles she'd just walked through. She could retreat, or wade through more of the poison ivy she was already standing in. "In for a bit, in for a pound..." Harvest Moon muttered as she picked up her basket and began walking through the poison ivy. The waxy leaves brushed against the fur of her ankles, Sure her fur would put up some defense, but with the coverage she was getting she'd have a serious rash around her ankles come bed time. Upon making it to the center of the poison ivy patch, the forest seemed to finally show the mare some generosity. A patch of wild blackberries stood among the trees, ripe and begging to be picked. Beside the berries were blooming red clover and wild onions. Sure, it would all taste foul mixed together in one pot, but Harvest Moon had no intention of wasting such a bounty on one night. The middle-aged mare rushed to take advantage of the waning light. It was still only the afternoon but the forest was so thick it halved the light of the sun no matter its position in the sky. Filling her basket full, Harvest Moon hurried back through the forest. The Everfree was known to be confusing to navigate, but Harvest Moon had a very simple way of always finding her way out. She swiveled her ears until she heard the trickle of the wide stream that ran through the forest, the same on that snaked its way along the edge of their property. With the stream, she could easily discern which way to go. With her cargo swaying below her chin, Harvest Moon could already see the light growing stronger around her. Familiar plants and trees came into view. Soon she'd be heading to the kitchen to whip up something with actual flavor, something that wouldn't warrant her favorite stew pot mysteriously ending up under the porch. She suspected Leadfoot, but Corn Crib wasn't off the hook either. There was a quick rustle on the ground at Harvest Moon's hooves, and she dropped her head to look to see what she had startled. Whatever it was jerked at her leg, then suddenly the mare was hoisted off the ground into the air. Harvest Moon dropped her basket to scream out in fear as she felt herself hanging by her back leg. Twisting around, Harvest Moon was able to see it was a rope, tied in a simple noose. Looking back at the ground nearly made Harvest Moon scream again. She was two or three yards off the ground, and although she might be able to wiggle out of this... falling would mean crushing all of her precious findings. "LEADFOOT! CORN CRIB! ..." Harvest Moon shouted toward the fields, "SUMMER! HELP!" No immediate response came, other than the light creak of the rope against the branch it was suspended from. Harvest Moon whimpered, there was no easy way out of this. It was conceivable that her family would find her before long, especially if she kept shouting. A dreadful thought crossed her mind, she was in a trap in the Everfree... if she kept screaming and thrashing about like a wild animal it'd no doubt attract predators. She wasn't sure who'd have laid a trap here, and for what it was supposed to catch, but that didn't matter right now. Keeping silent and hoping for the best would just mean she'd be here all night. "Better to risk attracting timber wolves and the family now than stay here 'till nightfall." Harvest Moon took a few warm up breaths before taking in air for one more mighty bellow. The snapping of a twig nearly made her choke on her own lungs. "Well, I go fishing for minnows and catch a trout." The voice was masculine, but soft. Harvest Moon breathed a sigh of relief. Whoever this trapper was, he could let her down gently. Harvest Moon rolled her eyes, planning on giving this trespassing idiot a good verbal thrashing. She twisted about on the rope to see who it was, feeling like a fish on a line. There was no pony standing behind her, instead there was a tall scarecrow standing without pole or wire. It stood unmoving, and for a second she thought it might be some over-elaborate prank on her. Then it tilted it's head as if in confusion, and bent down. Harvest Moon's eyes followed it, watching as it carefully gathered up her wild produce and set it aside. "You managed quite an autumn bounty, the forest loves you." It chuckled, rising up on its two skinny legs. Harvest Moon wanted to scream, but it was as if the world was devoid of air. Never in all her days had she seen something this tall! Perhaps the scarecrow sensed her fear and took a step back. "Ma'am? Please, take a few breaths. Relax, I'm going to get you down. I will not hurt you." Harvest Moon didn't know what to think. This thing had set the trap, it was huge, it stood on two, two legs like some kind of bald minotaur. If it hadn't set the trap for her, then what unsuspecting creature was this trap for? The scarecrow timidly came close to her and reached up, touching Harvest Moon's shoulder. "Ma'am, I need you to stay calm. I'm going to lift you up so you can-" Harvest Moon's forehoof connected with the scarecrow's head, knocking it back on its rump. "You aren't going to eat me! Help! Leadfoot! Summer!" "Ow..." The scarecrow uttered, rubbing its burlap head with its sleeves. "That hurt!" Harvest Moon was shaking in fear, and wobbling even worse from the rope. "Good! That'll teach you something about trying to catch decent ponyfolk!" "I wasn't trying to catch a pony!" The scarecrow reared up on its back legs again, sounding rather cross. "For such a hurtful accusation, I'll have to teach you a lesson!" The scarecrow stalked closer and closer, and Harvest Moon was sure she was about to meet her end. She thought of her family and friends in these, her final moments. The creature had its forehooves wrapped around her tightly, no doubt to break her back. She was lifted up, and for a moment Harvest Moon's life passed before her eyes. Then all at once it let her go. Harvest Moon still did not open her eyes, for fear that she'd be seeing the afterlife. That's when she felt something poke her on the nose. Harvest Moon's eyes fluttered open like window shades, seeing the sleeve of the scarecrow's foreleg in her face. "Beep." It said in a cheerful, almost foalish manner. Harvest Moon backed away from the scarecrow, ready to flee. She paused when she realized she was capable of doing so now. She was on the ground, in perfect health. The scarecrow chuckled, then reached down and picked up Harvest Moon's basket. "I said I wouldn't hurt you, and I meant it. Make a promise, keep a promise." It then edged closer, offering the basket back to her. The spine-deep fear Harvest Moon had felt just seconds ago had crumbled away, and in it's place was a bewilderment unlike anything she had felt before. It had her at her mercy, it could have eaten her or her food. Instead it was... giving them back to her? Getting a closer look at it, she recognized that hat. It was that same stupid hat Summer Harvest's father wore until the day he died. The mare took a breath, then slowly leaned forward and took the basket the scarecrow was so patiently holding out for her. The pair stood there, looking at each other for a loss of what to say next. "Um..." Harvest Moon began, trying to break the tension. "Thank you...?" "It is me who should be thanking you, you're the prettiest face I've seen all day." It said, giving a stiff, two-legged bow. Harvest Moon wasn't sure if it was poking fun at her, but it seemed to be accepting her apology. That was something. "Before you ask, I'll move this off your land. You needn't fear walking in your forest again." It said with a gregarious chortle, still rubbing its head. "And as a further apology, there're some lovely chives and a pear tree on the other side of the stream. They're ripe and quite delicious." The mare blinked. She hadn't had pears in almost five years. "Real pears?" The scarecrow nodded. "A little tart, but a little sugar would fix that. They'd be great cooked." Harvest Moon shrugged, "I prefer molasses myself, sugar's fine but-" "I'm talking to a scarecrow about cooking pears." Harvest Moon lifted a hoof to her mouth to hide a giggle. "Thanks for the tip." "Anything to help a pony in need." It stooped low in another graceful bow. "I'm Lord Barleycorn, King of Autumn and Protector of Farmers." Such an ostentatious greeting left Harvest Moon at a lost of words, but she soon remembered her manners. "I'm Harvest Moon. Pleased to meet you." "Ah, named for the glorious silver face that graces the world every night." It said, raising its sleeved forehoof to its chin. "It's an honor." It'd been a long time since somepony flirted with Harvest Moon other than her husband. She might have been flustered if it had been any stallion other than Summer Harvest saying that, but from this scarecrow it just seemed like well-meaning flattery. Of course, Summer Harvest would never say something that... was it corny or poetic? "Flattery will get you nowhere." Harvest Moon smiled, "But, what exactly were you trying to catch with... this?" "Rabbits." The scarecrow said plainly, "I've seen that they've been plaguing the farms around this charming hamlet, and I hoped to catch one of the little fluff balls and talk them into heading to greater pastures... or at the very least not eat everypony out of house and home." Harvest Moon rolled her eyes. "Good luck, the rabbits aren't very agreeable. Last time I tried talking to them, one of them kicked me in the face." "I will take your warning to heart. Thank you Ms. Harvest." Lord Barleycorn reached behind the tree with his sleeves, the snare trap fell limp on the ground seconds later. "Um... I have one question before I go." Harvest Moon cleared her throat. "Where did you get that hat?" "This old thing?" Lord Barleycorn reached up and adjusted the straw hat. "I found it after a thunderstorm a few days ago. I'm afraid I wouldn't know if it belonged to somepony or not. I'd give it to you, if you wanted it." A reluctant smile crossed the Harvest matriarch's face. " No, no, you keep it. It looks great on you, very fetching." "And now who flatters whom?" Lord Barleycorn chuckled, draping the loose rope over his shoulder. "But now I'm afraid I'm just wasting your time. Your family may be wondering why you were screaming." "If they heard me, you mean. But... yes." Harvest Moon shrugged, "You said those pears were on the other side of the creek?" Lord Barleycorn nodded. "Yes, just past a few large boulders." "Ah, yes I know those rocks." Harvest Moon picked up her basket and started on her way back to the house. "Thanks again!" If the scarecrow was telling the truth, she'd need a bigger basket than what she had in her mouth. Heck, she might even need her son's big saddlebags! "With some luck, we'll be having some real food for a week." Harvest Moon almost skipped the last leg of the journey. "Hm, it did say it liked cooked pears... maybe a forest offering?" It had been decades since Harvest Moon had even thought about her grandmother's superstitions. When she was a little filly her grandmother would set a little of the harvest out for the forest spirits to take in return for protecting their fields. That tradition wasn't done anymore for fear of attracting parasprites or something worse, but... Harvest Moon was starting to wonder if her grandmother might have known something the town didn't. Leadfoot was there to greet her at the house, and Harvest Moon thought she saw a stone-gray pegasus flying off toward the descending sun. The identity of the pegasus was revealed when she saw the open letter in her son's hooves. After setting her foraging basket down, Harvest Moon showed a tired smile to Leadfoot. "Ms. Hooves is a little late today, hm?" "Yes, but I have some great news!" Leadfoot beamed, tapping the letter with his hoof. "Cousin Golden Harvest is coming the morning after next, and she's bringing three of her friends, all with experience with farming!" "Really? I knew she was coming, but that's a lot of ponies." Harvest Moon frowned, all of her good foraging might be going to their guests. "I don't know if we have enough room." "Room shouldn't be a problem. I've been thinking about it all day. If we fold out the couch, and I sleep on the floor, that's enough for three of them. If Corn Crib can share a bed or sleep on the floor-" "The floor?" Harvest Moon shook her head. "Leadfoot, wouldn't you be more comfortable in the barn, sleeping in the hay instead of on the hard floor?" Leadfoot grimaced, "I'd... rather sleep inside." "Oh come on, you've slept out there as a colt. It shouldn't be a problem. If you and Corn Crib slept out there, it would free up two beds. We can't ask guests to sleep out in the barn while we sleep comfortably, especially not when the guest is family." Leadfoot bit his lip, "I know... but-" "No buts." Harvest Moon said curtly, covertly scratching at a spot just above her right forehoof. She'd be needing something for the poison ivy tonight... "We might not have much but if these ponies are coming to help us, we should show them as much hospitality as if Princess Celestia was coming to visit." Leadfoot bowed his head, "Yes mom, I'll... make sure my room's clean by tomorrow evening. Corn Crib's too." "That's a good boy." Harvest Moon set the basket up on the steps, in front of her son. "Take that inside, I'm going to get me some saddlebags. We're having pears tonight, if we're lucky." Leadfoot perked up a little at the sound of an actual supper, and obeyed his mother. He fetched his own saddlebags from the hook by the door and tossed them to his mother, then took the basket inside. With no time to waste, Harvest Moon headed back to the forest. The spot the scarecrow had said was a little off the beaten trail, but he hadn't lied. Even though the light was dimming now, Harvest Moon could see two healthy pear trees. They were young, but so laden with oblong fruit their branches were bowing. With almost manic greed, Harvest Moon picked until she was afraid the bags might burst. Still, there would be more fruit tomorrow, assuming fruit bats didn't show up to gobble them all down. The chives, which grew around the rocks, were left where they were. The fruit was the bigger concern, and Harvest Moon could always come back and pick them tomorrow. As she was headed back, the sky above the colored canopy was turning red. Inside the woods it was already a thick black, but Harvest Moon knew the way. Before she stepped out of the forest, she looked back, wondering if she would see the scarecrow again. A dot of light burned in the distant black of the trees. More stories from Harvest Moon's grandmother sprang to mind, about Willow-the-Wisps and other forest spirits. To see two in one night was unheard of! A giddy grin fell upon her face as she hurried home, happy to be so honored by the good spirits of the Everfree. --- In the woods, Lord Barleycorn was resting with his pan over the fire he'd spent fifteen minutes trying to light. His mask laid on the ground as he debarked two freshly cut sticks. "Never was very good with chopsticks... but I can't spend all night trying to carve a fork." He muttered, then sat back as he took in the smell of roasting rabbit. "Life is all about the simple pleasures." The structure he was resting on was a crumbling foundation of some building that had been long neglected. The four walls were still standing, if very dilapidated. There was a higher section of the floor, which was stained black from some great fire. He looked around at the walls. "Probably was an old sugar camp. Far too late to tap the maple trees." He shook his head as he scanned the rest of the structure. "No roof, no door, and no hope of keeping anything out if it wanted in." Lord Barleycorn sighed, "As soon as I get these bunnies cooked I'll get the hell out of here and head back to that barn." He scratched his chin, "Damn beard... next thing on the ol' christmas list is a razor. A good one." Turning the meat in the pan with his knife, Lord Barleycorn let out another sigh before he addressed himself. "Jack, tomorrow we need to start asking some real questions." --- To be continued...