//------------------------------// // Clyde and the Traveller // Story: Clyde's Tales // by Salivanth //------------------------------// Once upon a time, there was an infinitely crafty earth pony named Apple Galette. He had travelled all across the wide land of Equestria with only the pack on his back, surviving on his craftiness alone. In all of his travels, Apple Galette had never spent a single bit for shelter, food, or anything else, something of which he was extremely proud. After traversing a particularly long and barren stretch of land, a wearied Apple Galette stumbled across a rather large group of ponies having a party just on the edge of a small village. As he looked at the large quantity of food the ponies had, his stomach growled, reminding the young traveler that he had not eaten for two moons. So, being the infinitely crafty pony that he was, Apple Galette quickly devised a plan to procure some of their foodstuffs. He sauntered up to an old mare who was standing over a pot of boiling water, speaking to a stallion by the name of Clyde—an eminently sensible ancestor of the Clyde we know and love today. “Good day ma’am and sir, how are you this beautiful evening?” Apple Galette inquired. “Good day,” the Clyde said to the earth pony, “Welcome to the Pie Family Reunion, stranger. Who might you be?” Apple Galette smiled and bowed ever so slightly, “I am but a simple traveler wearied from the road. After traveling for many moons without seeing a single pony, I happened across your party, and found myself longing for some pleasant company and enjoyable conversation.” The old mare with Clyde smiled a wide, toothless grin, “Well you certainly came to the right place.” The three of them spoke for quite some time about the many joys life had brought them. Apple Galette told them tales about his adventures on the road. They laughed and sang, and soon found a crowd of ponies gathered around them. After the group of ponies finished laughing at one of his best stories, the traveler made his move, “I really must continue on, but before I go, I was wondering if I might have a small pot of your boiling water?” Confused, the old mare replied as she scooped water out into a small cauldron, “You may, but what do you want with it?” “Why, I am going to make some Stone Soup,” Apple Galette replied. After setting down the still boiling water, he reached into his pack and produced a single pebble. “What is that?” the old mare asked. “This,” the traveler said with the pebble in his mouth, “is the principle ingredient.” Apple Galette then dropped into the cauldron. He stirred the water for a few moments as if to spread the flavor of the stone throughout the water, before taking a spoonful, cooling it off, and tasting it. Apple Galette pretended to savor the spoonful of faux soup he had poured into his mouth before swallowing it. “Delicious!” he exclaimed, words oozing with satisfaction, before his face turned into a frown, “Except, it seems to be missing something…Ah! Carrots and potatoes! That’s it! It is missing carrots and potatoes!” Some of the ponies around him, intrigued by the mysterious nature of the dish, began to search for carrots and potatoes to contribute to the pot. However, they quickly stopped when Clyde raised a hoof. “Friend,” Clyde said, “If there is anyone in this wide land of Equestria who knows rocks, it’s me, and I know for a fact that the pebble of igneous rock you have put in your soup would not add any flavor to your dish. You are trying to deceive me and my family in order to receive a free meal. If you wanted food to eat, friend, all you needed to do was ask.” Apple Galette stammered and sputtered, desperately trying—and failing—to come up with a credible explanation. He had been taken aback by the unexpectedly kind offer. After several minutes, the traveler finally managed, “Might I share in some of your food?” “You may,” Clyde answered with a smile. So, Apple Galette joined in on the festivities and was treated like one of the family. He so enjoyed their company and the honest nature of the Pies that he decided to stay in the nearby village where Clyde and his family resided. Soon thereafter, the traveller married Clyde’s eldest daughter, Cherri Pie—the great-great-grandmother of Granny Smith of Ponyville. Thus, the infinitely crafty traveler lived out the rest of his days raising his children and helping in the family rock store. He had never been happier. Moral of the story: Honesty often is the best policy.