Clyde's Tales

by Salivanth

The Nightmare and Clyde Pie

The Nightmare and Clyde Pie

The Nightmare went to a rock farm. She was lookin' for a soul to steal.
And there was Clyde, set down inside, eatin' a healthful meal.
With such a downright sens'ble guy, a deal could be tricky.
But since the Moon wiped out too soon, she wasn't feelin' picky.

"Hello there, pal, I'll tell you what," the Nightmare sat and said,
"I hear you're great in rock cultivatin'. Now don't that swell your head?
But I'll wager you I'm better yet. (That's just the Nightmare's role.)
You wanna bet your family's debt against a grip on your soul?"

Well, Clyde said, "I know I'm the best, at least 'round these here parts.
So whet your shoes, and come back Tues…day, when rock season starts."

Now Clyde, cinch up your harness tight, and weed those feldspar fields.
'Cause evil's cut the cards again and the Nightmare's gonna deal.
And if you win, your family's farm is purchased free and clear,
But if you lose, then Nightmare Earth is here.

So Tuesday comes, and in a burst of sulphur-flavored smoke,
the Nightmare's out, and starts to shout, "Now boy, pick up your yoke —"
But then a flash of rainbow light ker-blasts her where she stood,
She screams and writhes, cut down to size, and then is gone for good.

Clyde's daughter and her friends high-hoof and wander off to play.
Celestia lands. "Clyde, just as planned. You sure did save the day."
Clyde nods, and says, "I'll let you know if she comes back again,
'Cause that's my worth. I'm down-to-earth. The most that's ever been."

Author's Note:

This song is sung to the tune of The Devil Went Down To Georgia.

By Horizon.

Comments

[Salivanth]

If you want to submit a story to this collection, please send it by PM to Salivanth.

Guidelines:

- The story should be fairly short. No hard limits, but stories that are longer than 600 words or so should be very good to compensate.

- The story should feature a sensible Clyde as the protagonist. Clyde's actions are the focus of the story, and Clyde is never left holding the Idiot Ball.

- The story should match the fairy-tale genre. It doesn't have to be a parallel to an existing fairy tale, but it should evoke similar imagery.

[horizon]

Speaking as one of the contributors: I had more fun writing for this collection than I have in months.

Speaking as a reader: I love every moment of my collaborators' tales. (What's not to like? It's Pinkie Pie's father, Fractured Fairy Tales, and Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality thrown into a blender.)

[Super Trampoline]

This was great!

[Puzzle Reader]

Eheheh, this is awesome.

So, it doesn't have to be just fairy tales, also folk tales? I shall keep that in mind. What about ponified urban legends?

[Alondro]

3443149 Hmm, I shall have to give this some thought, now that I have a little free time. Shall I choose an Asian legend? Native American?

Ah... perhaps a version of the monk and the tiger... Yes, sensible Clyde would fit that quite well.

[Rest]

This one's my favorite so far.

[CommisarSilver]

Celestia and Clyde seem to have such a useful relationship.

[KarmamarK]

Too bad the fiddle is missing