Brian’s Quest

Press, 5 April 1988, Page 14

Brian’s Quest

By

ASHTON OWEN

Long! ago dangerous creatures roamed! the Earth and all sorts and races ]of ! pebple . I lived; their personalities, ’build, and height all quite, different. i Human beings, trolls and elves, warriors and dwarves lived at this time, j' I!J ; ] At this time, one troll ruled them all. His! name was Gargle. ( He ! killed many nien and ate; them, until a man called;,Brian decided to change things. He was fiye foot six inches tall; His limbs were thick with muscle. He had hard, lean;hands. His face was scarred j from j blows from monsters.] His goal was to get | rid of the immensely strong] ] troll. People laughed when he told them he; was going to get rid of the! troll w>th no weapon. ! ;

He crossed , miles of land until he came to a swamp. Walking I sluggishly through, he had no idea ; he (was ! being watched, i Suddenly | the troll jumped ,at I his victim, knowing ! that I this ; man would: be good to; eat. There; was a struggle and the silent swamp was filled ’with viol!encfel To ; the troll’s surprise this was no ordinary person. As he; xyent flying

with a blow to his head, it took a while to adjust to the shock. Then with anger he punched as hard as he could and knocked the man to the ground. By the time the man got up, the troll had a stick. “Whop,] thwak!” He: went down again.

The man ' grabbed a stick too, but by this time the i troll was! hanging on to a branch, for they had not noticed the current tugging, at them. The troll held on to the branch trying to draw himself up from the swamp. With the last of his strength he flung himself on to the bank gasping for breath.

Whenever Brian tried to scramble on to the bank, the troll threw him back. Finally the troll fell back exhausted. Brian climbed the bank. He saw the troll’s sword and took it and swung at the troll.

] With a death cry the troll fell into the surging water. The current swept him over the waterfall and he isank to the bottom. ! !

Brian rested for several days before returning to his people with the good news that he had achieved his goal. He had defeated the troll but he had used a weapon after all, the troll’s own sword.