Oliver D. Bernuetz's Stories

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Whitewall - The Battle of Little Big's Horn

I'm not quite sure what was going on here, but there was a battle between various beings to possess Little Big and his Horn with its wonderous properties. Orlanth won, and being keen on freedom, instead of nicking Little Big's Horn, freed him in return for a promise of friendship. Little Big then leapt away...

"Old Top When Orlanth released Little Big he untied the bonds here. Little Big leapt to Sartar's Knoll, then to Whitewall, and then out of sight."

Little Big's Battle

After Orlanth had severed his bonds at Old Top Little Big had leapt to Sartar's Knoll and from there to Whitewall.  There he needed to rest.  He curled up in a ball atop the high tor and slept.  Now Little Big had two horns on his head.  One spiral, one curled.  One big, one little.  One for peace and plenty, one for war and scarcity.  Many powers sought his horns for their power.  He had long fled them and had learned many mighty leaps during the pursuit.  But no matter how many of his leaps he used his foes were always close behind him.  After he had exhausted every leap but one they finally cornered him and bound him while they argued over who would get his horns.  He was saved when his master's master came and did battle with his enemies.  At first Little Big feared that Orlanth too would take his horns but he just ruffled his wool and sent him on his way.  And so there he was. Once Little Big had slept enough he awoke and saw that he was on top of a mighty Tor.  He looked around and saw that there was an abudance of lush grass around the Tor's base.  And not only that but a beautiful flock of white ewes.  Now Little Big had been running from his foes for a long time and he had never had the time to cover any ewes.  His tails wagged at the sight and he was all set to leap down and cavort with them when he heard an angry bleat.  He turned and saw a midnight black ram.   "Mine," bawed the Ram and he dug at the rock with his forehoof leaving a groove.  Well this was a fight that Little Big could handle himself.  Lowering his two horns he charged the black ram.  The black ram did the same and there was a mighty clash when they met.  The pair battled back and forth over the top of the Tor, scoring the rock and knocking each other every which way.  They were so evenly matched that it seemed that neither could win.  Suddenly though the black ram struck Little Big and with a loud crack one of his horns broke off.  Well this was enough for him and using the one leap he had never used before he leapt up, off the Tor and out of sight.  Black Beauty, for that was the black ram's name nodded in satisfaction and descended from the Tor to show his ewes who was in charge.

And there Little Big's horn lay until Sestarto came to build Whitewall and he left the horn lying where it was and built around it because like everyone else he had no idea which horn Little Big had lost. 

Last updated October 07, 2016

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