Chris and the Magic Llama Skin
There lived three brothers in a village. The eldest was called Sam, the second Peter, and the youngest Chris. Chris, apart from being the last born, was treated dishonorably by his elder brothers. If anything went wrong in the family, his brothers would make him bear the blame. Chris had to put up with such unfair treatment for a long time since he was weak and no one was there to protect him. One day, Chris went to the forest to gather fruits, as it was his routine. As he was busy climbing the trees that had fruits, an old woman suddenly appeared to him and started telling him all the troubles she had experienced in life. Listening keenly, Chris sympathized with the old woman and asked if there was anything he could do to assist her.
“Move closer, young man,” said the old woman, she saw the sympathy in Chris’ eyes, “this world is beautiful and full of fortunes? Leave this land and go to search for fortune in another place.”
Chris went back home in the evening pondering hard on the words of the old woman. The next morning, he decided to leave his father’s house. Nevertheless, he was disturbed for leaving the place he called home; a place he had lived in all his life despite the challenges he had gone through. After walking for few kilometers, Chris decided to sit under a tree to think about the next destination. Suddenly, an old woman stood before him tapping him on the shoulder, “This is great my son; you are doing fine,” the old lady said.
“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
Chris was confused since he was not sure what the old woman was up to. Besides, he had longed for fortune to fall in his favor at one point of his life without much struggling. Upon reading the young man’s thought, the old woman laughed back at Chris and said, “I am going to tell you what to do, for I know the tribulations you have gone through in life and I love you. Just remember to never forget about me when you have made a fortune.”
At that point, Chris eagerly promised that he would never forget her. The old woman continued, “Today in the evening, after crossing two rivers ahead of you, you will come across a man lying asleep under a tree. Besides him, you will see a beautiful llama tethered to the tree close to him. Be careful not to awaken the old man but untie the llama and take it away with you to the nearest house you will find deep inside the forest. Later, slaughter the creature and take part of the beautiful skin with you and throw the rest of the animal remains in the river.” The woman continued, “Everyone you come across and who spots the beautiful skin you are carrying will fall in love with you. However, do not allow anyone to touch it and if someone does that, shout “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Anyone who touches it will be trapped. Their hand will stick onto the skin and they will not get away unless you touch them with the little rod I am giving you. After trapping a sizable number of people with you, lead them to a town you will come across. You will find a stern princess who never laughs.” The old lady told Chris that he should make the beautiful princess smile and laugh, and that would be the turning point of his life. “Don’t forget your old friend,” said the old woman.
Chris assured the woman that he would never forget her. In the evening, he proceeded with his journey to the direction he was given by the old woman. After crossing the two rivers, Chris saw an old man lying under a tree with a llama tied near the trunk. Chris carefully loosened the animal and led it away without the owner noticing. He walked with the animal until he spotted a house in the middle of the forest that was close to a river. He went inside the house, slaughtered the llama and carefully skinned it. He then threw the rest of the animal into a river keeping only its beautiful skin.
The next morning, Chris continued his journey. Suddenly, a young man appeared and began pulling the skin, which was hanging from one of his hands. “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Chris shouted. Surprisingly, the young man’s hand stuck onto the skin. After trying in vain to free his hand, the puzzled young man was forced to follow Chris. People laughed at him whenever he struggled to loosen his hand. Chris then came across a beautiful girl who sympathized with the trapped young man. She offered to help free the man by pulling his hand off the skin. “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Chris shouted, and the girl was also trapped. Chris and his two captives kept walking until they met a hunter who upon seeing them laughed uncontrollably.
“What are you doing following the young man?” he asked sarcastically.
“Oh, great hunter, stretch your hand and assist me in getting free from this young man” the girl begged.
“I will certainly help you, young girl,” the hunter replied as he stretched his hand towards the girl.
“Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Chris shouted again. The hunter then joined the traveling circus in the comical performance as the journey continued.
Chris and his circus reached the town where an event was ongoing. In the event, there was a traveling circus, which was entertaining visitors with its leader doing some comic tricks. When he saw Chris’ trio circus, he was surprised at what the three were up to. He started laughing and asked whether they had gone mad. Curious, the leader touched the skin and Chris screamed, “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” The leader of the entertaining circus then joined the crew and pleaded with Chris to let him lose. Many people were amazed by Chris’ magic. Among the onlookers was an old chief who was known for his no-nonsense character and never fell prey to magic tricks. Convinced that the magic was a hoax, he stretched his hand and held the beautiful llama skin. “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Chris shouted, and the renowned chief was caught in the circus. When his wife saw what was happening, she was disturbed since her husband never fell for such tricks. She stretched her had to pull her husband, and like everyone else’s, it was stuck.
Chris proceeded to next town, and as he was approaching its gates, he met a nice carriage that contained a beautiful princess with a stern facial expression. Nonetheless, after seeing the circus that came along with Chris holding on to the llama skin, she busted into laughter. The princess continued to laugh, and everyone was filled with joy. After stepping out of her carriage, she continued to laugh uncontrollably.
When the king heard about his daughter’s laughter, he sent for Chris’ train revel to be brought before him. After being presented to the king, he said, “Young man, do you know what I promised to give to any person who could make my princess laugh?” Before Chris could reply, he was given all the wealth he had ever dreamt of. All fortune was granted to him. After that, Chris touched the people in his train with the old woman’s rod and they were free.
Before Chris could leave with all his acquired fortune, the princess fell in love with the llama skin and stretched his hand to reach it. “Beautiful Llama skin, be steadfast!” Chris shouted. The princess’ hand stuck on Chris’ shoulder, and that was enough to win her as his bride.
Chris, having married the princess, received more than what he expected. When everything was settled, he carried along his wealth and wife back to his home. With all the wealth and his beautiful wife, Chris lived so happily that he forgot his promise to the old woman. After many years of marriage, they were blessed with three daughters and two sons. Chris and the Princess were growing older.
One day, Chris decided to go the neighborhood market to buy the princess her desires and other commodities. Moreover, he asked his daughters and sons what he could buy them at the market. The first daughter requested her father to bring her a dress and the second one a chain. Juliet, the third daughter, asked her father to find her a rose. She insisted that she did not want him to buy it. Instead, he was to pluck it from the bush. The two boys requested their father to bring them fishing rods, as they spent most of their time fishing. Little did Chris know that the journey would bring misfortune to his family.
A heavy storm began soon after Chris had left for the market. It was difficult for him to ride his horse since he could not see clearly. However, a sudden storm blew up and his horse could hardly make headway in the howling gale. Suddenly, Chris could not move further; however, he spotted an iron chain hanging from heaven that led him to a nearby house deep in the forest.
“This storm is heavy! I hope I will find somewhere to sleep in this house until tomorrow,” Chris thought to himself. After reaching the door of the house, he jumped from his horse, and the iron chain led him inside the house and disappeared. Chris was frightened but he composed himself and asked, “Is there anyone in the house?” But there was no reply. While walking around the house, he realized that dinner had already been served on the dining table. The old man was even more surprised and continued calling. He decided to go ahead and have dinner, which he ate to his satisfaction.
Because of his curiosity, Chris went upstairs to the house through the great stairways. He saw a beautiful soft bed in the first room, and since it was late in the night and he was feeling sleepy and exhausted, he lay on it and fell fast asleep. Upon waking up the next morning, he found his breakfast placed on a small table beside the bed. The puzzled father of five had his breakfast and proceeded downstairs with the intention of thanking his generous host. Nonetheless, just as the previous evening, there was no one in the house apart from the iron chain hanging from heaven, which opened the exit door for him to leave. The old man was numb and shook his head in wonder. As the iron rod led him to where he had left his horse, he saw a bunch of roses that attracted him to the garden. He recalled the promise he had made to his daughter Juliet. He then bent down to pick a rose for her. Suddenly, the iron rod hanging from heaven disappeared and instantly sprang a scary beast from the garden. The creature looked fearful and frightened him.
“Ungracious man! I have offered you free shelter, food, and bed to sleep and in return you pluck my only left beautiful flowers?” the beast shouted. In great fear and quivering, Chris bent on his knees begging for forgiveness from the beast.
“Pardon me! Pardon me! Spare my innocent life! I will do anything you ask of me. The rose was for my daughter Juliet, and I promised to bring her from the market!” Chris pleaded.
The Beast then looked at the old man with sympathy saying, “I am going to spare your life on the condition that you bring me your daughter.” The worried old man had no option but to agree to the demands. Reaching home, the three daughters and two sons greeted their father with tears rolling down their eyes. After explaining what he had gone through, the youngest daughter Juliet was moved by his ordeal. After thinking about it for some time, Juliet told his father, “I will do everything you requested me to do. I will keep the promises you have made to save your life.”
Because of the true love that existed between Juliet and his father, she was led into the thicket, and the farmer promised to stay put with her in the bush. As the father led the girl into the forest, he could not trace the house due to the fear that had engulfed him when he left the place. Suddenly, the iron chain hanging from heaven appeared and led the two to the house. When they entered the house, the Beast appeared and smiled at them. Juliet was frightened but she later got used to the creature because of the love she had for his father. The Beast let Juliet live in one of the beautiful rooms in the house. As she sat in front of the fire, the Beast would only look from far- gazing at her beauty
After some time, the Beast began talking to the beautiful girl, providing her with everything she wanted. It reached a point that Juliet became close to the Beast and enjoyed everything in the house. Surprisingly, one day, the Beast asked Juliet to be his wife. She was disturbed by the proposal since she could not think about getting married to such a creature. She was also moved by its kindness as well as her father’s promise.
“I am not quite sure what answer should I give to you…. I would like….” Juliet replied, but she was cut short by the Beast.
“I get your point, no need of explanation.”
After some few days, the iron hanging from heaven appeared to Juliet at the door house and led her to the garden where the creature was. The Beast then presented a beautiful mirror to her where she could see everything that transpired back in her home. The Beast thought that the mirror would keep Juliet busy, but to his surprise, it even made her lonelier. One day, as the Beast returned home, he found Juliet crying.
“What’s wrong?” the beast asked.
“My father is seriously ill and on the verge of his death! I wish I could see him before he passes away! My two sisters and brothers also disappeared deep into the forest” said Juliet.
However, the beast did not grant the young girl’s request. After thinking about it for some time, he asked her if she could make a promise of coming back after five days if he let her visit her father.
“I swear! I swear! You are so kind! You have made me so happy!” Juliet shouted.
The old man, Chris, was sick due to grief and sorrow that all his children would never come back home again. The girl was then led to her home by the iron chain hanging from heaven. Upon reaching her house, her father was shocked. He woke up from his sick bed and embraced her with tears flowing from his eyes. Strikingly, he could not regain his health because of the disappearance of the rest of the family members.
Juliet then inquired about what happened to her siblings and his father narrated to her all that had transpired to her siblings. The troubles that had befallen his other children occurred while he had escorted her back to the forest in the house of the beast.
This is how it happened. That day as a routine for his sons, they were preparing to go and fish in the forest. Their sisters decided to accompany them to the forest without their mother’s knowledge. When they reached the forest, the two brothers Sydney and Walter started showing their sisters the routes they follow with their father deep into the woods. When they arrived at the river, Sydney and Walter began their daily job of fishing. Their sisters enjoyed every scene in the forest and the fish that the two were catching. At around midday, it was time for the four to have some refreshments and break from the scorching sun. They sat under a tree as Mary, one of the sisters, unpacked the cakes she had initially prepared for lunch. When Sydney and Walter were busy packing the fish they had caught in one of the baskets, they heard their sister Carry calling.
“See that colorful container near there?” She was pointing her finger at one of the colorful containers that were beside the tree full of some colored liquid inside. Sydney looked and saw it.
However, he remembered one of his father’s warnings about touching strange things in the forest. As he was still thinking, Mary’s curiosity could not keep her. She was already opening the bottle ready to drink the juice that was inside. By the time Sydney jumped up to grab her hand, she had already seeped a quarter of the juice and gave the other to Carry. “Oh no, sisters….” Before Sydney could finish his statement, the worst had already happened. Mary and Carry transformed into one big monster. Walter managed to escape into the thick forest.
In the forest, Sydney had been captured captive by the monster. As he tried to run away from the river bank, the monster grabbed his hand and led him deep into the forest. The ogre commanded the little boy to remain silent. It took him to a small house that was deep inside the forest in a dark place. Inside the house, there was a fire in one of the corners that made it a home. Terrified, the young man remained silent as he awaited his death. He regretted why he went with his sisters into the forest, blaming himself for not adhering to his father’s instructions. Throughout the night, the young man could not sleep as he thought about his next move. He would not escape since he did not even know where he was.
The following morning, Sydney heard the door leading to the house open. “Come on young man and take this drink,” the monster offered Sydney some drink, which was supposed to be his breakfast. He sipped it with fear. Suddenly, the creature locked the door behind it as it warned him against escaping.
After contemplating for some time, Sydney thought of a way to escape. He had carried fish in his bag and remembered that he had a knife, which he used to walk with. As he tried to cut the ropes closing the door, the monster caught him. It was infuriated with his conduct and without wasting any moment, it swallowed him up with the knife in his hand. All these ordeals had made both Juliet’s parents, particularly his father sick and depressed. He had no peace and could not enjoy all the fortune that he had amassed. After some few days, the old man gained some strength and stood up from his sick bed. As he was walking in his garden, contemplating about the loss of his children and all the misfortune that had befallen him, he suddenly saw the old woman whom he met while still being a young man. The old man was surprised and remembering his empty promise to the woman, he fell on his knees and asked for forgiveness.
The old woman said to Chris, “All your misfortunes are as a result of the false promise you made to me.”
“Help me, my old woman,” Chris requested the old woman.
“I am going to give you one last instruction to save your family’s misfortunes. Make sure you remember and follow it.” The old woman told the old father. She instructed Chris to go deep into the forest under the same tree that he picked the llama. “When you reach the tree, you will find another llama tied to a nearby tree this time with no one around. Untie the animal and do as I instructed you before. However, remember this time to keep the animal’s skin deep inside your secret bag. The skin will give you direction to unravel the misfortunes surrounding your children.” The old woman told the father of four not to forget her and he promised to keep her word this time round.
Chris did exactly what the old woman had instructed. When he went back home, he was tired, keeping in mind the condition he was in before meeting the old woman. He went straight to bed without wasting any time with his secret bag tied around his shoulder. That night, the old man had a scary dream whereby he saw the Beast, which had taken captive of his daughter Juliet screaming, “Come back home! Juliet, Come back home! Juliet!”
The dream together with the promise she had made to the beast made the old man wake up from his sleep. He called his daughter Juliet and to her surprise, she realized that the five days she had promised the creature had elapsed. She immediately left her home in the company of her sick father and brother into the forest. The iron rod hanging from heaven led them.
“Quickly! Quickly! The iron chain shouted to the girl as they entered the compound of the beast. Juliet rushed upstairs where the Beast used to sleep, but she could not see it. After searching the whole house, the iron rod led her to the rose garden where her father had plucked the rose for her. She suddenly saw the Beast lying down the garden with its eyes closed. At first, she thought the Beast was dead. She held its hand and clutched it tightly while crying,
“Don’t die! Don’t die! I will marry you . . .”
After saying these words, the Beast transformed into a handsome young man and the iron rod went back into the heavens.
“What a miracle, I have been longing for this moment,” he said. “I have been suffering in silence all my life.”
He began narrating her ordeal to Juliet, “When I was a young man, an evil woman who was a witch turned me into a beast and promised that only the love of a beautiful girl would change my situation. I have been struggling and praying hard for such a day. The only hope I found was through the iron road that hang from heaven, which promised to assist me. Now, my dream has come true.”
Then the two, together with Juliet’s father and brother, were relieved and decided to rest for the remaining part of the night. As the father was sleeping with his secret bag around his neck, he had another strange dream in which he was instructed by creature to go alone deep into the forest with the secret bag. In the forest, he would reach a house that belonged to the monster that had eaten his son. At first, the monster would be happy for the free meal that would present itself. However, the old man would first take away the llama skin and throw it to the monster to eat. Then he would find back all the three children.
The next morning, the old man woke up very early in the morning with his secret bag without telling anyone and headed deep into the forest. He walked for a long distance deep the forest until he came near a house. As he moved near the house, he heard some strange noise coming from the forest. When the monster inside heard some footsteps, it jumped outside the house ready to fight the stranger who was approaching. The old man did not waste any time and immediately threw the llama skin to the creature. The monster greedily swallowed the skin. Immediately, the creature fell, vomited his son, and later transformed into the two daughters.
The old man could not hide his joy. He embraced his children and immediately headed to meet Juliet and her fiancée. The family then happily reunited with their mother. His depression and sickness disappeared since all his misfortunes had ended. After settling down once again as a happy and wealthy family, he remembered the old woman and rewarded her abundantly.