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2012 MOCathalon: Robin and the Beanstalk . Entering for Team Dark Horse 2 in category 16: "Fairy Tales". I wouldn't say it ends with everyone living happily ever after, but oh well. Let's do this. . MOCathalon
Team Dark Horse: Part Deux
You all have no doubt heard the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, along with the tale of Robin Hood.
This is a tale encompassing both of the others.
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There was once upon a time a poor widow who had an only son named Jack, and a cow named Milky-White. And all they had to live on was the milk the cow gave every morning, which they carried to the market and sold. But one morning Milky-White gave no milk, and they didn't know what to do.
"What shall we do, what shall we do?" said the widow, wringing her hands.
"Cheer up, mother, I'll go and get work somewhere," said Jack.
"We've tried that before, and nobody would take you," said his mother. "We must sell Milky-White."
"All right, mother," says Jack. "It's market day today, and I'll soon sell Milky-White, and then we'll see what we can do."
So Jack went off to market.
On his way he met a funny old man who offered Jack two beans for Milky-White.
"Go along then, wouldn't you like that?" Jack said, and began to walk away.
"Ah! You don't know what these beans are," said the man. "If you plant them overnight, by morning they grow right up to the sky."
"Really?" said Jack. "You don't say so."
"Yes, that is so. And if it doesn't turn out to be true you can have your cow back."
"Right," says Jack, and handed him over Milky-White and pockets the beans.
Back goes Jack home, and as he hadn't gone very far it wasn't dusk by the time he got to his door.
"Back already, Jack?" said his mother. "I see you haven't got Milky-White, so you've sold her. How much did you get for her?"
"I got two magical beans, mother!" Jack said eagerly.
"What!" says Jack's mother. "Have you been such a fool as to give away Milky-White for beans? Go to your room, no supper for you!"
In a fit of blind rage, Jack decided to hire an assassin to take down the businessman who had apparently gypped him out of his cow.
As the assassin, Robin Hood, approached his client's house to be briefed on his assignment, he looked and saw a boy in the yard of the house.
Thinking that it must be Jack, Robin went to talk to him.
"Hello, sir," says Jack. "Are you the assassin I sent for?"
"Yes, the one and only," replies the great woodsman with a flourish. "But before I accept your task, I must know- how is it that I am to be paid?"
Jack turned to Robin Hood and held out a strange... bean.
"There you are, a magical bean! I've already planted one, so I'll pay you with the second. If you plant the bean then - "
But Jack was cut short by an arrow sharply fired into his stomach.
Jack fell dead to the ground with nary a whimper, the remaining bean still clutched in his hand, as Robin Hood began to leave the house in indignation.
But suddenly a clamorous clatter reached Robin's ears- he turned on the spot to see a giant plant, swiftly extending from the ground.
"I wonder what treasures might await me at the top," he thought, and began to climb.
The giant residing in the clouds at the top of the beanstalk, had recently been woken up by the commotion below. Grumpily, he reached out his hand hoping to find whatever it was that had caused such a sound.
Methinks that things might end up a bit poorly for Robin Hood.
Overview of the scene.
Crumbling rock wall and landscape detailing.
No figs.
Rock wall; crumbling due to both age and the beanstalk erupting from the soil nearby.
Robin, a-climbin' away. No doubt he'll give the giant's treasure to the poor.
Empty base and rock wall.
Ouch.
Transparent support rig.
Figs only.
Another beanstalk view.
Landscape.
Giant's hand in the clouds.
Hand, again. Really quite fun to build, although supporting it was a pain.
Another view of the hand; the fingers are movable, though not jointed.
Side view of the hand.
Back of the giant's hand.
( Note: I realize that the backstory switches from present to past tense occasionally; that is actually how the original Jack and the Beanstalk story was written, so sue me. )
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