• The Story of the Poppykettle Gnomes

    There is a story Avery had heard once, not long ago at all. His friend Riley told him the story of the Poppykettle gnomes. She said she had heard it from her cousin. The story starts with Men slowly destroying the natural habitat of the gnomes, whom the story focuses on, with their buildings and wars and general disbelief: a king had come to claim the land; the King of the Sea he was, and frankly, he was getting tired of fish. He decided to settle down. So, one day, all of the gnomes got together and decided to leave for a new land to prosper once again. They found a poppykettle and filled it with supplies, including two brass keys -- in case they ever came in handy -- and set off on their journey. It was long perilous. They lost several gnomes to the treacherous Sea but finally made it to the new land. The gnomes left the keys on the shore along with the poppykettle. These artifacts were discovered by archaeologists not long ago; proof that the gnomes had indeed immigrated.
    "The end," Riley added.
    "Wait, so the gnomes died?" Avery asked.
    "Yep."
    "Without ever finding out what the keys were for?"
    "Yeah, I know, it's a screwed up story. That's Mariah for you,"she said.
    Avery ended up aggravated - and unable to sleep that night - by the pointlessness of the keys.
    This story, however, is incorrect. Rather, it is not entirely correct.
    There is a similar tale about the Poppykettle gnomes, and it is likely the source of Mariah's own.
    Many years ago, after the King of the Sea had sailed across the ocean and conquered the people of the North, seven gnomes decided to set off and see what lay beyond the horizon to the west. They found a clay pot with a spout and a handle, and decided it would be an ideal craft for their voyage. The great Phoenix carried the pot and its crew down to the seashore, where the gnomes made a sail and winched on board two brass keys, which they had stolen from the Southerners, to provide ballast. They felt this was a fair exchange because the Southerners had stolen so much silver and gold from the people of the North. They also loaded sacks of poppy seed as provisions for the voyage - enough to last them several years. The ship was named the Poppykettle. A silver fish towed the Poppykettle through the water until the wind caught the sail and blew the little craft out across the vast Sea. They were helped on their way by the cosmic power believed to control the winds, the ocean and the climate of lands around the North. After a few days the wind dropped and the gnomes were almost wrecked on some rocky islands. However, great dragon-like monsters filled the sail with their hot breath and drove them out to sea again. The Poppykettle sailed on for months and months until it was carried close to another island. This time the clay pot was almost shattered on the coral reefs, but the gnomes were rescued by some of the islanders, who showed them a chart to help them find the way on the next stretch of the voyage. Now the intrepid explorers sailed through rougher and colder waters. The wind gathered force and blew up into a storm. The Poppykettle tossed about on giant waves, and the gnomes feared they would all perish in the swell. After many hours the gale subsided, but the Poppykettle had cracked and was slowly filling with water. Luckily a dolphin had followed them through the storm. He lifted the damaged pot out of the water and carried it on his head, all the way to a far distant shore. The gnomes left the clay pot and the brass keys on the beach and set off to explore this unknown and unclaimed land.
    This story is also incorrect, although it is credited as being the original and as starting the Poppykettle Festival in Avery's small island. No, the story was not as much of a story as it was historical. But then again, these things often intertwine. Even if one were to combine the two versions of this tale they would still be far off as far as the true nature of the gnomes go.
    The gnomes were driven from their home by Men after the king realized what a threat they possessed, and found a teakettle which they named the Poppykettle and brought along two keys and all the supplies they may need, including much alcohol; in fact, the unofficial name was the Rumkettle, for those who witnessed the little men noted that there was more drink than food. The gnomes were very crafty and greedy, and did not keep their word when possessions and trades were offered, if it could be helped. First they encountered the Phoenix.
    "Help us and we will give you one of our magnificent keys," one of the gnomes told the great bird. The keys were alluring and gleamed in the sunlight, and the bird could not help but assist the gnomes if it meant having an item so great as that in the end. When they had reached the beach, the bird looked at the gnomes expectantly, and while he did so he was attacked from behind and killed by two of the finest gnomish warriors. A silver fish had witnessed the viciousness of the gnomes, and, struck with fear, had no choice but to tow the gnomes through the water until the wind picked up. As the Poppykettle faded into the distance, the Phoenix was reborn from its ashes and cursed the gnomes.
    The Goddess of the world received word of how deceitful the gnomes were and decided that he would try and hinder the gnome's journey. The wind ceased after what could have been hours or could have been days and the Poppykettle crashed on a rocky island. They were soon discovered by two rivaling dragons, one Flame and one Frost. They stopped fighting at the prospect of easier food and approached the gnomes. Now, the gnomes were greedy, but they would never sacrifice one another. So instead they regrettably wasted their alcohol, and saved themselves by getting the dragons drunk. In a stupor, the flame dragon blew hot breath into the sale of the Poppykettle and the gnomes were off, with very little alcohol to spare.
    The Poppykettle crashed once again thanks to the cosmic power of the Goddess, and the gnomes found themselves at what could hardly be considered a loss. They made friends with the islanders by staging a dragon attack with the help of their wizard, and, grateful, the villagers showed them charts to help them make their way to a new land, and stole much from behind their backs. They made haste away from the island before the villagers inevitably found out. They never did, and instead erected a statue of the heroic gnomes, and to this day hold a festival in their honor every year.
    The gnomes were bombarded with long storms and attacked by many a creature thanks to the God, who had decided it was best to help the Goddess lest he should like to sleep on the metaphorical couch.. Nevertheless, they made it out with but a scratch to their vessel. However, this was not good. Word had reached throughout the lands, and in anger a dolphin brutally attacked them. All but siz gnomes were left after the assault, two female and four male, but they were quite glad: they now had enough rum to go around. They found land while drunk, left behind the Poppykettle, and colonized.
    That didn’t last long.