Once upon a time, there were two best friends named Achilles and Odysseus. Both men were accomplished fighters; it helped that Odysseus was a giant of a man. When the two weren't training, they generally enjoyed eating Greek yogurt. Although they were troublesome, they had good hearts. Oftentimes they would steal from the rich just so they could give back to the poor. Regardless, this had made them outlaws in the eyes of the greedy king.
One day, Achilles and Odysseus were walking through the Steni Forest. This was one of their favorite places to train. Achilles also liked to hang out around the forest because oftentimes the fair maiden Merriam would go for afternoon strolls. This afternoon, however, the pair came across a wealthy peddler. The peddler was dressed in armor and wore a golden cloak. He also had a pack that appeared to be full of small treasures. It infuriated Odysseus to see someone with so much material wealth; where he came from people were rather poor. He thought it was unfair for someone to accumulate so much wealth while others went to bed hungry.
“Oi! What’cha got in your pack, there?” Odysseus cried out to the peddler. The peddler hesitated for a second, apparently realizing that he might be in a sticky situation.
“Just some jewelry, silk garments, and salt. Among other things,” the peddler casually replied back.
“I think I may want some jewelry, silk garments, and salt. Among other things,” Big Odysseus sarcastically answered back.
“But it looks like you already have enough money, so I don’t see why I should bother paying for it,” Odysseus continued, raising the tension.
The stranger smiled, nodding his head as though he was expecting a conflict such as this. Without saying another word, the stranger set down his back and unsheathed his sword. His message was clear: if you want it, you’re going to have to come and get it. Odysseus let out a hearty laugh. He had been hoping for some action all day. The two began to duel. Achilles smiled and leaned against a nearby tree. He was ready to be entertained. Being close to seven feet tall, Odysseus was accustomed to winning fights. This one, however, was different.
After close to an hour, neither party had defeated the other. That being said, Odysseus was taking much more damage. Achilles, watching the scene from the sideline, seemed amused. At last, Odysseus could not take it any longer.
“How about you take a turn, Achilles? I don’t wanna have all the fun for myself,” Odysseus let out with a forced smile.
Achilles faced across from the peddler and they started to duel. The clashing blades rang out through the immense forest. After some time, it was apparent that the two were of equal skill. Impressed, Achilles began to inquire about the stranger’s background. It was rare for the duo to come across someone as skilled as this.
“Where are you from? And what is your name? They don’t make them like you around here,” Achilles shot out at the stranger. The two paused, each of them catching their breath.
“My name is Patroclus. I come from the land north of Sherwood Forest. My mother lived in a village called Little Whinging and worked as an innkeeper,” the skilled stranger replied back.
Achilles let out a big laugh. The stranger seemed confused by this reaction. He was honestly expecting to get mugged by the pair of strangers. He was surprised that they chose to fight him in such an honorable manner.
"No, these aren't your typical thugs," the stranger thought to himself.
“An innkeeper in Little Whinging, you say? And your name is Patroclus...My mother’s sister is an innkeeper from Little Whinging. She had a boy named Patroclus long ago. That would make us cousins. How about we put down the swords?”
Patroclus complied. The two cousins, along with Odysseus, went to a local tavern to catch up and enjoy some mead. They had a merry time.
Bibliography: The Bold Pedlar by Francis James Child
author's note: I was inspired to write this story by a tale called The Bold Pedlar. In the original tale, Robin Hood and Little John run into a peddler in the forest. This person had a pack of items that Little John was interested in obtaining. So, the two began to fight. Little John was getting beat up, however, so Robin Hood stepped in. At this point, Robin Hood begins to duel the stranger. The two bloodied each other up a bit, and then Robin Hood inquired about the identity of the stranger. He was not forthcoming, however; he responded that he would not tell them until both Robin Hood and Little John told him who they were. After this, the stranger told them that he was Gamble Gold. He had traveled far beyond the sea but was forced to leave his home country after killing a man in his father's land. Robin Hood surmised from the information that the two were first cousins, and they quit fighting and went to a tavern.
In my story, I changed the names of the characters. I wanted to name them after Greek heroes. I believe that Patroclus and Achilles were cousins in The Iliad. I included a Greek forest, called the Steni Forest! I used Little Whinging as I remembered it from Harry Potter and I thought it would be a fun Easter egg. I also tried to paint all of the characters in a friendlier light. I didn't really want to have the stranger be a murderer and then they all get along at the end. I hope you enjoyed my story!
Image: Robin Hood and Little John Sparring, illustrated by Louis Rhead.
source: commons
