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Description
     "G'day, Keep!"
     The innkeeper turned and saw a young woman entering his establishment, her face smiling and a hand waving.
     "A fine morning to you, M'lady!  What brings you into town this early?"
     She made her way to the bar and plopped down on a stool.  Keep instantly poured a glass of milk and set it before her as she got comfortable.
     "I had some business to take care of with the land magistrate."  She took the milk and drank deeply.
     "I see," Keep chuckled.  He cleaned the bar as she drank.  The mug came back down and Keep was shocked to find it empty.
     "Thirsty?" Keep asked with a smile.
     "Oh, yes.  Very."  She grinned softly as Keep re-filled the mug straight from the pitcher.
     "Tell me a story, Keep."
     "A story?  I'm fairly sure you've heard them all, perhaps twice!"
     "Please?"  Keep looked in her eyes and his feigned dissuasion melted.
     "Oh, very well."  Keep thought for a moment.
     "I'll tell you the story of the two brothers."  She leaned on the bar and gazed at him with wanton eyes.
     "I first laid eyes on them on a stormy night.  They came in soaked to the bone and asking for accommodations.  Their money was good, so I sent them upstairs with dinner and had their clothes laundered.  Later, I learned their names were Kenneth and Samuel, and they were from a village many miles away.
     "Their parents had died of the plague, and they had departed on foot to escape the pestilence.  However, they had nowhere to go and little money to get there.
     "In the morning I bid them good luck in their journey, and they left the Capital."  Keep turned and placed some clean glasses on the shelf.
     "Not much of a story," the woman started to complain.
     "Ah, but have I said it was finished?"  She blushed.
     "Now I will admit that I didn't expect to see these men again, but no more than three days later I saw them pass before my Inn, this time with their hands bound.  I learned from a friend in the Guard that they were to stand trial for killing an old woman's goat in a nearby Hammerdale.  Seems they had found it wandering in the forest, and being hungry, killed it and ate it.  A small search party found their fire and arrested them."
     "Who was arrested?" asked Hibber from the end of the bar.
     "The Hammerdale boys," Keep re-iterated.
     "Oh yeah," Hibber recollected, "Claimed they didn't see the brand on the goat's hip."
     "That's right," Keep continued.  "Luckily for the brothers, the goat's owner was an old woman whose sons had recently left to join the King's Army.  Once she heard the boy's plight, she dropped the charges, on the condition that the boys come to work for her.
     "With no better choice, the brothers agreed, and went back to Hammerdale to work on the woman's farm.  They planted her crops, milked her cow, and even fixed up her barn.  In only a year's time, the boys' reputation turned positive, and they became totally devoted to their elder benefactress."
     "What a lovely turn of events," she said, shifting on her stool.
     "Yes, the boys had made good, and became regular visitors to the Inn.  They never forgot my hospitality and would often stop by when they were in town and tell me of how their lives had changed.  But then it all took a sad turn."  Keep lowered his head and filled a flagon for an incoming patron.
     "What?  What happened," she insisted.
     "Well, one day when Kenneth was taking the cow to the South pasture, a snake came out and bit it.  The cow jumped, and knocked Kenneth to the ground, where he struck his head on a large stone.
     "Samuel found Kenneth and the cow a few hours later.  It was too late for the animal, the poison had taken effect.  Kenneth was alive, but unconscious, and Samuel rushed him to the Cleric as fast as he could.
     "Pariah was able to heal his wounds, but Kenneth failed to regain consciousness.  The damage to his head was so severe, that it was unlikely he would ever awake.  Samuel returned to the old woman with his brother, and cared for him for many weeks, with no sign of improvement."
     Concern and fear filled the girl's eyes, and several pairs of ears clung to Keeps every word.
     "Samuel wept for his brother, and soon he came to accept the fact that there was nothing more he could do.  Then, one night, he awoke to strange noises in the barn.  He followed them and there found the old woman chanting and making gestures over Kenneth's body.  When he came in and demanded an explanation, the old woman calmly explained.
     "'There is nothing we can do for Kenneth's mind.  It is lost to us.  Plus we are short one cow.  I have a modicum of magical talent, and I can allow him to live out the rest of his life simply and useful.'
     "Samuel was shocked at her suggestion.  She was offering to turn Kenneth in to a cow.  A cow!  His emotions turned to anger, then understanding, and finally acceptance.  Samuel realized this was for the best."  All ears were still keenly listening.
     "Samuel watched as she completed the spell, and Kenneth's body slowly transformed into that of a young calf.  In a matter of minutes, the calf stood up on its new legs, and brayed softly.  Samuel smiled and went to his former brother, who seemed to recognize him.
     "The old woman said the calf would grow quickly and soon be providing twice the amount of milk their previous cow had.  Samuel cared for the calf with a very watchful eye, and true to her word, in two months the cow was producing incredible amounts of milk.
     "Samuel told me that though the cow did know him and the old woman, there didn't seem to be any semblance of its formerly human life.  The milk production was so great, that Samuel took to selling much of it on market, and turned a tidy profit too."  Keep winked.  Everyone smiled.
     "Life was good again, and years passed without incident.  The farm grew, and the woman became rich, with Samuel always in her faithful employ.  Through the years, she taught him what she could of magic, and it wasn't long before he too was a potent magic user.
     "However, all good things must come to and end, and so it was for the old woman.  She fell very ill, and no spell could help her.  Even she knew it was finally her time.  On her death bed, she expressed her gratitude to Samuel, and granted him all her wealth and her farm."  Keep noticed a few tears forming in the eyes of his listeners.
     "What ever happened to him?" Hibber eventually asked.
     Keep perked up, "Well, that is hard to say for sure.  I never saw Samuel after the woman's death.  Some say she cast a final spell before she died to remove the remorse he felt of her death.  Others have said that he cast as spell on himself to pay tribute to the woman whom had given him so much.  Even others say …"
     "Mooooooo!" interrupted the cow in the entryway.
     "Kenna!" the young lady shouted, turning and slowly sliding off her stood.
     "Moooo," it repeated.  She hurried over to the animal and took the reign around its neck.
     "You naughty cow.  How many times have I told you to stay near the barn."  She then turned back to Keep, who was smiling at the situation.
     "I'm sorry, Keep.  Sometimes she follows me like a lost pup or a child."
     "It's quite all right, my dear," Keep said with a wave.  "Come back any time."
     "I will," she said, heading out and pulling Kenna with her.
     "I'd better get her back to the barn for he daily milking, and thank you for the story!" she called back.
     "Your welcome, Samantha.  Take care."

Description
     "G'day, Keep!"
     The innkeeper turned and saw a young woman entering his establishment, her face smiling and a hand waving.
     "A fine morning to you, M'lady!  What brings you into town this early?"
     She made her way to the bar and plopped down on a stool.  Keep instantly poured a glass of milk and set it before her as she got comfortable.
     "I had some business to take care of with the land magistrate."  She took the milk and drank deeply.
     "I see," Keep chuckled.  He cleaned the bar as she drank.  The mug came back down and Keep was shocked to find it empty.
     "Thirsty?" Keep asked with a smile.
     "Oh, yes.  Very."  She grinned softly as Keep re-filled the mug straight from the pitcher.
     "Tell me a story, Keep."
     "A story?  I'm fairly sure you've heard them all, perhaps twice!"
     "Please?"  Keep looked in her eyes and his feigned dissuasion melted.
     "Oh, very well."  Keep thought for a moment.
     "I'll tell you the story of the two brothers."  She leaned on the bar and gazed at him with wanton eyes.
     "I first laid eyes on them on a stormy night.  They came in soaked to the bone and asking for accommodations.  Their money was good, so I sent them upstairs with dinner and had their clothes laundered.  Later, I learned their names were Kenneth and Samuel, and they were from a village many miles away.
     "Their parents had died of the plague, and they had departed on foot to escape the pestilence.  However, they had nowhere to go and little money to get there.
     "In the morning I bid them good luck in their journey, and they left the Capital."  Keep turned and placed some clean glasses on the shelf.
     "Not much of a story," the woman started to complain.
     "Ah, but have I said it was finished?"  She blushed.
     "Now I will admit that I didn't expect to see these men again, but no more than three days later I saw them pass before my Inn, this time with their hands bound.  I learned from a friend in the Guard that they were to stand trial for killing an old woman's goat in a nearby Hammerdale.  Seems they had found it wandering in the forest, and being hungry, killed it and ate it.  A small search party found their fire and arrested them."
     "Who was arrested?" asked Hibber from the end of the bar.
     "The Hammerdale boys," Keep re-iterated.
     "Oh yeah," Hibber recollected, "Claimed they didn't see the brand on the goat's hip."
     "That's right," Keep continued.  "Luckily for the brothers, the goat's owner was an old woman whose sons had recently left to join the King's Army.  Once she heard the boy's plight, she dropped the charges, on the condition that the boys come to work for her.
     "With no better choice, the brothers agreed, and went back to Hammerdale to work on the woman's farm.  They planted her crops, milked her cow, and even fixed up her barn.  In only a year's time, the boys' reputation turned positive, and they became totally devoted to their elder benefactress."
     "What a lovely turn of events," she said, shifting on her stool.
     "Yes, the boys had made good, and became regular visitors to the Inn.  They never forgot my hospitality and would often stop by when they were in town and tell me of how their lives had changed.  But then it all took a sad turn."  Keep lowered his head and filled a flagon for an incoming patron.
     "What?  What happened," she insisted.
     "Well, one day when Kenneth was taking the cow to the South pasture, a snake came out and bit it.  The cow jumped, and knocked Kenneth to the ground, where he struck his head on a large stone.
     "Samuel found Kenneth and the cow a few hours later.  It was too late for the animal, the poison had taken effect.  Kenneth was alive, but unconscious, and Samuel rushed him to the Cleric as fast as he could.
     "Pariah was able to heal his wounds, but Kenneth failed to regain consciousness.  The damage to his head was so severe, that it was unlikely he would ever awake.  Samuel returned to the old woman with his brother, and cared for him for many weeks, with no sign of improvement."
     Concern and fear filled the girl's eyes, and several pairs of ears clung to Keeps every word.
     "Samuel wept for his brother, and soon he came to accept the fact that there was nothing more he could do.  Then, one night, he awoke to strange noises in the barn.  He followed them and there found the old woman chanting and making gestures over Kenneth's body.  When he came in and demanded an explanation, the old woman calmly explained.
     "'There is nothing we can do for Kenneth's mind.  It is lost to us.  Plus we are short one cow.  I have a modicum of magical talent, and I can allow him to live out the rest of his life simply and useful.'
     "Samuel was shocked at her suggestion.  She was offering to turn Kenneth in to a cow.  A cow!  His emotions turned to anger, then understanding, and finally acceptance.  Samuel realized this was for the best."  All ears were still keenly listening.
     "Samuel watched as she completed the spell, and Kenneth's body slowly transformed into that of a young calf.  In a matter of minutes, the calf stood up on its new legs, and brayed softly.  Samuel smiled and went to his former brother, who seemed to recognize him.
     "The old woman said the calf would grow quickly and soon be providing twice the amount of milk their previous cow had.  Samuel cared for the calf with a very watchful eye, and true to her word, in two months the cow was producing incredible amounts of milk.
     "Samuel told me that though the cow did know him and the old woman, there didn't seem to be any semblance of its formerly human life.  The milk production was so great, that Samuel took to selling much of it on market, and turned a tidy profit too."  Keep winked.  Everyone smiled.
     "Life was good again, and years passed without incident.  The farm grew, and the woman became rich, with Samuel always in her faithful employ.  Through the years, she taught him what she could of magic, and it wasn't long before he too was a potent magic user.
     "However, all good things must come to and end, and so it was for the old woman.  She fell very ill, and no spell could help her.  Even she knew it was finally her time.  On her death bed, she expressed her gratitude to Samuel, and granted him all her wealth and her farm."  Keep noticed a few tears forming in the eyes of his listeners.
     "What ever happened to him?" Hibber eventually asked.
     Keep perked up, "Well, that is hard to say for sure.  I never saw Samuel after the woman's death.  Some say she cast a final spell before she died to remove the remorse he felt of her death.  Others have said that he cast as spell on himself to pay tribute to the woman whom had given him so much.  Even others say …"
     "Mooooooo!" interrupted the cow in the entryway.
     "Kenna!" the young lady shouted, turning and slowly sliding off her stood.
     "Moooo," it repeated.  She hurried over to the animal and took the reign around its neck.
     "You naughty cow.  How many times have I told you to stay near the barn."  She then turned back to Keep, who was smiling at the situation.
     "I'm sorry, Keep.  Sometimes she follows me like a lost pup or a child."
     "It's quite all right, my dear," Keep said with a wave.  "Come back any time."
     "I will," she said, heading out and pulling Kenna with her.
     "I'd better get her back to the barn for he daily milking, and thank you for the story!" she called back.
     "Your welcome, Samantha.  Take care."