(Last Updated: 10 years ago)
This is the tale of two young men, bound together by camaraderie, who embarked on a journey of exploration and self-discovery. Their youthful exuberance, however, took a bizarre and perilous turn, transforming their expedition into a series of increasingly dangerous and surreal pranks. This story, passed down through generations, serves as a cautionary reminder of the potential consequences of unchecked whimsy and the importance of forgiveness in even the most strained of friendships. The heart of the story revolves around The Comrades’ Pranks, a series of escalating transformations and near-fatal encounters.
The narrative begins with the two comrades announcing their intention to their respective families. "We will go to look for people," they declared, their youthful faces alight with the anticipation of adventure. While one father harbored reservations, the other readily granted his consent. Thus, with the blessings of at least one parent, the pair set off into the unknown.
For two nights, they traveled together, sharing stories and the warmth of a single campfire. But on the third night, a seed of discord was sown. One of the comrades, seemingly out of the blue, proposed an unusual arrangement. "Let us sleep in separate shelters," he suggested, breaking the established pattern of their shared journey.
His companion, taken aback by this sudden shift, protested. "Don’t say that, comrade," he pleaded, clinging to the comfort of their shared experience. However, the other remained resolute. "Yes, we shall camp apart," he insisted, an air of mischievous determination in his voice.
And so, they did. They built a fire, but this time, each retreated to their own solitary shelter, a palpable tension hanging in the air between them. As darkness enveloped the landscape, the comrade who had initially resisted the separation found himself unable to sleep. His unease grew with each passing moment, fueled by an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
Suddenly, he heard a distinct noise emanating from the darkness – the sound of chopping. Curiosity and a growing sense of dread compelled him to investigate. He crept out of his shelter, moving stealthily through the shadows, until he could discern the source of the unsettling sound.
What he witnessed in the dim light of the fire sent a jolt of pure terror through his veins. His companion, the one who had insisted on separate shelters, was engaged in a bizarre and horrifying act: he was meticulously sharpening his legs to a point. The implications of this grotesque transformation were immediately clear, and the comrade realized he was in grave danger.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned and fled, his heart pounding in his chest. He could hear the ominous sound of sharpened legs pursuing him through the undergrowth. His companion, now transformed into a menacing figure known only as Sharpened-Leg, was relentlessly hunting him down.
Desperate to escape the relentless pursuit, the fleeing comrade spotted a tall tree and instinctively scrambled up its trunk, seeking refuge in its branches. He climbed higher and higher, his breath coming in ragged gasps, until he felt a momentary sense of security.
But his reprieve was short-lived. Sharpened-Leg, his voice laced with a chilling playfulness, called out from below, "Now I shall catch you, comrade." The words hung in the air, a promise of impending doom.
Without warning, Sharpened-Leg launched a brutal assault on the tree, kicking its trunk with his newly sharpened legs. Each blow sent tremors through the wood, weakening its structure. With a final, devastating kick, the tree split in two and came crashing down to the earth, carrying the terrified comrade with it.
Sharpened-Leg, showing no mercy, relentlessly kicked his fallen companion, his sharpened legs piercing the flesh. Miraculously, despite the brutal assault, the comrade did not die. After inflicting a near-fatal beating, Sharpened-Leg, in an act of inexplicable remorse, used his strange powers to heal his companion’s wounds, restoring him to a semblance of his former self. The strange events that unfolded can be referred to as The Comrades’ Pranks, even if they are disturbing.
The next day, they resumed their journey, the memory of the previous night hanging heavy between them. The comrade who had been attacked, understandably shaken, proposed that they camp apart once more. This time, Sharpened-Leg agreed, perhaps out of guilt or a renewed sense of caution.
But the night brought another unsettling transformation. Sharpened-Leg, lying in his solitary shelter, was awakened by a loud snorting sound coming from outside. He cautiously peered into the darkness and was confronted with an even more bizarre sight than the previous night. His partner had transformed into a massive buffalo, its powerful frame silhouetted against the moonlit landscape.
Terror gripped Sharpened-Leg, and he once again turned and fled, pursued by the rampaging bull. But his sharpened legs, which had been his weapon the night before, now proved to be a hindrance. They were not designed for speed, and he struggled to outrun the powerful beast.
He desperately sought refuge in a tree, scrambling up its trunk as the buffalo thundered behind him. But the buffalo, with its immense strength, began to hook at the tree with its horns, each impact shaking the tree violently. Finally, with a mighty heave, the buffalo uprooted the tree, sending it crashing to the ground along with the terrified Sharpened-Leg.
The buffalo then proceeded to inflict a brutal beating on Sharpened-Leg, hooking him repeatedly with its horns, tearing at his flesh. He was ripped apart, nearly killed, before the buffalo, inexplicably, relented and left him alone.
The cycle of transformations and near-fatal attacks continued. One night, Sharpened-Leg, feigning the need to urinate, went outside and transformed into a large elk. The buffalo-man, terrified, fled screaming, only to be pursued by the elk. He climbed a tree, but the elk uprooted it, repeatedly knocking him down and nearly killing him before restoring him to health.
The following night, the buffalo-man once again insisted on camping apart. This time, Sharpened-Leg heard the growling of a bear. He fled, pursued by a grizzly. He climbed a tree, but the bear followed. Both fell, and the bear bit off half of Sharpened-Leg’s nose before, once again, restoring him.
Finally, Sharpened-Leg, battered, bruised, and missing half his nose, cried out in desperation. "I am afraid," he pleaded, "Let us stop this now, let us be friends again."
But the buffalo-man, fueled by a sense of vengeance, refused. "No," he retorted, "you were the one to begin."
Sharpened-Leg continued to beg, "Let us stop now."
But the buffalo-man remained unmoved. "No, let us try once more," he insisted, driven by an insatiable desire for retribution.
Sharpened-Leg pleaded and begged until finally, the buffalo-man relented, exhaustion and perhaps a glimmer of compassion in his heart. They resolved to live together as friends, putting an end to their bizarre and dangerous game.
The bear-man, his voice a low growl, issued a final warning. "If you try again," he said, "I shall kill you." Then, he commanded, "Now get your feet again."
Sharpened-Leg, relieved that the ordeal was finally over, searched for his detached legs. He found them, but he was unable to reattach them himself. The bear-man, displaying a surprising act of kindness, set them for him. And so, the two comrades, scarred and humbled by their experiences, traveled on in peace, the memory of their terrifying pranks serving as a constant reminder of the fragility of friendship and the potential consequences of unchecked mischief. The memory of The Comrades’ Pranks would forever bind them. The story of The Comrades’ Pranks serves as a timeless reminder.
