Cobnots and Rocknits

Over the hills the rock flew and landed just by the right foot of the tribe elder.

It was a great sign. The great and powerful Tik Tok had spoken and she had spoken

 with the utmost clarity.

The village was in elation, this was better than the bark boat challenge event each spring down by the creek. This time they had gotten proof. Real proof that the rock god Tik Tok really had full control over all rocks, big and small.

The rock had flown and the tribe shaman had told the people that even if they saw him throw the rock it was by the complete guidance of Tik Tok. It was a marvellous sign from their god and a marvellous time to be a villager. They danced around with each other and chanted "Tik Tok, we are your flock" on and on. The shaman and the elder smiled proudly at each other and then down at the people.

The shaman developed a stern look upon his face, wrinkling his forehead even more than it already was and started to speak.

"Alas young children of wee faith. Now you finally see the power of Tik Tok the mighty. I know many of you have doubted, many of you have sought the luring blasphemy of reason and logic."

With a look on his face as if  he had tasted something foul, he watched the crowd carefully to see if any of them reacted suspiciously. Satisfied that everyone was paying attention he continued with force of heart.

"I now hold it for certain that we can move the mountain on our neighbouring island over to our island. The Cobnots tribe have had it for too long and have bragged about it to us one time too many."

Some of the villagers in the gathering started to turn and fidget, seeming to look around them at the other villagers. They were only a few, so the speaker continued, still confident.

"We will tonight by canoes and rafts sneak over to their island and take our mountain, rock by rock, with the unbeatable power of our god Tik Tok." He laughed hysterically and most villagers laughed with him, though not quite as vigorously and with somewhat confused faces.

"It is our right and a fitful punishment for the Cobnots." He continued.

"Their worship of Buku the Windmaker must cease. It has gone on for far too long. We the followers of the true god, Tik Tok, must help them see how great rocks are."

He paused for a while thinking.

One villager waved and asked calmly:

"The mountain is quite big, it will take a while to move it."

Many villagers nodded in agreement.

"Blasphemers!" The Elder now exclaimed.

"Do you doubt the rock god? Tik Tok will punish you with small rocks in your sandals!"

The crowd gasped and the area went silent.

The shaman ended his speech with a satisfied smile.

"We meet at the big beach by the canoes tonight when the bright sphere fades. All who can walk must join us in this blessed venture or face the consequences of our beloved merciful god. Now go and prepare yourselves, for tonight we take back what by divine right is ours!"

When night came most of the villagers had showed up at the beech bringing baskets, cloth to carry rocks in and sticks and spears to defend themselves with.

Looking over the crowd, the shaman was satisfied.

"Good, good, many have come. We will change the history of our tribe and the future of our unborn children this night."

Suddenly he noticed a young man carrying a big rock in his right hand and a flower in his left hand.

"What is this? he blurted out angrily .

"Why by the great presence of Tik Tok are you carrying a rock and a flower? We are going to carry rocks here from the Cobnot island not bring our own blessed rocks from here to there. Explain yourself!" the shaman demanded.

"I bring rock to hit Cognots and my woman forced me to bring flower."

A murmur and muffled laughter was heard throughout the crowd.

"She pretty strong." he added nodding to himself.

The shaman looked at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Are you mad? There are plenty of rocks on the other island." 

He paused not wanting to ask further. Reluctantly he forced himself to ask anyway. "Why did she force you to bring the flower?"

The young man excitedly told the shaman.

"My woman she had b-i-g dream of Tik Tok. He bring flower to Cognot island. Big sign, she said.

 I asked why Tik Tok carry flower, but she not tell me. Between her and Tik Tok, she said. I know when not ask more." He looked at the shaman with pride.

The shaman shook his head.

"What is your name, villager?"

 "My name Bibop." the reply came.

With a pat on Bibop's head the spiritual leader noted.

"Bibop, our great and mighty god Tik Tok does not come to us in dreams, he is busy with important rock. A dream is not a rock. Your woman has fooled you, now throw that flower and put the rock down on this our island and lets get into the canoes and rafts."

With a wave of a hand he motioned to the other villagers to follow him.

They all snickered and talked amused while they passed Bibop walking down toward the shore and into the vessels.

Bibop stood there a while a little bruised inside. He thought for a while, threw away the rock and looked at the flower. He looked back towards the village, remembering his woman's words.

He turned back towards the ocean, put the flower safely into his waist cloth and made sure it was well hidden. Then he followed the others into one of the canoes.

There was a calm headwind on the ocean this night and the trip was swift and easy. They soon could see mountain peak and the waves lapping up against the shores of the Cognot island.

"Ready now, be quiet as the crab and brave like the lion fish." the shaman incurred silently.

But as they neared the shore a voice came booming at them.

"Rocknits, you meet your doom!"

The villagers in the canoes and rafts jumped with fright so that the vessels almost tipped over from the commotion.

"Our great Buku the Windmaker has revealed your plans by sending your words on the wind to us. We have prepared and will protect our mountain to our very last breath." the voice continued.

The shaman had been scouring the shore in search of the source and had now located the scrawny bent over little man with a walking stick that was standing on a elevated stone a bit from the waters edge. He recognised without trouble. His nemesis brother, shaman of the Cobnots.

"We have our powerful Tik Tok with us and none shall stand in our way, least of all you puny Cobnots." he shouted back.

With that the Cobnot shaman waved his stick in the air, almost falling off the rock in the process.

A couple of seconds later a thunderous roar was heard from the mountain and the ground shook, making ripples on the water. From the top of the mountain smoke started to pour out in large quantities.

"Flee while you can, Rocknits, not only do we have Buku the Windmaker now, but a new god has appear for us, Bansia, Maker of Smoke. See now the immense power of true gods!" the scrawny man called with pride towards the canoes and rafts in the water.

Suddenly the wind shifted and a strong wind came from the other side of the mountain bringing all the smoke pouring down the mountain towards the shore. The Cobnot shaman quickly jumped down a hole in the sand and covered the opening with palm leaves that had been left beside the hole.

A wall of smoke came rolling towards the Rocknits and it hit them before they had time to react.

The force of the wind was immense and some of the villagers fell overboard. For a while the canoes and rafts were in turmoil and rocked back and forth. One by one the villagers was pulled back into the boats and the sea calmed.

The only problem was that the smoked did not disappear and what was worse; the smoke brought with it a terrible smell of meat and greens left alone for many yellow spheres. It stunk something terrible.

The Rocknits gasped for fresh air and a mild panic spread amongst them. The shaman looked about to see a way out of the situation. He called to Tik Tok to help and rocks started to fall all around them, on the shore and from what they could tell through the smoke, on the mountain side.

"Tik Tok has failed us, flee back to our island! he shouted.

He looked around and noticed that half of the villagers lay sleeping in the vessels. The others held their mouths and noses, swerving dizzily back and forth. Only one villager sat up straight and looked at the shaman puzzled. He held a flower in his hand and was sniffing it vigorously for dear life.

"Bibop, grab a paddle and start paddling." the religious leader ordered while tying the rafts and canoes together. He then picked up his own paddle. Or at least he tried to, he couldn't seem to aim sharply enough with his hand and arm. "Hey, why is my arm so long." he thought to himself as snakes head turned out of his hand to bite him.

The shaman fell asleep together with the rest of the villagers.

Bibop picked up the paddle with his free hand and started to slowly paddle back in the tiny breeze, all the while sniffing his flower with a passion.

The wind had ebbed out since the smoke rolled down the mountain, but was still blowing gently off the shore towards the Rocknit island.

The trip back felt to Bibop like it took forever. After about an hour the smoke cleared and he could more clearly see where he was going. The Cobnot island was covered in the smoke and now and again he could see red flame and rocks flying about. At one time he heard a big thundering sound and a moment later there was a lightning in the smoke around the island.

Well out of the smoke he put his flower back in his waist cloth and could continue more easily.

At long last back home on his own island he woke a couple of other villagers and indicated to them to wake the others.

When the shaman was woken he looked around and was delighted to see the familiar surroundings.

From the direction of their village the elder came walking briskly.

"What happened, shaman? Where are our rocks?"

"The bloated Cognots gods are more powerful than we imagined, elder!" they sent the smell of a monkeys behind down upon us. But what is worse, Tik Tok failed us!"

The elders jaw dropped open. "He failed us?

"Yes, rocks came falling down upon us when I called for him. He has abandoned us Rocknits!"

the shaman said with  a sad face. Suddenly he shone up like the big yellow sphere.

He grabbed Bibop by the shoulder and pulled him close.

"Bibop found a new god! It is truly powerful, it saved us all!" he exclaimed.

"You found a new god?" the elder turned to Bibop.

Bibop looked around confused.

"The flower, show him the flower!" the shaman said excitedly.

Bibop pulled the now crooked flower from out of his waist cloth and smiled at the elder.

The elder looked at the flower, then looked at the smiling Bibop and the lastly over to the shaman.

"We have been chosen, it's a miracle!" he pronounced happily with authority.

The villagers had been surrounding the three one by one during the conversation and they now started to cheer, laugh and dance.

"TONIGHT WE FEAST! Honor to the new god!" the shaman shouted and headed together with the villagers back to the village with the elder and Bibop in tow.

Long into the night the chant could be heard:

"Tik Tok, us you mock, keep your stupid rock!

We now have Miss Flox, she's our detox!"