Storybook - Zayeed and Shooey

Zayeed and Shooey

Zayeed never did what his mother wanted.

If she said "Jump!", then he sat down. If she said "Eat!", then he didn't eat or drink for four days. If she said "Brush your hair!", then he let his long blue strands tangle and knot.

So when she said "And don't take anything that isn't yours", he stole a Raydam from a workman at Siel's Temple.

"Where's my Raydam?" roared the workman.

Behind the workman, Zayeed tossed the Raydam fruit from hand to hand.

"Where's my Raydam?" thundered the man again, even louder.

This time, Zayeed took his pet Methu from his pocket.

Shooey the Methu had a beak that sparkled and feathers as light as wind. Hesitating on each clawed foor, Shooey waddled to the angry workman.

The workman noticed his new companion and picked up the cute Methu. He cuddled it close and told Shooey that he was a good Methu and a pretty Methu.

The workman forgot all about his missing Raydam fruit.

Then the workman forgot all about Shooey! He dropped the fluffiest Methu in the temple and headed outside.

Zayeed scooped his pet back into his pocket. "Good work, Shooey." But he wondered what had made the workman leave.

The temple shook around him, and Zayeed ran for the exit. But too late! A large rocky beam dropped in his path as the ceiling came down.

Pick-axes and machetes stood in the stone and wood remains of a temple with no ceiling and no walls. It had nothing at all, except for Zayeed and his Methu.

Outside, a giant dragon whipped its neck, spraying flame across the land. The flames lit Reian wings into screaming torches.

Zayeed was glad to be safe with Shooey behind the rocks that used to be Siel's Temple.

He remembered his mum saying, "And come right back!" For once, he wanted to follow her rules.

So Zayeed ruffled the wind-light feathers on Shooey's head till they stuck up. "Go say galam."

Shooey stood still when Zayeed put him on the ground, then fluffed his wings and waddled boldly towards the dragon.

The dragon noticed Shooey's approach and paused. Then, it disappeared! In its place stood a beautiful Reian woman who picked Shooey up.

The woman nuzzled Shooey's fluffy head feathers with her nose. She told him he was a good Methu and a pretty Methu.

Then she opened her mouth, wider than a jaw should go, and put him inside of it. Shooey flapped his fluffy wings and squawked through his sparkly beak.

Uncaring, the pretty woman chomped down, cracking Shooey's bones between her teeth. A pink intestine flapped over her lower lip. She swallowed and added, "Tasty Methu."

The ground shifted beneath Zayeed's lonely feet, and Tiamaranta was made.