
Arcu’tep didn’t need to go. He could have stayed in his kraal, tending his herd. But all the folk from the valley had volunteered.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. Drinking, feasting, and lots of rumpy-pumpy,” Senae’tep cajoled.
Arcu’tep shrugged. “Yeah, there’s nothing as fun as hefting buckets of earth all day and dumping them on a big mound,”
“You’re missing the point,” Senae’tep said. “It’s not about what we build, but that we work together, mountain folk and plains people.”
He went, and all summer the stockade rose. Then they feasted and burned everything to the ground. Arcu’tep brought home a mountain woman.
Sorry, I couldn’t quite get this down to 100 words. Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Great names, great story, really liked the folkloric touch.
And, such a pleasant surprise for Arcu’tep.
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Thanks, Moon
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I like this… a snapshot of mountain life. I just hope Arcu’tep got consent from this mountain woman before bringing her home….or he’ll get into trouble!😂😂 A good tale😊
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Thanks, Vivian. You can’t drag a mountain woman all the way down into the valley without she consents
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Lol!
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Dear Neil,
I’d say Arcu’tep got something out of the deal. A wife and plenty of rumpy-pumpy. 😉 😀 So next week your story will be 97 words? (Hint: 3 words I’d never have noticed…it’s the ones that are 30-50 words over that irritate me). A good story at that. Imaginative.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ll try for 50 next week so I can bank some. Thanks, Rochelle
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I only used 94 words so he can have my leftovers.
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Fair enough. 😉
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How about next year the mountain women take plains men back as husbands?
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They could and did
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At least that evens things up a bit.
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Imaginative tale Neil. I’ll be honest, I just sniggered like a school boy at ‘rumpy-pumpy’ 🙂
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Thanks, Iain. It’s not what he literally said, of course, but it’s the nearest translation into English
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…and they both lived happily ever after! Delightful Neil.
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Thanks, Keith
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Clever story, summarising recent research into prehistoric mega-projects in 100 words (that’s an engineer’s 100 words, of course!).
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Thanks Penny. I’m glad you spotted the research it’s based on
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I think we probably read the same magazines, Neil!
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A nice snap shot from history. There could write many stories written bringing this family’s history up to date.
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Thanks, Michael
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Vivid story. I like the rhythm.
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Thanks. Joshua
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Nice! This reminds me of the song, ‘One Tin Soldier’, but with a happier ending.
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Thanks so much
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See what you get with a bit of teamwork? A mountain woman. Perhaps next year he’ll get another one.
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He got a whole community connection, which was really the only point of building the monument, and why they knocked it down again after they’d finished
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Not a mountain woman! Definitely potential for Chapter 2 there.
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Mountain women bring goats
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Thoroughly enjoyed reading that, Neil. It was so vivid, oh and I loved the names too.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks, Susan
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I’m thinking about that mountain woman. Sure hope she was happy about the situation 🙂
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She certainly was. She wouldn’t have gone otherwise
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See what happens when you play with others? You end up with new friends. That was a fun read, Neil.
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Thanks, Dale
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Cool story.
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Thanks, Dawn
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Rumpy-pumpy… Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
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Thanks
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Well, it stops the plains and mountain people from just marrying each other! Makes me think of a barn raising – working and socialising together. Nice on Neil
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I think a barn raising has a similar social purpose, yes. Except of course that barns are also useful
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So much of action in the story. I loved the names. Is it some specific tribes’ names?
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The names are intended to covey membership of the same tribe, but they’re completely invented
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Well, the monument did serve its purpose I guess. There is an untold story between the lines here, Neil. Well done.
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Thanks, Varad
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Rumpy Pumpy? Who would want to miss out on that?
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it compensates some for hard labour
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What a vivid and intriguing snapshot, Neil. The rump rumpy perked my literary ears up!
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Thanks, Kelvin
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Rump rumpy is a polite version of rumpy pumpy – not grumpy puppy, Mr Spellchecker.
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Hmmmmmmmmm!
Seems such a pithy comment on life itself!☺
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Well, maybe. Though few communities these days, at least in industrialised countries, engage in major building projects just for the hell of it
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That it is! Its as though people can’t just sit still!😫
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I love the old-world folk lore feel to this. Lovely story.
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Thanks so much
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The names themselves tell a story I think… great take and a good lesson learned… coming together always have a purpose.
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Recent research suggests that this may have been the purpose behind several monumental prehistoric sites, not glorification of chieftains or priests
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Like many others I love the folk-lore feel to this. A happy ending to boot!
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Thanks, Clare
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Love this. Rumpy- pumpy–fun new phrase for me. Never know when it might come in handy. Also, loved the idea of them all coming together as community to build and then party.
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Thanks, Sascha. Rumpy pumpy is rather silly and out of date slang
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Hmmm a great snap shot of life. He certainly brought back more than he left with
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Much more, and I don’t just mean his bride. Thanks, Laurie
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Neil, you have to watch out for those mountain women. Wonder if he’ll be sending her back.
As far as words are concerned, I’m lost for words tonight. School went back for the new year this week and my brain’s sozzled after all the organization.
xx Rowena
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Thanks, Rowena. I’m sure inspiration will strike next week
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i hope he treats her nice. 🙂
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He’s besotted
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I liked the names in this story, gave it an authentic historical touch. And “rumpy-pumpy” made me laugh out loud. 🙂
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Thanks, Fatima
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At least he brought more home than a hangover!
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Much, much more. Thanks, Liz
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I thought something dark would happen at the end but was happy with the unexpected ending 🙂
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If I surprised you with the lack of surprise, I pulled off a double bluff
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Absolutely 🙂
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I see everyone is focused on ‘rumpy-pumpy’ 🙂 Which could be just another word for fried mushrooms. Delightful story.
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True. Or tactical thermonuclear devices. Thanks, so much
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This week was hard for me too to get words down. Maybe its a humpty dumpty thing. Great job though. Liked the flavors and language use in this one.
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Thanks, Anne. Sometimes the prompt images resonate in the mind, sometimes they don’t
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I got such a sense of community from this tale. Loved it!
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Thanks Amie. Community was what I was aiming for
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This line is as relevant today as it ever was: “It’s not about what we build, but that we work together, mountain folk and plains people.” Nice story!
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If only we all knew that. Thanks, Magarisa
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We need to work together to build…There is too much tearing down. Love the look into mountain life. It appears there was a love at first sight brought by the build.
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Thanks, Susie. It was certainly love at first site
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I like the part, “it’s not what we build, but that we work together.” Very nice story!
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Thanks Brenda. I’m fond of that bit too
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