Dancing With The Trows

One dark evening, a fisherman was heading home with a basket full to the brim. Something didn’t seem right as he passed by the infamous Trow hill. He could swear that the most fantastic music was coming from somewhere in the darkness. It had been a long day, but as a fiddler himself curiosity got the better of him.

The fisherman crept around the edge of some rocks and right enough, light was shining through a crack in the hill. Peering inside, he could see the fairy-like creatures known as Trows dancing inside! Captivated by the sight, the man forgot all about heading home to feed his hungry family. Instead, he walked right inside the Trow Hill and picked up a fiddle.

While the fisherman played, the Trows danced wildly. He was the life and soul of the party! After what seemed like a couple hours of fun, the celebration finally came to an end. Evenings like this often ended in tragedy for mortals lured inside Trow hills, so the man considered himself very lucky to make it out alive. He had even gained a fiddle from the experience and couldn’t wait to share his story with everybody back home.

The path looked a bit unusual though. He was sure it had just been a vague dirt track that morning, but now it was well kept with gravel. Then again, he was exhausted after the party so maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. But the closer he got to home, the more things started to seem out of place.

That mild confusion turned to absolute shock when the fisherman opened his front door. It wasn’t his family inside but a group of complete strangers! He roared at them to get out of his home and tell him exactly where his wife and children were.

The people sitting around the fire looked just as confused at this screaming intruder waving a fiddle at them. An old man sitting in the corner asked the fisherman what his name was then nodded sagely at the answer.

"There was a man by that name who lived in this house, but he vanished without a trace 100 years ago."

Realisation dawned on the fisherman. The Trows had tricked him into playing music for a century rather than hours. He didn’t want to live in a world without his family so walked outside, lifted his fiddle and played a slow lament. Just as he finished the final note, his body crumbled into dust.