“The first part of your feast begins with a kettle of cold mountain water, placed over the fire like so.” Sonja swung the kettle arm over the flames. “Tussen Takk for hauling water from the waterfall, Narn.”
Narn bobbed his head and blushed, then sat back on his haunches.
“It’s best to start with root vegetables, as I’ve done here. They take awhile to soften, so adjust by size of the protein source,” she continued. “What d’you think? When do we add the protein?”
“Later. They’re so skinny.”
Sonja nodded approval.
The tiny fishermen, wide-eyed, sweated in their cage.
© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2021)
Carrot Ranch Prompt (09/06/2021): In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about the cooking show. It can be any cooking show, real or imagined. Who is there? What happens? Make it fun or follow a disaster. Go where the prompt leads!
Valley of the Trolls 
Them there tiny fishermen should have asked the locals where the best fishing was. Or maybe they did?! I liked the little detail of Narn blushing.
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It’s important to craft questions with care, when dealing with the Old Ones…
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Turnaround is fair play. Wonder whose fishy-child they ate the night before?
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Aagh, those poor fishermen, but trolls do have to eat.
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I’m glad I’m not in the shoes of those fishermen.
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Tough shoes to fill, for sure.
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I love the casual approach to the unexpected ingredient! Great writing, Liz.
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Poor things! Although I’ve always thought fishing was a cruel sport.
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The giant trolls be hungry…fair game?
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Oh my goodness cannibalism … nasty business I say. I hope they didn’t put their souwesters in the pot. Nothing worse than tough rubber. 🤪😜
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Peel & eat shrimpers? Uuurrrggggghh!
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Hilarious. ‘You will have a little fishie, on a little dishie, when the boat comes in.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oPZt2MbQyg
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What a sweet link!
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Doug, please note that boat is pronounced with 2 syllables: bo-at. (Useless information of the day.)
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I thought they’re supposed to toss the small ones back.
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Times are lean & winter’s been hard in the Northland. They take what the ocean gives them.
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Reminds me of a ‘Twilight Zone’ or ‘Outer Limits’ episode; “How to Serve Man”…
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A VERY old family recipe!
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Indeed!
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Indeed! …Mmm maybe like those ‘ribs’ in – was it “The Color Purple” or “Fried Green Tomatoes”…
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I think FGT. The Color Purple had something added to his drink…
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I was never good at remembering actors, singers or their works. I just remember the policeman/sheriff saying the ribs was mighty fine and licking his fingers… sumthin’ like that anyway.
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Yep!
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