Games are, of course, mankind’s way of preparing children for adulthood. At least, games began that way. Young children, in the prehistoric past, played hunting games to learn hunting skills when they became adults. Games taught agility. They taught the ability to think on one’s feet. Skills were learned in the safety of games. One mistake did not result in death, as it might in the earnest game of hunting. Games evolved as mankind evolved. No longer do they necessarily teach the development of skills. Look at football, for example. This is a game developed to feign death and destruction. The crowds hope that death will be a result. Such is human nature. Games also developed to show the others that your team was better than their team. Competitive sports. The tribes had congregated. The games would begin. To the winners would come honor and fame. To the losers would come ignominy. That was the nature of sport. Four tribes were here for the pre-season games. They were designated Blue, White, Grey, and Brown. Those were the colors of winter. By draw, two teams at a time competed in each competition. The two winning teams competed for honors. The losing teams shared ignominy. Snarble, son of Snorgle, was competing in the first contest. The premiere sport of the Frost Monster Games was Snowballing. Each team was assigned a ridge to defend, and an unlimited amount of snow. Each team member hit by a ball of snow was out of the game. The first team to capture the opposing team’s snow castle was deemed the winner. “Watch the Brown Team, son”, said Snorgle. “They’re tricky.” Snarble was on the Grey Team. Each team mounted its ridge, and prepared for battle. Normally, battle ensued in the vale separating the ridges. One defender guarded the snow castle; the remainder went into battle. The Grey Team descended the ridge, with belt-packs full of snowballs, expecting the opposing team to do the same. This was the way the game was played. All of a sudden, a catapult was brought out on the ridge of the Brown Team. Dense clouds of snowballs descended into the vale, annihilating the Grey Team. All in the vale were out of the game. There only remained Snarble defending the snow castle. With numbers on their side, all of the Brown Team, including the defender of the snow castle, Xanthax, descended into the vale to ascend the Grey ridge, and capture the snow castle of the Grey Team. With sheer numbers, they would defeat Snarble, and win the competition. Snarble pondered, “What to do? I am outnumbered.” He pondered as the Brown Team began to ascend his ridge. As if an icicle had bounced off his noggin, the answer came to him. He rolled several large snowballs, as if he were constructing a snow monster. As the Brown Team started climbing the ridge, and well out of range of their snowball throwing, he rolled the large snowballs down the ridge at them. His aim was accurate. The fifth large snowball took out the last remaining member of the Brown Team. Cautiously, he descended his ridge, and climbed the other ridge to take possession of their castle. He had won! The second competition, against the White Team was not as satisfactory. The White Team had superior snowball throwing abilities, and blended better into the snow. The snowstorm camouflaged them as they attacked his ridge. The Grey Team came in second. Snarble learned a lot during the games. His experiences made him a far better Frost Monster. ~ © Paul (AHikingDude@aol.com) ~ November 10, 1999 If you enjoyed this page, check these out: Sledding A Christmas Carol Love Brings Feelings When Santa Was A Boy Snowballing And.......for many others, click the link for HOME. Home: Writers' Corner Index