Once there was a young Velan who was apprenticed to a weaver. His name was Feldat, and he lived with his master on the furthest outskirts of a small village. They lived in a little ramshackle house, next to a babbling brook. Every week, Feldet would gather the cloth that he and his master had woven and take it to the village market to sell. He would return with raw wool to weave and food to eat.

       Feldet enjoyed his craft, but his master was nearly blind and could only make very coarse cloth. Such cloth did not fetch a very high price, so after buying more wool there was little money left over for anything else. Feldet’s clothes were worn and patched, and he could only afford to buy yri for their supper. He secretly watched the dashing young ladies strutting around the market, and dispaired that any of them would every consider him worth chasing.

       After one particularly disappointing trip to the village market, Feldet stopped on the little bridge crossing the brook and sat down with a sigh. He stared morosely at the flashing water, his bag of wool and bucket of yri resting behind him. Suddenly, a shogu jumped out of the creek and landed beside him with a plop. Startled, Feldet wringled his nose in distaste at the little creature’s wet, slimy fur and naked tail. It sat up on its webbed feet, opened its wide mouth full of little, pointy teeth, and asked, “Why do you look so sad?”

       “I am just the apprentice to a poor weaver. All we ever have to eat is yri mush. No one will ever want to chase me.”

       The ugly shogu tipped its head and considered the dejected young man. “Just because you are poor does not mean you are without honor. I’m sure you will find someone who desires you as a mate. In the mean time, I have something for you. Follow me,” and it bounded away.

       Uncertain, Feldet decided to follow the smelly little creature. It showed him where to find certain mushrooms and herbs that grew along the bank. “Add these to your yri and it will become a sumptuous feast!” With that, the shogu jumped into the water and disappeared.