And according to Brownley at least - (fuck, ow)

According to Brownley at least
This was not a ritual that brought any joy
Or comfort
To the people of the island
The storytellers and listeners alike were often
To quote Brownley himself

"... whipped raw by wind and rain, standing grim and grey at the water's edge like guards at the gate of a royal tomb."

Brownley, of course
Did write down the stories he heard
Although they asked him not to
He collected them
Curated them
Embellished them, perhaps
And published them in a book in 1888

Through The Deep, Dark Forest: Brownley's Fairytales

Later retitled to The Fairytales of St Sasha

It was the third best-selling
Publication of the year
For Brownley, an aspiring author
Who had never tasted success
It was staggering achievement

One he was never able to repeat