“WHO’S THAT I HEAR ON A WALK-WALK-WALK?
YOU MUST PLAY PAPER-SCISSORS-ROCK!”
The man walking on the path in the woods was startled to see an ogre towering before him, pounding his fist into his palm.
“Wha-a-a-a-t??!!?”
“PAPER. SCISSORS. ROCK. SHOOT!” The ogre bellowed, making the motions with his hands, then thrusting out the two fingers of scissors.
The man was so startled that he did nothing. The ogre grabbed him, threw him over his shoulder and carried him away.
A few days later it happened again. The ogre seemed to magically appear from beneath the little footbridge as a woman was crossing it. She formed rock with her fist which defeated the scissors so she was allowed to pass.
And so the days went. People mysteriously disappeared or came off the path with strange stories of a child’s game on a footbridge. Children were warned never to travel that path.
However, as children are wont to do, one day the pack mentality took over and a group of children decided to go that way.
Some of the boys boldly led the way. Some of the girls hung back clutching each other’s arms or hands. The muddled middle moved ahead, curious and cautious.
They reached the bridge
“WHO’S THAT I HEAR ON A WALK-WALK-WALK?
YOU MUST PLAY PAPER-SCISSORS-ROCK!”
The children gathered together and faced the ogre.
“PAPER. SCISSORS. ROCK. SHOOT!” The ogre bellowed.
Every child formed rock with both hands and rushed the ogre.
“GAH!!” he shrieked before – POOF! – he disappeared.
Unicorn Challenge: No more than 250 words and base it on the photo.
A strange tale, I know, with absolutely no wise moral other than the knowledge that an ogre will always play scissors.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
Well-written tale, Sally. I enjoyed this one.
Thank you!
Enjoyed your story.
In no small part because the children destroyed the ogre (or in alternate childhoods, a troll).
Many of us grew up with the this story… except for the ending.
Thank you.
(For children everywhere/everywhen)
It’s originally a Norwegian tale with a troll. That’s how I heard it, too. The photo didn’t look particularly Norwegian so I nixed the troll and made it an ogre. My only question is do ogres have enough fingers for rock-paper-scissors?
Thank you, Sally, for imparting this vital knowledge.
I can now wander sylvan glades with no fear of demented ogres!
Yep — just play rock if you meet one.
Well, finally I’ve taken the trouble to understand Paper Scissors Rock!
And I will now always venture out in the wild with a rock in my pocket – just in case of passing ogres!
A fun story, Sally, and one that kept the momentum going.
I just assumed that some version of rock-paper-scissors existed everywhere! So sorry!
In my family, we have two ways of settling arguments: rock-paper-scissors or arm wrestling. (Actually, we never use those — we usually discuss things like civilized people, not ogres.)
You know, right, that it’s not a real rock. It’s just your fist.
Rock is a fist. Scissors is your index finger and your middle finger. Paper is a flat open palm. Rock beats scissors. Scissors beats paper. Paper beats rock. Two people playing face each other and say, “Rock-paper-scissors-SHOOT” Then they both extend their hands with one of the three choices. If they both choose the same, it’s a draw. But you mix up what you play.
The ogre was just dumb enough to always play the same thing. That made him easy to defeat.
Bravo! Hehe! I played rock-scissors-paper just yesterday to decide who had to scrape the snow from the car!
Fun story. This made me smile.
Good to know for the next time I’m challenged by an ogre! Thanks, Sally 😉
Just trying to be helpful