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All Stories © Sue Coulson 2016 All rights reserved.
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Kolbolkin’s Bridge
The bridge that spans the river on the outer edge of the village is named after one of the village merchants, Dalray Kobolkin. He was a mean man who cared nothing for friendship or loyalty but his very soul was imprisoned by the power of gold. He treated all in the village with contempt, refusing to sell his goods there as, in his eyes, no one could afford the quality goods which he considered he produced. Every Sixth day he would load his huge cart to overflowing and whipping his poor, tired horse as it struggled to pull the heavy burden, he would head for the towns north of the river, where many a rich trader lived with their pampered wives and offspring. Often his poor horse’s metal shod feet would slip and slide on the cobbles of the bridge, earning the creature an even harsher punishment. Sometimes a nearby villager would suggest that Dalray lighten the load for the exhausted beast but all Dalray would do was curse even more loudly and whip the unfortunate creature harder. One cold, rainy day as the horse struggled across the bridge hauling a particularly over laden cart, it slipped and fell to its knees. The horse was obviously in great pain but still the mean minded merchant whipped him, cutting cruelly into the animal’s flank. Finally after much cursing and swearing, Dalray leapt from his seat and stamped angrily to the horse’s head and started to beat the animal about the ears and face. Injured and afraid the horse lurched drunkenly to his feet, taken unawares by the beleaguered creature Delray was knocked over the side of the bridge into the icy, slow moving river below. Having heard a commotion on the bridge many of the villagers rushed to see what was happening. When they arrived the poor horse, still hitched to the overloaded cart, stood shivering to one side, head drooping low, with blood flecking the foam around his mouth. Wilor the village butcher heard a shout from below and peered over the side of the bridge. There he saw Dalray splashing and floundering in the rough waters. He called to the others, and seeing Delray’s plight one ran to get a rope They shouted to him, just hold on a short while, a rope was being bought if he could only stay afloat for a moment more he would be safe; but even though it was dragging him down Delray would not remove his money belt refusing to give up his gold in order to live and he sank beneath the stormy, green waters, cursing and swearing as the water closed over his head. Some say on cold, stormy nights if you dare walk across the bridge you can still hear the shade of Delray Kobolkin cursing and swearing as it drowns.
