Storytelling, Week 2: Neptune the Narcissist

     In the frigid waters of the Northern Arctic, a pod of narwhals migrated along the icy canals. If one is not familiar with a narwhal, they are known for their glistening spots and ivory tusks. For the most part, the pod coexisted in harmony. However, there was one narwhal that stood tall above the rest. Neptune lead the pod through the thick icy waters. There is something different about Neptune. His ivory tusk is nearly five feet longer and one foot thicker than the next largest male. Neptune believed his tusk is the largest because he was named after the "God of the Sea." In the past, whales from other pods would attempt to overthrow Neptune and battle under the ice. Nonetheless, Neptune's tusk always prevailed and he maintained control of the pod.

     After years of fighting, no narwhals within the Arctic Sea even attempted to overthrow him. This fulfilled Neptune with a sense of dominance and self-liking. He began watching his ivory tusk in reflections under the icebergs everyday. He spent countless hours staring at the beautiful tusk. Nothing else in the world mattered except for his magnificent tusk. The narcissism got to him so much that he eventually lost contact with his pod. Neptune migrated alone through the dangerous ice canals. The more his envy grew for his tusk, the more he began to hate his entire body. Neptune hated that he had a large tail fluke because he believed it took the wonder away from his tusk. Despite the hatred for his fluke, he continued to gaze at his tusk everyday.

     One day, Neptune heard something strange ahead in the water. The buzzing sound quickly became louder and louder. To his horror, he immediately realized that the sound must be the boat of an arctic poacher. Neptune confidently approached the boat and with one swift movement of his tail fluke he submerged under the boat's figure. With only three movements of his fluke, he was far past the poacher's boat. Neptune turned his head back towards the boat and smiled as he outsmarted the poacher. He raised his tusk into the air to show what the poacher had lost. Suddenly, a rope is tangled around Neptune's tusk. Moments later, another rope is thrown around the tusk. Neptune failed to realize several poachers were watching him along the ice edge. Neptune could not comprehend what was happening as four ropes wrapped around his beautiful ivory tusk. He cried for help, but no one came as the pod he abandoned was over a hundred miles away. Neptune no longer had the largest tusk in the sea.

Photo of the Narwhal

Author's Note:

"Neptune the Narcissist" is an adaption from the Aesop's Fables (Jacobs) story "The Hart and the Hunter." In the original story, the buck becomes narcissistic, like Neptune, of his antlers. In the end, his antlers are what kills him. This is similar to Neptune as his ivory tusk leads him to his demise. My story shares the similar theme that what you might believe is your strongest trait, might actually be your weakest. Neptune believes his tusk was the center of the universe, but in fact it killed him. In addition, he hates his tail fluke, but it is what guides him away from the poachers. The difference in the two stories is that Neptune was once a leader. He navigated the pod throughout the ice, but lost his way due to his narcissistic nature. After reading "The Hart and the Hunter," I immediately knew that this was the story I wanted to base my storytelling post off of. I also knew I would use a Narwhal because they are such bizarre creatures on our planet. I figured the narwhal tusk would be a great aspect to revolve the story around. I enjoyed giving the old fable an aquatic edge to the story.

Jacobs, Joseph. The Fables of Aesop (1894)

Jacobs 25. The Hart and the Hunter (Perry 74)