Listen, I’m tellin’ ya, tis true! Me cousin heard it from a mate of his tha’ works by the dockyards. And me cousin ain’t no liar, no sirree. They said they found it in one of the nets, caught up with all of the Moonfish they’ve been hunting for. Now, the way he tells it, the thing was barely bigger than a Moonfish itself, ya know, ‘bout yea big? Sounds a bit too small to be a thinkin’ creature if’n ye ask me, but what do I know? FIsherman usually exaggerate the size of their catches to be bigger, not smaller.

No, I’m not saying it’s an exaggeration or a tall tale! Me cousin’s mate seen it, I tells ya! Thing had something like a face - not a proper face like me ‘n you, a’course - but a face nonetheless. Two eyes black as night, but you could feel em staring daggers into yer very soul! And the mouth, great pointy teeth, sharp as a seamstress’ needle, and dozens of em per row! It had fins, too, a’course. Couldn’t live in the ocean without fins, now could it? I mean, I suppose crabs do that just fine, but this weren’t no crab!

Now where was I? Right, the creature, he tells that it had a strange glow about it, shining dull green and blue, shimmering on its skin. Or scales, maybe? He weren’t too clear on that, to be honest. But aye, it had two arms as well, with webbing between the fingers, like ol’ Johnny Threearms, you know, the one with the family tree that looks like a mass o’ ivy on an ol’ barn? Anyway, I keep gettin’ distracted from the story!

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So yeah, arms with clawed hands on em, sharp enough to skewer through the Moonfish around it. And skewer a few of the deckhands fingers as well, I hear. Said one of em nearly lost a hand, he did. But the strange thing is, ye’d think if’n it had arms, it’d have legs too, yeah? Here’s the odd part I tell ya, well, odder than some of the other things at least. But nay, instead o’ legs, it had six tentacles, like an octopus tha’ was missin’ two legs! Or maybe the arms count as legs for tha’? Hard to say.

But! Even odder still! The creature actually spoke to the crew, in perfect human-speak! Told them that if they released it, it’d grant them a boon, and they’d catch more fish than they’ve ever caught in all their days. A’course, tha’s a bit hard to believe, but apparently the captain was convinced to let it go. Not sure if tha’s on account of the creature’s persuasive skills, er if’n the captain just didn’t think he could get any money fer sellin’ it.

Well, they let it go, overboard and back into the deep. And wouldn’t ye’ know, the whole boat starts glowing tha’ blue-green glow, jus’ like the creature! And what’s more, the glow starts attracting all sorts o’ fish, practically jumping onto the boat! Now I know yer wondering, why ain’t the boat still glowing then? Well, I can’t rightly say that. Perhaps it’s like a candle flame that goes out after a while? Either way, by the time they got back into port, the glow had faded, and their nets were more full than anyone had ever seen.

I know yer probably thinking tis a tall tale told by an old man without much better ta do then sit around and gossip, but if ye don’t believe me, head on down to the docks. It’s been three days hence and they’re still processing all the fish from their latest catch. You tell me if you think any one ship could catch all that without a little bit o’ magic to help em out. And hey, if’n ye see me cousin while yer snoopin’ around for yer stories, tell him he still owes me five copper!