Strange Thing

I take it you're afraid of the big rattler? Well, you should be! We didn't used to fear it. What's there to fear? A block of stone lying at the bottom of the lake, covered in slit with only its head sticking out?

But then one night I heard a rattle! I went to check it out and saw a swarm of tiny little rattlers. They were all over, making all kinds of noise, toppling the fences and scaring away the fish... I almost had a heart attack! But they didn't react at all. They lined up around the lake and just stood there, waiting. And then one of them stepped forward, holding this strange this, all glowing and iridescent. He pointed it at the lake, and the water erupted with waves, one bigger than the other! Three of my nets were washed away... Brand new ones, too - a real pity! Anyway, I looked at the lake and saw this mass rising up from the center of the lake - a big rattler! I literally froze in fear. Perhaps it had been asleep, not dead, and the small rattler woke him up with that thing before falling asleep himself. The big rattler grabbed the small one and dragged him away. The other rattlers followed suit, leaving the strange thing behind. I picked it up once fear released me. I sensed something about this thing, that it was important... But I won't just give it to you.

Let's trade! I'll give you the thing and you help me out with a small affair. See all those drakes on the cliffs? They've been picking on us, stealing our fish, ruining the nets and setting our houses on fire... I'm so sick of them!

So let's do this: you take care of the drakes for us and I'll give you this thing, whatever it is, OK? You'll find good use for it, I swear by the toad!