Swamped

You're starting to remember a few more bits and pieces of the story.

"She had... a jewel, right?"

"Ah! Yeah, that's what it was. Give me a moment, I've got to get back into my storytelling voice."

Shorty clears his throat and continues.

"But this was no mere vagrant child,
Left by herself in the heartless wild.
She wore a jewel upon her head,
A sure sign she was noble-bred.

The raindrops seemed to make it glow,
Shining every color from pitch to snow.
The bandits all stared on with greed,
But Silver focused on the girl's need.

'The water's rising far too fast,
The poor babe will never last.
You'll all wish I'd never let you join
If you let that child die for coin.'

'I'd really love to help her, Chief,'
said a most conniving thief.
'But look, she's deep under that bush;
I can't fit in there, however hard I push.'

Silver was angry, but he knew it was true.
There were only tall folk among his crew.
'No one can fit among us forty?
Very well then. It's your move, Shorty.'

That's when the entire band looked down,
and said things like 'he trusts this clown?'
I was mad, but could not refute;
Only I was that minute."

Shorty seems nervous all of a sudden.

"Oh dammit, this happens every time. I remember that cold, clammy rain, and, it's just so hard to think straight about what happened next."

Looks like he needs another reminder. Have you got one, or was this about when you passed out?