The Hare-Brained Hunters of Hal Gharghur

An Unlikely Fellowship

Hal Gharghur had never seen a pairing quite like it; Manwel, a stout fellow known for accidentally trapping his own shoelaces, and Tarcisju, the only man who could fall asleep during the earsplitting blasts of the hunting season. Together, they set out for what they proclaimed would be “the most grandiose hunting expedition Hal Gharghur has ever seen!” Their friends nodded politely, hiding smirks behind hands and pastizzi crumbs.

“Uwejja, we’ll bag a beast bigger than the festa fireworks!” Manwel declared, loading his hunting gear with the precision of a child handling Play-Doh.

A Walk Through Mdina, A Lurking Plot Twist

But fate, as whimsical as a Maltese pony, had other plans. Our heroes, determined to seek grandeur, wandered through Mdina’s silent streets, only to be lured by the siren call of a local ħobż biż-żejt vendor. Tarcisju’s stomach growled louder than the rifles, and before they knew it, they had traded precious ammo for an armful of tomato-slathered loaves. Munching away, they hadn’t noticed the crowd gathering—not for them, but for a stray goat wearing half of Manwel’s fur hat, mistaking it for a particularly scrumptious shrub. Laughter echoed off the ancient walls.

“Kollox goes wrong!” Manwel sighed, his eyes wider than the waning moon above.

Social Media Uproar

“To the gobsmacked tourist who asked if this is a traditional Maltese hunting method… only on Tuesdays!” #GoatInAHat #MdinaMishaps

Unexpected Unearthings in Valletta

Onward they trudged, to the hustle and bustle of Valletta, where history lurks in every nook. Here, they stumbled upon a rare discovery—forgotten war tunnels. Manwel, expert at falling into holes, did just that.

“I’ve found something… ejja, Tarcisju, look at this!” he bellowed from the depths, his voice playing hopscotch with the echoes.

Tarcisju, with the enthusiasm of a yawning cat, peered down. A dusty chest lay beside Manwel, glinting with potential. They pried it open, expecting treasure, but found it stuffed with vintage rabbit stew recipes! The hunters, momentarily stunned silent, roared with laughter at the absurdity of their find.

The real treasure of Malta, eh? Tarcisju quipped, finally awake.

The Interview That Wasn’t

Word of their unusual hunting trip spread far and wide, with ‘Times of Mela’ landing an exclusive interview. As the camera rolled, Manwel sneezed, sending the antique recipes fluttering like doves into the air, perfectly covering the lens. The interview aired as twenty minutes of blurred paper and suppressed giggle-snorts.

Gozo: The Final Frontier

The unwavering duo set off once more, this time towards the isle of Gozo. They had heard tales of a legendary boar that, much like their expedition, was more myth than mammal. Upon arrival, an ecstatic crowd welcomed them, mistaking them for jesters from a roving carnival.

As they stood, basking in unintended glory, a town elder approached; his beard longer than a Maltese summer.

“You’re here for the boar, I reckon? Well, you won’t find it lurking for pastizzi vendors or falling into tunnels. The boar… it’s inside you, lads. The spirit of adventure, that wild, untamable hunger for life! Or perhaps… it’s just the ħobż biż-żejt talking.”

Manwel and Tarcisju exchanged glances, a chuckle bubbling up. As the sun dipped beneath the Mediterranean waves, they realized their wild hunt had indeed snared something—a tale tall enough to tower over Gozo’s azure window, which, as everyone knew, had nothing on the duo’s hare-brained heights of hilarity.

Epilogue: ‘Times of Mela’ Reflection

Though no beasts were bagged, and traps lay forgotten, Manwel and Tarcisju returned with full hearts and enough stories to sustain a hundred festas. For in the end, the Times of Mela readers roared with laughter, living vicariously through the hapless hunts and misadventures of the island’s most unlikely hunters, whose spirits proved wilder than any quarry.