The traveler and the kelpie

The bats flapped their way into the night sky. The distant booms of thunder signal the coming storm to the traveler. His cart was covered, expecting the chance of rain he was headed back to his house outside of town. On an unkempt road the grass crunched under his boots, his scarf he wore around his neck kept him warm as did the coat. He was passing close by a lake when the kelpie came from the waters, locking eyes with the traveler. The kelpie had cheeks inflated with a grin. Spitting water in the traveler's face the traveler was taken back and simply took the scarf to dry his face. Taking a second to calmly reach into his cart, throwing the kelpie some hay. Kelpie's eyes widened, ears went back, it took the time to sit on its actions. Kelpie reached into the water grabbing for something coming back up and the man was still there watching the spectacle. Spitting up water and a hard-shelled clam at the feet of the traveler it sank back into the lake. Traveler picked up the clam heading back home and he opened it going inside his house, finding a beautiful pearl inside. The pearl glistened against the light of the candles that night a treasure was gained.