Once there was a wizard who had learned so much magic there was practically nothing his spells couldn't do. And while he lived in solitude, he longed to venture out into the world and put his knowledge to good use. He knew that with his help, he could make people's lives better.
So he set out to into the world. As he walked through the forest, he came upon a rabbit in a trap.
"Please help me, something has fallen down around me, and I can't get out!" the rabbit begged the wizard. His heart was moved by the rabbit's plea, so he bent down and showed the little creature a spell that would let him burst free of any trap. In a moment the rabbit was free. He thanked the wizard profusely and zipped off into the underbrush. The wizard was pleased with himself for having put his knowledge to such good use so quickly, and he continued on his way.
Meanwhile, the rabbit returned to his warren, and taught the spell to all his brothers and sisters. They taught the spell to all their extended family and friends, and by the end of the day, there wasn't a rabbit in the forest who didn't know how to escape from the traps that were laid for them.
The wizard continued his journey, and in a few days time he arrived at a town. Few people were out on the streets and it was a desolate and lonely looking place. "It appears I've found the perfect place to lend a hand. If any town could use some help it's this one." The wizard thought to himself, and headed for the local saloon.
He stepped inside and saw a lone man sitting at the bar. The wizard approached him and asked him why the town was so empty.
"There's a famine here. A few days ago all of our hunters started coming back emptyhanded. Not a single rabbit in the entire forest. We don't know if they died or left, but we can't catch a single one, and that means no meat. And no meat means no more trade with the neighboring town for grain."
The wizard wondered why the rabbits might have migrated, and vowed later to investigate their strange absence from the forest. But at present he thought about the famine and how best to solve that problem for the people.
"I think I have the perfect solution..." said the wizard, and he showed the man a spell that can conjure up any kind of food that you want. The man thanked the wizard and promised to share the spell with the whole town, and with that the wizard was on his way again.
The man was as good as his word, and before too long everyone in the town knew the spell the wizard taught, and the most succulent feasts were laid out on every table. The tradesmen stopped trading meat for grain, since they could now conjure both. And while the little town grew fat from the wizard's bounty, the neighboring town fell deeper into disrepair. For now, they had no meat, and no one to trade or even sell their grain to, as they had been doing when no meat was to be found. With little food and no money, the neighboring town turned its mind to war, and it wasn't long before they came to the gates of the little city the wizard had helped. But having been so fat full and contented from all the rich food their hearts had desired, they were unprepared for battle and soon fell under the rule of the neighboring town.
News of the town's oppression never reached the wizard's ears, as he had been wandering through the forest, helping any who crossed his path. And it wasn't too long before a soldier from the oppressed town found him.
"What's the problem, my fine young lad. You look like a soldier who's on a fool's errand."
"That's what it is, alright. My King has charged me with finding a man who's impossible to catch. So I know from the start that I am bound to fail, and that means I will likely be burnt to death for my failure. So I look for him anyway, in the hopes that I may escape my fate."
The wizard's heart was moved by his story, and he decided to show the soldier a spell that will find and bind anyone in the world with magical ropes that are unescapable. Once the wizard had finished showing him the spell, the soldier immediately cast it and the wizard was bound from head to foot.
"Thank you. I never could have caught you without your help."
The wizard was taken back to the little town he had helped, which was now under the control of a superstitious and cruel king. The king knew that it was the wizard's spell that had allowed the town to prosper so before they came to rule it. And now that he had learned the secret, he was jealously determined to kill anyone else who might know it too. That way his court alone would prosper, and he could keep all the rich food for himself and his nobles alone. He had managed to kill everyone who learned the wizard's spell, which only left the wizard himself. The king was delighted to see the wizard bound and being carried by two of his finest soldiers. The king showered them with gold and medals for their bravery, and sentenced the poor wizard to die. The king set him up at the stake and the wizard waited for his fate. As the flames started to lick his feet, he began to plead with the people.
"Can someone, anyone, help me? I helped you in your hour of need! What about me?"
But there was only silence. The foolish wizard sighed, closed his eyes, and waited for whatever came next.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Gifts of the Trees
Once upon a time there was a young couple who lived in the forest. They were poor but happy. Not far from their cottage was a secret clearing with a babbling brook and a garden of the most breathtaking wild flowers. The couple often went there for the afternoon in the summertime to play in the water and eat the wild berries that grew nearby. They enjoyed their life together for many years, and eventually they were blessed with a daughter.
Several years later, on a fine summer day, the happy family went to the secret clearing to spend the day together. They were lying in the grass eating berries when a rustling nearby caused the husband to look over his shoulder. Three bandits emerged from the forest, with weapons drawn. They demanded the family hand over all of their money, but the family was poor, and said they had none. The bandits grew angry at having such bad luck, and in their rage cut the throat of each one in turn. Their rage having been satisfied, the bandits turned back into the forest in search of new game.
They were so busy with their work, that they never noticed there was a fox lying in the bushes nearby. He watched the whole scene with sadness, and though he could not stop them from dying, he was determined to do something about it. The fox cast a spell and where each body lay a small sapling took its place. Where the husband once was, now was a sapling with bronze bark and silver leaves. Where the wife was stood a delicate shoot with bark made of the finest velvet and leaves made of silk. But where the young daughter had lain was only an ordinary sapling, as you'd find in any forest. There was only a single unopened flower bud growing from one of its branches. The fox was pleased, and turned tail to leave. But before returning to the forest, he added one last enchantment; making the clearing a sacred place where only the pure of heart could tread, assuring that the bandits would never be able to return there.
Years passed, and the saplings grew tall and strong, and that unopened bud blossomed into the most beautiful flower the world had ever seen. The tree with silver leaves bore silver fruit, and the tree of velvet grew little silk pouches filled to bursting with the finest pearls.
One day, an out of work tradesman was collecting berries from the forest when he became terribly lost. He searched and searched but couldn't find any way out of the wood. Suddenly he came upon a fox sitting in the middle of the path he'd taken. The fox sat and looked at him but didn't move an inch. The tradesman approached slowly, certain the fox would dart away, but he didn't. The tradesman came up close and bent over to pet the fox on the head. The fox let the tradesman pet him for a minute, then turned tail and ran. He dashed a short distance up the path, then stopped and sat down like before, staring at the tradesman intently.
The tradesman wondered what a curious fox this was, that lets strangers pet it, and seems to be trying to get him to follow it. The tradesman thought that lost as he was, it couldn't get much worse, so he followed the fox wherever he would lead. After an hour or so, the tradesman saw the fox sitting like before, but this time he was well off the path, sitting in front of a dark cluster of impenetrable forest. He sat like a statue until the tradesman approached. He bent to pet the fox again, but the fox turned so swiftly that his tail was in the tradesman's hand. As soon as he had grasped the tail, the fox was off, dragging the tradesman directly into the darkest patch of trees. The tradesman felt the wind whip through his hair and before he knew it, he was in the middle of a beautiful clearing.
Three of the finest trees he'd ever seen stood together near the banks of the stream. He approached and saw the first tree had bark made of bronze, bearing leaves and fruit made of silver. "I may not always be able to find food so readily, so it would be wise for me take something to hold in reserve. But I don't want to take too much. A single apple should sustain me for long enough if I get into dire straits." He plucked it and moved on to the next tree. It's bark was made from velvet and it's leaves were shades of the finest spun silk. He felt one of them in his fingers, and marveled at its delicacy. "It's just too fine to pluck... but what are these?" He found a pouch hanging from a nearby branch and squeezed it. The pouch split down the side and a shower of pearls exploded so violently he took a step back in fright. "I may need money for lodgings and new tools if I'm ever to find work again. But I don't need more than one pod to get me back on my feet." And he plucked a single pod from the tree. He moved on to the last tree, which was an ordinary tree by all regards, but there was something about it that made one marvel at it's beautiful simplicity. And in the heart of its branches was the most beautiful bloom he had ever seen. It's beauty was so radiant that the rest of the world seemed to lose its shine when he looked at it. "How I would love to look on you always, but if I took you with me, you would soon die and rob the world of your beauty. So I shall content myself with one of your plain green leaves instead. And though it has not even a fraction of your beauty, I will be reminded of the most beautiful flower in the world every time I look upon it." And he plucked a single leaf from the multitude hanging from the branches before him. The tradesman took his prizes, and went for a swim in the stream and lay on the grass. As he started to doze off into sleep, he realized that the fox that had brought him here had been nowhere to be seen since he arrived. He wondered if he would ever see him again and dozed into slumber on the grass.
The next morning he bathed again, ate the berries from the bushes nearby and prepared to try and find his way out of the forest. As he was packing up his bag to leave, he looked again at the gifts from the trees that he had taken. The apple was a fine as before, shining brightly with the promise of its own secret strength. The pouch of pearls was delicate and soft like the silk and velvet tree it had come from. And the leaf from the most beautiful flower in the world was plain as before, but looking closer, the tradesman realized that the veins in the leaf were moving. Soon, the words "Go west" appeared on the leaf. The tradesman laughed and thought that since he didn't have any better ideas himself, he might as well do what it said. He took up his compass, quickly heading out of the clearing and back into the forest. He travelled for a time, and was more hopeful with each step. The forest seemed to be thinning, and he hoped to be out of the woods soon. He kept looking at the leaf, which he kept always in his hand and changed its instructions from time to time to lead him in the right direction.
He had stopped to rest, when he heard a noise coming from behind him. He turned but there was no time to react. Three bandits appeared as if from nowhere and quickly surrounded him. "Give us all your money! And any treasure you may have too!" The tradesman looked down at the leaf and the words "Eat the apple" were written there. The tradesman knew they would never let him get a single bite, it was too beautiful, they would kill him to keep it all for themselves. He had to distract them somehow, so he reached into his pack and said, "Here, take these pearls." He brought out the pouch, and like he'd done in the clearing, squeezed it as hard as he could. A shower of pearls fired in every direction, causing the bandits to duck down in surprise. In the confusion, the tradesman was able to pull out the apple and take a bite. The bit of apple had just passed his throat when one of the bandits stabbed him from behind. But the knife blade never pierced his flesh, but snapped in two as if it were a twig. A second bandit came from behind and clubbed him over the head with a thick branch. But the wood just snapped in two, and and the tradesman was unhurt. Realizing now that the apple had made his skin as hard as metal and he could not be hurt, he made short work of the bandits, killing each and every one.
He looked at what he had done, and weeped. For though they were bad men, he was sad that it had to come down to this. Through his tears he saw that the fox had returned once more and sat where the fallen bandits lay.
"Do not cry, for these three got better than they deserved. Come with me, but first cut off each of their heads and bring them with you, and all will be shown to you." The tradesman did as he was told, and followed the fox deeper into the forest. In no time they were back at the clearing. "Now set each head at the base of the trees that gave you the gifts that saved you." The tradesman did as he was told, and as the blood from the bandits touched the trees' roots, the three trees transformed before his eyes into the family that was slain there. Alive once more, their faces shone with the joy of being together again. The tradesman looked at the fox, and saw a single tear roll into his fur, before turning tail and disappearing into the forest.
Several years later, on a fine summer day, the happy family went to the secret clearing to spend the day together. They were lying in the grass eating berries when a rustling nearby caused the husband to look over his shoulder. Three bandits emerged from the forest, with weapons drawn. They demanded the family hand over all of their money, but the family was poor, and said they had none. The bandits grew angry at having such bad luck, and in their rage cut the throat of each one in turn. Their rage having been satisfied, the bandits turned back into the forest in search of new game.
They were so busy with their work, that they never noticed there was a fox lying in the bushes nearby. He watched the whole scene with sadness, and though he could not stop them from dying, he was determined to do something about it. The fox cast a spell and where each body lay a small sapling took its place. Where the husband once was, now was a sapling with bronze bark and silver leaves. Where the wife was stood a delicate shoot with bark made of the finest velvet and leaves made of silk. But where the young daughter had lain was only an ordinary sapling, as you'd find in any forest. There was only a single unopened flower bud growing from one of its branches. The fox was pleased, and turned tail to leave. But before returning to the forest, he added one last enchantment; making the clearing a sacred place where only the pure of heart could tread, assuring that the bandits would never be able to return there.
Years passed, and the saplings grew tall and strong, and that unopened bud blossomed into the most beautiful flower the world had ever seen. The tree with silver leaves bore silver fruit, and the tree of velvet grew little silk pouches filled to bursting with the finest pearls.
One day, an out of work tradesman was collecting berries from the forest when he became terribly lost. He searched and searched but couldn't find any way out of the wood. Suddenly he came upon a fox sitting in the middle of the path he'd taken. The fox sat and looked at him but didn't move an inch. The tradesman approached slowly, certain the fox would dart away, but he didn't. The tradesman came up close and bent over to pet the fox on the head. The fox let the tradesman pet him for a minute, then turned tail and ran. He dashed a short distance up the path, then stopped and sat down like before, staring at the tradesman intently.
The tradesman wondered what a curious fox this was, that lets strangers pet it, and seems to be trying to get him to follow it. The tradesman thought that lost as he was, it couldn't get much worse, so he followed the fox wherever he would lead. After an hour or so, the tradesman saw the fox sitting like before, but this time he was well off the path, sitting in front of a dark cluster of impenetrable forest. He sat like a statue until the tradesman approached. He bent to pet the fox again, but the fox turned so swiftly that his tail was in the tradesman's hand. As soon as he had grasped the tail, the fox was off, dragging the tradesman directly into the darkest patch of trees. The tradesman felt the wind whip through his hair and before he knew it, he was in the middle of a beautiful clearing.
Three of the finest trees he'd ever seen stood together near the banks of the stream. He approached and saw the first tree had bark made of bronze, bearing leaves and fruit made of silver. "I may not always be able to find food so readily, so it would be wise for me take something to hold in reserve. But I don't want to take too much. A single apple should sustain me for long enough if I get into dire straits." He plucked it and moved on to the next tree. It's bark was made from velvet and it's leaves were shades of the finest spun silk. He felt one of them in his fingers, and marveled at its delicacy. "It's just too fine to pluck... but what are these?" He found a pouch hanging from a nearby branch and squeezed it. The pouch split down the side and a shower of pearls exploded so violently he took a step back in fright. "I may need money for lodgings and new tools if I'm ever to find work again. But I don't need more than one pod to get me back on my feet." And he plucked a single pod from the tree. He moved on to the last tree, which was an ordinary tree by all regards, but there was something about it that made one marvel at it's beautiful simplicity. And in the heart of its branches was the most beautiful bloom he had ever seen. It's beauty was so radiant that the rest of the world seemed to lose its shine when he looked at it. "How I would love to look on you always, but if I took you with me, you would soon die and rob the world of your beauty. So I shall content myself with one of your plain green leaves instead. And though it has not even a fraction of your beauty, I will be reminded of the most beautiful flower in the world every time I look upon it." And he plucked a single leaf from the multitude hanging from the branches before him. The tradesman took his prizes, and went for a swim in the stream and lay on the grass. As he started to doze off into sleep, he realized that the fox that had brought him here had been nowhere to be seen since he arrived. He wondered if he would ever see him again and dozed into slumber on the grass.
The next morning he bathed again, ate the berries from the bushes nearby and prepared to try and find his way out of the forest. As he was packing up his bag to leave, he looked again at the gifts from the trees that he had taken. The apple was a fine as before, shining brightly with the promise of its own secret strength. The pouch of pearls was delicate and soft like the silk and velvet tree it had come from. And the leaf from the most beautiful flower in the world was plain as before, but looking closer, the tradesman realized that the veins in the leaf were moving. Soon, the words "Go west" appeared on the leaf. The tradesman laughed and thought that since he didn't have any better ideas himself, he might as well do what it said. He took up his compass, quickly heading out of the clearing and back into the forest. He travelled for a time, and was more hopeful with each step. The forest seemed to be thinning, and he hoped to be out of the woods soon. He kept looking at the leaf, which he kept always in his hand and changed its instructions from time to time to lead him in the right direction.
He had stopped to rest, when he heard a noise coming from behind him. He turned but there was no time to react. Three bandits appeared as if from nowhere and quickly surrounded him. "Give us all your money! And any treasure you may have too!" The tradesman looked down at the leaf and the words "Eat the apple" were written there. The tradesman knew they would never let him get a single bite, it was too beautiful, they would kill him to keep it all for themselves. He had to distract them somehow, so he reached into his pack and said, "Here, take these pearls." He brought out the pouch, and like he'd done in the clearing, squeezed it as hard as he could. A shower of pearls fired in every direction, causing the bandits to duck down in surprise. In the confusion, the tradesman was able to pull out the apple and take a bite. The bit of apple had just passed his throat when one of the bandits stabbed him from behind. But the knife blade never pierced his flesh, but snapped in two as if it were a twig. A second bandit came from behind and clubbed him over the head with a thick branch. But the wood just snapped in two, and and the tradesman was unhurt. Realizing now that the apple had made his skin as hard as metal and he could not be hurt, he made short work of the bandits, killing each and every one.
He looked at what he had done, and weeped. For though they were bad men, he was sad that it had to come down to this. Through his tears he saw that the fox had returned once more and sat where the fallen bandits lay.
"Do not cry, for these three got better than they deserved. Come with me, but first cut off each of their heads and bring them with you, and all will be shown to you." The tradesman did as he was told, and followed the fox deeper into the forest. In no time they were back at the clearing. "Now set each head at the base of the trees that gave you the gifts that saved you." The tradesman did as he was told, and as the blood from the bandits touched the trees' roots, the three trees transformed before his eyes into the family that was slain there. Alive once more, their faces shone with the joy of being together again. The tradesman looked at the fox, and saw a single tear roll into his fur, before turning tail and disappearing into the forest.
Three Brothers
Once upon time there were three brothers. The oldest brother was hot tempered and impulsive, but never swayed once he made a decision. The middle brother was cold and unemotional, never giving into a fight and examining everything at all angles, though he rarely stood up for himself. The youngest brother was neither hot or cold, but somewhere in between.
One day, the three brothers were travelling in the forest, and they passed by the house of a witch who lived nearby. They couldn't see her because of her enchantments she had put over the place, but she saw them and decided to have some fun.
They were going along when they noticed something in the distance sitting in the middle of the path. As they approached nearer, the saw it was a big stone box, marked with a series of strange symbols.
"What's that?" the youngest asked to no one in particular
"I don't know, but it's my problem. I'm the oldest, I'll take care of this." the oldest brother said, and stepped forward to examine the box more closely. All three brothers looked in silence, when suddenly the second brother realized he'd seen some of those symbols before.
"Hey, let me take a look at that I think I know -" the second brother said.
"No. I said I'd take care of it. Stand back." the oldest brother said.
He pulled out his sword and jammed it into one of the symbols, hoping to pry the top off the box with brute force alone. A flash of light shot out of the box, and up the sword, and the first brother fell dead to the ground. The other two brothers stood in silence, as the box disappeared into a puff of smoke. Both brothers took a moment to grieve and loaded up their brother's body on his horse and continued down the path.
A few miles later, as they were walking along, the path turned into quicksand beneath their feet, and they began to sink. The second brother set to thinking about the problem, and they sank further still. The youngest brother waited, then said, "I think I can reach this branch. Hand me your belt and though the horses and our brother's body may be lost, I can get the two of us out of here!" The second brother didn't like being rushed, and especially not by his little brother. "I need a moment to think," he said, and so he thought and thought. Meanwhile the youngest brother managed to get his own belt free, but by the time he pulled himself out his brother had sank below the sand, all the while analyzing every facet of his situation.
The third brother continued down the path, until the witch herself stepped out in front of him.
"Give me your heart or I will take it!" she screeched, and conjured a silver knife in her hand.
The brother looked at her and realized it was she who had caused all his brothers' misfortune. He stared her in the eyes and said "I will not give it. You may try and take it if you like, but I will put up a fight."
The witch flew into a rage, waving the knife around in the air and screaming curses. She started to run towards the brother, intent on taking his heart herself. But the moment she tried she was held fast. Two arms had reached up from the ground and held her to the spot. The youngest brothers saw what was happening and knelt to the ground. Before him rose his oldest brother's sword, pushing it's way through the earth. The youngest brother pulled it out of the ground and stabbed the old witch right through the heart. She screamed and vanished in a wisp of smoke. The youngest brother watched as the arms sank below the earth again. He took the sword that his oldest brother had given him and continued down the path, now free of the enchantment that had once bound his family.
One day, the three brothers were travelling in the forest, and they passed by the house of a witch who lived nearby. They couldn't see her because of her enchantments she had put over the place, but she saw them and decided to have some fun.
They were going along when they noticed something in the distance sitting in the middle of the path. As they approached nearer, the saw it was a big stone box, marked with a series of strange symbols.
"What's that?" the youngest asked to no one in particular
"I don't know, but it's my problem. I'm the oldest, I'll take care of this." the oldest brother said, and stepped forward to examine the box more closely. All three brothers looked in silence, when suddenly the second brother realized he'd seen some of those symbols before.
"Hey, let me take a look at that I think I know -" the second brother said.
"No. I said I'd take care of it. Stand back." the oldest brother said.
He pulled out his sword and jammed it into one of the symbols, hoping to pry the top off the box with brute force alone. A flash of light shot out of the box, and up the sword, and the first brother fell dead to the ground. The other two brothers stood in silence, as the box disappeared into a puff of smoke. Both brothers took a moment to grieve and loaded up their brother's body on his horse and continued down the path.
A few miles later, as they were walking along, the path turned into quicksand beneath their feet, and they began to sink. The second brother set to thinking about the problem, and they sank further still. The youngest brother waited, then said, "I think I can reach this branch. Hand me your belt and though the horses and our brother's body may be lost, I can get the two of us out of here!" The second brother didn't like being rushed, and especially not by his little brother. "I need a moment to think," he said, and so he thought and thought. Meanwhile the youngest brother managed to get his own belt free, but by the time he pulled himself out his brother had sank below the sand, all the while analyzing every facet of his situation.
The third brother continued down the path, until the witch herself stepped out in front of him.
"Give me your heart or I will take it!" she screeched, and conjured a silver knife in her hand.
The brother looked at her and realized it was she who had caused all his brothers' misfortune. He stared her in the eyes and said "I will not give it. You may try and take it if you like, but I will put up a fight."
The witch flew into a rage, waving the knife around in the air and screaming curses. She started to run towards the brother, intent on taking his heart herself. But the moment she tried she was held fast. Two arms had reached up from the ground and held her to the spot. The youngest brothers saw what was happening and knelt to the ground. Before him rose his oldest brother's sword, pushing it's way through the earth. The youngest brother pulled it out of the ground and stabbed the old witch right through the heart. She screamed and vanished in a wisp of smoke. The youngest brother watched as the arms sank below the earth again. He took the sword that his oldest brother had given him and continued down the path, now free of the enchantment that had once bound his family.
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