The Foolish Wizard

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.