Lady & Trison

A Lady, who had been picking flowers from a field, placed the last of them into her basket, now laced with the vibrant hues of spring. Satisfied by her collection, she began to make her way home to her husband and children.

A large Trison bull, baffled by the sight asked the woman, “For whom do you gather these springtime flowers—isn’t it enough to just graze on them here and now?”

“I gather these flowers,” she replied, “for my husband because I love him and will give these flowers to him.” The Lady, looking over the bull’s herd inquired, “Do your many wives not do the same?”

“It is not the role of my wives to love, but to breed,” said the Trison, “so they feed themselves the flowers they graze and none come to me except that which I pick myself.”

“Then you are without a single lover in all your herd?” asked the Lady, feeling rather sorry.

“I suppose,” snorted the Trison with a frown.

“Then take a flower from me, and know what it feels like to love and love in turn,” said the Lady.

One genuine love is better than an insincere many.

Looking forward to more! :)

Lemur & Wolf

Lemur, per his usual afternoon, decided he would mock a gatherer from afar. He did as the man did, walking when he walked, and picking berries when he picked. By the evening, when the man had left, Lemur saw Wolf and began to mock him as well.

“You think you are so clever,” said Wolf, “You walk on two legs like a man, and pick berries like a man—and with me, you tread on all fours, and you should know, my tongue does not hang that low.”

“I do what I can,” said Lemur, perching himself on a branch, “but you, you’re just a beast without any range at all.”

Infuriated by the delight Lemur took at Wolf’s expense, Wolf raised himself on his hind legs.

“What an angry pose,” said Lemur, “you mock with such poor taste that man will not find you funny but frightful.”

“So you should as well,” said the tall and looming Wolf, just before gobbling up Lemur.

A beast is still a beast, even on two legs.

Hare & the Canis Rabbits

Hare, from a very young age, itched for adventure. One evening, sighting Canis Rabbits, Hare guessed his ambitions would be furthered if he joined their number.

“You are a very timid creature,” said the leader of the pack to Hare’s request, “don’t you know that we are fierce—that we are without foes in the valley and that we are without rivals on the hill?”

“This I do know,” replied Hare, “but an adventurer I am, thus I insist to be in your company.”

“Have your way then,” said the leader of the pack, “and join us to a faraway field.”

Confident in his company and in his ambition, Hare travelled with the Canis Rabbits, whereupon they visited a shepherd’s pasture. With a hop over the stone fence, Hare joined his pack in tackling a lone lamb, but a trap it was, and out sprang hunters from town.

“I did nothing,” said the Hare, “I am timid, as you know, and not fierce like my company. I was not certain that when we came to this field, it would be your lambs we ate.”

But the hunters, who saw Hare for his choices said, “A Hare should know better. Timid as you are, you should have stayed with your kin, for I have caught you in the company of very foul pests, and for that you will share in their punishment.”

You are judged by the company you keep.

Thanks for doing these. I enjoy reading them. You have a fun, eclectic way of writing.

Master Vaku, do you have discord or other means of contact? I would like to discuss things with you.

Girl & Conifer Rat

While treading across the royal garden, a Conifer Rat crossed the path of a Girl. Stunned with terror natural to a Conifer Rat, he yelped, “Do not eat me! O, please spare me enormous child!”

The Girl, who stood before the Conifer Rat, made a show of looking left, looking right, and even above herself. “I do not see another child,” said the Girl, “and I do not see anyone bigger than me. How can I,” she said, “be enormous?”

“You will learn one day,” said the Conifer Rat, “when you are in company of giants.”

These words stayed with the Girl for many years. She grew into a venerable queen. She considered it normal for everyone to look up to her—because, no matter looking left, nor right, nor up all these years, she never found anyone in more enormous a role than she found herself. “I am the Queen,” she would say, “I do not see anyone bigger than me.”

One evening, she found her kingdom in the path of a warring empire. Stunned with the terror which came natural to the conquered, the Queen said, “Do not kill my people! O, please spare us invasion.”

The warring empire, who conquered the world from which they came, replied, “We are mightier, and you are weaker, and none will stand in our path.”

Be wary—there is always someone mightier than you.

The Village & Elder

A Village Elder, amid a very bad drought, looked to the sky every day, and on the horizon he could tell whether it would rain or not. “Soon it will rain,” promised the Elder, “the drought will end!”

For years his promise matched the weather, as followed, the Village was confident in the Elder’s forecast—but because these times were different, it would not rain. The Village made no change, they took no sip, they drank large gulps, and watered their fields as normal!

These were arid times, and conditions worsened with the Elder’s forecast. With every day, what clouds were seen on the horizon quickly dissipated by evening, and the vast blanket of stars were a reminder that no, it would not rain.

In a year’s time, when famine impaired the Village, and almost completely drained their stores, the emaciated Village Elder looked across the horizon and said, “Perhaps then, despite the clouds I see, we should travel until we know the weather.”

Do not wait for a promise when action is needed.

Vaku, these are amazing. I hope that these spread in books across Elyria.

The King & Trollmouth Salamander

A royal menagerie’s overseer charged his aides with the task of collecting all the creatures of the world. To his appeal, the aides succeeded! They put into the menagerie’s exhibits every variety of walk and life, both natural and peculiar.

All went well until the overseer placed the Trollmouth Salamander into the King’s favorite aviary. No time passed at all before the slimy grey bodies spread from their first pond, and began eating each of the smallest birds! “This is a disaster,” shouted the overseer, “you must go out and replace the birds we’ve lost,” but the King who heard the tragedy came to see for himself.

The crowd gasped when the King saw, a Trollmouth Salamander hurl its tongue and draw in his favorite bird. The overseer gestured his aides to go and fulfill his new task, but the King would not have it.

“Halt,” said the King, as he wrung his hands together, “You will put the overseer to death, and—

Do not feed the trolls.

The Donkey & Mare

A Mare, proud of the foals she birthed frequently bragged about their fortunes. To others in the stable she’d gloat, “My young stallions are worthy of the battlefield. They are so noble and needed—from royalty to champions, mine serve the best.”

Other creatures on the farm, tired of a braggart, conspired to make the Mare ashamed of her next offspring. They found that a Donkey frequented their home to snack on hay, then depart. With honeyed words, they convinced the Donkey that he should not go so soon, but stay. “Charm the Mare,” they said, “She has taken a secret liking to you.”

Of course the Mare thought nothing of the sort, and preferred a much higher pedigree, but the Donkey was delighted. He immediately set to introducing himself to the Mare, and was of course turned away at first attempt. Any other creature would stop there, but what the Donkey lacked in cleverness, he made up for in stubbornness.

The Donkey took to becoming quite the model worker. In time, his change of character spurned a change of heart in the Mare, and they birthed their first foal. “Isn’t ours’ the very best,” said the Mare to the Donkey.

“He is small,” jeered the rest of the farm, “and will not be the slightest use in war.”

“But vigorous and sturdy,” replied the Mare, “our foal will be a hard worker—he is so noble and needed, he will be the envy of all laborers, just like his father.”

It is fair for a creator to be pleased with their creations.

Dog, Fox, & Master

A Dog coveted his Master’s station, and wanting to change fortunes, conferred with a clever Fox. To Fox he said, “My family has long served—our meals have always been the scraps of banquets, our beds have long been at foot of the Masters. Help us,” Dog continued, “reverse our two estates.”

Fox, excited by the challenge, replied, “People in your Master’s station give credence to the written word. I will write a chronicle,” said the Fox, “showing that your family rightfully owns your Master’s estate. Present the chronicle, and realize your goal.”

The following day, Dog placed the chronicle in the lap of his Master. The Master gathered all the eyes of his court, and everyone nodded in agreement with this convincing text. “I suppose we’ve lived a lie,” said the Master to his Dog, and they cast away their clothes, dropped to all fours, and awaited command.

Fox came to check on the Dog’s progress, and was met with a very conflicted hound in robes. “You’re unhappy,” said the Fox. “I suppose you have nature to owe for all this sorrow! Your banquet room is bare,” observed the fox, “your chambers are all a squalid sight, and worse yet, your servants look feral and ready to bite the paw. ”

“You’re right,” said the Dog, “this is all so wrong, and I am at a loss at how to restore the past.”

“Simple,” said the Fox, “cast the chronicle in the fire, because as you should know—”

While nature is written, a lie is wet ink.

Shepherd & Hunter

A dangerous wolf pack worried a Shepherd, so to the village the Shepherd left and called for a Hunter. A scarred Hunter who had answered the call was such a decorated sort there was no sensible reason to turn him away.

The Shepherd briefed the scarred Hunter of the common raids. “One of my herd is lost every month, gnawed to bones, and nothing else, and here you can see are the traps I’ve placed and where I’ve built fences.”

The scarred Hunter nodded and took in the details, and in time he laid more traps and built more fences, and brought a number of wolf heads to the satisfy the Shepherd, and always was paid for his efforts. Still, however, the monthly consumption of the one of the herd continued.

“I thank you for your work,” said the Shepherd, “and I’ll pay you extra if you can put an end to the wolves that ravage my herd. The scarred Hunter, however, gave only decline. His efforts, he explained, were the best he could do, and was thus released by the Shepherd’s employ.

A summary and moonlit night, the Shepherd heard the passing screams of one of his herd and rushing to save what he could, the Shepherd saw a horrible sight. Ahead of him stood a wolf with recognizable scarring.

“You are but scarred like the Hunter,” the Shepherd cried, “who protects my herd when the moon wanes and waxes, but on nights like these betrays me and devours that for which the Hunter is charged to care!”

The Hunter, snarling and covered with red matted fur, howled up through the moonlit night:

As a moon, people have many faces.

Mare, Mule & Flower-Cup Porcupine

A Mare, the mother to a Mule, made very stern warning about the flowers and grasses safe to eat in the chilled fields they called home. But as expected of a child, and especially a Mule—no heed was given to the wise words of the mother Mare.

“There’s nothing to eating,” said the little Mule, “but the gripping of lips and the chomping of teeth.” But this response was of no satisfaction to the mother Mare.

“Little Mule of mine,” Mare said, “if you are unwilling to learn, even most basic tenets of the field, you’ll expire as your siblings with only you to blame.”

The moody Mule left with those words, and while grazing on dusky field, made a horrible braying cry! “My nose,” it snorted, “punished for a flowery bite. This is so unfair, when all I am is hungry.” But fields can be so uncaring to wants and needs of wandering sorts.

Just beneath Mule’s drawn and swelling lips, there was a Flower-Cup Porcupine. “Watch your bite,” the Flower-Cup Porcupine cried from below, “eat all there is around you, but nothing from my back!”

So Mule continued, gripping with its lips and chomping without care, when indeed again Mule stung its snout on the distinct floral quills. “What did I say?” urged the Flower-Cup Porcupine, but the Mule could make no answer but this:

“I’ll do as I please. Not you nor mother Mare can change my needs.”

So off Mule left with a very swollen snout, occasionally braying and crying about how unfair the world is to a hungry Mule.

Ignorance is without convincing.

Leffit & Lemur

Leffit, per his usual afternoon, decided he would bask in the sun on a very broad leaf but was distracted by the clamorous scurrying he heard below. Shaded by the many broad leaves, Leffit saw Lemur trotting around and around the mouth of a shallow and dry well.

“Is something the matter down there, Lemur?” Leffit asked.

“Of course,” said Lemur, “I dropped a precious ring into this well that perhaps you could fetch for me.”

Enticed by the sound of a treasured ring, Leffit wriggled to the end of the leaf ready to launch into the well, but just before he did, Leffit squinted one eye and studied the well’s shallow core.

“There is nothing,” said Leffit, “at the bottom of that well, Lemur you liar, just grass, twigs, and certainly no ring.”

“Ha-ha ho-ho he-he,” Lemur tittered and rolled. “I can’t fool you, Leffit, my friend, not when you’re clever enough to:

Look before you leap.