Seeker (Fairy Tale)

There once was a girl who was small but boisterous. As she aged, she began to spend her days and nights with attention glued to a mirror that shone so brightly that her reflection was consumed. All manner of gods danced around in the mirror, moving in frantic and frivolous ways to keep her still and entertained. One day, she grew bored with her passive state and desired to seek new thrills. When none presented themselves in her house, she looked to the blue sky and thought to herself: ‘Oh, how it would be grand if I had wings to fly.’

With her goal in mind, the girl began her search for wings that would lift her above the world she had been grounded to for so long. Her heavy wooden door was opened with a mighty push, and she entered a lush green world.

The girl first happened on a beautiful field filled with many rosebushes. An array of butterflies danced around the petals as they carried on with their daily task. The girl approached the butterflies and spoke in the most elegant sing-song voice she could muster. (She assumed it would be the most appealing to the dainty creatures.)

“Dear butterflies, I have traveled long in search of wings when alas I stumbled upon your beautiful home. If you will, I would like to have wings of my own which I may soar through the sky with.”

The butterflies answered:

“Dear child, our wings our beautiful, but the colors of the flowers are more beautiful. We flutter from color to color as our wings demand.”

The girl answered:

“You enjoy the reds of the roses but miss the blue above. Please, if you grant me your wings, I will show you how high you may reach.”

The butterflies conceded and gave the girl their wings. After fastening them to her back, the girl looked up happily at the sky. The wings fluttered, but she did not soar above the trees. The girl found herself sitting in front of the rose bushes, gently stroking the petals with her fingers. The thorns pricked the girl several times, but she did not leave the bush behind.

The girl played with the flowers for many hours, deep into the night and well into the morning. It wasn’t until the rooster cried at the rising sun that the girl was awoken from her flowery trance. Sullen, she returned the wings to the butterflies. She carried on away from the flowery field deep into the forest.

Not long after entering the forest, the girl found herself upon a nest of a great eagle. Its wings were long enough to stretch across the sky, and its eyes looked down on her with pride.

“Dear eagle, I have traveled long in search of wings when alas I stumbled upon your mighty nest,” she spoke in the most elegant sing-song voice she could muster. “If you will, I would like to have wings of my own which I may soar the sky with.”

The eagle answered:

“Dear child, my wings are strong and bring me higher than those below. Nevertheless, I look down upon the ground as my wings demand. For it is my duty to watch over.”

The girl answered:

“Your eyes are sharp and able to pick out the details of the ground below, but my eyes are broader and can see everything as a whole.”

The eagle conceded and gave the girl his wings. After fastening to her back, the girl looked up happily at the sky. She found herself above the trees when she stopped and viewed the ground below. People carried on their days without a care that she had them under her observation.

She saw wonderful deeds carried out, and those people waved joyfully to her as she passed, but they were few and far between. Many of the acts carried out by the people were wicked, and she was filled with scorn for those below. She longed to right the wrongs and bring them to justice, but her wings only kept her above. She could not swoop in to interfere, and the wicked people paid no mind to the girl as she passed by.

The girl continued her observation for many hours, deep into the night and well into the morning. It wasn’t until the rooster cried at the rising sun that the girl was awoken from her soaring trance.

Sullen, she returned the wings to the eagle. She departed from the woods and found herself in a mountain cave.

Inside the cave was a mighty red dragon with scaly wings so large they might blot out the sun. He snorted at the sight of the girl and spoke:

“Child, your wish to fly has brought you far. As you can see, I have large and jagged wings. They cast dark shadows and shine more beautiful than the blue sky above. If you wish, I shall lend them to you.”

The girl spoke:

“Your wings may blot out the sky from below when you fly low, but when I soar, the shadow will be a mere speck, for I will be too high for it to be large.”

The dragon laughed and gave the girl his wings. After fastening to her back, the girl looked up happily at the sky. She found herself over the trees where she could dance in the air. Her shadow was enormous, and it covered many wonderful and wicked people below.

The people cowered in fear as the large shadow blotted out the sun, and the girl realized she had the power she longed for with the eagles’ wings. Wherever she cast the giant shadow, the people would beg for mercy and follow any demands she made. They fashioned a crown of rose petals to match her brilliant red wings.

At night, the girl’s large wings blocked out the stars, and the people continued to cower even as slumber ought to have lulled them to calm.

It wasn’t until the rooster cried at the rising sun that the girl was awoken from her shadowy trance. She returned the wings to the dragon in the cave and ran out. She ran past the forest and the flowery field to an open plain where there was only wind to keep company.

The girl fell to her knees and bitterly wept.

“Dear Child,” the wind spoke, “What is the matter?”

“I wish to fly but have no wings to soar on. All the wings gifted to me were lies from deceivers and served me no good!” she wailed.

The wind spoke in a gentle tone.

“If you wish to fly, then I am willing to assist. Go to the top of the highest mountain, where the clouds appear like the sea. There you will find a cliff that descends deep down into the abyss. Jump off the cliff, and I will carry you through the skies.”

The girl froze and pondered the words for a moment. Once she reached her decision, she shook her head with enough vigor that the plain might have shaken had she been a giant.

“Should I leap off such an edge, I will fall into a realm I cannot so easily escape! I have no way to obtain my freedom!”

“You need not worry about entering such a place,” the wind reassured, but the girl would not hear anymore of the matter and stood up. She brushed herself off and headed back to her tiny house. The large wooden door was sealed shut, cutting off the wind and all winged creatures who used it to sail through the sky. She planted herself before the glowing mirror, where she has remained standing to this day.