Wisdom of Fight - Splitting Fences

Wisdom of the Flight

as told by Alador Guldalian

Keensight sat back and lifted his large head. "Let me tell you of a young dragon who had amassed his first hoard.  In the hoard, that he had painstakingly worked to accumulate, there was a beautiful crown."

Alador grinned. "You mean that he stole?"

Keensight huffed, and a puff of smoke bellowed from both nostrils.  "Let me tell the story, and do not interrupt to split fences."

"You mean split hairs," laughed Alador.

"Why would anyone split a hare when you can gobble it whole?" Keensight mused, then waved a talon at Alador.  "Quiet down and let me tell the story.  Now where was I? Oh yes. There was a beautiful crown..."



Alador, with a wicked grin, sat back in the great throne that Keensight always set out for him when he came to visit.  He knew better than to interrupt a second time.  As a dragon, Keensight had a goodly amount of patience, but it only went so far.

"This crown was his most precious possession.  One day, he woke to find it gone. The young dragon flew into a rage that a thief had come and stolen the crown.  A thief had dared to enter his cave and his precious lair.  The audacity of such a mortal being enraged the young dragon.  He tore from his cave and took flight to the nearest farm.  He ransacked the farm and set it ablaze, but he did not find his crown.  So off he flew to the next farm and the next village.  The young dragon left a flaming path of destruction in his wake."  Keensight puffed smoke as if to emphasize his tale.

"The local elders had no choice. They gathered all together and formed an army capable of taking down the young beast.  Seeing that his life was in peril, the young dragon flew back to his cave.  As he flew, he realized that all the army had to do was follow the path of his destructive rage and they would find his cavern.  He was at risk of losing at the least, the rest of his treasure.  At the most, he could lose his life."  Keensight waved a talon at his own treasure mound as he spoke.

"As the young dragon was gathering up what he could carry, he spotted something gleaming in the corner.  He reached over and pulled it close with his tail. It was the crown.  He must have knocked it from the pile when he was sleeping, and he had never thought to search his own cavern for the crown. He was mortified.  He was now facing the loss of his cave, his treasure, and his life and it had never had to come to pass."  Keensight nodded with satisfaction to indicate he had finished his tale.

Alador's hands were steepled together as he looked up at the vast dragon.  "Couldn't you have just said that 'you are overlooking the simple solution?'"

"No," Keensight growled out.  "That is far less interesting." Keensight turned his great head and closed his eyes to sleep.  It was clear that the dragon was done with the matter.