alnahn’sahna’resdul
Fable Seventeen
The Tale of the Frozen Guar
lonely guar struggled through the Ashlands on a cold, moonless night. The wind was frosty and bitter and chilled the animal to the bone.
²“Alas!” it cried, “I will die here, alone in the cold.”
³Just then, the guar caught sight of a faint orange glow in the distance.
⁴“A campfire?” it barked hopefully, “It must be! It must be!”
⁵The guar raced toward the light, its feet growing warmer with every step. Soon, the cold gave way to a sweltering heat. ⁶The air grew thick and acrid, searing the guar’s nostrils and lungs. ⁷But still, it hurried on, barking, “It must be a campfire! It must be! It must be!”
⁸Finally, the guar reached the orange glow. Alas, it was not a campfire, but a great flow of lava. ⁹The guar, so seduced by the warmth, gave this truth no heed. It sprinted to the lava’s edge and tripped on a loose stone. ¹⁰With one last joyful bark, the beast landed headfirst in the fiery liquid and died.
¹¹So you see, child, a fool’s thirst for safety carries its own risks.