Random Stuff

One of my stories

Wrote this for English class... My friend said I should publish it online. It's not very good... No title!

Once, there was a very young girl who lived with her wizened old grandfather, her parents having passed away when she was born. She had a great thirst for knowledge and wisdom, and thought often on the ways of the world, until one day something occurred to her. She couldn't reason out an answer to her question, so she asked the neighbor boy what he thought. As he was fully occupied by his toys, and didn't understand half of what she was saying, he just shrugged and said he didn't know. She asked the baker, who was baking his cakes, the same thing. She asked the smith, making nails and horseshoes, but like the baker was fully invested in his work They had no time to answer questions from silly little girls! Finally, in desperation, she went to her grandfather and said,

"Grandfather, why is it that we have both good rulers and bad rulers?"

"If you wish to know the answer, little owl (for that is what he called her), then you must sit and listen to my story. Try to learn the answer for yourself." And so, he began.

"A long time ago, when dragons still roamed the world and lived peacefully with man, the king of the dragons was sitting in a cave with his hoard, growing old and thinking about who to pass on his title to. You see, he truly had no idea to give it to, for it seemed that all of his descendants were foolish and would not keep the peace. One day, as he was sitting in his cave, thinking his dream-like thoughts, a mouse ran in, escaping from the storm outside. It was a small, gray mouse, and looked to be a little sick from the cold and wet. The dragon, seeing the little mouse, raised himself up, said in his mightiest and kingliest voice, "WHO DARES INVADE MY CAVE? WHO DARES ENTER THE CAVE OF THE MIGHTY KING OF THE DRAGONS?" The mouse, frightened beyond words and quaking in his little brown boots, replied, "P-p-pardon me sir, I-I-I m-m-meant no disrespect towards your majesty. I-I-I was only looking to escape the fierce storm outside. W-w-will you please let me stay here for awhile so that I might rest and recover my strength?" The dragon, finally noticing the state of the poor mouse, took pity on him and invited him to stay. The days turned into weeks, which turned into months. They ate, and they drank, and they were merry. The dragon grew fond of the mouse, and the mouse overcame his fear of the dragon and the other dragons that came to visit the old dragon. Eventually, the dragon, feeling his age, asked the mouse about what he thought it meant to both live and good life and rule fairly at the same time. The mouse, after thinking on this for awhile, decided to tell the dragon a generations-old legend.

"Awhile ago, I heard a tale from my old granny. She told me this tale, and so I will pass it on to you." His voice suddenly changed, dropping into the instantly recognizable tones and rhythms of an experienced story teller.

"A few centuries back, there was a young and handsome, but lonely, prince. He had everything he could he could have ever wanted, or even wished for, yet he was missing one thing. This one thing made life a misery to live without, and so the prince wasted away on the inside, wishing only for someone that could stand by him without seeing his rank, wealth, or mask, the mask of smiles he wore to cover his sadness and loneliness. One day, while wandering the market, people bowing to him as he passed by, he saw something that puzzled him. There was a young, impudent, but (he must admit) radiantly beautiful woman who did not bow! Can you imagine?" Cried the mouse. "Indeed, she was staring at him so intensely that it appeared she was glaring at him, but for what reason, he really couldn't tell. 'Curious, can she see me for who I am? Past my mask?' he thought. Intrigued, he decided to have her arrested and thrown into jail. After several days, he came to visit her and learn more about her. He had been amused by the way she had carried herself, like she could not, would not, ever bow to him or anyone. Approaching her cell, he saw her sitting in it like a noble with ruffled feathers, not like the prisoner she was.