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A Tale of Stolen Beauty |
In a hidden forest, a radiant creature named Elari gazes into a watering hole to see its own reflection. One by one, clever animals trick Elari and steal away its beauty—its spiral horns, gemstone eyes, silken tail, glowing fur, and more. Left hollow and blind, Elari turns to the rippling water for guidance and comfort. At last, the stolen pieces gather above the pool and return, restoring Elari’s true form. Surrounded by the animals, Elari shines brighter than ever, its beauty now a shared wonder for all. |
Deep in the heart of the forest, where vines draped like curtains and the air shimmered with dew, there lay a hidden watering hole. Its surface was so still it looked like a polished mirror, framed by mossy stones and overhanging branches of silver-leaved trees. The animals of the wood called it the Enchanted Pool. And within this magical pool lived a Water Spirit that watched over it and all the creatures who lived in the forest and came to the shore to drink the magical waters.
One day, this Water Spirit decided to create a perfect being, a creature unlike any other. It was named Elari. Elari’s spiral horns curled upward like crystal towers, catching the first rays of dawn. Its fur glowed like moonlight, soft and pale, lighting the shadows as it walked. Its eyes gleamed like gemstones—emerald, sapphire, and amber all at once—shifting with every glance. And behind it swept a silken tail, long and flowing, that shimmered as though it were spun from mist and starlight. It was endowed with courage, grace, and a loving heart. The Water Spirit was well pleased with its creation of perfect beauty – or so it thought.
Each morning, Elari padded to the watering hole and leaned close to the surface. Not to boast or preen—Elari had never known vanity. Instead, this was the only way it knew itself. The pool only returned its reflection, a reminder that all these wondrous pieces truly belonged to it. But what Elari saw was only the outward reflection of its being. It saw physical beauty and perfection in every feature that together showed a creature unmatched anywhere in the world. What Elari could not see was what was inside it. So, as dawn painted the trees gold each morning, and Elari gazed into the shining water, it saw only this physical reflection of itself, it whispered softly, as it did every morning: “So, this is me.”
As the Spirit watched Elari gaze at itself every day, it realized Elari must be made to see that beauty and perfection was made up of much more than what could be seen with one’s eyes. So, the Spirit devised a plan to teach Elari what beauty truly was .......i
