The Fairy Tale (A Short Story)

War and dragons and knights, and a bruised eye. The past is difficult to explain, and stories like this help more than just kids understand what had passed and why.

The Fairy Tale

            Ding-dong!

The young boy was sniffling and covering his right eye when his father answered the door.

“God, what happened to you?” The father ushered the kid inside, immediately kneeling down awkwardly to see his son’s eye. It was swollen and purple, and the side of his face was red and bruised. Both of the boy’s eyes were red from crying, and dried tear-streaks. The father moved his hand to his kid’s face to assess the damage. The child flinched at the slightest rub to his cheek. “Did someone hit you? Who?”

“It was nothing. I just tripped.” The boy pushed his father’s hands away. The boy’s knuckles were bruised and red, similar to his face.

The father stood up sternly, wobbling a little. “Did you get into a fight at school?” He asked with crossed arms.

The boy shook his head, but couldn’t meet his father’s gaze.

“If I get a call from school later,” The father said, “And they say that you had gotten into some type of trouble there that you aren’t telling me about, you are gonna be grounded for the rest of the year, understand? Did you get into a fight at school today?” The father reiterated his question.

The boy hesitated, but then made a small nod, keeping his eyes on the floor.

“What have I told you about fights? Nothin’ good ever, ever, comes out of them, you hear me? Nothin’.” The boy looked down at his feet, saying nothing. After a moment, the father sighed and stepped back. “Go to the living room.” He said in a more calm voice. “I’ll get you some ice.”

The boy was sitting on a tan couch when the father came back with the ice pack. He gave it to his boy, who winced as it touched his injury. The two stood in silence for a while, for the father didn’t know what to say. His son had had a small temper, but never this.

He was about to continue his scolding when his son spoke out in a small voice. “They were making fun of you.”

The father’s demeanor immediately softened. “And what did they say?”

“They said I’m trash, ‘cause my dad’s the trash man.” The son sniffled while he spoke. “He, he said that trash men were trash, and everyone was laughing and-“

“You hit him.” The father finished the sentence. “And that isn’t ok. Not in the slightest, you hear?”

“But they are the bad ones!” The kid protested.

“No one is bad.” He said. “They’re just confused, or scared. Or angry. But not bad.”

“But all trash men are bad.” The son said. “I heard everyone else say it.”

The father thought deeply for a moment.

“Let me tell you a story.” He said, sitting down. “And then you need to go to sleep.”

“What’s the story, daddy?”

“Its just a fairy tale.” The father said. “Here goes- it started in a land long ago, and very far away. There was a great and good kingdom, ruled by a fair, but rash king. One day, that king got into a disagreement with the other kings over simple matters, and war ensued. The king of the great and good kingdom lost the war, and the others looked down upon his kingdom, and his people suffered from hunger and strife. They were tired and angry, with their old king and their suffering.

“At that time, there was a hardworking and noble people in the suffering kingdom. They didn’t suffer so much after the first war because they were hardworking and kept good jobs throughout the hard years. So, they didn’t starve, and they didn’t suffer, but people saw them and thought that they were bad, because they didn’t share with the hungry and suffering.

“One of these noble people was a knight, who wasn’t very strong, but he was good. Then, a princess, from over the seas and oceans, sailed over to the suffering kingdom, and the knight and her fell in love, and were married, and she gave him a necklace to remember her by. They stayed in the suffering kingdom, foolishly. Then, she gave him another priceless gift- a son, a prince, who was more precious than anything else the two had ever had.

“Then, one day, the old and rash king died, and a large dragon came to rule the land. At first he seemed good and just, but after the war he had been hungry and he had suffered, so he hated the noble people. He outcast them, and imprisoned them, and many had to flee his wrath. The knight and his family was no exception.

“The dragon’s soldiers took the princess away, and the knight and the young prince fled the suffering kingdom, and came upon the princess’ homeland. When they arrived, the dragon had proclaimed war, out of anger and hunger, and he attacked the kingdoms that had hurt them before. He lashed out, and the country over the sea joined the fight to slay him.

“The knight left the young prince to his trusted friend, and he joined the country across the sea in the fight against the dragon. He sailed over, and he fought and fought, and searched for his princess, but she was never found. The dragon was slain, and the noble people released, and all was normal again. But it was not a good normal. People from all countries suffered, people who did not fight in the war, people who did fight in the war. The suffering country re-doubled its pains, and the world was sad then.

“Therefore, of all the fighting, nothing good came about. The suffering kingdom suffered more, the other kingdoms lost good knights, and the noble people lost the most of all. But the young prince was safe. And he grew up to be great and handsome. So, not all was bad for the weary knight. And the world had a sad peace.”

            The father looked over to his son, and could see him drifting off into sleep. The father stood up, and walked over to close the lights.

            “Daddy?” A sleepy voice piped in the darkness.

            “Yes?”

            “Where did the princess go?”

            The father opened his mouth, then closed it, then spoke at last. “A good place.” He said, his voice cracking. “A beautiful and great place.”

            And the kid drifted into sleep peacefully.

            The father walked up the stairs of his house, climbed into his bedroom, and sat on his bed. Taking out a small, silver necklace from his drawer, his eyes clouded, and he broke down into tears.

            “Oh, God, why?” He prayed softly through his sobbing. “Why must we fight?”

Author's Note

This is another experimental story. Read what you can, and I'd love to see if you could figure out what its about. I hope you enjoy, although its sort of a downer.

Reviews

[Hosimone]

It was beautifully written! An amazing morale, too!