Title:The Happy Man's Shirt
Genre:Folk Tale, or barring that, General
Rating: K
Warning: None really, except that I was feeling rather averse to quotation marks, and therefore excluded them. Please comment on this absence only if it makes the story far too confusing to read.
Word Count: 757

Disclaimer: I own neither the world nor the plot, the former belongs to Viacom and affiliated parties, the latter to the corpus of Italian folk literature. Only the melding of the two traditions and particular wording are mine.

Author's Note: We're reading fairy tales in my Italian class, and while trying to write the third chapter of my story Azula's Fangirl Crush, it struck me that this one would work well in the Avatar-Verse. So, nothing particularly original, but forgive me, Iroh was being very difficult and wouldn't let me write his chapter.

Feature Presentation:

In the Fire Nation there is a tale that has not been told for a hundred years. It tells of a mighty prince who had everything his heart desired. As far as he could see, all that the light touched would be his one day. Beauties from every land were assembled before him; from these he was to choose his bride. This prince was envied by all who saw him; how lucky, they said of him as he adorned himself in the reddest silk and brightest gold. How Agni smiles, they said to themselves as they gazed upon the princesses assembled before him.

But the prince was not happy. He had been happy, once upon a time, but one day he had stopped smiling, and no one could quite remember when or why; it took them years to notice, when finally one summer day his Lady mother presented him with his favorite childhood treat, and the boy simply sighed and turned away. The prince's melancholy state could not be explained, but it worried his father greatly. What is wrong, they asked the prince, and he merely sighed and said, nothing.

So it came to pass that the Fire Lord consulted his wisest sages; none knew the answer. They pointed him to the Avatar, who in turn consulted with the spirits. Speaking for the ancient spirits, the Avatar foretold the prince would know no merriment until he wore the shirt of a man who was truly happy.

At a state function the Fire Lord observed one of his generals who laughed as often as the prince sighed. Are you happy? asked the Fire Lord, and with a resounding laugh the general said yes. Would you then, asked the Fire Lord, be interested in the post of War Minister? The general, mistaking the question for an offer accepted with enthusiasm and was banished.

The Fire Lord consulted with his cousin, the Earth King. Cousin, he asked, are you happy? And sitting atop cushion after cushion the Earth King replied, I have all that I want, how could I not be? But then the king added as an afterthought, though little good it will do me in the next life, and the Fire Lord took his leave of his cousin.

In the frozen North the Fire Lord met with his equal, the Water Chief and congratulated his ally on the birth of his lovely daughter. The Water Chief shook with pride and joy, and the Fire Lord thought that perhaps at last he had found a happy man. But as he cooed at the infant princess, the Water Chief sighed and lamented, it is a pity that you will grow up and leave me one day; that night the Fire Lord was again on his way to the Fire Nation.

The years passed and the prince grew into a man and his melancholy never lifted. Then one day, in his travels the Fire Lord lost his way in a mountain pass. He came upon an Air Nomad. The Nomad signaled to the Fire Lord, and as if though ignorant of the latter's status invited the man to share his meager dinner of bread and honey. The next day the Nomad led the Fire Lord back to his own party.

Wait, I must thank you, the Fire Lord said. Surely you would like a position in my court?

But the Air Nomad declined gracefully and said that he was happy as he was.

I have sought a happy man for many years, replied the Fire Lord, and have not found one. Certainly you must fear death?

But the Air Nomad shrugged and replied that it happened to everyone sooner or later.

The Fire Lord had spent the night in the Nomad's home and knew he had a daughter, so he asked, and what of your daughter? One day she will grow up and leave you.

But the Air Nomad declared that he sincerely hoped she would find happiness one day.

Thus confounded, the Fire Lord cried tears of joy, for he had finally found a man who was truly happy. You must come with me, he ordered, and exchange my son's shirt for your own.

But the Air Nomad simply smiled and said he did not own a shirt.

This story was once known by every child of the Fire Nation. But there are no Air Nomads left and the tale has lost its meaning. The Fire Lady has long gone, and the Fire Lord hardly cares for his melancholy son.

Author's Note: And now, be a dear and review!