1
He gets distracted pretty easily, and he's been told that that's his greatest weakness. It's not as bad as they make it sound, because really, he knows others with far worse habits that could get them into a deeper mess than 'easily distracted' would ever get him into.
But perhaps they do have a point.
He realizes this when, one day, he misplaces his travelling cloak. He knows that he rarely forgets things like this, and he is pretty sure that he'd hung the piece of clothing on that one funny-looking tree by the river. He would never have taken the cloak off unless he'd find a safe place to put it aside and away from the rushing waters – oh yes, the rushing waters. The reason he is there in the first place.
He'd always seen these silvery lines, this constantly-flowing trickle of clear liquid from afar, and they make such lovely sounds – like a thousand small bells just calling for him and beckoning him to come closer. So he went.
But now, without the cloak, his form is not complete. Without that cloak, he is able to actually feel the smooth, slippery rocks he's standing on and the cold rush of water against his bare feet.
He looks up, and sees that the sun is about to set.
Without the cloak, he cannot go home.
A/N: This was inspired by an old folklore. Let's see if any of you know which one. (But Miss Reader from Pittsburgh is not qualified to hazard a guess, because she already knows.)