THE MAGIC CRICKET
A Soldier and a Magic Cricket
Once upon a time there was a Soldier who lived in a land with an Evil Sorcerer. The Sorcerer could not kill the Soldier himself, but hoped that by making him fight all the time that the Soldier would die in battle.
But the Soldier always won. Then one day just before the end of summer, the Soldier had to fight an enemy that meant certain death unless he could find some magic to keep him safe. So the Soldier went to his Sister who was a great Seer. The Sister Seer could see the future and find wondrous, magical things.
The Soldier asked his Sister the Seer to help him find a way to defeat this new enemy. The Sister considered his request carefully. The enemy had to be very powerful for her brother to ask for her help.
After a time, the Seer told her Brother the Soldier to find a magic Cricket. This Cricket could make the sounds of other animals and was even able to talk to humans.
The Soldier was surprised that such a small creature would be able to help him defeat his enemy, but he had faith in the visions of his Sister. The Soldier asked the Seer how to find this magic Cricket.
The Seer smiled and told her brother, "Listen for the Cricket whose chirp matches the beat of your heart."
The Soldier did as he was told. That night he went into the most peaceful field he could find. He let his eyes appreciate the beautiful sunset and listened carefully for the Cricket. The sky began to darken, but the Soldier had learned to be a patient man. His faith was rewarded for the Soldier began to hear a faint a chirp that was in perfect rhythm with the beat of his heart. He had found the magic Cricket.
The ebony Cricket seemed to be waiting patiently for the Soldier. He carefully collected the Cricket in the palm of his hand. "Magic Cricket, I fear I am doomed if you cannot help me defeat my enemy at dawn."
The Cricket met the Soldier's gaze with her own almond-shaped eyes and asked, "Are you certain I am the ally you seek? I am not very big and most would think me weak."
"Battles are not won by physical strength alone. We share a mutual rhythm of life. It is a sign of sharing a mutual fate. That is enough for me," said the Soldier to the beautiful ebony Cricket. So they spent the night together talking about their dreams and preparing for the battle.
The next day when the Soldier went to fight, the magic Cricket let out a roar of a thousand dragons while the Soldier attacked with his sword. This scared the enemy so much that they ran away. The Soldier smiled while the magic Cricket gave a merry chirp at their victory.
The magic Cricket was happy that she had helped the Soldier. She asked the Soldier to return her to the meadow where he had found her, so the Soldier gratefully obliged, although he was saddened to lose his beautiful little companion. The magic Cricket sent the Soldier away without telling him her secret. She could face her death on the last day of summer knowing that the one she loved would be safe.
The Soldier went to his Sister the Seer to tell her of his victory. The Sister could see how much her Brother had come to love his little companion. She saw his face sadden when he told of how he had returned the magic Cricket to her meadow.
"I am glad to see you alive, my Brother, but you should have shown the magic Cricket more gratitude. Go back to the meadow and seek her out, but this time, give her a kiss. It is the least you can do since she saved your life."
The Soldier thought his Sister was rather peculiar to suggest he kiss the Cricket, but then, her advice had saved his life. And to tell the truth, he missed the chirping of the magic Cricket.
So the Soldier went to the meadow and this time had no trouble finding the Cricket whose chirp matched the beat of his heart. He took her carefully into the palm of his hand and kissed the ebony Cricket.
To his surprise and everlasting delight, the Cricket was transformed into a woman with ebony hair and beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.
"Cricket!" the Soldier exclaimed. "Are you really my Cricket?"
The Princess smiled and said, "You have released me from my curse. Now I can deal with the Evil Sorcerer who transformed me and rule my kingdom in peace."
The Soldier helped the Princess banish the Evil Sorcerer from her lands. Her people found her to be a gentle and kind ruler. She was so nice, in fact, that she married the Soldier so that he would quit running off to war and other such silly things. And they lived happily ever after.
*****
Author Notes: Created as a story Madeline Reed tells Hoshi Sato for the Signs of Things to Come Series found at LD fanfic archives. Written June, 2002. Revised for this posting.
No reviews are necessary. Thanks for reading another little fairytale.
A Soldier and a Magic Cricket
Once upon a time there was a Soldier who lived in a land with an Evil Sorcerer. The Sorcerer could not kill the Soldier himself, but hoped that by making him fight all the time that the Soldier would die in battle.
But the Soldier always won. Then one day just before the end of summer, the Soldier had to fight an enemy that meant certain death unless he could find some magic to keep him safe. So the Soldier went to his Sister who was a great Seer. The Sister Seer could see the future and find wondrous, magical things.
The Soldier asked his Sister the Seer to help him find a way to defeat this new enemy. The Sister considered his request carefully. The enemy had to be very powerful for her brother to ask for her help.
After a time, the Seer told her Brother the Soldier to find a magic Cricket. This Cricket could make the sounds of other animals and was even able to talk to humans.
The Soldier was surprised that such a small creature would be able to help him defeat his enemy, but he had faith in the visions of his Sister. The Soldier asked the Seer how to find this magic Cricket.
The Seer smiled and told her brother, "Listen for the Cricket whose chirp matches the beat of your heart."
The Soldier did as he was told. That night he went into the most peaceful field he could find. He let his eyes appreciate the beautiful sunset and listened carefully for the Cricket. The sky began to darken, but the Soldier had learned to be a patient man. His faith was rewarded for the Soldier began to hear a faint a chirp that was in perfect rhythm with the beat of his heart. He had found the magic Cricket.
The ebony Cricket seemed to be waiting patiently for the Soldier. He carefully collected the Cricket in the palm of his hand. "Magic Cricket, I fear I am doomed if you cannot help me defeat my enemy at dawn."
The Cricket met the Soldier's gaze with her own almond-shaped eyes and asked, "Are you certain I am the ally you seek? I am not very big and most would think me weak."
"Battles are not won by physical strength alone. We share a mutual rhythm of life. It is a sign of sharing a mutual fate. That is enough for me," said the Soldier to the beautiful ebony Cricket. So they spent the night together talking about their dreams and preparing for the battle.
The next day when the Soldier went to fight, the magic Cricket let out a roar of a thousand dragons while the Soldier attacked with his sword. This scared the enemy so much that they ran away. The Soldier smiled while the magic Cricket gave a merry chirp at their victory.
The magic Cricket was happy that she had helped the Soldier. She asked the Soldier to return her to the meadow where he had found her, so the Soldier gratefully obliged, although he was saddened to lose his beautiful little companion. The magic Cricket sent the Soldier away without telling him her secret. She could face her death on the last day of summer knowing that the one she loved would be safe.
The Soldier went to his Sister the Seer to tell her of his victory. The Sister could see how much her Brother had come to love his little companion. She saw his face sadden when he told of how he had returned the magic Cricket to her meadow.
"I am glad to see you alive, my Brother, but you should have shown the magic Cricket more gratitude. Go back to the meadow and seek her out, but this time, give her a kiss. It is the least you can do since she saved your life."
The Soldier thought his Sister was rather peculiar to suggest he kiss the Cricket, but then, her advice had saved his life. And to tell the truth, he missed the chirping of the magic Cricket.
So the Soldier went to the meadow and this time had no trouble finding the Cricket whose chirp matched the beat of his heart. He took her carefully into the palm of his hand and kissed the ebony Cricket.
To his surprise and everlasting delight, the Cricket was transformed into a woman with ebony hair and beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.
"Cricket!" the Soldier exclaimed. "Are you really my Cricket?"
The Princess smiled and said, "You have released me from my curse. Now I can deal with the Evil Sorcerer who transformed me and rule my kingdom in peace."
The Soldier helped the Princess banish the Evil Sorcerer from her lands. Her people found her to be a gentle and kind ruler. She was so nice, in fact, that she married the Soldier so that he would quit running off to war and other such silly things. And they lived happily ever after.
*****
Author Notes: Created as a story Madeline Reed tells Hoshi Sato for the Signs of Things to Come Series found at LD fanfic archives. Written June, 2002. Revised for this posting.
No reviews are necessary. Thanks for reading another little fairytale.