The Duration of Life
When the world was first made, there was a controversy of years. The deities were duty bound to assign the lifespan of each creature they created. Most creatures were content with what years they were given. However, others bid the gods change their fate.
Such creatures as cats and hounds and mule and butterflies would come before the gods upon their creation and ask that their life be shortened.
The cat was once meant to live a whole one hundred thirty five years, but it found that time was not kind to it. The cat grew frail and fragile and could not leap and pound like it once could. Therefore, it went before the gods and requested that its life be shortened. Thus, its years dwindled down from one hundred thirty five to fifteen.
The hound had similar concerns and begged that the deities shorten its existence. It discovered that, with age, it lost its teeth and lost its voice and lost its glee. So, it pleaded that the gods would relieve it of a few years. And so they did. From what was once a long fifty years became a short ten as well.
The mule was made to live to be one hundred, but the poor beast explained to the gods that its back was sore and its hooves were worn by the end of its time, causing it great pain. With this provided, the mule asked that the deities remove its later years to lessen its burden. Its wish was granted and it lived only twenty.
The butterfly was beautiful and felt that its wondrous display was its reason for being. However, over time its wings became crippled and its colors became grey. So, it came before the gods and bid that they rid the earth of such hideous years and let it remain pretty until its time was at an end. It was done. No longer would the butterfly live a thousand years. Instead, it would only live one.
Now the gods had much time on their hands for these were not the only beasts that wanted shorter lives. There were years and years of life that had no body to thrive in. A life had to have a body and the only creature that ever wished for more years was the greedy humans. But the gods did not wish to please them in this way, for they would reign over the land for far too long if they had such time to thrive and poison the earth. So, they saved it. They kept it hidden away until a human would be born and be worthy of life. They would have to be pure and just and fair and kind.
Many, many lifetimes passed before the boy was born. The gods saw the goodness in his heart and the brightness of his soul and bestowed these years upon him for he would need them. One day, this man would be separated from his most treasured companion, whom would too be saved by the gods when they needed him again. But, they reasoned that they would need someone to teach the Once and Future King when he was returned. So, they gave the years to Merlin. That way, when the king returned, as was prophecy, he would be there to pass on the knowledge of all those years he was gifted and aid his friend in their conjoined destiny.