July 7, 1948
Albertas Krupelis (Bubilas)
1929-1948
Klaipeda
Agnes Sulminiene: liaison
1930-1948
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Titas brought us this story; he didn't say anything, of course, but we know it is from Albertas' belongings because there is blood staining the edges. I read it aloud over the company fire last night and attached it to the back of this letter; please be careful with it. We've been sleeping outside instead of in the bunkers this summer - I cherish the stars.
Once upon a time, there was a man who came across a dragon in the forest, trapped beneath a fallen tree.
"Please kind sir, can you help me?" The dragon asked.
The man considered him. "How shall I be repaid?"
"I will repay you with an honest reward." The dragon replied, and so the man used his axe to free the dragon.
The dragon sighed in relief before turning to the man. "That is all good and well, but now I must eat you," he said.
"You promised me a reward!" The man cried, affronted.
"Don't you know, all good deeds are repaid with evil."
The man got down on his knees and pleaded for his life, "Why don't we travel down the road and ask the first three we meet how our deal should be decided?"
"Very well," the dragon replied, and they went down the road together. At length they met an old dog lying in the sun.
"Please my dear dog, can you help us decide what should happen in a deal between us?" the man asked the dog.
"What is your deal?" He asked.
And the man told him of how he had freed the dragon only to have the dragon seek to eat him.
"When I was young, my master cherished me, because I would guard his flocks with my sharp teeth," the dog replied. "But when I grew old and my teeth became worn, he beat me and chased me away, for I was no longer of use to him. I say to you, all good deeds are repaid with evil, so the dragon should devour you!"
They continued on until they came to meet a horse.
"My dear horse, can you help us decide what should happen in a deal between us?" The man asked the horse.
"What is your deal?" She asked.
And the man told her of how he had freed the dragon only to have the dragon seek to eat him.
"When I was young, I was beloved by my master, for my strong legs could plough his fields better than any ox," the horse replied. "But after I gave birth to a foal and grew weaker, he sold me to an old abusive drunkard, for my son could plough better than I. A good deed is always repaid with evil."
They continued on until they met a fox.
"My fox dog, can you help us decide what should happen in a deal between us?" The man asked.
"What is your deal?" He asked.
And the man told him of how he had freed the dragon only to have the dragon seek to eat him.
"What will you give me for my decision?" The fox asked.
"I promise you a goose." The man replied.
"Follow me," the fox told him as he led them into the woods where the dragon had been trapped. "You must show me what happened, please lie down as you were before."
The dragon did as instructed, and the fox helped the man knock a tree onto the dragon, trapping him in place.
The man and the fox made their way back to the man's home then, leaving the disconsolate dragon behind. The fox waited outside while the man went in and told his wife of what had happened.
"You fool!" She told him. "Take a gun out with you and shoot the fox for his fur."
So the farmer took a goose in one hand and his gun in the other and went outside to see the fox.
The fox was so excited at the sight of the goose that he didn't notice the gun, and the man got close to the fox and he shot him. As the fox was dying he groaned in agony:
"All good deeds are repaid with evil."
On note of the silence, I've burned all the letters you were to receive after 1946.
