The Tale of Simon and the Sorcerer

One day, a Sorcerer devised a clever plan to save the kingdom from over population.

"I will shrink everyone down to the size of bread crumbs! Then we will not have to worry about running out of food or space to live! Resources will be plenty!"

He gathered the ingredients for his wondrous spell. From the heights of the sky, the Sorcerer casted his magic upon the kingdom! As he floated above them all in his hot air balloon, he witnessed the amazing transformation of the kingdom below!

The entire kingdom shrank! Even the buildings were small! Even the horses and wagons and all the things mighty and insignificant became as tiny as bread crumbs!

"Ah ha!" said the Sorcerer. "I have done it! Now, all our problems will be solved!"

But he decided (in fact, at that very moment when he shrunk the kingdom) --- he decided to make himself the de facto ruler of all! He could not resist the temptation of evil!

"I shall be the guardian of this kingdom---which I now name Small! And I am Gigantor, leader and supreme ruler of all!"

By the powers! The Sorcerer revealed his wicked heart. Had he made himself a tyrant prior to casting his spell, he would have been declared a rebel!

"It was clever I did not shrink myself!" he boasted.

"My intelligence is far superior now that my brain is bigger than all of Small Kingdom's people combined!"

However, the shrinking spell was not stopping! It was still shrinking Small Kingdom down to the size of microbes!

"Oh no! What have I done?!" trembled the Sorcerer Gigantor. "These poor creatures are helpless evermore!"

But Gigantor did not anticipate the rebellion unfolding below him.

"We shall strike back at that wicked wizard!" declared the King.

"He has made us small to save ourselves! What an arrogant maneuver! For a long time the Sorcerer filled my court with his worrisome woes. Not anymore, by the heavenly powers!"

A student of nature by the name of Simon the Chaste was called to the court of his majesty the King.

"I have learned from the elders of my court that you, Simon, study nature and the elements in grave detail. Is this true?"

"Yes, your majesty. I am a scientist."

"Are you an alchemist?" asked the King.

"No. I do not search for gold, your majesty."

"Then, I suggest you do not seek to impress me? Would you hide behind this science as a means to deceive me?"

"There is no guile in him!" declared one of the elders.

"If this be true, then I put the trust of my Kingdom's salvation in your hands, fair Simon."

"I will not fail you, your majesty."

Simon the Chaste devised a plan to save the Kingdom.

"Gigantor does not know about the smallest creatures I have observed with my microscope. They are microbes. And soon, we shall be as them. However, now even the microbes in the Kingdom have shrunk to harmless size. But, we are more so, and we have the opportunity to overthrow the evil Sorcerer Gigantor!"

Alas, Simon gathered supplies and headed for the hem of Gigantor's cloak. He ascended the fibers using a pickaxe and cleated boots. After a brief half-hour, he made his journey succesful. He had reached the summit of Gigantor's face. And there Simon journeyed into the Sorcerer's left ear. Using a megaphone, Simon spoke.

Gigantor's eardrum vibrated with the voice of Simon. And Gigantor listened intently.

"You, Gigantor! I am speaking to you!" said Simon in a terrible voice.

"Who speaks into my mind?" asked Gigantor.

"It is a messenger from the heavens!"

"Oh no! Have I offended the powers above me?" asked Gigantor.

"Indeed you have, Sorcerer! Indeed you have!"

"I have angered you, too?"

"Of course, you foolish creature! And it is demanded of you to make the Kingdom which you call Small, to normal size!"

"I perhaps shall listen to this," said Gigantor the Sorcerer. "But on my own terms. You must understand, I hear only your voice in my left ear, and not my right. If you speak into my right ear, then I shall listen to what you say."

But this was a trick Simon did not anticipate.

"Agreed!" said Simon in haste.

Using the hairs of the Sorcerer's head, Simon swung across to the right ear.

"Now will you listen?" asked Simon.

"No! In fact, I believe you are one of the people from Small Kingdom! How else could you only speak into one ear and not both simultaneously?"

"This is true," admitted Simon. "You have outsmarted me, Gigantor. I am no messenger other than one assigned by the King! And now, since you have angered me, I am forced to make you lose your hearing in the right ear. I shall strike with my pickaxe, and make you hard of hearing. Does this sound fair?"

"Wait!" said Gigantor.

"Go on! Spit it out, you fool!" demanded Simon.

"I shall return the Kingdom to its former glory and size! I desire not to lose my hearing on my right side!"

From his hot air balloon Gigantor casted his growth spell on the Kingdom---and all therein was returned to rightful size.

"Now, you shall go to the King's court where I shall exit your ear," commanded Simon.

"Yes, my lord," said Gigantor.

Once escorted by soldiers to the King's court, Gigantor the Sorcerer buried his head below his shoulders, kneeling and kneeling and finally pressing forward.

The King held out his hand under the Sorcerer's right ear, and out hopped Simon the King's savior.

"Change him back to normal size or my soldiers will destroy you where you stand!" commanded the King.

"Yes, your majesty!" trembled the Sorcerer.

"But, your majesty, why do you not keep Simon as he is---and crush him lest he becomes more powerful than thee?"

"You wicked man! Learn this: does a mother destroy her newborn simply because the babe is weak and small? Or does a King punish the needy, the orphans and homeless, simply because they too are helpless as infants? Or does a King strike a child simply because the child is not mighty? Likewise, does a compassionate person---though they be as a giant to all in the land---bully and dictate to all therein? You, evil magus, are neither a mother or a king or a gentle giant!! You have no compassion in your wicked heart! And thus I shall have you destroyed because of your deeds!"

The Sorcerer made Simon big again, and then prostrated himself before Simon and the King.

"I beg your majesty's and servant's forgiveness! Mercy! Mercy! I plead thee! Give me a heart no longer dark therein. Give me a future, a chance to start again!"

"You expect me to trust you, wicked man?" asked the King.

"No, my lord. I do not expect such from you after what I have done."

"Well, then. Perhaps you are worthy of mercy some. I will give you this chance: accompanied by my royal guards, you shall use your magic to help feed and clothe the innocent and bless the mother's with plenty for their children. Do you understand, on penalty of destruction, that you must meet these demands?"

"I do, your majesty!"

"After this, you shall go to the Enchantress on the Island of Avalon, and you will have your spellcasting abilities destroyed forever!"

"Yes, your majesty. I agree to your commandments! I am indebted to your merciful heart!"

And so, the Sorcerer made all things right, and saved the innocents from any plight. Once he was finished, the Sorcerer was taken before the Enchantress of Avalon---and there before her his magic capacities were removed forever!

"Now, you shall be free to live a good life, if you so choose it," said the Enchantress. "Do no evil and you shall be in my grace."

And so, the Sorcerer once evil became old and frail---having not once after his crimes committing more offenses---was forever remembered as gentle.

The End