A Court of Compassion and a Contest of Fools

The King of Stags held court and called to him many denizens of the Serenwilde
Forest for a contest of riddles. In answer to his summons came representatives
from the Centaurs, Pixies, Squirrels, Frogs, Salamanders, Platypus, Trout, and
a Doe from the King of Stags own herd. When the crowd had assembled the King
spoke to them and thus said:

"I have for all of you a puzzle. An enigma if you will. Which ever creature of
the forest and streams that answers my riddle correctly will receive a great
boon."

The crowd became restless after hearing the mighty Stag's words. They lifted
their voices in a myriad of questions. "What is the Boon? What is the Riddle?
What is your reasoning for this Challenge?" All protests were quickly quieted
by a bellow from the King.

"Speak not till I have given you leave to do so," The King of Stags commanded
them. "I will ask my question and you will answer. Those who have not the
wisdom for this task shall endure a suffering of their own making."

Silence overtook the many beasts as fear filled their hearts. Their impatience
had raised a great ire in the breast of the Stag King. Each one looked to his
neighbor in hopes of diverting blame from their own person. The Stag King
sensed the ill intent of the woodland creatures towards their fellows and his
wrath increased. He knew now his pronouncement of suffering, at first only a
warning angering him, was now an omen of prophecy.

"Listen!" thundered the great Stag. "Here now my riddle. Answer correctly to
receive my reward. Answer incorrectly and accept the doom which the Fates have
placed upon thee." Lowering his gaze to the assembled creatures; the King of
Stags inhaled their fear and spoke his challenge. "What is the common bond that
makes a Sage a Fool and a Fool a Sage?"

Overtaken by a great silence none dared answer. Dread of failure paralyzed one
and all. The trout was so afraid he forgot how long he had been out of water and
promptly died. The stench of made the frog croak in terror and caused a lump to
rise in his throat. Hearing this sound the Stag King took notice of the frog
and spoke.

"Did you make a noise frog? Have you an answer?" asked the mighty Stag.

The frog had no answer. In a panic he tried to blame the noise on the
salamander. "It was not I that made a noise. It was the salamander. Ask him."

The Salamander became enraged by the lie and flicked its tongue at the frog.
The toxins of the frog's skin seeped into the salamander's tongue and made him
blind. The poison of the salamander's saliva was slathered over the frog who
became so dizzy that he rolled onto his side and was unable to move.

"Doom has overtaken both of you," snorted the Stag.

Indignation filled the heart of the centaur. He was no simple beast of the
forest but a mighty warrior. In his pride he dared to speak. "I am a centaur!"
he proclaimed. "I am of my own tribe and own people. I need not answer. Your
doom has no power over me." Raising his spear the centaur paraded proudly about
in a circle with head held high. As he was looking up at the heavens and not
where he was going the centaur did not see the little squirrel in his path. His
hoof came down on the squirrel crushing its tiny body and killing it.

"The squirrel is now dead and you are a murderer. Doom has found the both of
you as well," the King of Stags declared. "Is there not one among you who has
the wisdom to solve my riddle?"

Fluttering its wings the pixie wondered at why it was being forced to partake
in this adventure. It was not even really a creature of the forest but of the
Ethereal. As it did not really belong here the pixie would sneak away and avoid
the doom. As it turned to leave the pixie bumped into the platypus, which was
itself trying to make its escape in secret. Startled by the pixie the platypus
struck out with a webbed foot. Its blow struck the pixie in the arm, which
shriveled into a useless husk. The pixie cried out in pain attracting the
attention of several guards. The guards, as was there duty and there for they
are blameless, set upon the platypus and slew it.

The King of the Stags hung his head low in sadness. "Not one drop of wisdom is
there in this entire forest. A very great doom have I foretold and it seems none
can break it. In my anger I brought this sorrow on us. Now many are dead and
others afflicted."

Hearing the Stag King's words the doe, who was the only creature not yet set
upon by the doom, raised her voice to speak. "I have an answer," she said.

"You do?" asked the Stag King. "Please speak so that this curse I have wrought
can be lifted."

"The answer," said the doe. "Is compassion."

"Please explain," said the King of Stag. "How so?"

"Compassion will make a fool of a sage," the doe explained. "Because the sage
will offer it to those who cannot accept it. When his compassion is rejected
the sage will blame himself for the consequences of another's nature."

"And the fool?" inquired the Stag King. "How does compassion make him a sage?"

"Very simple," responded the doe. "Because the fool cannot see the true nature
of others. So he will not care whether another can accept compassion but offer
it anyway."

The Stag recognized the wisdom of the doe's words. "You are correct and the
doom is lifted. Let us now burry the dead who cannot accept our compassion and
heal the wounds of the afflicted who can."