*looks*
"The Tale of the Spirit of the Fountain: Long ago, in the Ancient World, there was once a fountain.
In this fountain there lived a single spirit, one who could bestow life and youth eternal to those who found her domain. Many years she lived alone, unable to leave her fountain for fear of destroying all which her waters brought life. Many years she stayed, unknowing of the world changing around her.
Until one day a man, lost and on the brink of death, stumbled upon her fountain. He begged her for her Waters of Life, and, in the excitement of company, she agreed to his request. He could drink the waters on one condition. He must never speak of the fountain. The man hastily agreed and was granted a drink. The man was soon healthy. His signs of age all but gone. He quickly left to find his family, promising to return to the fountain again someday.
... And he did. Years passed by, but the man had returned. In his time away, he had recruited his friends and family to come with him on his expedition. He had not told them of the fountain, they had joined him out of trust. When the man returned, accompanied by his family, the spirit was not pleased. He had dishonored their agreement and twisted her words. In arrogance at seemingly besting the spirit, he knelt down and drunk the Waters of Life.
Only, it was salty. Foul, undrinkable salt. As he looked up, he noticed the water turning brown and dirty. The spirit was nowhere to be seen. She had left the fountain, furious at the man. She left the fountain she had long protected. The flowers and trees surrounding the place decayed, the sand of the shores turned to mud, and the spirit, who had long-since loved and protected the waters... Left.
What became of the spirit? Some say she forgot. After so many, many years she forgot.
Some say she is still among us. Quietly watching and helping as she can.
Still others say she lives. As any one person can. A face with two sides. One of the joy and passion of youth, the other of the hidden sadness and despair of her past.
The name of the man was Juan Ponce de León.
This is the Tale of the Spirit of the Fountain of Youth." ((WHEW, that took awhile to write!))
In this fountain there lived a single spirit, one who could bestow life and youth eternal to those who found her domain. Many years she lived alone, unable to leave her fountain for fear of destroying all which her waters brought life. Many years she stayed, unknowing of the world changing around her.
Until one day a man, lost and on the brink of death, stumbled upon her fountain. He begged her for her Waters of Life, and, in the excitement of company, she agreed to his request. He could drink the waters on one condition. He must never speak of the fountain. The man hastily agreed and was granted a drink. The man was soon healthy. His signs of age all but gone. He quickly left to find his family, promising to return to the fountain again someday.
... And he did. Years passed by, but the man had returned. In his time away, he had recruited his friends and family to come with him on his expedition. He had not told them of the fountain, they had joined him out of trust. When the man returned, accompanied by his family, the spirit was not pleased. He had dishonored their agreement and twisted her words. In arrogance at seemingly besting the spirit, he knelt down and drunk the Waters of Life.
Only, it was salty. Foul, undrinkable salt. As he looked up, he noticed the water turning brown and dirty. The spirit was nowhere to be seen. She had left the fountain, furious at the man. She left the fountain she had long protected. The flowers and trees surrounding the place decayed, the sand of the shores turned to mud, and the spirit, who had long-since loved and protected the waters... Left.
What became of the spirit? Some say she forgot. After so many, many years she forgot.
Some say she is still among us. Quietly watching and helping as she can.
Still others say she lives. As any one person can. A face with two sides. One of the joy and passion of youth, the other of the hidden sadness and despair of her past.
The name of the man was Juan Ponce de León.
This is the Tale of the Spirit of the Fountain of Youth." ((WHEW, that took awhile to write!))
