"The Three Pix" is the first short story I have ever created that has an actual moral to it.
I got bored one night, several months ago, as I was helping my sister midwife a new litter of puppies, and I wanted to write something easy to take my mind off the lull of the moment. So, this is what I came up with. As you will notice, it is not a very original idea, but my sister said she really liked it (which is something she does not generally say so easily) and that left me with a mental note to post it on my blog sometime. I imagine this is a story one of my characters in my fantasy world would tell a group of children after supper. They would gather around the warm glow of the fire, their bellies filled with a good meal. The storyteller would sit on a stool as the children snuggle together on a bearskin rug on the floor. All their little eager eyes look up at the storyteller expectantly, waiting to hear the new story she promised to tell, and they hold their breath as she smiles at them with a twinkle in her eye that says "Let's go on an adventure tonight".
Long ago, in a tiny country called Pixland, there were once four Pix who were very skilled in their crafts. One worked with earth, another with wood, and the last with stones. They could craft anything they desired within their respective skills, but they never interfered with the other’s craft.
One day, the Pix Queen called these three craftspix together and said “Go to the valley and build me a house.” and that was all she said. So the three Pix gathered their tools and marched to the valley, but once there, they could not agree on how to make a house or where to build it. “It should be a sculpted castle,” said the Earth Pix “Made of sand and gypsum, so it will shine in the sun, and it should sit near the river.” “It should rather be a tree house,” insisted the Wood Pix “Carved straight from the tallest tree on the hill, with elegant arches, windows, and doors.” “I rather think you both are daft,” snorted the Stone Pix “For the house should be made of stone, between the hills and the river where it will never move.” and so the arguing continued until, finally, each Pix went his separate way to build a separate house. The Earth Pix found the finest sand and gypsum and mixed them together by the river. He made a beautiful shining castle, with tall towers and wide gates, and he made it only with sand and gypsum. The Wood Pix went to the hills and found the tallest tree there. He carved and worked until he had created a gilded tree house of the most elegance, with sweeping arches and delicate carved windows, and he made it only out of the living tree. The Stone Pix searched and searched until he found flat bedrock between the hills and the river. He then gathered stones and shaped them so that they sat perfectly one on top of the other until he had built a magnificent house, with a long hall filled with great pillars and a throne, and he made it only out of stone. With each remarkable shelter complete, the three Pix decided to rest until the queen came to inquire of their progress. During the night, however, a terrible storm came down on them. The river swelled and the rain pounded down and washed away the gypsum castle. Lightening struck the tree house, tearing it in half and burning it to ashes. The rain seeped through the stones and made them slick before a powerful wind blew the stone house down. By morning, all that the three Pix had accomplished was undone. “The queen will be here soon and she will banish us for failing. We shall be undone, and what can we do to stop it?” they asked among themselves. As they were contemplating their problem, the Stone Pix took note of his fallen stones. “Although I shaped my stones perfectly, water still came between them and the wind blew them down. What more can I do to make them stronger?” he asked the other two. “A well mixed mortar would hold them together.” replied the Earth Pix. “A roof would shed the water.” the Wood Pix replied. “If only I could have those two things, then the house would be complete. I cannot do it alone.” the Stone Pix sighed. “I will make the mortar, if you will set the stone.” the Earth Pix offered kindly. “And I will build a roof once the walls are raised!” the Wood Pix sang. So, together, the three Pix worked tirelessly until each stone was set in mortar and a roof was overhead. When it was finished, the Queen came to inspect. “Your progress is astounding!” said she “I am very please. When you put your three strengths together, you made the strongest house I have ever seen!” A feast was given in the three Pix honor, and from that day on, the three worked together, using their three different skills to build the strongest kingdom in the land. They are remembered and revered to this day in the Grand Pix Empire as “The Team”. |
Kathryn FoglemanAuthor of the fantasy series, Tales of the Wovlen, Kathryn spends a great deal of time in the world of her imagination, having tea with fire breathing dragons, writing books on flying space ships, and practicing her mad scientist laugh with gusto. However, on occasion,she returns to this world just to play with her dog and blog about her fun. My BookGrab a Button!![]() Archives
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