In the heart of a wood which lost its name long ago, is a place where a seeker of stories
may go.
If you've arrived in a story's your desire, come, take a seat, for what you require is
a tale from the second storyteller.
Oh, hello there again.
By now I'm sure you know me as the second storyteller.
And before you ask, yes, I do have my back to a closet trying rather forcibly to keep
it closed.
Hey listen, I know this looks really really bad, but anyway, I still have a story for
you, of course.
You see, I brought one down here ahead of time just in case I would be otherwise indisposed
like this.
I have been afraid this would happen for a while, you see.
And I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to fulfill my role here, but before there
is no time left, I give you today's story.
The Mage and the Firefly.
This is a story about magic and fire.
In a village by the ocean lived a woman who stood apart from the other woman.
There was something slight yet distinctly different about her.
She had a secret that she kept so that the villagers would not fear her.
They were not unkind people, but to keep the peace the woman kept her secret.
The truth was, the woman was a mage.
As the sun set each evening, she would walk through a forest that ended on a cliff overlooking
the ocean.
As the moon rose, she would reach up and draw down a cloak of starlight.
Throwing it over her shoulders, the woman became the mage.
She would spend the evenings mending the broken branches of trees with her magic, and settling
quarrels among the animals.
The forest life was grateful, but they were not her companions.
Though her magic brought her joy, the mage was lonely.
There was a fire.
It had burned so powerfully, it frightened everyone away.
Using its own power, the fire changed itself into a firefly.
In this form, its true power was hidden, and no one was afraid of it.
The firefly would dance, bringing smiles to the faces of all who watched it.
And the firefly was happy.
It forgot that it had ever been fire.
One evening, as the sun was setting on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the firefly came across
a woman.
Because of her magic, the woman could sense the firefly's true form.
She was overjoyed to find someone not unlike herself.
Firefly, behold, she said, as the moon rose and she drew down her cloak of starlight,
transforming into the mage.
The firefly landed on her palm, and the mage said, Now, firefly, won't you show me your
true self?
When the firefly danced, its glow tracing streaks of orange and gold across the night sky, weaving
beautiful patterns as it flew.
Pleased with its show, the firefly landed on the mage's palm.
But the firefly was shocked to see tears streaking the mage's face.
The firefly flew away as quickly as it could, unable to understand the mage's sorrow.
Days passed, but the firefly could not forget her, the mage on the cliff overlooking the
ocean.
So the firefly flew back to her.
When the firefly returned, it found the mage frozen in place.
The sadness in her heart had turned the mage to ice.
The firefly became fire.
As flames engulfed the mage, the ice surrounding her vanished.
She was beautiful in the fire, the warm colors of the flames reflected in her cloak of starlight,
and she smiled.
Wreathed in flames, the mage said, You are fire, and you are beautiful.
You are the firefly, and you are beautiful.
The fire once more turned back into a firefly, and landed on the mage's palm on a cliff.
Overlooking the ocean.
And neither was lonely.
Undo.
It seems I am nearly out of time.
I am so sorry.
I do not know what will happen next or when we will meet again.
Please understand that it was never my intention to mislead anyone.
All I have ever wanted was to share this place with you.
No matter what happens, I intend to do whatever it takes to oppose them.
So no matter what happens next, please be well.
And remember me as your second storyteller.
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Fool.
Now that is how you magically banish someone into a closet.
Oh my hat.
Ah, there we go.
Much better.
Oh.
Now here is something interesting.
Huh.
You came here looking for a story, didn't you?
Well don't worry my dear.
You don't have to deal with that fraud anymore.
Me?
Well.
I am the first storyteller.
Today's tale has ended.
But return once again to this place where you are considered a friend.
Return to this tower in its mysterious dweller.
For more from the Librarium, The Second Storyteller.
Thank you for listening to The Second Storyteller.
If you have a prompt for a story, please send it to thesecondstoryteller at gmail.com.
If your prompt is selected, your name will be credited at the end of the episode.
This prompt was a fable from Science and Socks.
If you would like to help support the future of this podcast, please consider becoming
a patron by going to patreon.com slash thesecondstoryteller.
A donation as small as a dollar is greatly appreciated and helps keep us going.
A donation of just $10 a month puts you on the list of current library card holders and
your name will be read at the end of the episode.
The Second Storyteller podcast and the featured stories were written and created by Katie
Chacon.
The role of the Second Storyteller is played by Charles Scott.
Today's voices of the story were provided by Katie and Antonio Chacon.
The voice of the intro and outro is Chris Camp and you can find the fantastic games he's
worked on at rix.itch.io.
That's riks.itch.io.
The music was written by Fintan, who can be found at garbagebagalloneword.itch.io.
The Second Storyteller will return next month with more magic, fun, and of course, a story
to tell.