Once upon the time, when the sky was young and a bit lighter then now, there was a legend among one folk. They were good and simple people, and their everyday deeds could not be named as the heroic once. They were starting their labours early in spring waking up with the first ice breaking the river flow, continued them with throwing seeds into the wet pitch black soil with the sincere prey, taking care for crops, berry bushes and apple trees through the chilly and rainy summer.
After the merry time of harvest and pure joy, when preparations for the next season were made, the time of legends, stories and tails were coming. Many of them was told so often, that each word of them was exactly on the right place, and when some grey-bearded elders were telling it like the flow of song, small children were moving their funny lips repeating every word, intonation and even breathing.
The favourite one was about dragons living above the stars. They were huge, with mighty wings, and their tails were leaving firing tails on the terrace of the sky.
Once, one young man was hunting fish in the fast mountain river, and saw a fox who was drowning in the middle of the flow. He rushed to help the poor creature whose paw was stacked between stones. When he carefully brought her back on the firm ground, the fox jumped up and run away - and dropped the basket with his prey. Young man didn’t get angry - he knew it was done without any intention, and he sterted his hunt from the beginning. But he didn’t know that he was watched from that time.
A few days passed, and this time a loud cry for help brought him from fishing spot to the middle of the forest where a young beautiful girl dressed like a lady was trying to protect herself from the huge white wolf with silver fur. With no doubt the young man attacked the wolf and made him to run away risking his life. He was left unharmed but when started to look for the lady, the meadow was empty, and bear cubs stole his fish again. And again he didn’t know he was watched.
Another month came, and the fearful news about the fire in the forest arrived. Our young man, although being just a shoemaker, took water and fabric to cover his face and went to the forest straight to the mightiest fire. He was covered in ash and soil and could hardly breath but found out the brightest spot, and realised that the centre of the fire was the fallen star who stacked in the branches of elm tree, and her tail was causing all damage. The young man knew what he should do, although he had lots of regret about it. He gasped, climbed the elm tree and carefully let the star be free with not a single branch broken. The star launched high in the afternoon sky through black smoke. The young shoemaker could hardly make it to the ground and fell down near the tree to have some rest and understand why his hands hurt so much. He found out that they are completely burnt. It meant that after returning he could not earn his peace of bread. He was so desperate in this realisation that fell in a heavy sleep. And again he didn’t know he was watched.
He live alone in the small house. A doctor from the town did what he could with his palms but they were not working once now, covered with scars and spots of the new skin. The young man now was helping in the houses that needed some assistance in dirty work but didn’t know how to live through winter. At one stormy November night, the small boy knocked in his door; it was not much warmer inside then the outside, but they share the last piece of bread and lay to sleep hugging each other tightly to stay warm. And immediately when the young shoemaker closed his eyes, he found himself laying not in his own poor bed but at the widest and softest bedsheets of Milky Way with choirs of stars and constellation slowly moving around. He could breath easily although everybody knew there is no air above the sky. And then the mighty wind almost forced him to fall, and the huge long dragon rolled around him placing his head on the circle of his body. The dragon explained that the proud star was sure that all humans are selfish and fear to loose more then to help someone. The star was pretending the fox, the lady and finally herself. But his folk always believed in the power of selflessness. And he was the stone in the river, the wolf and the elm tree. The young man was chosen and tested and proved that his heart is pure, and the ashamed star turned into the black hole from anger. And his reward now was whatever he wish on Earth or in the sky - even to became a dragon!
The dragon was waiting for the answer no long. The shoemaker pointed that none of them, mighty creatures, were thinking about other people while creating fire to have some joy. He asked to return only his hands healthy and strong and stay in his old house. His wish surprised the dragon greatly; he was describing the flights between galaxies, the incredible beauty of the creation of the new star systems and the new-born planets, occasional chill of meteorite rains and billions of colours in the explosion of super novas. He even got angry finally. But the young shoemaker was unbreakable. He told that nothing is better then the the whisper of the morning rain behind the old wooden window, and the last ray of sunshine colouring the tops of the pine trees in gold. Dragon laughed at him - it was a mighty, strong laugh like stonewall destroyed with the stroke. And suddenly the Milky Way started to move under his feet, and the next moment he woke up in his old lonely bed wishing his palms hurt less. And the single look showed that they are healthy and strong.
The young man was grateful without measure. He spent the whole winter at work, and when the spring came, he was ready for the first Spring Feast. He dressed properly, put on his best high-knee boots with pressed revers and opened the door. The customer looked like the ordinary traveller, the man in his forties with long black hair. Just all his clothes were clean and with no wrinkle, and appearing the commoner, he had the gaze of the lord.
The shoemaker smiled and welcomed him.
“I want to hear the whisper of the morning rain, - the stranger said, with deep low voice. - And to see the golden tops of the pine trees at the sunset. And then show you the born of the galaxy.”
“I agree. - The young man answered. - I was waiting for you. Please, take the tool box.”
The dragon took the heavy box easily, and they walked to the fair noise together.
(c) 2017