Three Tales, Page 2

out. If there was a way to get a piece of something in the notch the gate lock settled in, then he could walk out and leave this city. But when the guards returned with his food they would be watching him, even though the gate would be open.

  The mouse looked at him with devotion, sitting on his knee. Then his mind did a tumble and he could see clearly how it would work. The mouse would climb the metal bars and slip into the notch. When the gate closed the mouse's body would keep it from locking all the way and he could escape.

  "Mouse, do you love me?"

  "You know I do," the little creature said.

  "Then you will help me?"

  "Of course."

  "When the jailers bring my food, climb up the bar to here," Howard pointed, "There will be an opening in this metal where this rod is now. Slip unseen by the guards into that opening and wait."

  "Anything you ask." the mouse seemed to smile lovingly at him. That little smile bothered Howard. For when the door closed, the bolt would smash it's little body and kill it. But of course, the mouse did not know that, it knew only love and trust for him. So this plan would work.

  The guards came with his food.

  "Your chances are slimmer than ever. Everyone you tried to spell has testified to the King and he is quite furious. You will hang before the sun sets." They were angry at Howard, not knowing he had done nothing too very wrong, only tried to cast a few spells, only tried to protect himself.

  While they set down his meal, Howard watched the little mouse climb the metal grating and get to the notch in the cell wall. It looked back at him just before slipping inside its death chamber. Howard felt guiltier than ever. Here he was about to be hung and he was worried about a mouse with a crush on him.

  "We'll come back for you in an hour." They went out and the last guard started the large gate heading toward closing. The bolt was inches from the notch when Howard jumped up without thinking, without applying his mind at all, and stuck his hand in front of the bolt. It slammed into his palm and he cried with pain and felt the bones break, but the mouse was safe.

  "Now what did you do that for, you stupid magician. This won't matter at all to the King, you know. No sympathy for magician's who use their craft for power or money in Fair King Clyde's realm."

  Howard pulled back his throbbing hand and the mouse jumped out on his sleeve.

  "Will you look at that, there was a mouse in there." The guards talked about it all the way down the hall after being sure the cell was locked well and Howard settled in it.

  The pain was great, but helped a little by the mouse that settled on his wrist and licked his swollen hand.

  An hour later they opened the cell and walked him before the King and his ministers and several aides. They all had smiles on their faces and Howard suspected they would be happy to see him hang.

  "Young man, you have been imprudent. Spells are worthless because their intent is not good, they are born of fear or greed or seek advantage, but I know you have not been treated kindly for your little magic. The thief and murderer was caught by my lion of the realm, gobbled up, and the gold returned for the traveler's family. It all happened just this last hour." The King reached over and gently placed a finger on the mouse's head where it sat on Howard's shoulder. He patted it softly. "Nice mouse you have there. Stay with us a while, but leave your spells for another place. Yet I am curious. Though I am spell-proof, I would like to know what the spell is that you utter."

  Howard was so happy he could kiss the mouse, if it were not so small. "Yes sir, your highness,sir. It's 'Love begets Love."

  And so Howard stayed for years in Fair King Clyde's realm and learned other lessons that are in other places in 'The Book of All Things That Have Ever Happened.'

  You may have stories in this marvelous book, but only if they are stories of love, courage and compassion. For at the End of All Time only love and the tools of love, courage and compassion, will exist.

  End