The Flute of Edellos

 



The Flute of Edellos
By Ryan Slattery

There was once a wood elf named Edellos. He enjoyed nothing more than making music and dancing. Because he had so much fun he gathered to himself many friends who would sing and dance with him. He was greatly loved and everyone spoke well of him.

One winter’s night the wood elves built a fire and Edellos began to play his flute and dance. The elves cheered and clapped and danced and yelled. This night the clamor from the festival was so great that it carried a distance off to a cave inhabited by Jwar, the violent enemy of the elves. The noise was so pounding that it woke the great bear from his hibernation far earlier than he wanted. He awoke and crashed off angrily to put an end to this horrible interruption.

It wasn’t long before smoke filled the nostrils of Jwar. As he drew near to the festival his ears filled with the flittering and light sound of Edellos’ flute. Jwar noticed how the elves danced around Edellos in rhythmic fashion and focused all of his hatred at him. He let out a mighty roar and ambushed the party surprising all who saw him. The singing and dancing ceased as the elves scattered in every direction. All, that is, except Edellos, who continued to play his flute and dance uninterrupted.

Jwar rushed at Edellos until he was face to face with the defiant elf. He then stood up casting a looming shadow over the tiny musician and raised his arm for a crushing blow. He attacked Edellos lunging swing after powerful swing at the elf, but Edellos gracefully dodged each blow as if he were dancing with the dread beast. A second wave of attacks more furious and wild than the first was again deftly dodged by the darting dancer, who never ceased playing his whirling flute.

The frightened crowd took notice of the amazing display; some began clapping and others started to sing.

Jwar jumped at Edellos but missed again. He swiped and staggered, clawed and mauled but never landed a solitary blow. The dancing elf was just too quick for him.

The crowds were now cheering loudly and singing along with the melody of Edellos’ flute. Many even began to approach the festival-grounds again.

Jwar continued attacking and missing, attacking and missing until it dawned on him that he was actually himself moving in rhythm with the music! He felt swept into the music with the cheers and the singing of the elves. It didn’t even bother him that he wasn’t hitting Edellos. He was actually enjoying the music and dancing himself.

Before long the song was over and Jwar collapsed on the ground from exhilarating exhaustion. He even let Edellos rub his back.

“It was wrong of us to play too loudly when we should remember to allow the bears to rest” Edellos said. “We were lucky that Jwar likes to dance.”

Edellos later went with Jwar to his cave where he played a soft lullaby on his flute to the massive beast. It wasn’t long before Jwar was breathing the deep sleep of hibernation again.

From that day on Jwar never attacked the elves again, but some say when the moon shines down on the darkened forest you can see the silhouette of a bear dancing among the trees whenever the elves hold their festivals.

The End