The wizzard

Once upon a time in a land far away, a kingdom was hidden in a valley, and more than half of it was surrounded by mountains. To the east flowed a river, and to the west was a dense and vast forest. No one from the small kingdom had ever been in the forest. Legend had it that anyone who entered that forest would never return. They had even been forbidden, and a law made effective, by the king's grandfather to enter the forest. The current king died, suddenly and unexpectedly. And had no descendants. The people of the kingdom were in deep mourning and steering and aimless. They had never learned to think for themselves because what the king wanted was their law and command. Now and then the kingdom would receive a visitor from outside the kingdom, who would come across the river. Whenever such a stranger took note of the legend, they would either burst out laughing or there were people who didn't say much about it and took the legend for granted. However, some also wanted to go to the scene of the disaster to remind the citizens of the small kingdom that there was no danger in the forest. The citizens of the country then became so panicky and angry, they chased such a stranger out of their country or worse, there were already deaths caused by their fear-induced popular anger. One day an old man came from the direction of the mountains. It was an old hermit who had been staying in a cave high in the mountains for 50 years. He lived there in silence with a herd of mountain goats, and of wild flowers and honey. The old man felt that he had lived long enough in solitude on the mountain and had resolved to join the people. Once he arrived in the kingdom, the people were amazed. For they suspected that this was the old wizard who lived alone on the mountain. And soon they ran after the old wizard. The old man wandered around the small kingdom for a few days. He had seen the river and the different villages. And he had also met and gotten to know many people. After a few days he stood at the border of a large forest. The people who had followed him now began to murmur. They were worried. The hermit knew the story and he understood their fear. And so he decided to stay at the edge of the forest for a while. When the position of the sun indicated 12 o'clock, he sank through his knees and crouched in a sitting position. He decided to stay like that. After 5 minutes, more and more people gathered around him, sitting like him. But were visibly more tense and anxious. After a while, that tension also disappeared. This was a sign for the old man to move a few meters towards the forest. And this game repeated itself for some time, and gradually the limits of fear were stretched. Just as long until they were all in the great forest. The people of the kingdom began to see more and more that there was nothing to be afraid of. This was a fantastic place, there were trees with nuts, bushes with different berries, and there were all kinds of fantastic animals, deer, squirrels, rabbits and much more. After a few days, all the people of the kingdom had overcome their fear of the great forest, and with it the realization they no longer needed a king to rule their lives. Even if it was still difficult for some people, to be responsible for their own lives. They thanked the wizard for the new insights and regained freedom. The old wizard's job was done in the kingdom. The wizard who was actually not a wizard at all. He was the great-grandson of the king who had invented the legend to keep his people in his grip, the king wanted everything and the whole forest for himself. He was the twin brother of the king who had died, and had been exiled to the caves in the mountains. Because he resisted the king's will. He understood what fear and ignorance can do to people and had waited all his life for the right time to rid people of their fear and ignorance. He would go back to his cave on the mountain and enjoy the silence. And the people of the kingdom, they still enjoyed their fantastic forest and regained freedom daily. Once a year they made a pilgrimage to their old sorcerer on the mountain, and then they took all kinds of delicious fruits from their forest. Some lived happily ever after, others never regained the happiness they had felt when they were still caught in the grip of the system. Because freedom brings responsibility and is difficult for some people who are used to thinking like a slave. However, most people were content because when their days were numbered, they all died knowing to be free. Even those who were not. A life worth living is ultimately worth dying for. The regained freedom by a brave magician, who had decided to give up his life of privilege, by living as an exiled hermit on the mountain and biding his time.