Fairy tales for young and old ~ English version

The Sage of the Windy city

 Once upon a time, in a city where the winds whispered ancient secrets and the air was filled with enchantment, there lived a sage known to all as the Keeper of the Winds. This sage resided atop the tallest tower, where the four winds converged, and it was said that he could speak to the breezes and command the gales.

The city, known as Zephyria, was a place of wonder, with windmills turning gracefully in the gentle zephyrs, and kites dancing in the sky. The people of Zephyria were happy, for the winds brought them prosperity and protected them from harm.

The sage was an old man, with a beard as white as the clouds and eyes that shimmered like the morning dew. He wore robes of azure blue, and around his neck hung a pendant, within which a tiny whirlwind spun perpetually.

One day, a young girl named Althea ventured to the top of the tower to seek the sage's wisdom. She was brave and curious, and her heart was troubled by a dream she had. She recounted her dream to the sage, her voice trembling like the leaves in a soft breeze. "In my dream, the winds were silent, and a shadow crept over Zephyria. The windmills stood still, and the kites fell from the sky. It was as if the very breath of the city was being suffocated."

The sage listened intently, his eyes reflecting the stormy skies of her vision. "Your dream," he began, "is not just a figment of the night. It is a prophecy, a warning from the winds themselves. A great calamity approaches, one that threatens to still the winds and plunge Zephyria into chaos."

Althea's heart raced, but she stood firm, the feather of the East Wind in her hand. "What can we do, wise sage?" she asked.

"It is time," the sage said, "for a new Keeper to rise. The winds have chosen you, Althea. You must become my apprentice, learn the ancient ways of the wind callers, and prepare to protect our city."

Overwhelmed but resolute, Althea accepted the sage's offer. She spent her days and nights learning the language of the gusts, the songs of the storms, and the whispers of the breezes. The sage taught her how to listen to the subtlest of drafts and to command the fiercest of tempests.

As her training progressed, the signs of the impending disaster grew clearer. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and the once playful winds began to howl with urgency.

Then, one fateful night, the calamity struck. A great beast, born from the stillness of the air, descended upon Zephyria. Its breath was a vacuum, sucking the life from everything it touched.

Althea, now a master of the winds, climbed to the highest point of the tower. She raised her arms, and the pendant of the sage glowed with a fierce light. She called upon the North Wind's might, the South Wind's warmth, the East Wind's wisdom, and the West Wind's courage.

A maelstrom of winds answered her call, swirling around her and the beast. The battle raged, and the city held its breath. Finally, with a great cry, Althea unleashed the full fury of the winds, banishing the beast and restoring the breath of Zephyria.

The city rejoiced, and the sage, now old and weary, smiled at his apprentice. "You have done well, Althea, Keeper of the Winds," he said. "The winds are safe in your hands."

And from that day forward, Althea stood watch over Zephyria, a guardian as steadfast as the sage before her. The winds whispered her name, and the city thrived, for they knew that the Keeper of the Winds would always be there, a sentinel against the silence.