Once upon a time, during the time of our forefathers, there existed a kingdom, an empire. It was a dominion endowed with so much beauty. The streams were blue and clear; the birds sang sweetly with the wind. The meadows were vast and green and the groves were prolific. Hordes of animals with beautiful pelts occupied the vast forests. The sun's glory and splendor shone all over the place. The people's heartstrings were also on each other, not on themselves. The existence of love and unity among the nation was evident. There was this feeling of bliss all over the place, and peace was preserved through the years.
Meanwhile, in the castle, the king forbode the young prince, Harold, to go to the attic. The prince often queried why, but the king never told him the truth. The king will just grumble, sigh with a snooty air, and walk away.
One afternoon, however, while the people were comfortably nestling under the foliage of the trees and crooning a ditty to themselves, Harold decided that one quick look in the attic wouldn't be much trouble. He'll just be careful that neither his father nor the guards would see him. So, he silently went to the attic. It was so dark and murky there. By the nook of the room, he found a small chest covered with cobwebs and dirt all throughout. Thinking that he found a treasure and that his dad just did not want him to know about it, he decided that he will return that evening after everybody have nestled cozily in their beds.
So, that night at around 12 midnight, Prince Harold silently slid through the hall and into the attic. He carefully got the chest and dusted off the muck all over it. Now, out of his curiosity and petulance, he tentatively opened the treasure chest! Poor Harold, what he expected to be treasure came out to be trouble! The whole empire began to be dark and gloomy. Lightning streaked the sky and thunder roared in anger. Harold has unleashed a cursed monster! He has opened the link to the world of doom!
Now this monster was a very destructive one. It clambered on the hills and hewed the head of every man or animal that it met. It didn't spare a single creature on its way. It also had a prickly weapon on its hand, which he used to torture his vicitims with. Everybody was bewildered and afraid. The monster continued to be a menace to the nation for quite some time.
Until one day, a young boy from a cot in one of the villages, named Peter, gathered his courage to ask the great wizard how to trap the monster again. He was willing to do anything to put his country in safety. The wizard only answered those who had a brave and willing soul. Otherwise, the person was turned into a frog. The wizard found out that he had a brave and willing soul so he told him that the only way to trap the monster again was to get the "Gem of Hope" hidden in a very dangerous cave in the forbidden forest-in an island far away from home. And no one ever came out there alive.
So, he went to the ocean and bravely paddled his boat to the Island of Doom. As he neared the island, everything started to get darker. Whirlpools were everywhere! He was able to avoid them anyway, and reached the shore, Now he ventured around, and sought for the cave where the "Gem of Hope" was located. He met a lot of troubles and threats on the way. His journey took a couple of days and he didn't eat or drink a thing on the island. He knew that even a tiny bite or sip of the food there in the Island of Doom will send him to death. After days of seeking, he finally reached the door of the mysterious cave. There he met a mysterious creature with a face of a cat, the body of a lion, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a rabbit which it fluffed every five seconds. It was a testy creature and it asked him a riddle. The riddle was to be answered for him to be able to eneter the cave. Otherwise, he would be thrown to the whirlpools of the island's lakes leading to the underground world. The creature asked:
I strengthen anyone's foundation,
And cause unity in the nation;
I'm concerned with others,
And care for my fellow brothers.
After thinking for a while he answered. "Love", he said. So, for the first time a man was able to enter the dreadful cave! He finally found the Gem of Hope on a scarlet stand in the middle of the cave. He was awed with its ever shining light that lit the whole cave. Peter got the Gem of Hope and the cave suddenly shook. Then from out of nowhere, a kind creature, a winged horse, stopped in front of him and Peter hitched a ride on it back home. It was a wonderful flight and when they reached home, they were able to trap the monster one again. Peter was then acknowledged as their hero. He reaped his reward and he was then anointed as the next king of the country with his royal pet, the winged horse. Since then, everything became peaceful again.
