The Journey of Objects.

The Rusty Screw

The Rusty Screw

There once lived a rich craftsman, he was famed for having the most beautiful and strong screws because the screws glittered and shined. According to stories, these screws would complete any project and leave the finished piece looking amazing. In fact, anything made with these screws was of the highest quality, and would sell for extortionate prices. Everyone wanted these screws, but the rich craftsman hoarded them with a jealous greed. Everyday down at the tavern, he would taunt people with his screws, showing them off, boasting of his exceptional work. Some grew tired of his constant boasting.

One day, down in the tavern, the rich craftsman was showing off his beautiful screws once more to all around, so consumed was he in his arrogance, that he failed to notice a man watching from the shadows. That would be his mistake for this man was not an ordinary man, no he was a warlock. The warlock watched and listened to the rich craftsman and he took notice of the unhappiness of those around him, decision made, the warlock chanted softly in an archaic language, weaving a spell that he hoped would teach the rich craftsman a lesson in humility. Spell finished, the warlock rose from his seat and slipped out into the dark night. The next day, when the craftsman woke up and began counting his screws, he noticed one had turned rusty, aghast he threw the screw to the ground, not wanting the rust to infect his other beautiful screws. The rusty screw rolled across the floor and landed in a crevasse. There the rusty screw lay, alone and unwanted.

A week later, an old man tottered into the rich craftsman's shop. "Excuse me sir, I was wondering if you had a screw you could spare an old man, you see my door has come unhinged and the cold is weakening my wife" The rich craftsman looked up from where he was admiring his screws, he cast a glance towards the old man, looking him up and down, "Now why would I give an old man like you one of my magnificent screws?" The rich craftsman sneered, the old man looked to the ground in despair "Please take pity on an old man?" After a few beats of silence, the rich craftsman rose and wondered across to where he kept his other tools, looking down he noticed the poor, discarded, rusty screw, letting out a slight snicker, the rich craftsman bent down and picked up the rusty screw. "Very well, old man, here is a screw" The old man took the rusty screw from the rich craftsman, "But this screw is so rusty, how will it hold my door?" The old man asked, with a sneer, the rich craftsman dismissed the old man "For someone as old and useless as you, you should be grateful that I even gave you a screw" The rich craftsman turned away from the old man and continued counting his beautiful, prized screws. Nodding his head in understanding, the old man turned around and tottered out of the rich craftsman's shop.

When the old man returned to his home, he set to work fixing his door, as he placed the little, old, rusty screw, into the door handle, a shimmer passed quickly over it, the broken door, was fixed and polished as if it were brand new, in fact, the door became so strong and sturdy that people began noticing the little old man's door and they asked how the door was so strong and sure. The little old man just chuckled and laughed and told them about the rusty old screw.

Soon word spread and the rusty old screw became so much more loved and admired than his other beautiful brothers. People stopped listening to the boastful rich craftsman, instead they laughed at him and shunned him, for after all his screws weren't worth as much as the little old rusty screw that fixed the old man's door. The rich craftsman grew forlorn and lonely, finally he decided one day to go and see this rusty screw. As he approached the little old man's house, he took in the splendor of the door. Raising his hand, he knocked on the old man's door, when the old man answered it, he saw the rich craftsman shuffling nervously, all of his arrogance gone, raising his head the rich craftsman asked the old man "How is your door so strong and sure?" The old man simply said, "that rusty screw I got from you, was the best screw I ever knew!" The rich craftsman sighed, "but that rusty screw, wasn't beautiful and new?" The old man took pity on the rich craftsman, in a flurry of golden dew, the old man dropped his disguise and turned into the warlock. "It was I who turned your new screw old, I made it rust to teach you a lesson, for your arrogance has hurt so many in this village." The rich craftsman stood in awe and he finally understood that no matter how new or beautiful something is, it does not diminish the use and beauty of that which is old.

As the rich craftsman turned away from the warlock and the old, rusty screw, he held his head up high and a kindness grew in his heart. The warlock smiled and released the screw, and with a single word the screw grew wings and flew. It was reborn into a beautiful dragonfly and as it flitted away, it relished its freedom, and any sadness and loneliness he felt diminished as if it had never been. The warlock watched the dragonfly for a while and then he vanished as did the little old cottage with the broken door, all that was left in its place was a box of beautiful screws.

The End