The Tinderbox
The Tinderbox — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a labyrinth of infinite mirrors, a weary soldier named Erik, a king consumed by avarice, and three mythical dogs guarding unimaginable treasures were bound by fate. Erik, haunted by war, yearned for peace. The King craved ever more gold and power. Only the tinderbox, a source of extraordinary power, could fulfill their desires or doom them to eternal reflection. Their choices would determine if they escape the mirrored labyrinth or remain lost within its deceptive paths.
Page 2
Erik deserted the king's army, sickened by the endless battles for meaningless trinkets. He muttered, "Enough blood has stained these lands." Wandering through the labyrinthine paths, he stumbled upon an old woman hunched before a gnarled oak. She rasped, "Lost, soldier? Everyone is lost in here."
Page 3
The old woman pointed a bony finger. "Climb down that well. At the bottom, you'll find what you seek." Erik hesitated. "And what do I seek?" The woman cackled. "What does anyone seek? A way out." She vanished like smoke, leaving Erik to descend into the darkened well.
Page 4
At the bottom of the well, Erik found himself in a series of three chambers, each guarded by a dog with eyes like burning coals. The first dog, guarding a chest of copper coins, growled, "Turn back, soldier. This is not for you." Erik stood firm. "I have no use for copper." He moved past it, remembering Seneca's words: 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'.
Page 5
The second chamber held silver. "A king's ransom!" Erik gasped, almost succumbing to the glinting allure. But guarding it, a dog with silver fur and teeth like daggers. "More than enough to live like a king," the dog taunted. Erik shook his head. "It's not enough. Gold is the true measure of power in the labyrinth."
Page 6
The third chamber shimmered with gold. Mountains of it. "All the power you could ever imagine," the final dog, with fur like molten gold, whispered. "Enough to buy your way out of this maze. Enough to rule the world." Erik hesitated, his eyes glazed over. The temptation was overwhelming. He reached for a golden chalice. What is the price, he wondered. What happens when you get all you ever wanted?" What I want, is not power," he exclaimed, pulling back his hand, "but, peace."
Page 7
Realizing that accumulating more money was just another form of fighting, Erik remembered the tinderbox. He struck it. A blinding light filled the chamber, momentarily banishing the gold and revealing the dog to be a mere illusion. The chamber dissolved, revealing a path leading upward.
Page 8
Erik emerged into a mirrored hall where King Oberon stood, surrounded by reflections of his greedy selves. "You dare defy me?" Oberon bellowed, his face contorted with rage. Erik struck the tinderbox again. The hall was filled with a blinding light. "You can't control me!" the King screamed, his power waning as the mirrors distorted the King and revealed his worst self, "I am the King!"
Page 9
The mirrors shattered, and Oberon collapsed, no longer a king, but a broken man stripped of his lust for gold. Erik offered a hand. "The only way out," Erik said softly, "is to leave your desires behind." Oberon looked at the gold at his feet, and then Erik's outstretched hand. He finally relinquished his greed, and was free from the mirrored-labyrinth.
Page 10
Together, Erik and the transformed Oberon walked out of the labyrinth, leaving the glittering prisons behind. Erik saw the village he had grown up in and smiled. Oberon simply nodded. He watched as Erik went back to his family. They were free, but the labyrinth and the gold remained behind.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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