You

 

don't believe it, but elves exist. I won't delve into their appearance, customs, and the like, because I want to tell you how it came to be that elves are now just a myth and a children's fairy tale. How, from the great civilization of these creatures, only a handful of remnants remain, hiding in the forests and moors of Ireland.

Once upon a time, there were no humans in the world, but fairies, or rather, elves. These were wonderful times, full of happiness, song, and joy. Everything was good here, untainted by even the slightest touch of evil. Fairies possessed this extraordinary ability to live in harmony with the world around them. They did not destroy nature, cut down trees, or uproot plants. No elf ever harmed an animal, much less another elf.

One day, at the Great Council, held every thousand years, it was decided that a ruler was needed. The fairies realized that every flock had a leader, and because this was good, they decided that their race should also have a king. And He was chosen from among thousands, because anyone, even the lowest-born elf, could become King; they only needed to possess three virtues: wisdom, courage, and modesty. Such was Avallah. The young apprentice of the Great Fairy Mage. He was crowned king during the full moon, a magical time when nature comes to life.

Avallah's reign was not even golden, but downright diamond. He proved to be a wonderful ruler, wise and just. But his subjects loved Him most for the balls and parties He constantly organized. The land was one great, endless celebration. The time of joy seemed eternal... At first, it was good, but then something went wrong. Food and water began to run short, houses and appliances stopped functioning as they should. The fairies' enemies appeared, seeking to threaten their existence – humans. At first, they were laughably few, but they were growing their ranks at an alarming rate. They were like locusts, destroying everything in their path.

No one noticed the threat hanging over the elven people. The fairies were too absorbed in preparing new balls and celebrations. Only Avallah sensed that something was wrong, that he was irrevocably losing a part of his kingdom, his life, and his people. So he went to the Wisdom Woman. She was the oldest, wisest, and most experienced elf among all his subjects. Every fairy with a problem went to the Wisdom Woman and asked for advice. No one ever received a specific answer, because to fully benefit from her help, one had to be able to listen and draw conclusions.

The Wisdom Woman sat down across from Avallah and fixed her eyes on his. She looked very young and beautiful; only in those eyes did Avallah see the signs of age and time; they were blue-gray, like two skies before a terrible storm. The Wisdom Woman cut Avallah off. She immediately said:

"Time... A butterfly dancing in the sun, its wings mingling with the wind in a wild dance, creating a multicolored rainbow.

Time... It rushes, rushes ever forward, without regard for anything or anyone. It's like a wild, untamed mustang racing across an endless prairie.

Time... Inexorable, it passes unnoticed. For some reason, we suffer from blindness, and when we finally open our eyes, it's too late and we must retreat into the shadows... Anyone can experience the madness of life and devour it to their hearts' content, to draw it from the handful, one only needs to recognize... that nothing is eternal, you look, but you don't see it. Take advantage of the time you've been given, because you never know when it will end. Take advantage of your opportunities, because you only have one life and one chance to find the right path."

She turned on her heel and left—just like that.

Avallah listened very carefully, but he didn't hear. It was one of his few flaws, but it was undeniable—he couldn't listen. He rose and returned to the ball to dance and sing. He assumed the Wisdom was warning him about humans, whom he believed could pose no threat to the elves. However, he decided to be wary of their actions, keeping his people at a distance. Why interfere? he thought. They'll disappear as quickly as they appeared, and we'll be left in peace.

But humanity didn't disappear. Avallah and his people continued their merrymaking. Slowly but surely, humans advanced further and further into the territories they occupied, while the elves retreated, convinced that humans were a temporary "trouble," like a toothache—it would pass. They disobeyed the Wisdom and faded into the shadows. Now they live only in fairy tales and myths, and the inexorable passage of time will erase even these traces of the once-great civilization.

Nothing lasts forever... you only have one chance to LIVE YOUR LIFE...