text: Long ago, before the moon was cracked, there was a man. Not a noble who spent his time fighting wars, or even a righteous man that spent his days pondering the meanings of life. Nor was he a man dedicated to the service of others, for he didn’t have enough time to wonder about tales of grandeur. He was nothing special, just a simple Farmer who did his job and did it well. The Farmer would rise with the rooster’s crow every day and tend to his crops. First thing at dawn he would make sure the crops were fresh so he could begin his harvest, plucking the fresh wheat from the field. Then after he stowed those bushels of grain away he would get to planting again, tilling the ground until he could plant fresh seeds in the ground every day. Then after lunch he would water and pluck weeds. Finally at twilight he would spend his time swatting away insects and pests determined to consume his bounty. By the end of the day the wheat had grown to his height and the Farmer would retire knowing his work was cut out for him in the morning. Rain or shine, he was out there tending to his crops, making sure there was always something to eat. He would follow his schedule to harvest every single morning in an almost mechanical fashion, but then one morning when he went to harvest his crops, he found something peculiar. There was a single wolf, staring at him through the brush. The Farmer, not quick to violence, proclaimed to the beast, “Begone!” Yet when the Wolf heard his words it acted on instinct and attacked the Farmer. The Wolf believed itself able to tear the Farmer to shreds, but with a flick of his wrist the beast was thrown from the farm. Landing back in the brush to which the Farmer proclaimed to the beast, “I have not the time to entertain such frivolous adventures. Begone from my sight!” The Wolf, after regaining its footing, immediately ignored the words of the Farmer. The Wolf was thoroughly entertained and it charged back through the grass to attack the Farmer. But upon arrival the Farmer tossed it back into the brush. Yet every time the Farmer threw the Wolf, it would get up and charge out. This lasted not just for the entire day, but the next as well. Then the next, and the one after that, before long this was the Farmer’s new normal. Tossing the Wolf out every time it got too close, until one day when the Wolf once again got too close, he simply ignored it. The Wolf, confused at this act, didn’t attack. For it had forgotten why it should after so long and likely many head injuries. From this point on the Farmer would no longer throw the Wolf and the Wolf would no longer attack. Now the Wolf was nothing more than a passive observer and had no chance of getting the attention it so craved. This new normal made the Wolf furious. That was until the day the Wolf constructed a plan and charged out into Farmer’s land through the crops. This may have angered the Farmer having his work trampled, but it did not show on his face when he threw the Wolf back out of the farm. He raised his hand and proclaimed, “I have no need for such a destructive creature! Begone to never return to my sight!” With that whenever the Wolf returned it could hardly even get close to the Farmer. It would simply hit a wall and get stuck outside of the Farm. Even on the days that it could get into the farm it was unable to find the Farmer, as if the Wolf was truly unable to return to his side. With the loss of its entertainment the Wolf made a choice: if the Farmer would not play because of the crops, then it would be better if the crops disappeared. When the Farmer went to sleep one night, the Wolf went out into the field and began tearing the crops out. The next morning the Wolf waited in the brush in the vain hope it would be able to see the Farmer. Yet when dawn struck and around the time the Farmer usually arrived the Wolf abdicated his hiding spot charging out to where the farmer usually stood. Only to hit the wall once more. The Wolf barely caught a glimpse of the Farmer as he didn’t even turn to see the Wolf as resumed his sewing once again. The Farmer may not have had crops to harvest, but he still had the seeds to plant. This made the Wolf angry. It had in the Farmer’s absence worked hard all night to tear up the plants but the Farmer was still ignoring it. So the next night the Wolf tore up the crops again and the Farmer responded in kind, planting them once again. This cycle went on for several days until finally one night the Farmer stayed awake and waited, until the Wolf arrived. For the first time in so long the Wolf could see the haggard Farmer who proclaimed loudly to be heard clearly, “I have been kind to let you remain. But now the end of my patience has been found, you are no longer welcome to return to my fields.” With that the Farmer picked him up and threw him farther than he had ever thrown him before. This time the Wolf didn’t end up in the brush but tore through the trees tearing down several in the process. The Wolf, thoroughly dazed and hurt, was unable to tear up crops that night, but this act did little to dissuade the Wolf as he returned the next night. Determined to get the crops again. Only for the Farmer to be there once again. Preventing the Wolf from even setting foot on his farm, keeping it thoroughly trapped in the forest. The Farmer didn’t even look to the creature as it scratched and scraped against the barrier between them determined to be acknowledged. This persisted for seven days until one night the Wolf returned to find that the Farmer was no longer there. Had he given up on protecting his farm? If he had, why were there no crops to tear up that night? These questions swirled around in the Wolf’s head until it found its way to the Farmer’s cabin, a place it had never had any interest in before now. Simple, old and generally falling apart just like the Farmer himself. But as the Wolf peered through one of the windows it found lying in bed was an ill Farmer. Exhausted from staying up every night to prevent the Wolf’s shenanigans while continuing his work in the day. The Farmer had collapsed. The Wolf did not understand, until the Farmer’s Wife exited the cabin and proclaimed to the beast so loudly the neighbors miles away must have heard, “You attack my husband's livelihood and now you plan on taking his life as well! You are nothing but a mindless monster!” The Wolf had been called many things by the Farmer but never a monster. The Wolf turned tail and retreated leaving the woman to her own devices. She returned to her husband and told him about the Wolf. The Farmer shrugged at her saying, “If the Wolf wanted to attack me, it would have a hundred times by now. It wants attention more than it feels malice.” And with that the Farmer went to sleep. For the first time in what felt like a century he got rest, not waking up until long after dawn the next day. But with his rest the Farmer took himself out of the house much to his wife’s protest. He may not be able to seed the field today but he could prepare it for tomorrow, where he would be two days behind at this point and would have to work especially hard to not fall even farther behind. Yet when he arrived at the field he was greeted by the sight of his crops growing fresh in the daylight. The Farmer didn’t understand, but when he found the Wolf resting among the tools he knew the answer. The Farmer took it upon himself to acknowledge the Wolf’s work. Even if they weren’t exactly properly seeded the effort was still there, the Farmer approached the Wolf. And for the first time the Wolf didn’t immediately snap or attack. Instead the Wolf, just remained still likely exhausted from the work as the Farmer had once been when he first started this work as well. They both remained motionless as they waited for the other to make the first move, the Wolf too tired to charge for it’s daily tossing and the Farmer more interested in the Wolf’s efforts. It was left up to the Farmer being the only one that could move as he lightly placed a hand on the Wolf and spoke softly with a fervent dedication, “If it is attention you so desire, then it is like this that you will earn it.” Every day from then on the Farmer would teach the Wolf his trade. It may not have been the most extravagant or illustrious work but it was long, hard and rewarding. Along with this extra hand the Farmer was freed up to do more. He fixed up his home and even built a little shelter in the barn for the Wolf. And then one day the Farmer planted something, the Wolf was confused. The placement was far too close to the house to be a crop and the seed looked nothing like it had ever seen. The Farmer invited the Wolf over while he worked and showed it how to plant this new seed. With the seed in hand the Wolf planted it not sure what it would create. That was until it bloomed the next day. And to the Wolf’s surprise in the freshly turned soil near the house it found the most unexpected life. A brilliant star in such a deep shade of light that the sky barely got at the deepest of sunset, and when the Farmer arrived he witnessed the Wolf stare in awe of the vibrant and joyous colored petals on the flower and spoke softly, “It may not exactly be a fruit or a grain but it is a lot like you, needing a guiding hand to help it bud. But when it does I am glad to say it is sure to be a magnificent star.” The Wolf didn’t know what to do, so it did the only thing it could. It ate the flower and ran.