After the register was called at the castle of the School of Wizardry, a disappearance was discovered. The most mischievous pupil, Oswin, had gone missing. Searching his room, the staff found he had taken with him a notebook of spells and an alchemy kit for casting charms.
Him again?! – the headmaster exclaimed in irritation.
Do not worry, do not worry, – Gwendolen, the deputy head, rattled on, bearer of the bad news.
The headmaster frowned. His gaze bored into the deputy, a kind, plump, middle-aged woman.
I warned you that such as he could never live side by side with us, the wizards. His place is swinging a club on the battlefield, not seeking the truth of existence.
Don't jump to conclusions, you know his tragic history. It's all just adolescent nonsense, – the deputy said in a pleading tone.
I am tired of banging my head against a wall. The Levns will never be taught humility, and that is the most important thing in the study of magic, – the headmaster muttered, already gazing out of the window.
Levns, humans and mages had for ages lived each their own lives, not meddling in one another's affairs. But invaders who once arrived from across the sea changed the usual course of events. All of them had to unite to defeat the Dreevni, a people very cruel and greedy.
The Dreevni were an unsuccessful experiment of the druids. The druids promised a warlike human tribe invulnerability and strength through spells, but they cheated and laid upon them a curse of bark-skin.
According to their plan, the warriors were to turn into trees overnight, but something went wrong. The people became overgrown with bark, and their hands turned into gnarled roots. With these roots the Dreevni destroyed the druids and set off to conquer other lands, because they could no longer accept any other kind of life.
But let us return to the School of Wizardry. There, preparations were in full swing for the search for the naughty pupil. The headmaster decided to find the runaway himself and publicly expel him from the school. And, importantly, to confiscate the alchemy kit.
Oh, but why go searching yourself? The senior pupils can manage this perfectly well, – the deputy said anxiously.
You won't fool me this time, Gwendolen! I remember last time he ran off, you hid that little scamp in the stables for a week. You waited until I cooled down and melted my heart with the story of how he was found as a baby on the battlefield, all alone...
The headmaster fell silent, and his gaze filled with sadness. But a minute later he went on in the same stern voice:
This world is very cruel, and order in it can only be upheld by laws and unbreakable rules, which your beloved Levn does not value at all!
Gwendolen was about to object, but the headmaster cut her short, as if slicing through the air:
I have said all I have to say!
At dawn the headmaster and two senior pupils set off to search for Oswin.
That they were heading in the right direction was confirmed by a fisherman they met, from whose river fish were mysteriously leaping out and neatly stacking themselves into his cart. With one movement the headmaster lifted the spell Oswin had cast and ended the fish's march.
The fish, coming to their senses, began to wriggle and leap back into the water. The fisherman shook his head quickly, looked at the travellers with a lost expression and said to himself under his breath:
Must be the sun getting to me. I'd better go and sit in the shade.
The headmaster and pupils went on. When they had moved away from the fisherman, one of the pupils asked:
Honourable headmaster, why did you not leave the catch for the fisherman? It's only a minor spell that won't bring harm to anyone.
There is no such thing as a minor spell, – the mage replied. – Do you think nobody will be curious about how a poor fisherman suddenly has a year's supply of fish? I am certain his life will change completely, and not for the better. People will appear who won't like such a sudden fortune. In the end they will accuse him of theft, because nobody will believe his story.
But how can you know how people will behave? Perhaps they will start to respect him? – the pupil asked with bewilderment.
I have lived on this earth for nearly two hundred years and I know people, – the mage replied calmly.
Half a day passed after the meeting with the fisherman. The travellers entered a village and again came upon the runaway's trail. The local butcher refused to sell his meat and kindly invited the villagers to try his finest cabbage.
Can this situation really bring someone grief? – asked the pupil. – This butcher is known throughout the district for his rudeness and foul temper.
Before answering, the headmaster lifted the spell from the butcher. Then he took the pupils aside and said:
You see only one side of the coin. I know this butcher has worked in his shop since childhood, and he buys his meat from the neighbouring village. The road there is dangerous; there are many bandits and thieves. They all know it's best not to cross the butcher.
Imagine if the butcher were some kindly old grandfather. Everyone would love him, but not for long. At the first meeting with robbers, the good man would lose his goods, and perhaps his life. And the villagers would be left without meat. Our world is not black and white; it has many shades.
They walked on in silence when suddenly the very careless pupil the headmaster had been seeking leapt out at them. There was fear on the young man's face.
There, there... – Oswin stammered, trying to get something out.
Calm yourself, – the mage said sternly, – tell me clearly, what are you running from?
Recovering himself, Oswin realised that before him stood the headmaster of the School of Magic. But he was not frightened; he even breathed a sigh of relief.
I think I have done something very wrong. I wanted to dress the statues of the ancient ones in silly costumes so people would not be sad as they passed by, but... – the runaway fell silent, leaving his sentence unfinished.
Tell me everything in order, – the headmaster calmly ordered.
I found the statue of an ancient king, – Oswin began, – and wanted to dress him up as a jester with a simple spell, but something went wrong! The people who passed by somehow got angry and charged after me with pitchforks and clubs.
You see, pupils, – the headmaster began calmly, – Oswin gave in to his emotions. He thought he was doing nothing wrong, and only wanted to cheer people up. But look at where his actions led.
Remember that whoever has power must learn to think with a cool head and make balanced decisions. Look at both sides of the coin. He did not consider that the statues stand on a battlefield where many people died, and that is no place for jokes.
Oswin had sat all this time with his head bowed, and tears ran down his cheeks. The headmaster went to him, sat down beside him, and spoke calmly but firmly:
Oswin, I hope you have learnt your lesson?
Learnt it, – the little rascal said quietly.
Then chin up, and let us go and put right your mistakes. I will speak to the people, and you will lift the spells from the statues. And then we will return to the school.
Can I really go back to school? But I've done so much damage, what am I to do now? – the pupil said sadly.
The headmaster looked at the pupil with a kind gaze and said quietly:
I myself, looking at you, saw only one side of the coin. Before making a decision, it would not hurt to look at the other side as well.
