Not based on true events

The Gyrfalcon was the King’s most trusted servant. During famines, he would procure food without causing the least inconvenience of the starving serfs and villains*. When time of plenty returned, it would fly off at the King’s bidding from within the castle walls to circle in the wide sky and cry out jubilantly that all was well. Then would the subjects of the King raise their dust-strewn faces and cheer. During war, this falcon was first and foremost in the battle, delivering letters of parley to the enemy, and returning with tidings of what it beheld. This, it would scratch in words on the soil, and the King, reading it, would move his troops accordingly and therefore reign victorious.  But this tale is not concerned about war but famine. Strange to say, at the appearance of this certain shortage of food, the King was unusually reluctant to send the falcon to search for provisions without depriving his subjects. So, believing that another one of his beasts would perform the arduous search just as well, he sent forth a great Grey Wolf who was another of his animal companions. But lo! Soon it returned fruitless,because it was unable to cross the raging river which encircled the lands of the King. As a result, His Highness went hungry for that day and that night, and, during the hours of dark, he pondered upon which creature could pass the river, a creature which was not his trusty falcon. With this circling within his mind he managed to slumber, despite the discomfort of a mealess day. In the morning, he awoke, and immediately decided that a duck would succeed in the quest where the wolf had failed. Or should it be a goose? No, thought he, a duck would do. And so he requested that his personal duck-herd should procure for him the strongest swimmer of all the ducks. This was done, and a large, emerald-throated male mallard was brought, who could both span the air, and water excellently. And so this feathery fellow was set loose to attempt the journey, but like the raven in Noah’s Ark, he returned fruitlessly. Indeed, he was quite able to cross the river, and when I say fruitlessly, I do not mean empty-billed. But a human man can not sustain himself on seeds and weeds mixed with dragonflies and fish eggs. So the contents of that bill were quite useless, and the mallard was permitted to devour them himself as a reward for his valiant effort. At length, when another empty night came, the King began to reconsider his beloved falcon who at that very moment was guarding him from an iron perch which was thrust between the stones of the bedchamber. Perhaps, thought the King, perhaps I have been rather foolish. And so, perhaps he had.

To be continued...

* A class of peasants slightly higher than serfs.