Chapter 6: The Mirage Summary

Pista tells the story of the mirage, set thousands of years ago when fairies supposedly still lived. Once upon a time, Pista explains, there was a village upon the plains and everything was owned by one wealthy man. The man is greedy, unwilling to share with neither man nor animal, often using his hired soldiers to plunder nearby townships.

Many miles away lives a poor shepherd, well-known for his kindness and generosity. Learning of this shepherd, the rich man leads an army of soldiers to the poor man's pasture, intent on stealing the man's livestock. The nearby animals, who love the poor man and recognize the rich man for his cruelty, report the invasion to a nearby fairy. The fairy takes the form of an old woman and visits the rich man's encampment.

The fairy, disguised as an old...