Once upon a time and far, far away the kingdom of Fairland stood at the headwaters of the Great Knoxy River. Bounded by the Wolfkind Forest on the west and the river on the east, this pleasant realm enjoyed peace for most of its existence. At the time of this tale its benevolent ruler, King Eogan, had one heir, his daughter Princess Makrine whose beauty captivated her subjects.
Fairland had but a small standing army because the head waters of the river marshes and wetlands provided protection from the east and the forest inhabited by wolves which discouraged invading armies from the west. These wolves seldom ventured into Fairland although the citizens wondered what lay beyond their treacherous woods. Many a geezer spent long hours at local watering holes prattling on how it would be so much better if the king would use his army and clear the forest of its wolfen occupants and open up free enterprise with whatever countries that lay to Fairland’s west.
As King Eogan grew late in years, he began to rely on Princess Makrine to assist him in the affairs of the kingdom. This pleased the people of Fairland because the princess’s beauty, as great as it was, was surpassed by her loving and kindly heart. While they rued the day that their beloved king would pass from this earth, they drew comfort from the promise that someone as capable as Makrine would continue their monarch’s benevolent rule.
But as is usually the case there dwelled one in the kingdom that took exception to the prospect of being ruled by the king’s daughter. Grand Duke, Demothon, cringed at the thought of being answerable to anyone but himself. Not much younger than the king, he had long thought that hes should have been made monarch when King Oldheim had died leaving no heir. He, Demothon, being a first cousin should have ascended to the throne. But from the time when on his deathbed, the old king declared Eogan as his successor, Demothon spent his days plotting as to how he could take over the kingdom. And now, this upstart maiden would be queen? Surely, he thought, this impertinent lass is not clearly as qualified to rule as I.
Day after day, Demothon sat in his darkened room in the palace, shirking his assigned duties (mostly ceremonial) as Grand Duke, alone with his schemes to take over the kingdom. But the king and the princess ran things too well. The people prospered under their leadership and loved them. The Grand Duke found no opportunity to stir up insurrection against them. He sent out messages through the forest by brave couriers willing to face the danger of the wolves, seeking allies from the other side to aid him in his attempt to secure the throne. He found the king of Tobrainia willing to send an army but feared the wolves of Wolfkind Forest. Confound those wolves, the knave thought. If only…Maybe I can get our king to do something about them.
From that time forward the Grand Duke campaigned the king of Fairland to send troops into the forest to hunt down and to eliminate the wolves. “But why bother?” replied Eogan. “The wolves have done us no harm and perhaps they keep other creatures more dangerous than they at bay.”
“But, O great and wise King, think of what opportunities lie beyond the veil of those woods. We may find great commerce with other lands that would benefit all our people if those wild beasts no longer roamed that forest.” A toothy smile spread across Demothon’s face.
The king would not be persuaded. “What do we need from other lands? We have everything we want here.
Getting nowhere with his entreaties, the Grand Duke ventured into the forest where he schemed with Andreas, an enchantress that had been exiled by Eogan. “Help me overthrow the king and his daughter,” he promised, “and when I rule you may have freedom to go about the kingdom as you wish.”
Adreas did not blink. “You know I had much power in Fairland before King Eogan decided I was too dangerous. It was he who sent emissaries to the king of fairies who sent me to where you find me now. If there were a new king who would plead my case in fairyland then I could return. And if it means the Eogan suffers, then I am in. What would you have me to do?”
The Grand Duke did not hesitate. “Wait for a time that the princess is within earshot of the forest and make the voice of a child lost in the woods. When Makrine responds lead her so deep into the woods until she becomes lost. Let the wolves do the rest. Then I will be able to convince the king to send his army to clean out the wolves from this forest once and for all.”
“But how would that help you?”
“With no wolves to interfere and with a weakened force from the fighting, an invading army from the west will enable me to topple King Eogan and to claim his throne which should be rightfully mine.”
And so, it was agreed and the enchantress did her part. Princess Makrine wandered for three days in the forest and sat on a rock weeping because of her plight. Merbis, the king of the wolves, came to her. “Why are you weeping, child?”
When she recovered the shock of being in the face of this massive beast, the princess’s eyes opened wide. “You speak in human words?”
“Of course. I am no ordinary wolf but the sprite that the king of fairies has placed here to rule this forest. You need not fear as long as you are here. Only those who enter with evil in their hearts need fear here and you bring no such evil. My subjects will not harm you.”
“But my people are afraid to enter here because of your wolves.”
“And rightly so, if they have bad intentions.”
“I assure you I had the best of intentions for entering your realm. I heard the voice of a lost child and followed it, but the more I followed the deeper it led me under these trees until I became hopelessly lost. And in this state, you find me.”
Merbis let out a soft growl. “This sounds like the work of an enchantress. You were lured here.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“You must have an enemy in your own land that thought that in these woods you would meet your doom by falling victim by my wolves. I could take you home, but then that enemy might plot another way for your demise. But first let’s pay a visit to the enchantress that lives at the edge of this forest.”
In the meantime, Demothon wasted no time in persuading his king to send all his armed troops into Wolfkind Forest. “No doubt,” he said, “The wolves have the princess by now, but we can avenge her. And, O king, I would be honored if you would let me lead the troops to this certain victory.”
The grieving king assented and The Grand Duke entered the forest accompanied by a great force. But he had underestimated the strength and will of the wolf king who had visited the enchantress Adreas. To his dismay found Domothon who expected to find wolves scattered throughout the forest and easily picked off one by one found himself hopelessly surrounded by a well-organized army of snarling beasts. He closed his eyes expecting sharp teeth to tear him apart, when Merbis stepped forward with Princess Makrine at his side. The wolf king spoke. “Why do you dare violate the sanctity of my realm?”
Demothon opened his eyes and could only muster a whisper “I seek the release of yon fair princess.”
“This fair maiden is free to go where she wishes, as are all who come into this forest with a pure heart. But I perceive your heart is not so, but full of treachery and deceit. I must decide what to do with you.”
Demothon hung his head expecting the worst when Makrine stepped forward. She stroked the head of the wolf king. “Oh, sire, you have been so kind to me. I ask for one more favor. Spare the lives of my father’s soldiers. Let them return to Fairland in peace. As for this deceiver before us, usher him to the region beyond the western edge of the forest to be exiled from my country forever. Should he attempt to return through these woods he would face certain death from your subjects.”
So it was accomplished. The Grand Duke never returned to Fairland. Adreas stayed in her hut on the outskirts of the forest after she surrendered her magic wand and no longer could work mischief. Princess Makrine returned to her father and reigned well in his stead when he passed on. From time to time in the middle of the night she would stand in the tower of her palace and hear a wolf’s howl. She’d smile, All is well.