A/N: This format is kinda weird; it alternates between story format and poetry format.  Just telling you now.

Wanderer

The village was small.  When the wanderer came one day, everyone knew about it before he had even passed through the village gates.  He was ragged and carried a weathered old walking stick.  The adults were afraid of him, and hoped that he would leave soon.  The children were forbidden to go near him.  Except for one little girl.  She was an orphan, and saw no reason to be afraid of the strange wanderer.  He wouldn’t eat her after all.  So one night, she went up to him.

Wanderer, wanderer,

You’ve traveled far,

Have you any stories,

Tales of your travels,

That you might share,

With me this night?

The wanderer appraised the girl, and brought his walking stick over, holding it in his strong hands.  But instead of beating her with it as she fearfully expected, he waved it around dramatically as he began to speak.

Aye, I’ve traveled far,

And since you have been brave enough,

To seek me out and ask,

You alone in this village,

Will merit a story.

I have been all the way to the sea, I have,

I was captured by pirates,

Marooned on an island,

Escaping by riding on the back of a whale,

But we were attacked by a sea monster,

And helped by a beautiful mermaid,

When I reached the shore again,

I went to the forests,

I sang with the elves,

Danced with sparkling fairies,

And even caught a glimpse of a majestic unicorn,

With a horn of shimmering silver,

But I couldn’t stay,

For I am a wanderer,

So I went to the mountains,

I rescued a dragon’s egg,

And the mother allowed me a gold coin from her hoard,

Higher I climbed,

I ran from a vampire,

Spoke with a wizard,

And rode on the back of a mighty griffin,

Down to the bottom,

And then I wandered here,

Where there is no magic,

And I am surrounded by a cloud of fear,

But you, young one,

You hold magic within your heart,

I can see it in your shining eyes,

And so I am happy,

I know that you are an orphan,

Would you like to leave this place,

And wander with me?

The girl nodded yes, and so the pair left the village together.  They were off to have adventures, but never stay in the same place for too long.  After all, they were wanderers.