It was very long, so some people couldn't stay to listen to the end of it...
Once upon a time, there was a great enchantress named Dorafini. She knew all, she did all - not one thing could escape her ears.
One day, a group of initiates wishing to become enchanters and enchantresses sat together, debating who their sponsors should be.
"Ah! I know the perfect one!" one man called Dorin cried. Little did he know that the rest of his friends had the same person in mind.
"Then tomorrow, we shall all depart our separate ways to our sponsors, and when we meet again, we shall be in our dream professions," a lady called Flora said confidently.
The next day, Dorin awoke, heart beating excitedly. He pulled on his moose-hide cloak and put on a feather cap, smiling to himself.
"Today I shall become an enchanter - and a great enchanter I shall be!" he said aloud to the world, his eyes sparkling ecstatically.
He left his hut and made his way to Dorafini's home. Alas, what a surprise he had! His friends Flora, Dora, Marcus and Jen were all standing in front of the home, having a heated argument!
"Why be all my friends here?! Why be you not at the homes of your sponsors?! Be you spying on me?!" Flora cried, her face red in agitation.
"Spying on the likes of you?!" Dora cried, her fiery-red hair pricking up in anger. "I do not know what YOU be doing here - but this be the home of MY sponsor!"
Marcus laughed mirthlessly. "Your sponsor, my fiery little Dora? This be MY sponsor. Alas, you have all gotten lost and come to spy on me. How sad of you."
Jen, taller than the rest, straightened her back ever so slightly and glared down at Marcus. "Excuse ME, Marcus? I think you have gotten mixed up with the sponsors. Dorafini is MY sponsor."
Dorin quickly stepped in between his angry friends. "Alas! What be us arguing for? Surely Dorafini will kindly sort things out?"
At that same moment, the High Lady Dorafini stepped out of her home, her ice-blue eyes narrowed, a very slight frown furrowing her smooth, marble brow.
Dorafini's voice boomed out loud and clear, making her seem as tall as Jen. "What be you initiates doing in front of my house arguing at the crack of dawn?"
The initiates were speechless, overwhelmed by the presence of the great enchantress.
Flora stepped forward, emitting a small, flighty curtsy. "W-We go by the names of Flora, Dora, Marcus, Jen and Dorin, m'lady."
Dorafini glowered down at Flora. "And what bad luck do I have with five homely little initiates finding nothing better to do than to stand in front of my home and yell themselves hoarse?"
Marcus stepped forward with a charming bow, smiling a dazzling smile. "I be here to have the dashing privilege of being sponsored by a char-"
"Cut short your patronizing words, initiate," Dorafini snarled. "I know all of you are here to be sponsored by me, but I take only one!"
The five friends shot each other malicious looks, each wishing the other four would disappear and leave only them, the chosen sponsee!
"BUT, you must take a test before I choose which one becomes my sponsee," Dorafini said softly, a smirk crossing her smooth features.
"Wh-What test may that be, High Lady?" Dora blurted out, her face pale.
Dorafini smiled. "The test be a test of honesty. I do not take lying, patronizing idiots who think that by complimenting me, they will become my sponsee. Eh, Marcus?"
Marcus turned the colour of a beetroot, "accidentally" stepping on poor Dorin's foot, causing him to let out a yelp.
"What do we do in the test?" Jen asked fearlessly, choosing to ignore the childish acts of the others.
"You will each make me a gift - in your own hands, with not a single aiding hand from another person - and bring it to me. I'll see whether you have been true to the test," Dorafini said, nodding carelessly.
That be easy, Marcus thought. Just make the High Lady a gift?
A simple gift, Flora decided. A ring of daisies, perhaps?
I am skilled in the art of crafting, Dorin thought confidently. I will craft her a beautiful staff to use in battle!
Dora frowned. What shall I make? I have many talents.
Jen sighed. I have no talent...what shall I do?
And so the five friends set off, never looking at each other, never speaking a word. Every now and then they let out yelps as their companions purposefully stepped on their heels. *smiles*
First to complete his gift was Marcus. He went to the blacksmiths' and picked up a chunk of metal, looking to the peak-faced man. "Tell me, how do I make a sword?"
The blacksmith smiled. "It be simple - follow me into the back, and I shall help you make one."
Marcus hesitated. He shouldn't be asking for help! But how would Dorafini know? She was only human! He followed the blacksmith into the backroom confidently.
Next was Flora. She picked many daisies and was trying to find a vine to make a necklace with when she pricked her hand on a dogrose.
"Ow!" she cried. "Alas, I shall never be able to make the necklace."
A young man heard her and went over. "Greetings, m'lady. Be you needing help?"
Overcome with pain and frustration, Flora forgot her mission. "Indeed, sir - I need be making a gift. But now that I have pricked my hand, I cannot do so!"
"Come with me - I shall make you a beautiful locket out of gold," the young man offered, smiling kindly at Flora.
"Thank you, sir!" Flora cried, overcome with relief. She followed the young man back to his house.
Next was Dora. She decided to make a nice meal for Dorafini. Alas, she couldn't find a single ingredient in her house. "I must go to the market!" she cried, leaping forth into the market square. Afterwards, she created a wonderful meal.
Afterwards came Jen. She sat in her house and knew not what to make. Overcome with frustration, she went to the bazaar and tried to find something to make.
"Excuse me, m'lady - do you know of a wonderful gift to give to a High Lady?" Jen asked the textile artist in the bazaar. *winks*
"Indeed - give the High Lady this beautiful silk dress of plum colour," the textile artist said eagerly. "It is a rare type of silk, it is!"
"But I must make it myself - alas, I shall try," Jen said. She went home and created a homely-looking dress of thick wool. It was very ugly. *makes a face*
Then came Dorin. He sat home, carving wood into the shape of a long staff, varnishing it, blowing away the sawdust and cleaning it with rags.
"Alas - I need something to decorate it with!" Dorin cried. He searched through his belongings and found nothing.
A friend of Dorin's came along and saw him in a state of frustration. "Be something the matter, my dear friend?" he asked anxiously.
"Indeed - I am trying to find something to decorate this staff with," Dorin said, biting his nails nervously.
"Here - take this ruby," Dorin's friend offered. "I found it in the mines earlier. I'm sure it will do well to decorate it."
"Thank you ever so much! How will I ever repay you?" With that, Dorin decorated the staff and wrapped it up in his cloak, walking towards Dorafini's home.
First to see Dorafini was Marcus. He bowed before her and showed her a spectacular sword, decorated with runes and a shining saphire atop the hilt.
Dorafini looked at it scornfully. "They were made by the hands of a skilled blacksmith, I see."
Marcus was flattered. "My thank you - that is the best compliment I've had all day."
Dorafini glared down at Marcus. "Be you trying to fool me? Get out of my sight! A blacksmith made this - not a homely initiate like you!"
Marcus fled, angry at himself for not staying true to the test. Next came Flora with a beautiful golden locket, a silver dragon inscribed on it.
Dorafini looked it up and down and narrowed her eyes. "Be you as foolish as your friend Marcus? Get out of my sight! You made this not!"
Flora fled, tears pouring forth from her eyes at Dorafini's stinging words. Next came Dora with her delicious meal.
Dorafini did not say anything until she finished the meal. Then she said carelessly, "Nice try, Dora. Next time, make it without help - and that includes not going to the market! Now scat!"
Dora fled, confused. She realized that by going to the market, she had not stayed true to the test!
Next came Jen, holding her homely woollen dress. She offered it sheepishly to Dorafini.
Dorafini did not even bother to look at it. "You were helped by the textile artist in thinking up what to make for me. Scat before I lose my temper!"
Jen fled. Oh how foolish had she been? Next came Dorin, holding the staff before him nervously.
Dorafini examined the staff. "The ruby - it was given to you by a friend. You have not passed this test. None of you have. Now leave!"
Dorin fled, his heart aching. When he met up with his friends again, they all apologized. "We have all been foolish!" Flora cried. "We should have thought things out carefully."
And that is how the initiates came to realize how foolish they had been. And that is the end of this story.
