The Stone Who Loved

Taku sat beside the Wisest Stone. “She has rejected my advances,” he said, scraping at the wooden bench with his knife. “I feel as though I might die.”

The Wisest Stone thought before he spoke. “I once had a love,” he said.

Taku glanced over, eyebrows raised.

“I loved a river. She was beautiful, and she danced in the sunlight. I strove mightily to please her. But when I had achieved it, I found it was not to be, and it would have been better had I not pursued her.”

“What happened?” asked Taku.

“I used to be a mountain.”