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+# The Two Travelers from Metropolis
+
+2024-10-13
+
+> Context: Last semester I took Prof. Laura Okkema's [GERMAN
+> 386](../umich/w24_fairy.md). She then invited me to her creative writing
+> workshop, and this week we're working on fairy tales. So while we're at
+> it, why not write a furry tale?
+
+Once upon a time, there was a gray wolf called Leon and a black cat called
+Mos who, after years of living in the metropolis they were born in,
+decided it was not for them. They wandered the land in search for a place
+that would accept them, and that’s where they would live. As the sun
+touched the horizon they finally arrived at a city, where they were
+greeted by an old bear.
+
+“Welcome, visitors! Say, your clothes look dashing!” Indeed, they were
+made of fabric weaved only in the metropolis.
+
+“Thank you sir,” replied Mos. “Could you show us the way to a hotel? Leon
+and I need a good night’s rest.”
+
+“You see, gentlemen, I own the inn right there; it is a good place to get
+some peace.” As they walked down the street, no one could look away from
+the travelers’ clothes. They wanted to know what other treasure the
+travelers have brought along. Leon and Mos were flattered, and promised
+they would share them with everyone. But they could hardly keep their
+eyelids up, so they retired to their room and fell asleep.
+
+As the bell tower struck twelve, a shadow unlatched the travelers’ door.
+He pinched Mos by the back of his neck so he could not move, then tied
+Leon’s snout shut so he could not bite. Both of them felt a sharp blow on
+the back of their heads, and the next thing they knew, they were stripped
+naked and thrown into the river. The ice cold water washed them
+downstream, until a fallen trunk caught them just outside of the city
+walls.
+
+“Those robbers took our clothes and luggage,” Leon waved his fist. “You
+cursed dog, our blood shall cry out for vengeance!”
+
+“They tried to take our lives as well; I’m just glad we’re both alive.
+Let’s dry ourselves, and find somewhere to sleep.”
+
+Clearly the city wouldn’t accept them. Leon and Mos must find another
+place.
+
+In the morning, they were surprised to find their bag caught by the trunk,
+but the valuables had been removed. All that’s left was some plain
+clothes, which they put on immediately. They abandoned the bag before they
+set out again.
+
+Just as the sun lost its glow to the distant hills, the two travelers came
+across a town. The mayor, a spotted cheetah, welcomed them to her house,
+where she had invited a couple guests. The travelers didn’t seem any
+different in their plain clothing.
+
+“Say, dear travelers, what do you think of our town?” asked a middle-aged
+fox, wearing a cook’s hat.
+
+“Oh, it is lovely!” replied Leon. “Except I notice many houses in bad
+condition, while the mayor’s seems new. Mos, don’t you agree?”
+
+“Yes, I believe the citizens deserve better housing.”
+
+The atmosphere grew intense as the mayor laid down her fork. “Well, young
+travelers from the metropolis, don’t you find it condescending? The king
+orders his servants to do charity, while he does not spare a penny.”
+
+“Your words have offended our beloved mayor and us citizens,” the fox
+remarked as he forced a cup of poisoned wine down their throat. The
+travelers soon laid on the floor.
+
+As Mos woke up in the morning, he was shocked to find that he had lost his
+voice. Leon, too, was trying to howl in vain. They rushed outside, only to
+be ignored by the townsfolk like ghosts. They ran as fast as they could,
+until the town was out of sight.
+
+Clearly the town wouldn’t accept them. Leon and Mos must find another
+place.
+
+As the clouds cleared up for the milky way, they found a wooden bridge
+that led to a village. The villagers paced back and forth, weeping and
+calling for help.
+
+“Oh heaven help us now!” A lion cried out, “The sudden high tides have
+stranded our poor baby in the middle of the river!” Indeed, there was
+a frightened lion cub sitting on the highest branch of a tree, swaying in
+the wind. No one in the village could both swim and climb, but Mos could.
+
+Without saying a word, he jumped into the rapid current followed by Leon.
+They barely made it to the tree.
+
+Swiftly, Mos ascended the trunk. His fur and clothes were dripping, but
+that did not bother him. With night vision he located the lion cub with
+ease. He extended his arm, but it was too far to reach. He laid his entire
+body on the branch, but it snapped under the weight.
+
+The cub fell in Leon’s arms safe and sound, but Mos dove headfirst into
+the water. Terror seized Leon’s heart, but he had to transport the cub to
+safety first. He held it above his head, inhaled deeply, and began
+swimming upstream.
+
+Mos awoke in Leon’s arms, completely dry and surrounded by villagers. The
+villagers asked them where they traveled from and what they wanted as
+a reward, but they could not speak. All they could do was gesture vaguely
+at the town and their throats. The lion understood them, and reemerged
+with a potion, of which Mos and Leon both took a sip. They felt a tingling
+in their throat, and in no time they could once again speak.
+
+“We are lost, and we don’t have a penny,” plead Mos, “but all we humbly
+ask is a night’s stay.”
+
+“We are forever in your debt,” exclaimed the lion. “If you so wish, you
+could stay here forever.”
+
+Clearly the village has accepted them. Leon and Mos were too young to find
+out how long is forever, but for now, they are home.
+
+## Trivia
+
+I, by definition, cannot write a folktale, so this is more like
+a [Kunstmärchen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_fairy_tale). The
+species do not carry any hidden meaning whatsoever; we don’t have
+stereotypes of sly foxes and dumb bunnies. The genders of characters,
+apart from Leon and Mos, are arbitrarily assigned.
+
+Like the Grimms, I cranked up the knob labeled “violence” in later
+revisions. Originally, the story only had one traveler. Leon was added
+because I genuinely felt bad for the shit Mos went through. The stripping
+part was inspired by the classic “Clothing = Power” equation. I could have
+not thrown them into the river, but I did it anyway because I wanted to.
+
+The sentence “You cursed dog, our blood shall cry out for vengeance!” is
+hands down the funniest one in the KHM. (Use caution; “The Three Black
+Princesses” is racist af.) After six months of not knowing what to do with
+it, I’m glad to use it where it belongs.