The Fool floated before the Wheel of Fortune as the kings, the bishops, and the pawns fought for superiority on the Wheel, but the baby’s hand would undo all the hard work climbing. The Fool couldn’t understand why the monkey, the rabbit, and the cat kept on trying when the wheel would just be turned for no reason at all, yet they persisted and fought.
A sneeze exploded out of the clouds and the Fool flew through the air in chaotic flips. He landed in the courtyard of an old castle. The garden was beautiful but seemed a little overgrown. The walls of the castle were immaculately built, but a little dusty. The Fool walked into a door and found an old king sitting at a throne looking longingly into the distance.
The king didn’t notice the Fool walk in. The only light was from a small stain-glass window that cast a ray of light on the old man. He was sad.
The Fool greeted the king.
My end is near, the king responded, I am just here waiting for the Nameless One to harvest my soul. Now I think about how I have lived my life.
The wall that the king looked at was covered in coins. They shone and reflected the window’s light across the room in an explosion of lights.
This is all I did, the king said, is collect wealth. I didn’t nurture a family, find love, or search for what I like in this world. I was so scared of not being rich enough. Now I die and the wealth means nothing.
The Fool said nothing. He didn’t know what this was like, to have all the riches in the world, but not feel fulfilled. He actually ran from wealth and took a vow of poverty. On the other hand, he also hadn’t reached for love, family, or invest in things that made him happy.
He wished he had something that would make the king feel better. He was so sad. Sometimes there is nothing to say. It is just what it is.
Do you know what I’m looking at? The King asked.
The Fool nodded.
Its a memory, the king said, I watched two sand cranes fly in front of a sunset. The birds were big and beautiful and they were courting. They bobbed their crimson heads and flapped their wings in a chaotic dance as the day’s last rays shone on them.
I think of that day a lot, the king continued, I think about how free those two birds were. They didn’t need wealth, power, or prestige. They were fine dancing in the setting sun. They were all about love and love only. Love for love’s sake. It moved me.
I thought that I wanted to love as well. I wanted to court someone that I can share my life with. I decided that I needed to build wealth and build a home so that I can attract a person to share this life with me.
I got distracted. The quest for wealth and this giant empty castle became my only goal. I forgot those sand cranes. I forgot the sunset.
Now I sit here at the twilight of my life looking at the sand cranes flying before the sunset over an ocean alone. I would smash this castle and give away all my wealth to live my life again in a different way.
The Fool could see the sand cranes over the sea as the sunset behind them. He saw them like he was on a beach with the king long ago. The crane dance was mesmerizing. The Fool became transfixed on the birds. They swirled around each other with their wings spread wide. It made the Fool feel sleepy. His eyelids grew heavy and his head kept nodding forward.
When the Fool awoke he was floating again in front of the Wheel of Fortune. The king cat, the monkey bishop, and the worker rabbit fighting to the top of the wheel.
The Fool wondered if they will ever regret their never-ending struggle to stay on top of a wheel. The baby’s finger came out of the clouds and sent the wheel flying and the three creatures flying leaving the wheel free of any struggle for a few minutes before one of them get back on.