A Tale of Two Warriors

There are two kinds of warriors. There's only one prize, but it's enough for all. That treasure is guarded by the troll who lives under the bridge.

The first warrior sees the troll. It is his enemy. He lashes at it, but the troll fells him. He hits the floor and stays there. Then he raises a fist to the skies and whines, "It's not fair. The whole world is against me. It's keeping me from getting what's rightfully mine."

The second warrior is different. He sees the troll as his friend. Not a nice friend, but an honest, selfless friend. He charges at it, and the troll easily throws him down. He gets up and charges again. He falls again. And again. And again. Each time, he'd get up, and attack the troll. Every time the troll simply brushes him off like a fly on the cheek.

Battered, bruised, blistered, he braces himself again. With what remains of him, he charges at the troll. His strength is thinning, but his resolve remains solid.

The first warrior, still on the floor, thinks his companion is foolish. The second warrior agrees with him but keeps trying anyway. The first warrior's whines get stronger, louder. The second warrior's mind and body get stronger and sharper. As he becomes stronger, he becomes worthier to take hold of the treasure. The troll knows this. The troll sees this. The troll waits for the right time. When it comes, the troll simply steps out of the way and let's the warrior through. It becomes satisfied, knowing that the treasure is won by someone who will not give it up easily.

The second warrior finds the treasure chest. His heart seemed ready to burst. Then he finds he has not the key. Another troll arises from deep in the woods. The key is between its teeth.

The second warrior rises to his feet. He still needs to prove his mettle. He needs to show just how much he wanted the treasure. With a coy smile, he charges at the second troll.