The Wizards of Once

You do have to listen to the stories, for stories always mean something. The question that worries me is: WHAT exactly do they mean?

Once there was magic, wandering free in roads of sky and paths of sea and in that timeless long gone hour words of nonsense still had power doors still flew and birds still talked witches grinned and giants walked we had magic wands and magic wings and we lost our hearts to impossible things Unbelievable thoughts, unsensible ends for wizards and warriors might be friends. In a world where impossible things are true, I don't know why we forgot the spell when we lost the way how the forest fell but now we are old, we can vanish too. And I see once more the invisible track that will lead us home and take us back so find your wands and spread your wings I'll sing your love of impossible things and when you take my vanished hand, we'll both go back to that magic land where we lost our hearts several lifetimes ago when we were wizards, once.

This is the problem with adventures. They bring out parts of you that you never even knew were there.

I wish, I wish I wish’ wished Wish

Was it possible that Warriors had been mistaken in their view of Magic all along? Could there be another way of looking at things, other than the Warrior way?....Wish's world view was spinning upside down, and that is always a difficult moment.

Surely, just because SOME Magic is bad, it doesn't mean that ALL Magic is bad?

I’s the look-out! I’s the look-out! AAAAAAGHHHH! There’s a jagular! There’s a jagular! … Ohhhh … No, sorrys, my mistake, is a treetrunk. SORRYS, everybody …

We don’t exist, We’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed.

We’re not there, that’s just air, that glimpse of wing you saw right there That dying cow, that wasn’t us, so don’t you cuss, and don’t you dare Cross-the-sprites-and-curse-their-spite-and-make-your-hand-a-stony-fist You can’t punch us, we don’t exist, we’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed. We don’t care, and we weren’t there, and for a dare, we would never snap that chair And-leave-it-looking-like-it-was-perfectly-all-right-and-wait-for-someone-big-and-fat-and-old-to-put-their-lardy-fat-behind-on-it-and-SMOOSH-BANG-HA-HA-HA-!-SMASH!!!!!-the-entire-thing-shatters-into-tiny-smithereens-and-then-they-land-upon-the-stony-floor-and-break-their-jaw-and-fuss-and-roar-and-cry-until-they-cry-no-more…

She’s a queen and a mother and it’s a mother’s job to be scary,” said Wish. “Well she’s very successful at her job,” shivered Bodkin.

The first seeds of doubt about all that she had been told about Magic creatures were sown in Wish's mind when she looked up at the giant's kid face....

The Witch had been aiming straight for her head, intending to tear it off. (Dear little creatures, these Witches, aren’t they?)

That dying child, that wasn’t us, so don’t you cuss and don’t you dare Cross-the-sprites-and-curse-their-spite-and-make-your-hand-a-stony-fist. You can’t punch us, We don’t exist, We’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed.

Witches’ feet make no footprint. Witches’ bodies make no shadows. But they make the trees, the land, the moss, A little colder as they pass.

Bodkin was feeling surprisingly gloomy for now it was all over — he was a hero no more — just an ordinary assistant body guard. It had been one stolen day, one glorious 24-hours where he could ride and fight beside a princess just as if he were her equal and a proper warrior himself.

.... in that quiet gentle voice, as sweetly pure as the stab of an icicle.

I most certainly will not surrender!' said Wish. 'You CHEATED!' 'Wizards don't play by Warrior rules,' said Xar. 'Cheat of a Wizard!' 'Wickedness of a Warrior!' 'Curse-Maker!' 'Forest-poisoner!' 'Child-eater!' 'Magic-destroyer! May you be ground by the teeth of the Giant Grey ogre into pieces that are smaller than the eyes of lice on a fly!' cursed Xar.

We don’t care, and we weren’t there, and for a dare, we would never snap that chair And-leave-it-looking-like-it-was-perfectly-all-right-and-wait-for-someone-big-and-fat-and-old-to-put-their-lardy-fat-behind-on-it-and-SMOOSH-BANG-HA-HA-HA!-SMASH!!!!!-the-entire-thing-shatters-into-tiny-smithereens-and-then-they-land-upon-the-stony-floor-and-break-their-jaw-and-fuss-and-roar-and-cry-until-they-cry-no-more…