Introduction. Fable No. 39, ca. 500 b.S. The "Other Side" is an ancient tale about a little girl getting lost in the Auturian Woods and while trying desperately to get out again, she find wondrous things and has a strange encounter... A decision will need to be made in the middle of the forest, a decision that would determine the fate of her life's future. There will be three endings the narrator can choose from, depending on the choice of the listeners. But will it be the right one?
 

here once was a little girl, who lived with her parents somewhere close near the vast Auturian Woods. And though she lived that close to the woods, her parents always told her not to venture into the forest, or she might get lost and never return. Her name was Calinsa, by the way, and one day she did it nevertheless. Not heeding the advice of her parents she entered the woods to find out about the secret of the mysterious trees she had only experienced from the distance until this day.

The forest was quiet and beautiful, and Calinsa was in awe of what she saw. She found strange plants and sometimes even glowing mosses, incredibly tall trees she had never seen before, hills built by the always busy orms, whole carpets of leaves to bathe in, birds making twittering songs for her... And then she saw a doe standing there in the midst of the forest. Carefully Calinsa followed the animal to see where it was headed and what it was up to. By doing so, she moved deeper and deeper into the underbrush, until she finally lost track of the animal. Then, when she looked around again she suddenly discovered that the sky above the trees had already turned dark, which reminded her that she should return home. And so she gave up persuing the doe, heading back to where she had come from.

But all Calinsa could see were trees and trees wherever she looked. She went in the direction, where she thought to have entered the forest, but then she stumbled and fell, and getting up Calinsa couldn't determine anymore in which direction she had gone so far. So she tried a direction, which fitted her best, went on for quite a while, then decided to try another one as she wasn't sure anymore if her previous choice had been the right one, but the forest seemed endless. Suddenly everything looked menacing - the trees appeared like giant fiery hands in the afternoon sun, reaching out for her, and eerie fog seemed to creep in the distance through the underbrush. And the hours went by and by. It seemed like ages to her that she had walked around, searching desperately for a way out, and then she reached a spot she thought to have come across already before. And as the sickle of the moon hung already high in the sky and it got colder as well, Calinsa dropped to the ground and began to cry. She was lost. It appeared that she had walked in circles and that there was no hope anymore to find a way out. What had at first looked as a piece of undiscovered land now seemed to become silent and deadly as a grave.

And then she saw a faint glow.

It was just there, all of a sudden, shining from somewhere among the trees, eerie somehow, but calm and peaceful at the same time as well. As Calinsa curiously moved closer the glow turned more and more into a bright light... - and when she was already very near she saw a creek appear out of nowhere, visible in a tiny spot in the middle of the forest as if in full daylight. The doe she had followed was there as well, drinking from the creek, briefly glancing at Calinsa as she stepped closer to the light source. First she didn't trust her eyes, but there it was: Two bent trees were forming some sort of portal, from where the light emanated... Was it something magical?... A portal leading where to?

"Idy-ho!" a voice suddenly rang through the forest.

Calinsa looked around, but it lasted quite a while till she found a figure sitting right on top of the branches of the portal, waving at the newcomer.

"Idy-ho! Welcome to our little magical place, Calinsa!" the figure shouted down to the little girl. It had a pointed hat, pointed ears and even pointed shoes. It looked funny and friendly.

"Hello..." Calinsa answered, looking up somewhat confused, but happy to have found someone who perhaps could help her. "How... why do you know my name?"

The little guy chuckled. "Why shouldn't I, my princess? It saves some time to know it already, otherwise I'd have had to ask you about it. On the other hand you now ask why I know it, and I need to answer to that as well, so maybe it wasn't such a bright idea to know it ion advance, as we have this conversation now. Hmmm. Ah, you humans are a pretty strange folk, you know, always wanting to know why and what for and so on..."

Calinsa didn't know what to answer to that.

"Well, I'm Dumpletee, just in case you ask," the figure added. "And I'm sure you would. Humans always ask."

"I've ventured into the woods, though I know that I shouldn't have." Calinsa told him bluntly. "My parents told me not to go into the forest, but I didn't listen. I'm so desperate... It's already dark and cold now, and I am lost here!"

"Ah, that can't be", Dumpletee answered. "Everyone who comes to Dumpletee isn't here accidentally. You don't get lost to meet Dumpletee, you meet Dumpletee not to get lost anymore, you know. I'm just like a living crossroads." The little guy grinned excitedly. "I can tell you how to get back home for sure, no doubt about that, we'll manage that together."

"Hurray!" Calinsa shouted triumphantly. Then she looked at him quizzically. "Uhmmm... Are you an elf? A sprite? Or a pixy? I have never before seen someone like you!"

"Well, I don't know how people call me in these lands. Just pick something which seems right, I'd propose."

"Are you not from here? Did you come through this magical portal?"

Dumpletee stopped dangling his feet and looked down below. "Ah, that! Yes, I think that could very well be. At least I wouldn't exclude that possibility. In more human words: yes."

Though still not sure what to think of the stranger Calinsa was overwhelmed by her curiosity: "Can you tell me? What is there on the other side of this portal?"

"Hmmm... Good question, little lady! I'd guess it's perhaps something pretty special, magical and wonderful. Well, at least its the other side of the world, so there must be something to expect! You'll probably find something you've never seen before and of what you've always dreamed about..."

"Perhaps?" The girl inquired. "But if you've come from this wonderland you should know for sure how it looks like!"

"Good point, little one! Perhaps I know that indeed, but on the other hand I can't say if the world I deem to be beautiful is liked by other people in the same way, know what I mean? Humans perhaps don't have the same liking as elves, sprites or pixies have... - or whatever else you might call me. While the one might say: Ah, I've seen all that a hundreds of times!, others would say: Oh, how splendid and magnificent - here I want to dwell forever! It all depends on what people expect to see. What they want to see and what they don't want, and that's that. The minds are different, and different minds may see different things."

"Well, then tell me what you can see there in your world, what kind of people live in there and how they live! Then I can judge!" Calinsa clapped into her hands, eager to learn more.

Dumpletee sighed. "If that would be so easy... But that I cannot tell unfortunately. And it also won't be as easy for you as to step into the portal, take a look and then go back if you don't like what you see. This is a one way portal, little one. You go in and come out on the other side."

Calinsa stared at the portal. It looked fascinating and inviting.

"And if I'd go into the portal?" she asked.

"Then you'd be gone."

"But I'd come out on the other side..."

"You'd come out at the other side, yes-es-es." Dumpletee nodded.

"And I wouldn't be able to get back home anymore?"

"No-lo-lo-lo-no." Dumpletee shook is head vehemently.

"I would lose everything I know from this world then?"

"Sure."

"But I would see this new world then and live in it, just as I did in this world?"

"That's the deal."

"Never ever would I be able to get back here?"

"Mmmm-mmm..." Dumpletee made a final denying gesture.

The portal appeared really tempting...

Calinsa hesitated. "Would you go in if you were me, Dumpletee? I'd really like to know what's on the other side!"

"Don't know. Can't say. I can't give any advice. The signpost doesn't walk the paths it points to. I tell you what: If you'd prefer to get home again, then just walk around the portal... Do you see these little stones shining through the gate?" Calinsa saw them and nodded. "Just follow them and it won't be long till you reach your parents' house. If you prefer to get to the other side, just go through the portal and discover what's behind. Your gain, your loss. Just think very carefully about it!"

Calinsa pondered. "Will your portal still be there when I come back? Say, tomorrow, maybe?"

Dumpletee shook his head. "Actually I'll have to leave as soon as you've made your decision. That's what I'm there for," he said while eying Calinsa. "So tell me now: What is more important for you, little lady? To stay here and to continue your life with your family, your friends, everything you love? But also with all that entails as well concerning the bad things? - Or to leave everything behind by stepping into the portal to reappear at the other side of the world and discover the all these unknown things that lie over there?"

Finally Calinsa made her choice.

At this point the narrator usually picks someone from the audience, asking about a decision whether Calinsa entered the portal or not. There exist three different alternate endings to this tale. If it is decided that the child should enter the the portal, the narrator can choose even between two versions.


Ending #1. If portal entered.
"I'll go through the portal!", Calinsa said firmly. And so it happened. She stepped in front of the shining portal, nodded to Dumpletee, and he nodded back to her without saying a word. Finally she made the last step into the portal. And then Calinsa disappeared and with her the portal after she had gone, leaving no trace of what had once been there.

Many people of the village, where Calinsa had lived, combed the forest that night and the following days in search for the lost girl, but to no avail.

What happened to her? Where did she come out? What happened to her? And would she be happy at this new place? - Well, who knows? She is gone from here, remember?


Ending #2. If portal not entered.
"I'll not give up everything only to see where the portal will lead me!" Calinsa said firmly. "I choose to get home to my parents where I belong!" And so it happened. She walked around the shining portal and began to follow the stony trail Dumpletee had shown her. She nodded back to him, and he waved good-bye to her without saying a word.

It didn't last long until Calinsa found her way out of the forest, her path only dimly lit by the sickle of the moon. Eventually a few villagers picked her up. They had just started to comb the forest, looking for the lost girl, and were reliefed to return her to the worried parents. Calinsa's mother and father were overjoyed when they finally could embrace their lost daughter again, and Calinsa promised to never again venture into the woods alone.

And with Calinsa also the shining portal disappeared somewhere in the midst of the Auturian Woods, never to show up again. What secret did it contain? Well, who knows? Who can say? But maybe another lost traveller may encounter this Dumpletee guy some day - but what decision will he make?


Ending #3. If portal entered, the revelation.
"I'll go through the portal!", Calinsa said firmly. And so it happened. She stepped in front of the shining portal, nodded to Dumpletee, and he nodded back to her without saying a word. Finally she made the last step into the portal.

Something happened.

When Calinsa opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in the middle of a forest, alone. A light wind shook her and she heard the noise of an owl cooing somewhere in the distance. The portal was gone now, only the sickle of the moon provided some dim light. When she looked around, Calinsa found herself standing near a little creek from where a trail of barely recognizeable stones led into the unknown. She decided to follow the trail.

It didn't last long until Calinsa found her way out of the forest. And though it was dark, the hills she passed looked very familar, too familar. Puzzled she moved on, driven by a strange supposition she wanted to confirm...

Suddenly the words of Dumpletee came back to her: "It all depends on what people expect to see. What they want to see and what they don't want. The minds are different, and different minds may see different things." And it was at this moment when she spotted her mother standing there, torch in hand, searching everywhere and calling desperately the name of her only daughter.

"I'm here, Mommy!" Calinsa shouted, tears in her eyes. "I'm home!"

Note: This story supposedly originated from the elves of the Auturian Woods, but in the course of time became popular as well at the storytellers of the ancient kingdom of Avennoria. From there it spread over the whole southern part of the Sarvonian continent and finally found its way - in slightly adjusted form - into Santharia's most common human fairy-tale books. But not only that: "The Other Side" is also regularly implemented by scholars in speeches to open the minds of their listeners to new approaches on an issue or to shed light again on presumably solved questions. The narration is also commonly used by teachers or parents due its philosophical implications helping youngsters to make up their own mind.

Depending on the listeners the narrator may determine to use a location which is well known by the audience. Also the story-teller may choose either a male or a female child for the main character of this tale and even select a specific name of someone present in the audience to ask this very child for a decision concerning the conclusion of the story.
 

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