A Grand Bay Fairy Tale

(This is I think my favorite column. It was written in October, 1992. When I read it today I can't remember all the issues that inspired it 15 years ago. I know Grand Bay had a new town council that seemed to get along after years of a previous council that did nothing but fight among themselves. I also know there was an issue over a town sign in both French and English but I can't remember the details. And I have no idea what the reference to a fox is all about. Either way it still reads like a fairy tale and I like it. Hope you do too)

The old man is standing on top of the hill, looking down at the Grand River and the forested valley that is his home. A tear runs down the old mans cheek. He is weeping for his town. The darkness has returned to the Bay folk.

In ancient times the Bay folk were ruled, as they still are, by the Grand Council. These wise men were elected to rule the land and keep the Bay folk safe. But this Grand Council turned out to be not so wise. They argued and fought among themselves. The needs of the Bay folk were forgotten. Eventually the Grand Council of the town of Bay in the land of New Brun became a laughing stock. The good New Brun people couldn't believe that members of the Grand Council would fight among themselves. Soon the New Brun people wanted nothing to do
with the poor Bay Folk. The laughing and humiliation continued for many years until the Day of Reckoning. On that day all the Grand Councilors of the Bay, who turned out to be not very wise, were thrown out and replaced by a new Council. The Bay folk rejoiced. Surely these new Grand Councilors, both men and women, would stop the fighting and deliver them from the darkness. They did and the darkness was lifted. Once again the birds sang in the forests, the fish returned to the Grand River and the Bay folk were happy.

The old man wipes his eyes, now full of tears as he weeps openly for his community. The fighting has returned and with it the darkness. You see the wise members of the new Grand Council decided in their wisdom to put up a big sign on the road welcoming all who come to the Bay. They wanted the sign to be written in both the languages spoken in the land of New Brun, so all would feel welcome. But a group of Bay merchants, led by Borm the town crier wanted the sign written in only one language, the one spoken by most of the Bay folk.

The Grandest of the Grand Councilors, the leader Fen disagreed with Borm and the others. Soon news of the dispute over the sign spread throughout the land. And the good people of Nouveau Brun laughed at the foolishness of it all. Once again the Bay folk were the laughing stock of the land. (And to make matters even worse, the Fox's were on the run again in the Bay and try as they might, the Grand Council couldn't control them.)

The old man wiped away his tears and headed down the hill. "Why must it always be like this?" he sighed. "Why can't we all get along?"

The old man walked home slowly, in sadness and shame.