Fables and Fiction: Short Stories of Rich Feitelberg

By Rich Feitelberg

Fables and Fiction collects several general fiction short stories, fables, and children tales. In this volume:
The Witch and the Farmer -- A farmer steals from a local witch and suffers the consequences.
The Monster -- Mother and Father are having their first child; Madame Mercury says it will be a monster and to destroy it. They can't and must deal with the results.
The Karma Fairy -- Russell steals content from the Internet illegally, damaging his karma. He has only one chance, to delete the content and hope he finds the one thing he really wants: true love.
English Major -- Rich is struggling in his freshman English class and lies to get through it hoping at last he'll have proof he doesn't belong in college. But his lies are convincing and he does not see what consequence they will have.
Fairy Dust -- Eugene conceives a plan to collect fairy dust to change the world. However, the fairies who must adhere to this scheme have other ideas.
Quantum -- Doug discovers the equation physicists have been longing for: a unified field theory. Only it gives him the Power of God and he can't control it. Suddenly other universes threaten to invade his own. Somehow, he must find a way to save his universe.
The Mouse with Cold Feet -- Henry must find a way to live in a house with a man and a hunting cat and still provide food for his wife, who is expecting a litter soon.
The Curse of Centauri A -- Sometimes nothing goes right.
The Old Man -- Forget the scythe and the reaper of souls; Death in the 21st century is high-tech.
Service is its own Reward -- When all you have is faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rich Feitelberg
• Release date: Apr 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224621187

Rich Feitelberg

Rich Feitelberg is a poet and novelist, author of the fantasy series, the Aglaril Cycle. He also has collections of short stories and poetry available too. Rich is an avid map collector, and student of popular culture. Growing up on a steady diet of comic books, science fiction, and fairy tales of all kinds, Rich soon began weaving his own tales at a young age. These activities continue to this day, as Rich is working on many new projects, and writing more poems and stories.

Book preview

Fables and Fiction

Rich Feitelberg

Second Edition

ManaSoft Books

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

PRINTING HISTORY

The Witch and the Farmer, originally published as the Reaper December 2012; published in Flights of Fantasy by Iron Faerie Publishing December, 2022

The Monster, originally published March 2014

The Karma Fairy originally published May 2014

First Collected Printing October, 2016

Copyright © 2010-16, 2022 by Rich Feitelberg

Visit http://feitelberg.net/aglaril/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aglarilcycle

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission by the author.

For my wife, Elizabeth,

Who inspires me in ways she doesn’t even know

The Witch and the Farmer

Once upon a time, long ago in a land long forgotten lived a witch who loved to bake bread and cakes and pies. To ensure she had enough flour to make all these things, she enchanted the field next to her home so that it would grow wheat monthly. She would harvest it, grind the wheat into flour, and resume her baking.

Now it happened one day that a nearby farmer learned of the witch’s enchanted field. He wanted it because it guaranteed him wheat to sell without a lot of work. He tried to convince the witch to sell him the field, but she refused. She needed the field to ensure she could continue baking uninterrupted.

The farmer offered her twice the going rate for a field of that size, but she still refused. He increased his offer to three times the price, then to four times the price. Then five. Then ten. Then one hundred. Each time the witch declined.

Left with no choice, the farmer decided to harvest the grain himself. So the night before the witch harvested her field, the farmer snuck out, scythe in hand, and cut down all the wheat.

In the morning, the witch saw what had happened to her wheat. She was furious; she wracked her brain trying to guess who could have done the vile deed. Thinking that this villain would come again, she set a trap for him and enchanted her field.

The following month, the farmer returned and, just as he had done before, he cut down all the wheat the night before the witch planned to. This time, however, he found the wheat grew faster and no sooner had he cleared one area than more shoots sprouted and matured.

He kept at it and in the morning the witch found him still reaping.

This is your curse then, you who would steal my wheat. Since you love reaping the grain, you shall every day for the rest of your life.

Nonsense, said the farmer. I can stop any time, I’ll already cut more than I need.

Can you? Try.

Confident that he was correct, the farmer dropped the scythe and walked away out of the field. As he did the scythe called to him. Suddenly he craved to have the tool in his hands. It was apart of him.

No. That’s ridiculous, he thought. But he turned and scared at the implement where it lay. Moments later the scythe was back in his hands.

He swung it and to cut the wheat. Joy ran through him. He was alive now, cut ting the grain, but soon the blade turned red. It was as if he was cutting down people.

More silliness, he was sure. But the image of people waiting to die came to him. And he swung the blade and they died, happy to be released from life. The elderly, the infirm, infants, children, and soldiers --  they all died in an endless stream of death.

The Monster

Mother was in her third trimester, week 30 and counting. She was a short woman, coming up only to Father’s shoulder, with a boxy frame, and ice blue eyes. Long brown tresses were tied back and pinned. Her curves were lost weeks ago as her baby grew and protruded from her belly.

Father loved her curves, but her round full belly made her beautiful too. He was tall, lean, and clean-shaven. He looked like he had just finished a tour in the military with the short, dark hair that topped his head and the black horn-rimmed glasses that he wore. He smiled at Mother’s belly, showing teeth.

The heat of the summer day was waning and that put an idea into Father’s head. His eyes flicked up and caught hers. Want to go to the carnival? he asked.

Now? she replied.

Tonight, after dinner.

Why? I can’t go on many rides.

He shrugged. But we can walk around, get some popcorn or cotton candy, one last date before the baby gets here.

She could deny him nothing, even though she was no in the mood to go. All right, she said at last.

They arrived after sundown. A cool breeze blew as they walked around and gazed at the lights and vibrant colors of each attraction. They ate some popcorn after Father tested his strength and won a stuffed animal for Mother. It was a small giraffe. At another booth, Father shot