There once was a man named Albany Foals, who came from a distant land in
search of someone to love. He was a charming and nice man, who everyone liked
to be around. Women from his country would come to him every day, hoping to
give him their hand in marriage. People loving him was not the problem. He
didn’t love them back, and he was beginning to believe he was never going to.
After exhausting the list of potential soulmates, he decided to leave, hoping
to find someone worthy of his affection elsewhere. He traveled many miles,
across rivers, around mountains, and through prairies. The more he walked, the
happier he became, but it wasn’t the walking; it was the distance. He was
farther from people he had ever been before, and this was providing him with
relief. Excited at the prospect of living like this forever, Albany settled
down in a field, and began to build a magnificent shelter to call his own. He
would live off the land from now on, and not worry about finding someone to
love. Before he was finished, though, he grew lonely. Perhaps he was wrong.
Perhaps he really did need to find someone to love, and his contentment at
being alone was more about being away from the people he had grown to despise.
Still, he couldn’t be sure, so he finished the shelter, and lived there for a
short while. Once the loneliness overwhelmed him, he walked away, leaving
behind a note for any other travelers that the house was free for their use.
He continued in the same direction as before, eventually ending up in a
new country. They welcomed him warmly, and he started to regain his
confidence. This might actually work out. Surely there was someone here who
could make him feel as joyful as he saw others who had found their own
husbands and wives.
Unfortunately, Albany experienced the same thing in this country as he had in
his own. No one was evil, nor repulsive, nor even all that incompatible. There
was just no spark. His heart didn’t beat faster upon approach. He did not
dream about spending the rest of their lives together. Many women would have
been a fine choice, but none of them would have been perfect, and this
saddened him greatly. Disappointed in his perceived failure, he turned around,
and set out on the path towards the house he had built for himself. Hopefully
no one would have taken it by now. It had been years, but it was remote, and
moderately hard to find, so he could get lucky. As he walked, however, he
started to get an idea. Wouldn’t it be great if someone did turn out to have
taken the house, and that she was his one true love? Maybe that was the story
here. Maybe he was destined to go through all this turmoil so he could find
what he was looking for only after giving up on it. She would be kind and
quiet. She would be able to take care of herself, but like to be doted upon
anyway. Ah, no, this wouldn’t happen. Marauders took his house, and picked it
clean. Vandals dirtied the walls, and ripped up the floorboards. This was not
a love story, he figured. He wasn’t that lucky. He arrived to find someone was
indeed living in the house, and it wasn’t who he expected. It wasn’t a human
at all, but a horse. He was short and young, with thin legs, and fearful eyes.
He didn’t run from Albany, but he was clearly apprehensive and concerned.
Albany named his new little horse Griseo, and began to take care of him. They
lived together in that house, never bothering to interact with any other
humans again. Albany did find love. It wasn’t the kind he was looking for. But
it was exactly the kind he needed.
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