The Tale of Stork

If Kriz was the star, Stork was the soul of the show. The Master had crafted him as a grumpy-faced old man stitched together from burlap. A heavy sack stuffed with dried herbs hung on Stork’s back; he would always appear near the end of the performance, grumbling and scolding the protagonist for his foolishness, before pulling a healing root from his sack to save the day. Children adored Stork’s grumbling and would shout, "Grandpa, don't be angry!" Adults would smile, too—the old man’s groaning and grumpiness were just so convincing.

After the Master died, Stork vanished along with several other puppets. Some time later, hunters venturing into the deep woods beyond the marsh began returning with astonishing tales. They swore they had encountered an old man in the thicket—short and stooped, dressed in baggy clothes, with a sack on his back. He would always appear suddenly whenever a traveler strayed from the path, pointing the way back while muttering curses. "Get out of here," he would grumble in a creaky voice. "No business wandering about here!" The traveler would obey, finding themselves back in the village within the hour.

Some tried to thank the old man or offer him a treat, but he would simply wave them away and vanish into the brush. They say he still wanders those woods, helping the lost—not out of kindness, but because he cannot stand having his solitude disturbed. And every time he guides someone out, he mutters quietly to himself: "People, I tell you... Just like my Master—always poking their noses where they don't belong..."