The following is my 2nd entry in the Enigma writing contest. My first entry describing Enigma can be found here
The Messenger's Misfortune
Once lived a poor magician
And the poor magician’s son
The father gave the son a note
And bade him “You must run!”
The note contained a riddle
Sent by the King’s Decree
Solve the contents here within
Then debts, forgiven, be
“Run to the wise! Run to the old!
As quickly as a mouse!
We must Win that jolly prize
Or forever lose our house!”
The son ran with all his might
To the town down by the sea
He went right to the House of Learning
“Oh someone please help me!”
He gave the men the note
The riddle was laid bare
The men exchanged a secret wink
Then gave the boy a glare
“You barge right in here asking,
for our high learned help
But what get’st we in return
You disrespectful whelp?”
“Tell you what, go journey East
To the standing palm trees, seven
Go fetch for us the relic there
That came right down from Heaven”
The boy took back the note
And left out with great glee
Once my quest is done, complete,
They surely will help me!
The trip took several days,
But the relic soon was found
The boy started his way back West
But heard a frightful sound
The boy ran through the clearing
Then realized he was home
He saw his father in the yard
Lamenting at a tome
“The Mystery is Solved!” It read,
At which the man grew pale
“All hope is lost, my son, what happened?”
The son then told his tale
“We’ve been duped my son, how foolish”
“How foolish could we be?
The wise men solved it with great ease
And stole the prize from we”
“How father, did this happen? How!
The note is here with me
It never left my side, but once
For the wise men to see.”
“One sight was all it took my son
The riddle was laid plain
They stole our riddle, stole our prize
To our great pain and bane.”
Once lived a poor magician
And the poor magician’s son
Now homeless, deft he cast a spell
He would not be outdone
He called this spell Enigma
A secret sly contract
No one would be duped again
This truth he claimed as fact.
Ever since that spell was cast
Agreements were made clear
The contents could be kept a secret
Held safe from prying peer
A new age dawned upon the land
The people were on track
People could now collaborate
Safe from stabs in the back.
The tale of the magician and his son
Is one that bears reflection
When sharing info of great value
Always use protection