The Badger who tells the truth.

There once was a badger who told the truth and who lived in the hollow of the mole rat tree. A lady paid him a visit to hear the truth from his sage-like mouth.

“Badger” said she “Am I beautiful?” The badger raised his paws.

“Hold on, fair maiden, I expect payment upfront” said he “The truth has rarely been free” In response to this, the lady pulled out bags of money that even an old badger could not ignore; and he didn't. “Fair maiden, money does not buy the truth” The lady looked quizzical.

“Then what does? Surely you can tell me” said she

“My favourite food” quoth he “The mole rats growing on the mole rat tree above” The badger who told the truth pointed up and, sure enough, there were scampering mole rats hanging from the tree above.

And so, the lady began to climb. An hour and a day it took her to climb to the first ‘fruit’ bearing branches of the mole rat tree. She looked at the minuscule creatures that hung there, scurrying in the air, and “These aren't big enough” said she as she continued to climb.

Two more hours and one more day it took for the lady to reach the top branches and pluck from its perch a large and tasty mole rat. Placing it in her pocket, she took her all important cargo down to the badger who tells the truth.

Three hours and two days later the badger got his meal. The question was repeated. “Am I beautiful?” Said she.

“No” said he with a stroke of his chin. “You are not.”

The lady began to cry and the badger consoled her “Do not cry fair maiden” said he “For I will give you another truth for being so kind in getting me a larger meal. Beauty is an opinion, not a fact. I am a badger; I do not see the beauty of humans.” The lady stopped crying.

“So someone will find me beautiful?” Asked she.

The badger nodded.

And with that, the lady was empowered. The power of the truths she had received manifested themselves as iridescent, gossamer wings that painted the forest in stained glass colours.

She launched herself up and within minutes returned with an armful of mole rats and gave them to the badger who tells the truth.

“Where can I find the one who finds me beautiful?” Asked she.

The badger answered and, with that, the lady left on graceful wings.

“Did she find the one she seeks?” Quoth the badger who tells the truth “Get me a mole rat, and then we’ll see.”