The Blue Light

In the days when kings ruled with absolute power and soldiers fought for honor and country, there lived a brave warrior who had served his monarch faithfully for many long years. This is the tale of how he lost everything through royal ingratitude, found magic in the darkest hour, and ultimately discovered that justice, though sometimes delayed, always finds a way to prevail.

The Faithful Soldier

For twenty years, Hans the soldier had served his king with unwavering loyalty. He had fought in countless battles, always in the front lines, always ready to risk his life for his country. His sword had defended the kingdom’s borders, his courage had inspired his fellow soldiers, and his dedication had never wavered, even in the face of terrible hardships.

But as Hans grew older, his hair turned gray and his sword arm grew weary. The wounds he had received in battle began to slow him down, and he could no longer march as quickly or fight as fiercely as the younger men.

When the wars finally ended and peace came to the land, Hans expected to be rewarded for his years of faithful service with a pension and a small plot of land where he could spend his remaining years in comfort.

The King’s Ingratitude

Instead, the king summoned Hans to the royal court and delivered crushing news. “You have grown old and weak,” the king said coldly. “You are no longer useful to me. I have no further need of your services, and I owe you nothing. Leave my court and do not return.”

Hans stood in shocked silence, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Your Majesty,” he said finally, “I have given you twenty years of my life. I have bled for your kingdom and risked everything in your service. Surely I have earned some small reward for my loyalty?”

But the king’s heart was as cold as winter stone. “You were paid your soldier’s wages,” he replied dismissively. “That was payment enough. Now go, before I have you thrown out as a beggar.”

Cast Out Into the World

With nothing but the clothes on his back and a few copper coins in his pocket, Hans left the palace and began walking down the road, his heart heavy with bitterness and despair. After a lifetime of service, he had been cast aside like a broken tool, left to face old age and poverty alone.

As night fell, Hans found himself in a deep, dark forest. Cold and hungry, he searched for shelter and eventually discovered a small cottage hidden among the trees. Desperate for warmth, he knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal an ancient woman with wild gray hair and eyes that glittered like black coals. “What do you want?” she cackled, looking him up and down with obvious disdain.

“Please, grandmother,” Hans said politely, “I am a poor soldier who has nowhere to sleep. Might I rest by your fire for the night? I ask nothing more than shelter from the cold.”

The Witch’s Bargain

The old woman studied him for a long moment, then smiled with an expression that was anything but kind. “A soldier, you say? Well, perhaps you can be of use to me. I will give you food and shelter, but in return, you must work for me tomorrow.”

Hans agreed gratefully, too tired and cold to question what kind of work the old woman might require. She fed him a simple meal of bread and soup, then showed him to a corner by the fireplace where he could sleep.

The next morning, the old woman woke Hans before dawn. “Today you must dig in my garden,” she commanded, handing him a rusty spade. “But be careful - there is a deep well hidden among the weeds. Whatever you do, do not fall in.”

Hans worked all day, clearing weeds and digging where the old woman directed. As the sun began to set, he realized with growing dread that this was no ordinary woman - she was a witch, and he had become her prisoner.

The Fall Into Darkness

As Hans was finishing his work, the witch approached him with a cruel smile. “You have done well,” she said, “but I have one more task for you. That well I warned you about - there is something at the bottom that I need. You must go down and retrieve it for me.”

Before Hans could protest, the witch used her dark magic to bind him with invisible chains. Against his will, he found himself climbing down into the deep, dark well. Down and down he went, until he reached the bottom where the water was cold and black as night.

“Find the blue light!” the witch called down to him. “It glows at the bottom of the well! Bring it to me!”

Sure enough, Hans could see a strange blue glow emanating from beneath the dark water. He reached down and pulled out an ancient lamp that burned with an eerie blue flame that gave off no heat but seemed to pulse with magical energy.

Betrayed and Abandoned

“I have it!” Hans called up to the witch. “Throw down a rope so I can climb back up!”

But when the witch saw that he held the magical blue light, her eyes gleamed with greed and malice. “Thank you for your service, foolish soldier,” she cackled. “But I have no more need of you. You can stay down there and rot!”

Hans heard her footsteps retreating from the well, leaving him trapped at the bottom with no way to escape. The walls were too smooth to climb, and the well was too deep for anyone to hear his cries for help.

As despair settled over him like a dark cloak, Hans noticed that his pipe and tobacco were still in his pocket, somehow dry despite his fall into the water. Thinking he might as well have one last smoke before he died, he lit his pipe with the blue flame.

The Devil’s Appearance

The moment the blue light touched his tobacco, there was a flash of brilliant light and a small devil appeared before him, no taller than Hans’s hand but perfectly formed and dressed in a red coat and pointed cap.

“Master!” the little devil said, bowing deeply. “I am the servant of the blue light, and whoever possesses it may command me. What do you wish?”

Hans could hardly believe his eyes, but desperation made him bold. “First, get me out of this accursed well!”

In an instant, Hans found himself standing safely on the ground beside the well, still holding the magical blue light. The little devil stood before him, awaiting further orders.

The Plan for Justice

“Tell me, little friend,” Hans said, “what powers do you possess?”

“I can do anything you command, master,” the devil replied. “I can bring you anything you desire, transport you anywhere you wish to go, and help you achieve any goal you set.”

Hans thought carefully about his situation. He had been betrayed by the king he had served faithfully, cheated by the witch who had promised him shelter, and left for dead at the bottom of a well. But now he possessed a power that could help him obtain the justice that had been denied to him.

“First,” Hans commanded, “bring me the witch who left me to die.”

In a flash, the devil disappeared and returned with the terrified witch, bound with magical chains. Hans looked at her with cold satisfaction.

“You promised me shelter and then tried to murder me for your own gain,” he said. “Justice demands that you face the consequences of your evil deeds.”

The Witch’s Punishment

Using the power of the blue light, Hans commanded that the witch be carried far away to a desolate mountain peak where she would have to survive on her own, just as she had tried to force him to do. It was a fitting punishment for someone who had shown no mercy to others.

With the witch dealt with, Hans turned his attention to the greater injustice that had been done to him. “Now,” he told the devil, “take me to the capital city. I have business with a certain ungrateful king.”

Return to the Capital

The devil transported Hans to the finest inn in the capital city, where Hans used his magical servant to provide himself with the most luxurious accommodations. He dressed in the finest clothes, ate the richest foods, and appeared to all the world like a wealthy nobleman.

But Hans had not forgotten his true purpose. Using the blue light’s power, he began to subtly influence events in the kingdom, ensuring that the king’s policies would backfire and his popularity would decline.

Each night, the little devil would visit the royal palace and perform small acts of mischief - nothing harmful, but enough to make the king’s life increasingly difficult and frustrating.

The King’s Troubles

The king began to experience a series of inexplicable problems. His crown would vanish from his head during important ceremonies, only to reappear moments later. His royal proclamations would mysteriously change their wording overnight. His favorite foods would turn tasteless in his mouth, and his sleep would be disturbed by strange dreams.

Most troubling of all, the king began to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt about his treatment of his former soldiers. He would wake in the night thinking about Hans and wondering what had become of the faithful warrior he had dismissed so cruelly.

The Revelation

After several weeks of these mysterious troubles, the king could bear it no longer. He announced that he would grant an audience to anyone who could help him understand what was happening to him.

Hans, dressed as a wealthy merchant, requested an audience with the king. When he stood before the royal throne, he looked directly into the king’s eyes and said, “Your Majesty, I believe I can help you understand your troubles. But first, let me ask you this: do you remember a soldier named Hans who served you faithfully for twenty years?”

The king’s face went pale as recognition dawned. “Hans? You… you are Hans! But I thought… how are you here? You look so different!”

The Confrontation

“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Hans replied with dignity, “I am the same Hans you cast aside like an old boot when my usefulness to you ended. I am here because justice demanded that you understand the consequences of your ingratitude.”

Hans revealed the blue light and explained how he had acquired it, though he kept the details of his magical powers vague. “This light has shown me that there are forces in the world that work to balance the scales of justice. Your troubles have been a gentle reminder that all actions have consequences.”

The king, thoroughly humbled by his experiences and ashamed of his past behavior, fell to his knees before Hans. “Forgive me,” he pleaded. “I was wrong to treat you so poorly after your years of faithful service. Tell me what I can do to make amends.”

Justice and Mercy

Hans looked down at the king who had once dismissed him so coldly, and he felt his anger beginning to fade. The blue light had given him the power to take terrible revenge, but it had also taught him that true justice sometimes required mercy.

“Rise, Your Majesty,” Hans said with quiet dignity. “I do not seek your humiliation, only acknowledgment of the wrong that was done. If you truly wish to make amends, establish a system to care for soldiers who have served you faithfully. Ensure that no other warrior faces the poverty and abandonment that you forced upon me.”

The King’s Redemption

The king immediately agreed to Hans’s request and went even further. He appointed Hans as his chief advisor on military affairs, granted him a title and lands, and established a royal pension system for retired soldiers.

Most importantly, the king made a public proclamation acknowledging his past mistakes and promising that his kingdom would always honor those who served it faithfully.

The Blue Light’s Legacy

Hans kept the blue light but used its power sparingly and only for good purposes. He helped other wronged soldiers find justice, assisted the poor and needy, and worked to make the kingdom a more just and fair place for all its citizens.

The little devil, finding himself serving a master who used power wisely rather than selfishly, became genuinely devoted to Hans and took pride in helping him accomplish good deeds.

The Moral of the Tale

Years later, when Hans was old and ready to pass on, he carefully chose a worthy successor to inherit the blue light - another wronged person who would use its power justly rather than for personal gain.

The tale of Hans and the blue light became a beloved story throughout the kingdom, teaching people that while injustice might seem to triumph in the short term, there are forces in the world that work to ensure that righteousness ultimately prevails.

Most importantly, it taught that true power lies not in the ability to take revenge, but in the wisdom to know when justice is better served by mercy than by punishment.

And so the blue light continued to serve justice through the generations, always finding its way to those who would use its power not for selfish gain, but to make the world a more fair and righteous place for all.