The Legend was old, and the Legend was a Man; the Man was wise, and the Man was gifted with the sight of that which had yet to pass.

Isolated within his small stone hut at the top of a remote mountain peak the Man lived his days. From time to time a day would dawn which would see weary travellers from distant lands clamber their way up the crumbling, rocky slopes. A long and wearisome journey to meet the man with the eyes that could read the light of days which had not yet seen the light themselves.

As the sun lifted itself above the mighty peak, its rays revealed the tracks of three such weary travellers. Three brothers, Sceptimus, Optimus and Pessimus climbed up through the thinning air towards the Man who held the truth of their destinies in his ancient hands.

When the three brothers finally arrived at the old man’s hut, they discussed which of them should be the first to hear what words of wisdom he might have for each of them.

“It is only fair to the both of you that I should be first,” declared Sceptimus. “I will show you the folly of your ways, and declare this man nothing more than a fraud who would take you each to be a fool.”

With this he stepped forward and entered into the presence of the old man.

“Are you the man they say claims to be witness to the future of each who walks this earth?”

“I am he,” replied the man.

“Then tell me my future, foretell my destiny and let me know the path I am to follow.”

The old man blinked slowly, his grey eyes meeting with the brother’s. “I cannot see your future,” he replied.

“I knew it!” exclaimed the brother. “You are nothing but a fraud and a scoundrel. The legends are myths and the myths are based on lies. I have climbed a mountain and discovered exactly what I thought I would – that all those who have believed the myth are fools,” he declared.

The second brother, Pessimus, stepped forward to take his place in the old man’s hut. “Are you the man they say can see the footsteps of men before their feet have even touched the soil?”

“I am he,” replied the man.
“Then tell me the story of the life I have yet to live, and the journey I am fated to undertake.” The old man raised his head. “I cannot see your future,” he replied.

“I knew it!” wept the brother. “I have no future – I am destined to die here on this mountain. I am to fall to my death. Oh pity me for the effort of climbing only to discover exactly what I thought I would, that I have no future, that I am to die, and that my brothers will have to struggle back down without me.”

The third brother, Optimus, finally stepped inside the old man’s abode. “Are you the man they say can see a thousand sunrises yet to pass, and hear the song of a lark yet still in its egg?”

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“I am he,” replied the man.
“Then tell me my destiny, the road I am to travel and the tale written in the light of days yet to dawn.” The old man raised his head. “I cannot see your future,” he replied.

“I knew it!” cried the brother. “You cannot see my future because my fate is not yet set in stone. Whilst I have air in my lungs I am free to choose the words, whilst there is blood in my body I am free to travel where I will, and whilst my heart beats, I am free to love whomever I choose. I climbed this mountain and discovered exactly what I thought I would – that I am free, and that destiny has no hold over my ability to shape my world as I see fit.”

In quiet contemplation the brothers began their descent, one whose thoughts remained as closed from the world as before, one whose tears clouded the world in the grey mist he had always seen, and one gazing out at the changing scenes unfolding before him, his footsteps carving their path towards the future.