You Shall Not Pass!

Once upon a time, in a Queendom far away, there was a maiden with golden hair who led a happy life. Happy, except for one thing: she had no wheels. And how she needed wheels, for she missed her relatives, who lived in a neighboring province. One day she gathered her courage, contacted the Agency Of Magic Traveling and asked them for advice. A day later, an old wizard appeared at her door. He introduced himself as Gandalf and invited her into a device called a horse-mobile. Mobile. Moving. She liked that. A lot. And she loved horses too.

After a couple of lessons in the horse-mobile, the wizard thought the maiden was ready to pass the driving test and brought along a very strict Wizard from out of state, the Balroginator. After all, a test needs to be honest and unbiased! The Balroginator threw all kinds of obstacles on her path. The rack suddenly moved backward, heavy fog, fast horses, slow goats. He tested her in every way possible, but she didn’t blink an eye and stayed calm, guiding the horse-mobile with a steady hand. At last she was allowed to Pass. With flying colors. Soon she traveled the land, roaming further and further, until she finally settled down.

Two years went by, and the maiden – no longer a maiden – found herself the mother of a sturdy and handsome son. They had a happy life together, the boy as adventurous as his mother. When he became an adult, he expressed his wish for his own mobile.

Son, are you sure? You are only eighteen years old! Won’t you ride your pony in stead?

But the young man was determined.

No mother, I want a mobile, and not just a mere horse-mobile. Those are too old fashioned. Nay, I need an auto-mobile!

The auto-mobile was the latest invention of the Agency of Magic Traveling. The device, still highly experimental, had been invented by the Balroginator himself. The maiden tried to change her son’s mind, but he wouldn’t budge. At long last, the woman turned to her old friend Gandalf for advice, as she had done in her youth. To her surprise, the Wizard told her not to worry, to let go. That he would love to teach her cub the art of the auto-mobile.

The next day, Gandalf pulled up in the brand new Balrogacar, unique in its kind.

The maiden blinked upon seeing the frightening and alien device. She turned to her son and implored him to change his mind. But he had no eyes for her, nor for their horse. His gaze wandered lovingly over the sharp contours of the auto-mobile. He would master the art of driving this magic car, if it were the last thing he did. Get in, son, Gandalf said, let’s take the Balrogacar for a spin! And so he did.

Meanwhile, the Balroginator had second thoughts about sharing his invention with his Wizard pal Gandalf. During the months it took for the boy to learn how to drive, the Balroginator tried to make him lose his confidence by raising the difficulty level of the driving tests. You shall not pass, he vowed silently, I will be the only one to drive the Balrogacar!

The young man failed the first test. The Balroginator emphasized each little mistake the boy made, belittling his driving skills. But he did not give up. Gandalf patiently made sure his skills got better. Again the young man took the Balroginator’s exam, and again he failed. But he would not give up. Years passed and Gandalf brought along a second Wizard-Instructor, who impersonated as the Balroginator, just so the boy could get used to his threatening presence.

Then the day for the third test came. As he had done to the son’s mother, the Balroginator threw all kinds of obstacles on his path. The chair suddenly moved backward, heavy fog, slippery roads, fast horses, slow goats, road blocks and gorgeous young ladies along the road. He tested him in every way possible, but the young man didn’t blink an eye and stayed calm, guiding the Balrogacar with a steady hand. There was nothing the Balroginator could do, other than to let the youngster finally Pass. With flying colors. Soon he would travel the Queendom, roaming further and further, in his own Balrogacar. Which he first had to obtain of course 😉

Today, my son did what the Balrog could not do. He Passed!! Happy congrats, dear, I’m very proud of you 😀