′Once there was a masquerade, where people danced to happy tunes,

  Once there was a Fool, who wore many masks without the thought,

  The Fool watched the dancers through his smiling mask and listened to the laughter, but no sound came from him,

  ‘Why aren’t you dancing. You’re the Fool after all, you should be happier than anyone else’ a voice sounded,

  The Fool looked up and saw the Figure with a smile, but without a mask,

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  ‘I am happy, don’t you see?’ asked the Fool,

  ‘No’ the Figure answered softly ‘How could I?’

  The Fool gasped as the Figure offered their hand,

  ‘Take off your mask and dance with me’

  The Figure bowed when the mask fell to the ground,

  And so they danced,

  Once there was a Fool, who forgot his masks and found joy in the dance,

  Once there was a masquerade, where only the Fool was really happy.′

  ~A story from Andar children’s tale, found in the library.