Once upon a time, in the faraway Kingdom of Koan, there lived a boy named Cydney Arthur. But everyone just called him Cyd.
Cyd was a knight-in-training. His teacher was an old wizard named William the Whys. William taught Cyd the usual things that knights must learn, like how to fight and how to ride. But William also taught Cyd other things. Things that might surprise you.
One day Cyd ran up to William, all excited. "I read there was once a wizard who changed a boy into animals to teach him lessons."
"Yes," William said, "I've heard of that too."
"Can we do that?" Cyd asked.
"I'm sure we can," answered William. "What animal would you like to try first?"
"Hawk!" answered Cyd immediately.
To help with the change, William carved a symbol for Hawk into a sandalwood bead and recited a spell over it. Cyd put a leather cord through the magic imbued bead and wore it around his neck. William told Cyd to prepare himself by doing Metta for Hawk and he would turn him into Hawk the next morning.
"What is Metta?" asked Cyd.
"Tonight, before you go to bed, you must direct well wishes to Hawk. That is Metta practice."
"What kind of well wishes?" asked Cyd.
"Well, first picture Hawk in your mind's eye. Then say to yourself, 'May you be peaceful and at ease. May you be happy and healthy. May you be free of inner and outer danger.' Do it at least three times through."
"Why would I do that?"
"It will help you to know Hawk," answered William, "and thus it will help you to become Hawk."
So, before going to bed that night, Cyd sat beneath an ancient fig tree growing in the center of the kingdom and directed well wishes to Hawk.
The next morning, William turned Cyd into Hawk. Cyd circled, slowly gaining height, until he was so high that the details of the world below were lost. Mount Mara, just to the north of Koan, became a rock, and then a pebble. Next to Mount Mara spread out a patchwork quilt of the farms of the kingdom.
When Cyd returned to earth, William turned him back into a boy, and asked him about being Hawk.
Cyd said, "I have never felt so free and at ease. But I also felt removed from everything."
The next day, Cyd said he would like to be as big and strong as Bear. William carved him a bead with a symbol for Bear, recited a spell over it, and had Cyd add it to his necklace with the bead for Hawk. William told him to do Metta for Bear. That night Cyd again sat under the fig tree and did Metta for Bear. The next morning William turned him into a great grizzly. Cyd ran around enjoying the feeling of power as every living thing ran away from him in fear.
By midday the people were quite fed up with having a grizzly on the loose, so William turned Cyd back into a boy. William asked Cyd how he liked being Bear.
Cyd said, "I have never felt so powerful and strong. But I also felt very lonely."
The next day, as Cyd was walking to his training grounds, Snake slithered out of the bushes, hissing. Cyd chopped Snake in half with his sword. Cyd proudly showed Snake to William, who seemed more disappointed than pleased. This time William said he would chose the animal for Cyd. When the day's training was done, and after the usual preparations, William had Cyd do Metta for Snake.
The next morning, William turned Cyd into Snake. Cyd slithered around all day, always hungry, always on the move trying to find food. But also always afraid that someone would see him and kill him. As the sun set and the temperature dropped, Cyd's slithering slowed to a stop.
