The Glassmaker

The Glassmaker <2>

The mighty sun thrusted itself above the horizon and shone sunlight onto the sleeping glassmaker's face. The bright buttery light aroused him from his sleep.

He went downstairs to prepare his meal and saw the legendary salamander waiting vigilantly for his arousal.

"It's not often I see you waiting," the glassmaker cheerfully said.

"Anthony, a crew of despicable men came last night and stole your precious gem," the salamander reported.

"What?!" The glassmaker nearly choked in his glass upon hearing. "And you didn't stop them?"

"Indeed. They didn't heed my warnings despite the consequences. I'm sure they'll return your crystal anytime this day," the salamander answered.

"I know you're at least a hundred years old, but sometimes, I question your wisdom," the glassmaker replied.

"It is good to question. Pointing out the holes and flaws of others can keep you from being beguiled by deceitful men," the salamander replied.

Anthony turned to his workshop to make profit on his wares. His new batch of cooling glass was just as good as his previous batches yet he finds it difficult to concentrate on the spark of his creations that his sparkling treasured crystal was taken away from him.

Meanwhile, in the workshop of one of the jealous glassmakers, the jealous glassmaker held a piece of the sparkling crystal at the end of his tongs. They divided the shimmering crystal into pieces for each of them. They had trouble dividing it as they couldn't hold them without being shocked and burned.

The jealous glassmakers mixed his piece in his glass recipe. He put the mixture into his fiery crucible. He created a glass vase of extraordinary sheen and gloss. He was extremely proud of it and couldn't resist to continue staring at it while it cooled.

When it finally cooled, he lifted it but dropped it immediately. He nearly broke it. He fell down as a severe shock flowed through his body. It created an ugly burn scar that covered half his arms.

The jealous glassmaker stood and once again stared at the shimmering vase.

"How could this be? I thought the fire should have gotten rid of this horrendous curse," the jealous glassmaker thought.

The jealous glassmaker quickly ran to his wardrobe and put on his coat. It was the only clothing he had that can hide his ugly scarred arms.

With thick gloves, he lifted the vase and brought it on display, hoping that it only burns those that had stolen it away, but alas, when an interested customer marveled its beauty and decided to lay a touch, his hand was burnt to a crisp.

"What in the world?! That bloody vase just burned my hand! It feels nothing but a charred chunk!" The unfortunate customer shouted when he was knocked away by the cursed pain. "Keep me away from the blasted vase! In fact, get it away from my sight!"

The jealous glassmaker's business slowed to a turtle's pace. The news of the grand cursed vase ran wild in the block. People that once visited his meager shop to admire the vitrines within avoided his shop. All were too afraid of the baleful glassware that lies within.

This infuriated the jealous glassmaker. Instead of making much gold from the glimmering gem, he received a curse of impaired attraction.