The Cost Of A Careless Spell

It is important to know that Balthazar was no evil magician, only absentminded. He viewed his spells as a tap, flowing even when he was not paying attention.

There was an instance where, in his attempt to convert a spoon made out of lead into gold, he got tired and turned the spoon into an object that could sing operatic songs whenever it came into contact with any kind of soup. In another situation, he attempted to teleport himself to the bakery, but in the process, he did not take his left shoe along. The shoe had to spend several days jumping around the village square looking for a leg to hug.

"Magic needs concentration, Balthazar," said the Master to him.

One day, he decided to give his dusty tower a bit of "freshening up." Instead of performing a simple cleaning spell, Balthazar unleashed a wide wave of "Newness." He didn't concentrate on the dirt; rather, he concentrated on starting anew.

The outcome was a catastrophe that was utterly glorious. The dust didn't vanish from sight but morphed into colorful iridescent butterflies unwilling to take off. The moth-eaten robes he wore became a live-suit of an ever-growing ivy plant that had to be watered each hour. In addition to the above, his sturdy wooden door transformed itself into a gateway that would open only if it were told a secret unknown to it before.

While sitting on the floor covered with lush purple moss, Balthazar came to understand that magic wasn't his way to change anything around him, but a reflection of his mind. Instead of attempting to undo the spell, he reclined on the carpet-like ground and paid his magical knowledge the attention it deserved.