Empath's journal.
Today this smurf will be monitoring the preparations for the Spring Day Pageant that will be coming up in a few days. It is the day that takes place every year in spring when the Smurfs celebrate the arrival of spring with new flowers, new plants, and new clothes. This smurf enjoys spring since this is the time when the weather gets warmer and the Smurfs are allowed to come outside to enjoy outdoor work and activities once again. It's always good to step outside and see that the forest is flourishing again with new greenery that the animals thrive upon. Tapper reminds this smurf of the beautiful garden of Eden in his holy book that the first man and woman were put in charge of by the Almighty, and judging from the descriptions of this garden, this smurf could imagine how beautiful it must be compared to anything else in the world. Unfortunately, man committed the first sin which tainted the world and thus man had to be driven out of the garden by God, who set up an impenetrable barrier around it to keep sinners out. This smurf hopes that someday all creatures will be able to enjoy the bounty of this legendary paradise.
As Empath stepped out of his house to make his rounds as the assistant counselor, he could see that preparations for the Spring Day Pageant were underway. A few Smurfs were busy setting up tables and putting up lanterns and other sorts of related decorations, while he saw Handy build a stage with the lumber Carpenter had provided and Hefty had carried. Smurfette and Vanity were busy working together with all sorts of floral decorations, Painter was working on a portrait of the hundred Smurfs, and Farmer was hauling a wagon full of new seeds to plant in his fields. All in all, Empath couldn't help feeling glad seeing everybody getting into the spirit of preparing for the pageant.
"Good morning, Empath," Papa Smurf greeted as he came from the direction of his laboratory. "I see that you're making your usual morning rounds as the assistant counselor."
"You are correct, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "This smurf wants to make sure that all of the preparations for the pageant are proceeding without any problems."
"I know how much you want to help your fellow Smurfs with the preparations, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "It's not easy to just let the Smurfs do things for themselves even with all the wonderful abilities you possess."
"This smurf doesn't want to seem ungrateful that you would trust this smurf with the position of being the assistant counselor and all, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "It's just that this smurf seems somehow 'left out of the loop', as some Smurfs are fond of saying, when this smurf has to restrain myself from participating in the preparations, knowing that this smurf's fellow Smurfs have to learn how to do things for themselves with their own abilities and how to do things together with their fellow Smurfs."
"I can understand how tempting it must be for you to smurf your abilities for the betterment of your fellow Smurfs, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "But I'm sure you're already aware that with great power smurfs greater responsibility, and one of those responsibilities is to smurf your abilities in a way so that your fellow Smurfs will not be so dependent on you for everything. You are after all a very unique Smurf among your brethren, but you can't rule over them as if you are a much greater being like Father Time or Mother Nature."
"This smurf doesn't even try pretending to be either, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "If anything, this smurf at times is jealous for the normal abilities that this smurf's fellow Smurfs possess. It would be a sad day for the village if this smurf ever had to rule over everyone in it like the Psyche Master does the Psyches, and this smurf truly doesn't want to be anything like him at all."
"I'm glad to hear that, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "But I know that you will someday become a wise and fair leader of this village when the time comes for you to smurf that role."
Just then, Tapper approached them. "Smurf o' the morning to you, Empath and Papa Smurf," he greeted them as he was carrying a glass of liquid. "Would either of you care to smurf out the new beverage that I have created for the occasion of the pageant?"
"Uh, no thank you, Tapper," Papa Smurf politely refused.
"What kind of beverage is this, Tapper?" Empath asked as he took the glass.
"It's my own special concoction called the Flower Power, my good Empath," Tapper answered. "It is purely made to make Smurfs feel rather lively around this time of year. Try it to smurf for yourself."
Empath took a sip of its contents. "It tastes like it has every kind of citrus flavor in it, Tapper, with a bit of seltzer added."
"Exactly what I have smurfed, Empath," Tapper said. "Not everything that I create in my tavern has to make Smurfs feel good and relaxed, you know."
"This smurf appreciates your allowing this smurf to try out your new beverage creation, Tapper," Empath said as he took a few more sips from the glass. "By the way, do you need any help in your tavern regarding preparations for the pageant?"
"I have all the help that I need right now, Empath," Tapper said. "Duncan and Tuffy will be busy smurfing barrels of my ales and seltzers into my tavern, and Vino will be smurfing over the wines and juices when he's finished smurfing them."
"This smurf was just asking, Tapper, and appreciates your report," Empath said.
"I can see that you're not entirely comfortable with the position Papa Smurf has smurfed you, Empath," Tapper said. "I certainly don't envy you for the responsibilities that you are smurfed with day after day to make sure this village is smurfing smoothly, even with Hefty feeling like you've smurfed his job away from him."
"This smurf doesn't want to take any jobs away from any Smurf, Tapper," Empath said. "It's just that being the supervisor of everything can make this smurf feel restless for some interactivity."
"That's when you have to learn to let go and let the Almighty smurf care of things, Empath," Tapper said. "You'll have your chance to smurf things when the time smurfs. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to smurf back to the distillery. I'll smurf the both of you later."
After Tapper left, Papa Smurf said, "You know, Empath, that Tapper is right. You'll have your chance to smurf things for your fellow Smurfs when the time smurfs. You just have to be patient with yourself and with your fellow Smurfs."
"This smurf understands and acknowledges, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "Your wisdom, knowledge, and experience has certainly been useful in helping this smurf understand what it takes to lead a village."
"Oh, hello there, Papa Smurf," Smurfette greeted as the two Smurfs approached her. "And hello there to you too, Empath." She gave him a kiss.
"Salutations, Smurfette," Empath said, smiling. "You and the other Smurfs seem quite busy this morning."
"We just want to make this the smurfiest pageant ever, Empath," Smurfette said. "I'm sure you and every Smurf in the village will like how it will smurf out. These flowers will make the smurfiest bouquets when I'm finished arranging them."
"The pageant is only a few days away, Smurfette," Papa Smurf reminded her. "I only hope you and the other Smurfs will be able to finish what you smurfed out to do in time."
"Oh, we will, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said.
"You're certain that you won't need any help with the floral arrangements, Smurfette?" Empath said.
"I have all the help that I will ever need, Empath," Smurfette said. "I'm sure you have other things to smurf care of in the village."
"This smurf will need to pay a visit to Greedy's kitchen and Biscotti's bakery to see how they're doing with food preparations, Smurfette," Empath said. "Maybe they will need something that they have personally overlooked in their duties."
"I'll smurf you later, Empath," Smurfette said, smiling as she watched Empath and Papa Smurf head off in the direction of Greedy's kitchen.
Just then, Narrator appeared on the scene. "Empath, Papa Smurf, I'm just wondering if the two of you have seen Poet. I wanted his help in smurfing the recital of the history of the Spring Day Pageant that Brainy and I were smurfing up."
"He should be at his house right about now, Narrator," Papa Smurf said.
"Poet said that he would be at work composing his Spring Day Pageant poem in his studio, and has requested that he is not to be disturbed by any Smurf," Empath said.
Narrator sighed. "Too bad then. I guess I will just have to have Brainy help me in the smurfing of this recital."
"Perhaps this smurf could help you with the history recital, Narrator," Empath suggested.
"That is very kind of you, Empath, but we will manage it ourselves," Narrator said. "After all, your duties as the assistant counselor smurf greater precedence over those of your fellow Smurfs, do they not?"
"You are correct in that assessment, Narrator," Empath said. "This smurf hopes that you and Brainy will succeed in your endeavors for the pageant."
"You can count on us to smurf our jobs well, Empath," Narrator said. "Just trust us."
Inside Poet's house, the village muse is busy at work trying to think of the first few lines he could write for his poem. "Oh, how I love the sounds of spring..."
Suddenly Tailor just entered the house and started using his tape measure to measure Poet's arm. "Just as I figured...sleeve size is 13 smurfs..."
"Do you mind, Tailor?" Poet said, snatching his free arm away. "I'm trying to smurf up my Spring Day poem. I want it to be the smurfiest."
"I'm trying to smurf my own job, Poet," Tailor explained. "I have to smurf measurements for the costumes that I'm smurfing for all the Smurfs in the village."
"You'll just have to measure me later," Poet said. "I can't be dissmurfed when I'm composing my latest work."
Tailor snorted as he was leaving Poet's house. "Writers! They can be so difficult to smurf with!"
Poet tried to turn his attention again to his writing. "Oh, how I love the sounds of spring..." But then he could hear Handy at work building the stage. "...but how I hate that hammmering."
Suddenly he could hear Harmony playing his horn outside the house. He went to his window and saw the village musician standing outside with a lectern that he has placed his sheets of music upon. "Oh, Harmony, must you smurf that right here and now?" Poet complained.
"I just got started composing the first movement, Poet, and I only have 13 more to smurf in order to get it finished in time," Harmony explained before he returned to his horn playing.
Suddenly the both of them could hear explosions going off a few houses over. Poet looked and saw that the explosions were causing the ink to spill from his bottle onto the sheets of paper. He groaned as he rescued the other sheets of paper from the ink and went to the other window. "Jokey Smurf, what are you doing?" he shouted to his neighbor.
"Oh, I'm just smurfing up my Spring Day surprises, Poet, because I intend to spring some surprises on my fellow Smurfs," Jokey said, laughing.
"Oh, that does it!" Poet said, grabbing his quill, his ink bottle, and some sheets of paper. "I'm going to smurf out into the forest where I can smurf some peace and quiet. Maybe there I can smurf up my poem without any problems."
Empath watched as Poet left his house with the items on hand. "Salutations, fellow Poet. Is everything all right with the poem that you're composing for the pageant?"
"Nothing that some peace and quiet in the forest can't handle, Empath," Poet said with some anger in his voice as he walked past Empath in the direction of the forest.
"I wonder what's smurfing on with Poet, Empath," Jokey said. "He doesn't seem like he's in a real smurfy mood today."
"He just needs to be by himself today in order to get his work finished, Jokey," Empath said. "If going into the forest will help inspire his creativity, then hopefully the end result will be worth it."
Poet found a nice quiet place near the waterfall where he felt that he could compose his poem without any further interruptions. He took a deep breath of fresh air before he sat down with his quill, ink, and sheets of paper next to a tree near the brook.
"Oh, how I love the sounds of spring..." Poet began again with his writing until he heard all the sounds of the forest being more pronounced and louder than what he was comfortable with. He heard frogs croaking, birds singing, owls hooting, and beavers chewing happily away on a log. In fact, the sounds were beginning to grate on Poet's nerves until he finally shouted, "QUIET!" And then all of a sudden, everything in the forest quieted down.
Poet looked down upon his paper at what he had written for so far. "Oh, how I love the sounds of spring..." And then as he tried to write further, it felt like he couldn't come up with anything more to put down. He ended up crumpling the piece of paper into a ball and throwing it away, thinking that maybe he should start over. As he tried to think of suitable words that rhymed with spring, a hooded female figure with dark red eyes was watching him from behind some tall grasses.
Poet looked down upon the empty sheet of paper before him and sighed. "I'd give anything just to compose a really smurfy poem for the Spring Day Paegant."
"Why, hello there, my little blue friend," a gentle female voice spoke from behind him.
Poet turned to see a beautiful female figure standing next to the tree, dressed in a pink flowing gown, her face framed with long blond hair that was crowned with a glittering pink tiara. "Who are you?" he asked fearfully.
"I am Allura the enchantress," the female said, "and I can't help noticing that something seems to be troubling you."
Poet felt as if he could trust explaining his problem to Allura. "You see, Allura, I'm trying to come up with a smurfy poem for the Spring Day Pageant, and I want it to be my best. But alas, nothing I write ever smurfs to be good enough. I just feel so...uninspired."
"Then you're fortunate that we've happened to encounter each other," Allura said. "My job is to help those who are in need of creativity and inspiration. And I happen to have the very thing you will need to regain them both."
Poet watched as Allura produced a case which she opened, that had a glowing magic orb inside it. "What is it?" Poet asked.
"I call it the Orb Of Inspiration, my friend," Allura said. "It has the power to lift spirits and give inspiration to the uninspired."
"But how does it work, Allura?" Poet asked.
"All you have to do is hold the orb in your hands, and its magic will flow right into you," Allura said. "It's that easy."
"Gee, I don't know," Poet said as he stared at the orb in wonder.
"Go ahead and try it," Allura suggested. "There's no harm in doing that."
Poet reached into the case and grabbed the orb with both hands. As he held the orb, he felt its magic power coursing through him. "Wow, what a strange sensation," he said before he placed the orb back into his case.
"Now try thinking of what you'll write for your poem," Allura said.
Poet started thinking. "Oh, how I love the sounds of spring...when birdies croak and froggies sing. I hear the beavers chew-chewing and the owls going hoota-hoota-hoota," he said, laughing near the end of the recital of words that have just sprung into his mind.
"You see? I told you that this would work," Allura said, smiling.
"I never smurfed so alive with inspiration like this before, Allura," Poet said, also smiling. "Now I feel like I'm able to finish up the poem in time for the Spring Day Pageant."
"Why not take the Orb Of Inspiration with you?" Allura offered. "You never know when you might need its magic again."
Poet thought for a moment. "Maybe my fellow Smurfs could smurf use of this magic orb. Allura, would you mind if I, uh..."
"Oh, by all means," Allura said. "Share its power with your friends."
"Really?" Poet said excitedly. He took the orb's case from Allura's hands and then grabbed his other things. "Thanks, Allura. I hope that we'll meet again someday."
After Poet headed back in the direction of the village, Allura changed her appearance to that of a hideous hooded woman that was watching the Smurf earlier. "I'm sure that we will," she muttered with an evil laugh.