Pitagora in fairy tale - by Amna Karović

My grandmother once told me that when she was young, my mother was a wild child - the one that lived in a world made by her own, constantly relaxing in the clouds of her imagination and creativity. She was a bright child, a star, and she would paint all black and white pictures in the world with her smile.

The first time she told me that story, I was 5 years old. She was rocking in her chair when she decided to kiss me in my forehead and begin this story. She took a deep breath and started: "Do you believe in fairies? I hope you do, because, what I am going to say now is going to change your life forever, dear. When I was young like you, I had a lot of friends. The school wasn't as interesting for me like it's for you, but I always had excellent grades. Everybody always wondered how. I'm going to tell you my secret. 

In my room, behind my closet there was a big hole. I was always afraid to look deeper in that hole, but one day I decided It's finally time to face my fears. I looked through the hole, and something pulled me in. I was terrified. I fell on the ground, so hard that I could barely feel my body. While cleaning the dust in my hair, I noticed that everything around me is shiny and glittery. The stars. The trees. The ground. I was stunned. Trees were covered with something that looked like fairy dust, sprinkled with pink diamonds. The paths on the ground looked like they are leading to infinity. Only one way had the end, and it was the moon.

Suddenly I saw a divine silhouette.She was flowing above the ground leaning closer towards me. I could see her face now. That wonderful pale lady was a fairy. Her voice was like the most beautiful lullaby I have ever heard. She told me that she will make me the happiest person in the world - I will have a lot of love, friends, and everything I want, only if I fulfill one requirement - I need to learn every day, everything I could. She told me that the knowledge is the greatest power a person could ever have.She gave me a piece of paper and told me to follow her leads. Then, she told me that my first quest is to find the most beautiful tree in the magical forest and to pick a key under the stone under that tree.

She said: "Remember my dear, silence is better than unmeaning words". I didn't know what she meant by that, but I was brave enough to go find that tree.I was determined to find that mystical tree. I closed my eyes, and suddenly I was in the middle of nowhere. All I could see are 2 trees and a little black box in front of me.I opened that box, and I saw a paper. Above the drawn triangle, there was a quote: If you square the lenght of those two trees individualy, the root of their sum is going to tell you where to find the most beautiful tree.

Math is the answer that will provide you that key.

I didn't even have the time to think about it, when the storm blew away that paper from my hand. The sky was as black as the burnt ashes.  Behind the grayest cloud, I saw green eyes on a big, gruesome monster. That dark monster asked me what was the answer. I panicked. Sweat was pouring down my face. I told a number and pointed to a small tree I saw behind me, lying close to ten others, which magically appeared. The dark man said: "Wrong" and the ground started shaking. He asked me again and I failed again. The ground beneath me started to crack. That monster was the master of chaos and pain. I felt that I am going to die. My body was trembling, my hands were weak and the tears made my sight blur. And then I remembered what that good fairy said:

Silence is better than unmeaning words. 

So every other time when the monster asked me what the answer is, I would not answer. The ground was more calm with every question.It almost stopped to shake, and I took time to think about my answer. I calculated things in my head, and pointed towards a little, lifeless tree in the back. The monster disappeared. That little tree became the most delightful tree I have ever seen. I came, took my key, and then the fairy appeared. She winked and I felt special. Then something pulled me again and I was in my room. The hole disappeared, but I learned something... You will never know when you will need certain things in life, even if they seem useless now. 

If I was learning and if I knew that Pythagorian Theorem at the moment, I would not be frightened by the shaking ground. If I knew more words of wise men, I would not have those wounds on my knees.

Remember, dear, knowledge is power.