was not the one who disappeared
seven years ago
and he did not recognize the village
looked at us all as if we were the foreigners
we welcomed him anyway
most would say we did
brought him into the village square
which is still round as a circle
or a lumpy ellipse
but I have complained too long about that
to think we'll ever change what we call it
we sat him down on a bench there
brought him water
and probably babbled at him
though we remember asking him questions
he raised his arms as if in surrender
and asked specifically for two people
one had a man's name, I thought
the other a woman's, but I guess again
in any case none of us here knew any such
he seemed almost disappointed enough to cry
although he was far too old for that
he said he lived among the fair elven a year
and they had been kind enough to let him return
but he must deliver messages to those two folk
we couldn't help him except to feed him
give him a place to spend the night
and food for the next day's travel
he waved at us from the edge of the forest
and traveled on as far as we could see
leaving us with only his stories of the fair elven
which I have quite forgotten
although I remember nodding and smiling most of the night
as if what he told I almost knew
almost remembered myself
we've heard no more of him from other travelers
so I fear he's come to some bad end
but knock on wood when I think on it
and hope he found his pair
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