Work Text:
Kathryn could hear the snow hitting the window, just the soft pitter pat as the flakes landed on the glass. She collected the two mugs from the replicator and glanced out the window. The world had been transformed into a colourless landscape wrapped in a white blanket.
She walked over to the sofa and handed her companion one of the cups.
‘Vulcan tea, just the way you like it.’
‘Thank you,’ replied Tuvok.
She settled herself into the deep sofa next to Tuvok and folded her leg underneath herself, wincing a little as her knee gave a crack.
‘It’s like a completely different world out there,’ she said.
‘It is unusual to see,’ he replied.
A Robin hopped onto the window sill and stared at them through the glass. Its black eyes darted around the room before flying off in a flutter of colour.
‘It reminds me of a children’s book I read many, many years ago called the Gruffalo’s Child. Did you ever read it?’
‘I did not read any of children’s books originating from Earth.’
She looked at him over the rim of her coffee cup.
‘What did you read?’
‘From a young age we are taught how to supress our primitive emotions. There are many Vulcan books on this subject.’
‘I see,’ she said with a smile. ‘Well, the Gruffalo’s Child is the second book in the series. The first is how the Gruffalo becomes scared of a mouse. The second explores the Gruffalo’s Child trying to find the mouse.’
Tuvok turned his gaze to her away from the window.
‘What, is a Gruffalo?’
‘From what I remember, he is a large animal with long claws and big teeth. I think he has spikes or spines down his back.’
‘Is this mouse a usual Earth mouse?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then it is illogical for such a large and well defended animal to be scared of a mouse.’
She laughed. ‘That’s the point, the mouse outwits the Gruffalo. But, in the second book, the Gruffalo’s child goes out in the snow to find the mouse.’
‘Does the child achieve those aims?’
‘Well, the mouse has become something of a legend and is called The Big Bad Mouse. The child believes all sorts of things about this mouse and thinks he is very dangerous, but she is also unsure if he’s real.’
‘A child using logic despite parental encouragement in the absurd is admirable.’
Kathryn laughed. ‘I see what you mean.’
‘Is this the same mouse?’
‘As far as I recall, yes. And yes, the child, she finds him and the mouse outwits her.’
‘Is this story a cautionary tale against believing in the irrational?’
Kathryn smiled and thought for a moment. ‘I believe the story is based on a Chinese folk tale which was cautioning against utilising the power of others. But the retelling with the Gruffalo focuses more on the wit of the mouse.’
Tuvok sipped his tea. ‘Vulcan legends are often rooted in events that occurred. Some of the most well known are historical events that have become legends in their telling.’
‘Do you mean they have been exaggerated?’
‘No, that perhaps some details have been lost to time, but, like human legends, there is a strong oral tradition surrounding them.’
Kathryn snuggled herself even deeper into the cushions and pulled a red and white patchwork blanket over her legs.
‘Tell me about them.’
Tuvok said nothing for a moment, gathering his memories.
‘The Stone of Gol was a weapon that existed before the Time of Awakening. It amplified telepathic thoughts, particularly violent ones. It was, until recently thought to be a myth, destroyed by the gods.’
‘But it was real?’
‘Yes. The pieces of the weapon were not destroyed but scattered. Vulcan isolationists stole the pieces and attempted to reassemble it. But,’ he turned his eyes to Kathryn, ‘a Starfleet Captain was able to interpret the pictographs and knew how to withstand the weapon.’
‘What were the pictographs?’
‘The Vulcan god of war and death, but the middle image was the god of peace.’
‘How was the weapon defeated?’
‘Peace. War and death were separated by peace.’
‘Peaceful thoughts would withstand the weapon’s power?’
‘Yes, complete peace and calm with overcome war and death.’
She nodded. ‘How true.’
‘The weapon has now been destroyed I understand.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it!’ she replied with a smile. ‘I’m not sure a folk tale can really compare to a myth made real.’
‘No. Perhaps not the most logical comparison.’
They both sipped their drinks in silence and looked out of the large window. The snow continued to fall, piling up around the trees and weighing down their branches.
‘Shall we go out in the snow and attempt to find this Big Bad Mouse?’
‘I do not think it would be wise to attempt to do this’
Kathryn shook her grey hair back from her face. ‘No, perhaps not. It’s more pleasant to look at them to be in.’
‘I should however like to listen to this story.’
‘You would?’
‘I am interested by the use of intelligence and logic.’
‘I shall find it, wait a moment.’
Kathryn threw off the blanket, got up and went to the desk nestled in the corner of the room. She shuffled the books around until she found a PADD.
‘Ah, here we are.’
She sat back down and searched for the record.
‘Found it!’
Tuvok settled himself into the cushions, cradling the mug in his hands and closed his eyes.
She felt a rush of warmth for her old friend and gently patted his knee.
‘Are you ready?’
He nodded.
‘The Gruffalo said that no Gruffalo should ever set foot in the Big Bad Wood…’