Once upon a time in a land not so far away, there was a dwarf named Pippin, who worked as a slave for a grumpy, forgetful wizard named Alaric. Alaric wasn’t a bad wizard, just a very, very absent-minded one. He was always misplacing his magical tools, mixing up his spells, and—most importantly—losing buttons.
Now, Pippin wasn’t like the other slaves who were given heavy tasks like cleaning cauldrons or fetching ingredients from dangerous, distant lands. No, Pippin’s job was much simpler—or so it seemed. His sole responsibility was to guard a button. Just one button.
It was a peculiar button, gold with sparkling blue gemstones, which Alaric claimed had magical properties. The wizard always said, “Guard it well, Pippin. This button holds the key to unimaginable power!” But every time Pippin asked him what kind of power, Alaric would shrug and say, “Ah, well, I forget. You know how I am.”
The button sat on a dusty pedestal in the corner of Alaric’s cluttered workshop, and Pippin was to stand watch over it day and night. Sometimes, he’d be tempted to touch it—after all, who wouldn’t want to play with a shiny, magical button? But every time, a stern voice in his head would remind him, “Guard the button. Guard the button!”
One afternoon, Alaric hurried into the workshop, looking flustered. "Pippin! My trousers are falling off!" he cried, adjusting his waistband in panic.
Pippin, ever the obedient slave, did his best to suppress a chuckle. "Master, your trousers are fine," he said, though the wizard's belt seemed to be slipping by the second. "Perhaps you’ve misplaced another button?"
“Oh, right!” Alaric snapped his fingers. “The button! I lost it again, didn’t I?”
Pippin’s eyes widened. “What button, Master?”
“The one on my pants, of course!” Alaric exclaimed, slapping his pockets. “Where did it go? I just had it this morning!”
And then, in a fit of inspiration, Alaric turned to Pippin and pointed dramatically. “You! You must retrieve it! This is a dire emergency!”
Pippin scratched his head. “Master, the button’s right there.” He pointed to the pedestal, where the magical button gleamed innocently.