The Gnome’s Advice to Ghosts

There are levels of magic in fables.
Most fables pick a level and stay there.
At the most skeptical layer, they seem

To assume a dubious audience
And proceed by hints, what-ifs, and maybes,
Feints more glamorously called the uncanny.

At the extremes of oral traditions
And children’s fairytales, everything talks
And does magic, wolves to roses to rocks.

It’s rare for a successful narrative
To suddenly change lanes. The rational
Denouement’s a swindle in a fable.

Even among Homer’s gods and heroes,
It’s feels weird when a talking horse appears,
While Tolkien wouldn’t dare trot out God,

Himself, to put his elves and orcs in place.
Control how magical your world can be,
Unless having no readers leaves you pleased.