The Man in the Watch Tower

There once was a very old man who cared deeply for a forest. He knew every creature that scampered across the forest floor. He knew every squirrel by name and knew the family tales of the wolves back to the day their packs split. While he never involved himself in their quarrels, for he loved them all the same, he always looked out for them and ensured none ever came to any unnecessary harm. The man had a host of passenger pigeons who carried messages to the animals to call each creature to the aid of its kin. 

When The Man was young he would climb down the long ladder and sit with the creatures. They would offer tributes to him in thanks for his watchful eye, for there was not a creature in the forest who had not benefited from the service of The Man. In his old age, however, The Man could no longer make the long journey down from his tower. The passenger pigeons would bring his tributes to him and The Man would simply watch. As the creatures saw less of him his tributes dwindled, for fewer and fewer creatures remembered the days when he had talked with them. The Man was unbothered by this as he did not serve for tribute. It was the forest he loved.

One day the time came for the passenger pigeons to leave the forest. They introduced The Old Man to the doves before they faded away. The Man treated the doves with the same respect he had shown the passenger pigeons but the doves were vain and wished to return to the freedom they had before the passenger pigeons had left them with this responsibility. So the doves left The Old Man.

The Old Man still loved the forest but the forest no longer loved him. He saw no more of the creatures of the forest until he met the vultures. The vultures were old birds and, seeing that his time was nearly up, they hoisted The Old Man into the sky.

The creatures of the forest saw the vultures circling the tower and some of them told stories, but The Old Man was forgotten.