Red Kindel's gift (part 1)

This is a cautionary tale about a boy that once lived, called Cole Pyre, and his sister Ember. They lived in a village called Coldport that was nestled amongst fir trees on the shores of a frozen sea, far, far away. The villagers and Cole and Ember had never seen, touched or smelt fire before, until a traveller passed through their frozen village peddling his wares. Dressed in a long red coat and matching tall, flat-topped hat the traveller could not be missed as he strolled along the cobbled streets of Coldport. One by one the villagers popped their heads out of their mud-brick homes to watch the strange fellow whistle and sing of 'a sea of flames' and 'sparks aglow'. The traveller knew he was being watched- that was his plan- and entreated intrigue amongst the villagers further by holding aloft thin sticks of wood that all of a sudden flickered at the end with colours of orange, red and yellow. All were mesmerised by the magic the traveller possessed.
Eager to learn more of what this earthly glow could be the villagers trickled out of their homes and followed the traveller to the town square. None were more curious than Cole and Ember Pyre. They tugged at the traveller's coat tails and begged and pleaded to know the secret to his magic. But the traveller remained silent.
At the centre of the square, where an erect statue of Coldport's founder stood, hewn from granite, the traveller stopped and turned to the villagers. Cole and Ember crouched at his feet, their eyes wide with expectant wonder.
"Villagers," cried the traveller. "My name is Red Kindel and I come with a gift."
The villagers clapped and cheered.
"I see your village is cold and colourless and in much need of warmth and cheer. This I can provide for want of a night's rest. Who should offer this?"
"We will," cried Cole and Ember as they leapt up and waved their hands in front of the traveller. "We can offer you that."
"Marvellous," said Red Kindel. "A deal is struck."
"But what of your gift," cried a villager from the back of the crowd.
Red pointed at him. "I see there is little a stranger can get past you, Sir," said Red Kindel as pulled a fan of sticks from inside his coat. "Watch with wonder," he said as he ran the tips of his fingers over each wooden spike of the fan. One by one the tips ignited and glowed orange, yellow and red.
Everyone gasped and backed away from the licking flames, except Cole and Ember who stepped closer. Their eyes darted around the fan.
"This is called 'fire'," said the traveller.
"It's so pretty," said Ember.
"Pretty, but also dangerous," said the traveller.
"How so?" asked Cole.
"It travels like the wind and eats like a ravenous bear. It is lawless and pitiless. It cares little for man nor beast, yet it dazzles and hypnotises. I can see it now. You're eyes are transfixed by its beauty, are they not?"
"Mine are," said Ember as she raised a hand to touch the lit fan.
The traveller pulled it away. "You must not touch the flames. Do you not feel their heat?"
"Yes, it's wonderful," said Ember.
"Wonderful yes, from a distance, but get too close and it will burn."
"What's burn?" asked Cole.
The traveller pulled a red glove off one hand and held it out to show Cole and Ember. "See how wrinkled and taught my skin is?" he asked.
Cole and Ember nodded.
"That is what happens when you get too close."
"Then we'll stay at close distance," said Cole.
The traveller acknowledged Cole and one by one he handed a lit stick from his fan to each villager. "Take this and use it to warm your homes, to cook your food and to give you light."
When each traveller had retreated to their huts with their twig of fire, Cole and Ember clutched the traveller's arms and led him to their home.
Once inside the traveller shivered. "How do you cope in this cold?" he asked.
Cole pointed to a pile of bearskins folded in the corner of the their hut. "We wrap ourselves up in these at night and snuggle under more when we sleep."
"Well I think I can make this space warmer and cosier," he said and stepped out of the hut.
Cole and Ember glanced at each other, wondering what to expect next. Moments later the traveller returned with a pile of dry brushwood. He stacked it in a corner of the hut and with his stick aflame he lit the pile.
"Wow!" gasped Cole and Ember.
"It's magical," said Ember.
Before long the hut was warm. Cole and Ember shed their sheepskin coats and trousers and danced round the hut singing.

"You have discovered two of the fire's secrets, warmth and light, but did you know that you need never eat cold food again," he said as he lifted two steaks of bear meat from the larder shelf, skewered them on the tips of their hunting trident and held them over the flames.
Cole and Ember watched once again amazed as the steaks sizzled and hissed. They breathed in the heady, salty scents of the meat and felt so light they thought they might float away.
"And that is the third secret," said the traveller as Cole and Ember chewed through the charred steaks, savouring each mouth-watering bite.
"Mmmm, this is soooo gooood!" Cole and Ember chimed.
When the traveller and Cole fell asleep to the crackle of the flames, Ember stayed awake and watched it. But after some time the flames began to dwindle and with it the brilliant orange glow. Ember looked to the traveller to re-ignite them but he was fast asleep, snoring deeply.
Against the traveller's advice Ember approached the dying flames. Her heart sank deep into her chest as the fire slowly died.
"Don't go," she whimpered. She pulled her bearskin tight round her body and huddled so close to the fire her bearskin caught fire.
Ember watched with delight as ever brighter flames flickered and danced, rapidly climbing up the bearskin toward her. Although she felt her skin becoming hotter and hotter she was afraid the lure of the flames would die.
"Come to me, come to me," she said. "Yes, brighter and brighter. I'm your master now."
She sat and watched as slowly the flames engulfed her bearskin and soon her as well. Too awestruck and bedazzled to cry out she sat watching the flames as they burned through her skin sending filaments of ember floating up into the air as she gradually turned to ash.

So now when you see orange fireflies dancing around a fire you are looking at the last remains of Ember Pyre of Coldport village, come to visit.