the prompt for this is from ashley, written on AIM
Once upon a time, there was a grouchy old potions master who couldn't stand the fools around him, smiling and wasting their days on trivial pursuits. So the potions master, wanting to make everyone as miserable as he himself was, created a potion to make one's smile as bright as the sun, blinding any who looked upon it.
One night, after toiling on this project, he slipped the potion into the water supply. The next morning, the townspeople went about with their daily activities, until one called a greeting to another, and happened to grin.
"Ah! My eyes!" the woman cried, and the man, misunderstanding her exclamation, believed himself unpleasant to look upon, and became depressed.
Similar incidents occurred throughout the day, and as people determined the cause of the light was the smiles, they forced themselves to think only gloomy thoughts, to avoid blinding someone. The potions master, having had his fun, made many doses of antidote, and sold it to the townspeople at an exorbitant rate, and bought a secluded island to live out his days as a hermit.
the end
One night, after toiling on this project, he slipped the potion into the water supply. The next morning, the townspeople went about with their daily activities, until one called a greeting to another, and happened to grin.
"Ah! My eyes!" the woman cried, and the man, misunderstanding her exclamation, believed himself unpleasant to look upon, and became depressed.
Similar incidents occurred throughout the day, and as people determined the cause of the light was the smiles, they forced themselves to think only gloomy thoughts, to avoid blinding someone. The potions master, having had his fun, made many doses of antidote, and sold it to the townspeople at an exorbitant rate, and bought a secluded island to live out his days as a hermit.
the end