Long ago, in the Grecian farming isles of Paramythia, untouched by man, a crane by the name of Ptetorus who works as a forager was summoned by his master. His master claims that there had been a significant decrease in their hourly yield and that he intends to prolong the working hours of workers in his employ. Ptetorus, always industrious and optimistic, unlike most of the work-force, saw this as a challenge that would only make him better at what he does best. Ptetorus was quite popular among Paramythia because he was very outgoing. His consistent hard work had brought him great wealth, which he claims he keeps safe in a wooden basket. Because he needed to work longer hours, he needed someone to watch over his house during the first few hours of the night that he would be working. The residents of the farming isles of Paramythia feared the night because the pirates of the East who go sailing at these apparent months stop by their isles for refuge. No sooner than later, one of his friends came to his door. Apation, a snake, who had only an eye due to an accident, offered to vouch for him at no cost. Ptetorus thanked him and gave Apation the key to his home. He told him to help himself with food and drink whenever he was hungry or thirsty. Apation thanked him as well. Ptetorus would not worry about Apation deceiving him because he had never known him to be that crooked an animal. Apation would begin later in the night.
Ptetorus walked north of his gate to work and passed by Apation who would watch over his home. The master was angrier than before. Though Ptetorus could see that the work-force was working harder than ever, his master claimed that the decrease had become worse. Thus Ptetorus had to work more hours for the reason that some animals had already quit. However, relief would come when he goes home to a well-lit house, finding Apation enjoying good literature. Three days had passed and Ptetorus had grown weary. Labouring in the gardens had never been this difficult before. His optimism almost left him if it were not for his kind friend Apation always guaranteeing the safety of his home. The next morning, the tax collector knocked at his door. Ptetorus being confident that he had his savings in his wooden basket, he took it out only to find to his surprise that it was empty. He then informs the tax collector that he cannot pay taxes that day. The tax collector then told Ptetorus that he has until tomorrow to pay for them or else he would be given hard labour. Later that evening he flies north of his gate to work, not passing by Apation. His suspicions only began arising then. Again, to his surprise, his workplace had closed without him knowing and his master walked out to meet him, telling him that to their misfortune, much of the fruit were gone and most likely stolen by pirates. Ptetorus was very distraught and had no choice but to face hard labour until he could find himself a steady job. He went to Apation's house but he had only been informed that he was absent.
One day, while working for his unpaid taxes, Ptetorus was asked by an enforcer to mentor a neophyte for his own load of hard labour. It was Apation, sent to work his hard labour to pay for the fruits he had allegedly cut down in the gardens where Ptetorus had laboured.
