The Magician And The Girl by Veronique Tadjo, translated from the French by the author

He was a magician of great power and of renowned beauty. His knowlege of secrets knew no boundaries. People came from all over the world to meet him. It was said he could do anything he wanted. People believed he had the formula for eternal happiness, and he himself claimed to possess it. `Happiness,' he would explain, `is the absence of happiness. Do you know how to walk with your eyes shut? Can you sleep forever? Do you master silence?' People were amazed. They could not comprehend the meaning of his words. `Happiness is love, money, or power,' they declared. By coming to him, they expected to acquire one or the other. Unfortunately, they didn't get anything from him. As a result, a lot of people were disappointed. They went back to their countries and told their friends that the man was a fraud. `Can you imagine?' they said. `We waited for days on end to have the chance to talk to him, and all for absolutely nothing.' more...