The Wolf and the Raven

Once upon a time, there was a young couple deeply in love. So perfect was their match that they saw only joy in the world. To them, everything was happiness. Wherever they went, they brought good cheer and laughter.
But not all appreciated such jubilance. One day, they took a walk through the dark woods, singing happily, and came near the house of a witch preparing her spells.
"Who interrupts my work with such raucous noise!" the witch exclamed, going to her window. There she saw the happy couple walking along the path near her house. "None deserve to be so happy, for such can only be a lie fools tell themselves!" And the witch resolved to steal their happiness.
Putting on the guise of a simple old woman, the witch called out to them, "Young dears! You must be famished after walking so far, and the daylight grows dim. Come sit and share my table." The young couple eagerly agreed.
While eating their meal, the witch inquired, "You seem like such a perfect pair! You must agree on everything." she asked, cleverly.
"Oh, yes," they replied. "We are the same in every way!"
"That is good!" said the witch. "For I have a gift to give you, if you can decide which gift you would like most."
"Certainly!" replied the couple, excited at what the woman might have to offer.
"Then choose! Which would you prefer, to run swiftly and silently across the land so that none can catch you, or to fly free and high in the air so that none can touch you? Just answer, and the gift is yours!"
But the man chose to run, and the woman to fly. They looked at one another in surprise.
"Why fly, when you can run? It's much better to hunt and catch food!" asked the man.
"Why hunt and kill, when we can find all we need from above?" asked the woman.
"For the joy of the hunt and good rare meat!" answered the man.
"Well, I hate bloody meat, " replied the woman. "I prefer it well-seasoned..."
"You've never told me this," said the main, amazed. "I thought we were always forthright with each other!"
"A woman may have her secrets," replied the woman.
And so they bickered while the witch looked on, cackling to herself. Slowly as the sun set and the moon rose, their bodies changed, His grew long gray fur, and hers dark black feathers, until there was only a wolf and a raven.
Forever apart, forever calling out in their loneliness. Never again to be together.