Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a port city called Muscat. The citizens of Muscat were known for their love of fine wine. The King of Muscat, King Merlot, was a connoisseur of the finest wines in the land.

One day, King Merlot declared a grand competition. He wanted to find the best wine maker in all of the kingdom. The winner of the competition would be crowned the Royal Winemaker and would be in charge of making the wine for all of the kingdom's celebrations and feasts.

Many wine makers from near and far came to Muscat to participate in the competition. There was a Mead maker from the mountains, a Noir maker from the shadows, a Moscato maker from the coast, and a Pinot maker from the forest.

The competition was fierce and the wines were flowing. King Merlot tasted every single one, but he just couldn't make a decision. He was so torn between the sweet Moscato, the rich Noir, the crisp Pinot, and the honey-flavored Mead.

Just then, a clever little mouse named Morty popped out of King Merlot's pocket. Morty had a solution! He suggested that they mix all of the wines together to create the ultimate blend.

King Merlot loved Morty's idea and the mixing began. The Moscato added a sweet touch, the Noir added depth and richness, the Pinot added crispness, and the Mead added a hint of honey. The final blend was a hit!

King Merlot declared Morty the Royal Winemaker and the citizens of Muscat celebrated with glasses of the delicious wine. From that day on, the special blend was known as "The Morty Mix" and was served at all of the kingdom's celebrations and feasts.

And Morty lived happily ever after, making the finest wine in all of the land. The end.

Reflections

1. What was King Merlot's dilemma in the story?
2. What was the solution to King Merlot's dilemma suggested by Morty?
3. What was the final blend of wine called?
4. Who was crowned the Royal Winemaker in the end?
5. What was the reaction of the citizens of Muscat to the final blend of wine?
6. Can you think of any other possible solutions to King Merlot's dilemma?
7. What did Morty add to the final blend of wine?
8. How did the final blend of wine become famous in the kingdom of Muscat?