"The Fountains" is a short story from Orsinian Tales, written by Ursula K. Le Guin.
             This collection of short stories is set in the imaginary Eastern European country of Orsinia. Every story takes place in a different time period and on the last page of each story the year of occurrence is included. "The Fountain" simply portrays the insights of an ordinary person in an ordinary situation.
             Dr. Adam Kereth, a forty seven year old average man, is seeking refuge from everyday life. He feels that he has lost his sense of freedom. Kereth is used to being a visible man but it makes him restless. He believes the only way for someone to be in hiding from the world is to not move at all and to remain silent. He goes against his belief and leaves for Paris to find "asylum". On the sixth day of his vacation from the real world, he goes on a guided tour of King Louis XIV's Versailles palace. He finds himself wondering away from the tour down a wooded path. While on this path, he notices a young couple holding hands walking ahead of him. After witnessing their kiss, he begins to cry and realize that he is alone.
             He comes to the large fountains in the garden of Versailles, and while standing beneath them, he feels the power that only kings could posses and wants to be able to experience that power for himself. The fountains are a symbol of freedom to Kereth, so he steals these symbols and returns to his hotel, feeling free from life for the first time in a long time.
             Le Guin is best known for her science fiction but she steps outside of her normal ways of writing in this piece. If you are looking for a good science fiction book, then Orsinian Tales is not the right choice. But if you are looking for some well written short stories, this is it. "The Fountain" is an easy and fast read that will make you want to finish reading the entire book. It is a concrete story that any normal person can relate t...