The River That Taxed the Wind

International Trade & Tariffs - Part 8 of Forest Economic Series

By Forest Moss © 2025

Two forests lived on either shore

Where River Wisp would twist and roar.

Each had goods the other missed—

But crossing came with fog and fist.

The East grew herbs in golden sun,

The West made tools that weighed a ton.

They traded fair by leaf and sack—

One tool went out, one spice came back.

Then Buzzerds came from By-Law Bluff

With scrolls of rules and voices rough.

“This river’s ours!” they barked and squawked.

“Pay five pinecones for every docked!”

Lantern blinked, “But trade was free!”

Crabbie cawed, “It smells like fee.”

Rilla frowned, “If crossing’s taxed,

Then half the carts will just turn back.”

Soon Western crates were stacked and stalled.

And Eastern herbs grew dry and sprawled.

Prices climbed. The trade went thin—

The forest lost what once had been.

Maple honked, “We need a talk—

Not walls of scroll or tolls in chalk.

Let’s meet midway upon the log,

And weigh what’s fair through mist and fog.”

Owliver drew a trading chart

With berry rates and sliding part.

He said, “When all demand and sell,

Then tariffs tilt the balanced well.”

Grizzle gruffed, “But we make more!”

And Buzzerds boomed, “Then keep your shore!”

But Milo squeaked, “Without your nails,

My berry cart breaks on the trails!”

They gathered ‘round the floating planks

And traded charts instead of pranks.

They set one toll on rare supply—

But none on tools that both relied.

They shared the wind, the rate, the grain—

And carved a treaty in the rain.

The river calmed. The carts returned.

And every trade was fairly earned.

MORAL (Reveal Button):

International trade works when both sides share and benefit. But tariffs can hurt both traders when fairness is replaced by fear or greed. Wind flows best when bridges are open.

Why I Wrote This: The River That Taxed the Wind

By Ross Boulton © 2025

This fable is part of my Forest Economics Series, where forest creatures face the same choices we do—about trade, fairness, and the flow of goods across borders. In The River That Taxed the Wind, I wanted to explore the tensions and opportunities within international economics, especially around tariffs and cooperation.

In the story, two forests rely on each other: one makes tools, the other grows herbs. Their peaceful trade is interrupted when the Buzzerds impose tolls across the river—not to protect, but to control. As in real economies, the result is predictable: prices rise, trust falls, and both sides lose.

But the story also shows a way forward: dialogue, transparency, and shared purpose. Maple and Owliver bring the forests together. Instead of building barriers, they build a treaty—where fair trade is protected and mutual need is respected.

I wrote this fable to help children understand that the goods in your home may come from far away, and that trade is not about winning—it’s about linking needs. When trust is taxed, everyone pays. But when trade is fair, the wind carries more than goods—it carries understanding.