"Why Do I Have A Tail?" is a mini-story that takes place in the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series.
Story[]
It was during Empath's first visit to the Smurf Village when Tapper noticed Empath constantly playing with his tail. "Great Smurfiny Crickets, my dear Empath, is there something wrong with your tail?" he politely asked.
"There's nothing physically wrong with this smurf's tail, fellow Tapper," Empath said. "However, this smurf is still stymied by the fact that this smurf has a tail to begin with."
"It's one of those things that marks you as a Smurf, Empath," Tapper said. "There isn't much that you can smurf about it but just accept it as part of who and what you are."
"But it does make this smurf wonder what purpose a tail serves for a Smurf," Empath said. "What is the main function of a tail for a Smurf?"
"If you ask Tailor Smurf, he might say that it's there to help keep your pants up," Tapper said with a slight chuckle. "Other than that, even Papa Smurf is at a loss for what a tail is supposed to do for a Smurf."
"So a tail for a Smurf is primarily a vestigial part of his physical makeup," Empath said.
"You do not sound pleased at the idea of having a tail being part of who you are, Empath," Tapper said.
"For the past 20 years living as a Psyche, this smurf has been taught to see Smurfs, who are identified as Species 0002, as a savage race of uncultured perverts that act like animals," Empath said. "It's only recently that this smurf has been shown otherwise, but still knowing that this smurf bears the physical makeup of a species that this smurf was taught to despise is rather unnerving."
"Do you wish now that you were born as a Psyche without a tail?" Tapper asked.
"If it would bring contentment in knowing that this smurf wasn't born in the form of a savage race, then the answer would be yes," Empath said.
"But if that were the case, Empath, you wouldn't be able to visit the Smurf Village and smurf changes in it just by your presence alone," Tapper said. "You're the only Smurf we have now who knows what living in that world you call Psychelia is even like, and frankly it is making me rather curious."
"Would you risk living in that world even as this smurf is, without being able to express even a hint of emotion among the other Psyches who live there?" Empath asked.
"I will admit that the thought of smurfing everyday without emotion would be rather intimidating, Empath," Tapper said. "But if it's worth smurfing knowledge of that culture firsthand, then I would be willing to smurf that risk."
Empath nodded. "This smurf can sense that you are sincere in your desire to know what living in Psychelia is like for this smurf. This smurf can only wonder now how the Psyches will react to this smurf when this smurf returns knowing what this smurf will know about the Smurfs and what this smurf sees himself as."
"You fear that the Psyches will see you as being just as savage as the rest of us, I take it?" Tapper asked.
"That is precisely what this smurf is feeling right now, Tapper," Empath said.
"I would not know how to answer that question for you, Empath," Tapper said. "But what I do know is that, deep down inside, we all have parts of ourselves that we do not wish to show to anyone. It's just like a Smurf's tail in that it can't always be hidden and that it will always be a part of each person no matter what."
"You believe that the Psyches themselves are also savages?" Empath said. "But this smurf has sensed nothing in them that would make them want to become savages."
"Maybe not on the surface, Empath, because you're the only member of what they call Species 0002 that they have," Tapper said. "But the fact that you are different from them will always smurf out like a Smurf's tail. You can never deny that even for a second."
"And you believe that they're going to turn on this smurf if given the chance and the knowledge of this smurf not being of the same species as they are," Empath said.
"I'm not sure how long you could stay in Psychelia if they were to know you for what you really are," Tapper said. "But all in all, just because you have a tail doesn't make you any less of a person than they are without one."
Empath thought about what his friend had spoken. "You seem to be very wise for someone who is not even the same age as Papa Smurf, Tapper."
"The key to being wise, my good friend, is being able to listen and to learn new things even when you're as old as Papa Smurf," Tapper said. "There's no time like the present to start smurfing wisdom for yourself no matter what age you are at."