"Melville's Burning Soul"

The black wizard lived in a black forest. He sired many children - the entire dark forest was his backyard, where his offspring frolicked unrestrained. At first, the forest contained nothing, but various small animals appeared over time, most numerously mice, which multiplied quickly...

"Wait," Jonathan interrupted the tale, "the black wizard conceived children alone? He had no partner or anything?"

"Uh, the story doesn't mention that, so I guess not. The author didn't specify, and I wouldn't know either," the guide replied. "Scholars believe that the fairy tales are mostly allegorical, with each character symbolizing something."

"Then continue," Jonathan said.

...

The black wizard and his family possessed strange magic, enabling them to turn the small animals of the forest into their servants to do their bidding.