Irreplaceable Dignity

The guard stationed at the crossroads pondered his duty. "Not to denigrate so eminent a person as I hope to be considered, but could not a statue do as much as I? Ah, a chance to test. Hail, Terad!"
The final salutation was no silent thought. Terad answered, and soon the two agreed to terms over a rough likeness of the guard, altered from another comission which depicted an official who had already secured a better post.
Upon delivery, the guard fixed his replacement and left to pursue a separate occupation. The statue watched over the crossroads ably. No crime occurred which would not had the proper guard been present. The sole notable incident involved a traveler from afar. Taking the statue for a local god, he left an offering and prayed to it before continuing his journey.
Incensed, the true crossroads god smashed the statue to splinters. The guard marveled upon seeing it. "I never realized how strenuous this routine could be for a guard of lesser resilience. I am aggrieved, lamented substitute, that you bore the weight of my miscalculation in thinking myself inessential." He proceeded to consign the statue to the care of the proper gods in his prayer. Both duty and piety thus returned to the world.
Finis

Province of the Muses

A hundred earthly kings and princes convened for the concert of the musician, a legend though alive, who had returned from the divine court after receiving superhuman instruction. His first chord caused all to shiver.
After hundreds more, the listeners suffered not shivers but rather impatience. One among them, a crowned head known far and wide for his unwillingness to feign affection for the arts, asked how long this first composition could possibly be.
"Eight years," the musician answered.
Because of that, the earthly kings and princes understood what before they had only been told, that the things of gods are not meant for man. In their piety, they slipped away.
Finis

Ring in the New Old Year

Subjects across the city prepared for the famous spring festival, which struck travelers as odd.
"But they leaves have fallen," they objected.
"Yes, well, the reason for that is . . . ah. There it goes again."
The bells, the criers, the streamers ejected from the palace towers all proclaimed the new year had arrived. By order of the blessed suzerain, a day of celebration was declared to honor Year 528 of the Era of Measured Anticipation.
Travelers heard all that with puzzlement. The subjects sighed. Inside the palace, officials remonstrated.
"Your subjects enjoy the increased holiday frequency, but . . ."
"Your resolve to keep your resolution to offer all thanks to the gods and never give way to pride is admirable, but . . ."
"Our neighbors are making fun of us! We're falling behind in social and technological progress!"
The blessed suzerain frowned. "That does not sound credible to us. Regardless of the calendar, the incentives toward innovative scholarship we have implemented surely—Wait. Ring the bells again."
The officials groaned, but the blessed suzerain's will was done.
Finis