Star Swirl the bearded left a legacy the likes of which most can only dream of. There is not a single history book bare of his name since his death, and there is not a single unicorn who does not aspire to become like him. His various feats and deeds range from slaying dangerous and grotesque monsters to inventing hundreds of useful spells we take for granted each day.

And yet...

All we know about his life before his greatest contributions is that he was born in Trottingham. Other than a few simple mentions of his name splattered across Equestria, there are no known records of his youth. Worse off, nopony was alive back then to witness and properly document what he did, so it's not like you could simply ask somepony who knew him what he was like, right?

...right?

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I came up with this idea a long time ago, and I wrote this story shortly after. After a few tweaks here and there I decided this was healthy enough for public consumption, but I would strongly recommend consulting your local veterinarian before reading this fanfiction. In all seriousness, though, I think this turned out well, and it's a nice concept considering that there are almost no "Choose-your-own-adventure" fics on this site. Still, an author should always seek to improve, so I'm open to feedback if you don't like it.