In the eyes of beholder

I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

R. Frost, The Road Not Taken

       Moomin stood at the junction of paths, his paw clutching an odd thing he had found—a peculiar, spiralling shell, yellow with maroon stripes, that hummed a faint but distinct melody when held to the ear. It was the sort of thing Snufkin would appreciate, he thought, and so he had set off to find his friend. But the tent near a brook was empty. Still, it was there, and Snufkin had to be there, somewhere, and Moomin ran further by the path along the brook until the path split in two at the forest edge. He hesitated. The first path was wide and well-trodden, lined with cheerful buttercups and daisies. It wound its way towards the river, where the water sparkled invitingly in the afternoon sun. “Snufkin might like this one,” Moomin mused. “He does enjoy the river. But then again, it’s rather… obvious, isn’t it?” The second path was narrower, its edges fringed with tall grasses and wildflowers. It led up into the hills, where the air was crisp, and the mountains seemed really close. “This feels more like Snufkin,” Moomin said to himself. “Quiet, a bit mysterious. But perhaps it’s still too… expected.” Just as he was about to choose, something caught his eye—a third path, barely visible, barely deserving that name, a mere gap between birch saplings with the grass slightly scarcer than around. Maybe an elk had walked there some months ago. Moomin’s eyes lit up. “Of course!” he exclaimed. “Snufkin would definitely choose this one. It’s the path less travelled, after all.” With a sense of triumph, Moomin pushed aside the twigs and followed the narrow trail. It was overgrown and uneven, but there was a certain charm to it. The air smelled of damp earth and wild mint, and the sunlight filtered through the trees in dappled patterns. He was pretty sure it was the right path, and still his heart jumped with joy and pride when he caught a glimpse of the green hat with a hawk feather in a tiny clearing ahead.