Tale 33- The Storm and the Statue

 Arriving in a new place, the Traveler looked around. It seemed as if nobody was really about. She took a moment to breathe, before her ears picked up on the sounds of children’s voices nearby. Curious but wary, she went to investigate and found a large group of children gathered nearby, all yelling and kicking at something. But as soon as one of them saw her, they scarpered, believing her to be an adult who would tell them off. Drawing closer to whatever they were abusing, she involuntarily gasped when she realized. A young girl, probably around seven or eight, with wooden legs. They were bullying her. Instantly, the Traveler checked the child for injuries, silent as usual but tender and slow with her movements, so as not to scare the girl. It was something she’d picked up from both her parents and Sara. Gently, she brushed back a hair from the girl’s face, who stared up at her, as if in disbelief that anybody would bother to help her. The Traveler remembered the soft cloth Sarafelle had given her and went to find cold water, using it to wash away any injuries the girl had sustained and make sure she wasn’t too dirty from being pushed on the ground. Helping the girl up, she thanked the Traveler for the help, before quietly asking if she’d like to hear the story of how she got her wooden legs, since nobody ever bothered to listen. Opening her book, the Traveler nodded, ready to document the story of ‘The Storm and the Statue.’

‘There was once a girl and her father, who was a farmer. They constantly had to transport goods from place to place, market to market, day in and day out. The girl didn’t mind this, though, for she would get to spend hours with her father, and he liked having her around to help. They used a huge wooden wagon drawn by horses in order to transport their food, selling everything from apples to coconuts, and lived a pretty comfortable life together, having quite a large barnhouse and plenty of crop and livestock to last them each year. However, one night, the wind picked up on their way home, and a huge storm began. Their horse ran home, panicked, so the father and daughter were left to try and fend for themselves in a windy area. Unfortunately, the wind was far too strong, flinging the fruit everywhere and eventually even throwing the girl out the cart, where she struck a stone statue and her legs broke beyond repair. Due to this, her father carried her all the way home, forgetting about the cart and everything he’d earned, and instead tried to find the best carpenter in town, who made her beautiful but expensive wooden legs. The man worked and worked until he could afford to pay the full price for them, but now refuses to let his daughter help him anymore, which saddens her.’

The Traveler closed her book with a snap and looked down at the young girl, who averted her eyes, as if she was embarrassed by the story. Gently, the Traveler patted her head, the young girl surprised and even the Traveler surprised that she could be so tender, but both of them enjoyed the comfort being given. “Don’t let their words get to you.” The Traveler whispered, the little girl nodding eagerly and surprising the Traveler with a huge hug, almost knocking her over with the force. Gently putting an arm around the girl, the Traveler shooed away all worries and let herself be held for once, since this girl was no threat to her. Departing, she waved goodbye to the child, before watching happily as some of the children from before began to apologize and play with her.