The Monsters in the Wood
A man one day walked a school of children, small monsters, and animals, into and past the wood edge, like ducklings, toward a large tree of knowledge, in the hopes that he could read to them a short a tale from his book of tales.
“…And that reason is why we are here, at the break of dawn, at this tree of knowledge.” and he patted the thick trunk a few times, and plopped himself on the ground, and the monsters and children began mumbling to each other in excitement, waiting for him to continue.
Darma, a big red smiling monster in the shape of a ball, grinned at a small blue ball-monster that he kept on his shoulder. A quiet voice escaped from a glowing rock that the blue monster held in his tiny hands.
A cloud monster then floated up, and above a young, sweet girl named Betty, and it began to snow above her. Betty sprang open a mini umbrella and looked at the man with the book of tales intently.
He opened to the middle, and grass, coins, and little flames expelled into the air from the old leather-bound book. He sat against the trunk, and looked towards the sky.
“Right here, I am in no rush at all. No way, no how. I just let the time go.”
And he looked to his group of boys, girls, monsters, spirits, and animals.
“Now. Would you all like me to read… a prewritten tale… or would you monsters and spirits like me to go off my own… imagination.”
“A flaming tale would be nice!” replied a baby dragon.
“Go!” Added a young shirtless boy with red punching gloves, swinging his fist through the air.
“A flaming tale its is! But before we start, I want you all to listen. Listen to this here grammar tree.”
“Listen?” Repeated a child sized bird with light feathers.”That’s right! Listen!”
And above them flowed a purple aura, and the little monsters and children gazed in the sky and heard the tree emanate sounds of knowledge.
“Aaaaaaayyyyy”
And the aura flowed to the thick dark branches. And the wind of the forest made all knowing breaths.”
“bbbbbeeeeeeee”
…
“Cccceeeeeeeee”
….
“Its so… perfect” said a young lady fox.
And the group relaxed for a moment.
“Alright children, story time.” And the man read from his book.
The Protector of the Wood.
Deep in the Wood
Lived a grandmother.
Every so often
A dangerous creature
Would come
To the Grandmother’s house
In the wood.
And every time
A wild beast arose
A protector
Of the Wood
Would slay the beast
In its tracks.
A wolf
Slain
before he could knock.
A fox
Swept into the bristles
before he could steal.
A huntsman
Lured to the river
At the fork
To her old house
In the wood.
And the spirits
Who haunt
So many
Pierced.
The Protector
Keen
Unwavering
And Present
High above
The Wicked’s reign.
Now
A visitor.
A sweet little girl
Who everyone adored
stood
And raised her basket
Filled with sweets
So that she could pass
Without harm.
In an instant
The basket
Lifted
From her hand.
And she walked
To the Grandmother’s house
In the Wood.
So it went
And the Grandmother
In the house
In the wood
Could rest easy.
“The end.” And he looked at the group.
Betty, the sweet little girl, smiled and said, “Is that really all?”
The man nodded and said “That’s all.” And he lifted himself to his feet briskly, and gestured toward the shirtless young boy with punching gloves.
“Alright son, “ as he moved his hands swiftly, “now I want you to make a clean hit on the tree of knowledge before we leave here.”
The boy sprang up, without question, dodged the air once, and swung his red gloves through the air square on the trunk, and leaves fell to the ground.
“Great hit!” He exalted. “Now lets get back to the house before y’all get too restless.”
And the group of monsters, children, and animals followed the man back home, and the they lived happily after.