Sir, sir! would you help me?_ asked Tommy, almost crying.
The stranger interrupted his brisk march and looked around to find a small boy looking at him from the other side of the path in the middle of the forest.
The snow had begun to fall, the visibility was poor, and everything was silent.
-What do you want? said the man abruptly.
-Let me walk with you. I have to go to school, and I have no money to pay for the bus, but I’m afraid of the bear who lives in the forest. _answered a scared Tommy looking at him with his brown eyes wide open.
-Don’t you know that it’s dangerous to talk with strangers?retorted the man.
-But the bear is worst. said the kid, convinced.
-OK. Come here! But you have to remain silent and not tell anybody what you’re about to see.
-I promise.
Tommy grabbed the stranger’s hand and began to walk with him.
The man began to whistle a soft tune. Then, golden light flooded the forest, and the snowflakes disappeared.
At one point, the bear appeared defiant and roaring, but the man told him with authority:
-don’t you scare again to my friend.! and the animal retreated to disappear into a nearby cave.
Tommy was speachless.
He looked up and saw the treetops holding back the snow, filled with it like great paintbrushes smeared with white paint. And despite that, they let the sunlight through to show a thousand beautiful green colours below.
-Are you a Wizard? -asked Tommy in wonder when he recovered his words after such a vision.
But the man was no longer with him. They had reached the boundaries of the forest.
The village was at sight.
Tommy looked back.
He thought he saw a small light in the thicket, and he distinctly heard somebody whistling a familiar soft tune.
It was snowing again. Everything else was silent.
Image from Sarolta Bán Photography
Loved that story 🙂 🙂