Fairy Tales for Today

Full dark had fallen when the trekcar hummed onto the gravel pad outside the FairShare cabin, slotting in next to Peach’s trekcar. Rachel thought it was strange to see a car sitting there, just waiting, with nobody in it. Citycars just whisked off to pick up their next passenger, but of course it was dangerous to be stranded in the country without transportation, so trekcars were programmed to linger for the length of your trip. It was almost like owning her own car.

Rachel carried her warm, sleeping daughter Rose into the cabin.

Her sister Peach greeted her at the door with a quiet sidehug. “Traffic?” she whispered, arching an eyebrow. Peach and her daughters had left the city a day earlier to avoid holiday traffic.

Rachel nodded, duly reminded of her “poor decision-making skills”.

Peach smiled sagely and pointed to the room Rachel and Rose would share. “I’ll get your bags.”

The room was small, with just enough space for the multibed and a small wardrobe. Rachel thought it was perfect. This vacation was about the outdoors, not the indoors. She punched a key and the multibed smoothly contracted from three beds into one. Thinking of snuggling with Rose through the cool forest nights, Rachel smiled.

She managed to pull back the tightly-tucked bedding with her one free arm and deposited her daughter in the springy softness. Rose wiggled to snuggle in. Peach slipped behind Rachel to deposit their bags along the wall. Then, in the bedroom doorway, a real hug.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Peach whispered. “Avery really didn’t mind a sisters-only weekend?”

“Of course not! Let’s sit,” Rachel said.

“Mama,” Rose said, and the sisters made eye contact.

“Go back to sleep, baby,” Rachel said.

“Are we there?” Rose’s voice was sweet and gravelly.

Rachel sighed. “Yes, baby, but it’s the middle of the night. Time to sleep.”

Rose seemed to wake a bit more. “Nooooo, I’m not sleepy,” she whined.

“How about I read you a story?” Rachel said.

She dug through the bags but discovered they’d both forgotten to pack any books. Peach, leaning in through the doorway, said, “Here, my girls love this one.” Rachel took it with a grateful smile. Rescued again.

‘Fairy Tales for Today’ said the cover. Rachel snuggled in next to Rose, opened to a random story, and began reading.

The Trickster in the Big Woods

“Twist-ker?”

“Trickster. It means someone who plays tricks on you.”

“Like Mommy when she hides?”

Rachel chuckled. “Yes, just like silly Mommy.”

Once upon a time there was a happy little family that lived in a warm little house at the edge of the big, big woods. Every morning, when she left to do good work, the mother reminded her children of the rules: “Remember, my loves, after school, you can go to the lake to swim, you can go to the hills to climb, and you can go to the fields to run, but you can never, no never, go into the big woods. Promise me.”

Mary, who loved the lake, said, “I promise!”

Sarah, who loved the hills, said, “I promise!”

Margaret, who loved the fields, said, “I promise!”

Sage, the youngest, who loved nothing as much as mischief, said, “Why?”

The mother, who was weary of having this conversation every day, answered as she always did: “There are dangers in the big woods, dangers such that we cannot bear. Now promise.”

And Sage, who was intrigued by the thought of befriending a cuddly bear, said, “I promise.”

Rose giggled. “I want a cuddly bear.”

“You’re my cuddly bear!” Rachel said, and squeezed her.

The mother, who was kind and gentle, but also very intelligent, asked the older girls to look after their cheeky little sister.

So it went, every day.

Some days Sage went with Mary to the lake. Mary would swim and splash while Sage crawled in the mud, hunting for frogs to croak with, and waded in the shallows, cupping her hands to form a pool for tiny, darting fish. And she would squint up at the big woods.

Some days Sage went with Sarah to the hills. Sarah would climb and jump while Sage sought out the hottest rocks to find sleepy lizards, and turned over smaller stones to rescue roly-polies from the shadows beneath. And she would peer into the big woods.

Some days Sage went with Margaret to the fields. Margaret would run and tumble while Sage scoured the earth for holes, looking for lonely snakes, and knelt to see how close she could get her nose to a grasshopper before it bounded away.

“Mama, I saw a grasshopper at school yesterday!”

“You did? Was it big?”

“Yeah and me and Taylor tried to catch it but it jumped away.”

“Awwww!”

And she would glance over at the big woods.

One day, when the sun was especially high in the sky, the clouds were extra marshmallowy–

“Mmmmmmm. Marshmallows!”

“Yummy!”

–and the air was crisp as a green apple, Sage told Mary she was going with Sarah, told Sarah she was going with Margaret, and told Margaret she was going with Mary, and when her sisters all left, she went into the big woods.

“Ooooooo!”

“Uh oh!”

It was dark and cool, and Sage loved it immediately. She moved from tree to tree, discovering new friends. On one, she found a swirly-shelled snail, sliming its way up the bark, poking its antennae in and out. On another, she watched a bushy-tailed squirrel scamper up, cross a branch, and leap to the next tree. On another, she spied a pointy-beaked bird, flitting in and out of a hole, its babies crying inside.

“The babies are crying.”

“It’s okay, their mama’s feeding them.”

Sage was having so much fun, discovering so many new friends. She walked farther and farther into the big woods.

Rose snuggled in and made her worried peep. Rachel kissed her forehead.

After some time, Sage passed between two trees and came upon a hidden pond, full of water hyacinth and bordered with cattails. Sage clapped her hands together. She knew Mary would love this tiny lake, and felt sad she couldn’t share it with her sister.

Suddenly, she saw a ripple in the pond. The ripple grew into a wave, and then, with a great splash, something dragged itself up onto the shore.

“Is it a bear?”

“I don’t know! Let’s see!”

It looked like a person, but had thick, dripping fur covering most of its body, even its face. It stood tall on two legs, and had a horn where its belly button should be. It was a man.

“Man?”

Rachel closed her eyes. “Yes, a man. They’re not real.”

“Oh. Like unicorns?”

“Yes, sort of. They used to be real.”

“Like dinosaurs? They all died.”

“Yes,” Rachel said, gently. “Like dinosaurs.”

Rose sighed. “I wanted a cuddly bear.”

“I know, me too.” Rachel stroked Rose’s cheek. “Listen, are you getting sleepy?”

“No!”

“We could find a different story, one with a cuddly, buddly bear!” She tapped her fingertip on Rose’s tiny nose.

“No! I wanna know what happens.”

“Okay.”

“Hello!” it said, just like a person, and Sage saw its shiny, bright teeth. It waved a shaggy arm. “My name’s Tom. What’s yours?”

Sage had met many animals, but never one that could talk like a person.

“I’m Sage.”

“Do you want to play?” said Tom.

Sage, who didn’t know a stronger word, said, “Yes!”

While the sun crossed the sky, Sage and Tom played. Sage taught Tom how to slink silently in the grass, and Tom taught Sage how to climb trees. Tom told Sage about the dark grotto it lived in–

Rose yawned, and around it she said, “Grotto?”

“It’s like a cave in the water. Getting sleepy?”

“No.”

Tom told Sage about the dark grotto it lived in, and Sage told Tom about her house. Sage asked Tom how old it was, and Tom asked Sage if she could bring it a candle.

“It gets so dark in my grotto at night.”

Sage, who had been taught to be kind to strangers, and who didn’t like to think of poor Tom sitting in the dark, immediately said yes. She followed her path all the way back home and grabbed a candle from the pantry. Then she followed her path all the way back to the pond, and gave Tom the candle.

Tom hugged the candle tight to its chest, where a person’s heart would be, and smiled. Sage thanked it for accepting her gift, and went home, saying she’d see it again tomorrow.

The next day, Sage told Sarah she was going with Margaret, told Margaret she was going with Mary, and told Mary she was going with Sarah, and when her sisters all left, she went into the big woods.

“Oh, Sage!” Rose said, sounding just like Avery.

Rachel shook her head theatrically. “Here we go again!”

Sage followed her path through the dark, cool woods. She’d only gone half as far as the day before when she came upon a low hillock nestled in the trees, covered with enormous ferns and colorful rocks. Sage hugged herself and swayed. She knew Sarah would love this tiny hill, and felt sad she couldn’t share it with her sister.

Suddenly, climbing from the back of the hillock, came Tom!

“Sage!” it said. “Do you want to play?”

Sage, who didn’t know why she didn’t think of it first, said, “Yes!”

While the trees swayed in the breeze, Sage and Tom played. Sage taught Tom how to play tag, and Tom taught Sage how to find bugs under the tree bark. Tom told Sage about how the wind whistled through the trees, and Sage told Tom about how the stars shone in the sky. Sage asked Tom if it had a family, and Tom asked Sage if she could bring it some rope.

Rachel, ever so slowly, closed the book.

“Why’d you stop?”

“I thought you were asleep, you were so quiet.”

“Listening,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Okay.”

“The wind blows my grotto door open at night.”

Sage, who had been taught to be kind to acquaintances, and who didn’t like to think of poor Tom sitting in the cold, immediately said yes. She followed her path the short way back home and grabbed some rope from the shed. Then she followed her path the short way back to the hillock, and gave Tom the rope.

Tom hugged the rope tight to its forehead, where a person’s mind would be, and smiled. Sage thanked it for accepting her gift, and went home, saying she’d see it again tomorrow.

The next day, Sage told Margaret she was going with Sarah–

“Again?”

“Again!”

–told Sarah she was going with Mary, and told Mary she was going with Margaret, and when her sisters all left, she went into the big woods.

Sage followed her path through the dark, cool woods. She’d only gone half as far as the day before when she stepped into a small clearing, carpeted with green grass and wildflowers, and bathed in bright sunlight. Sage did a little hop. She knew Margaret would love this tiny field, and felt sad she couldn’t share it with her sister.

Suddenly, emerging from the woods on the other side of the clearing, came Tom!

“Sage!” it said. “Do you want to play?”

Sage, who sometimes thought ‘play’ was her middle name, said, “Yes!”

While insects sliced through the warm air above, Sage and Tom played. Sage taught Tom how to spin until it was dizzy, and Tom taught Sage how to hold her breath. Tom told Sage about how it prepared vegetables for supper, and Sage told Tom about her sisters. Sage asked Tom if it was lonely living all alone, and Tom asked Sage if she could bring it a knife.

“Maybe we should finish tomorrow, baby. It’s really late.”

“Noooooooo!”

Rachel looked at her.

“No, Mama,” Rose said quietly, adding, “I’m not whining.”

Rachel sighed and pursed her lips. After a moment, she said, “Okay, a tiny bit more.”

“Yay!”

“To help me chop my vegetables for supper.”

Sage, who had been taught to be kind to friends, and who didn’t like to think of poor Tom having to eat large vegetables, immediately said yes. She followed her path the very short way back home and grabbed a knife from the drawer. Then she followed her path the very short way back to the hillock, and gave Tom the knife.

Tom hugged the knife tight to its belly, where a person’s life would be, and smiled. Sage thanked it for accepting her gift, and went home, saying she’d see it again tomorrow.

Late that night, Sage woke to a strange sound.

Rachel paused, flipped the page, skimmed ahead.

“Sweetie, I think it’s getting scary. Maybe we should find another story–”

“I’m not scared!”

“I know, but–”

“I’m big and I’m not scared!”

Rachel held back a smile. “It’s okay to be scared. Mama and Mommy get scared. I believe you you’re not scared, but I want you to be able to sleep.”

Rose crossed her arms. “I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t know what happens.”

“Okay, but let me know.”

“Okay!”

Late that night, Sage woke to a strange sound. She sat up. Across the room, in the light of a candle, Sage saw her mother, tied up in her bed. Tom loomed over her with a knife.

Rose gasped. “Mans are bad?”

“No, honey, they’re just…they’re not real.”

“But when they were real, were mans bad?”

Rachel sighed. “I don’t know. It was a long time ago.”

Rose traced her tiny fingers along the edge of Rachel’s ear. “Mama, did you ever know a man?”

Coffee breath.

Beer breath.

Giant hugs.

Scratchy whiskers.

Warm, deep voice reading stories.

Brown eyes that disappeared when he laughed.

“One. When I was very little. Littler than you.”

“Was it bad?” she whispered.

“No, baby. He was very good.”

“Tom is bad.”

“Yes, Tom is bad.”

Rose thought about that for a long time. Rachel tried to memorize every little part of her baby’s face.

“Did you know any dinosaurs, too?”

Rachel wheezed out a laugh. “No!”

They giggled together.

“Finish it, mommy.”

“Okay.”

Rachel thought for a moment.

“Sage said, ‘What are you doing to my mother?’

Tom said, ‘I’m sorry! I wanted to see you, but she woke up! I thought she was going to hurt me. I came to say goodbye.’

‘Goodbye?’ Sage said.

‘Your stories about your house and family made me lonely, so I’m going to go find more men like me. I brought your candle to light my way, your rope to tie my things on my back, and your knife to cut through the forest.”

‘I’ll miss you!’ said Sage.

‘I’ll never forget you!’ said Tom, and he left.

And Sage and her sisters and her mother lived happily ever after.”

Rose smiled. “Tom’s not bad. It just wants to find more mans.”

“Yup!” Rachel said, and slid off the bed. "Okay, lights out! I love you!”

“Love you, Mama.”

Peach was in the family room sipping a beer; she held one out for her sister.

Rachel took it, shaking her head. “Where’d you find that book?”

“Dunno, thrift store probably.”

“It’s super scary and violent.”

“Huh. That’s new, a fairy tale that’s scary and violent.”

Rachel threw a pillow at her, and opened the book.

Late that night, Sage woke to a strange sound. She sat up. Across the room, in the light of a candle, Sage saw her mother, tied up on her bed. Tom loomed over her with a knife.

Sage screamed, bringing all of her sisters to their feet. Tom smiled. “I’m here for my new family! First, Mary!”

Mary ran to the lake, and Tom chased her. She swam into the deep, and Tom felt the cold in its bones. She swam into the pondweed, and the rubbery leaves pulled at Tom’s feet. She swam so far, Tom could not keep up, so it went back to the house.

“Sarah!” it puffed.

Sarah ran to the hills, and Tom chased her. She climbed the crumbliest parts, and Tom slipped. She climbed the steepest parts, and Tom’s muscles ached. She climbed so far, Tom could not keep up, so it went back to the house.

“Margaret!” it wheezed.

Margaret ran to the fields, and Tom chased her. She ran through the parts with the tallest grasses, and Tom tripped. She ran through the parts with the most holes and rocks, and Tom fell. She ran so far, Tom could not keep up, so it went back to the house.

“Sage!” It held up the knife, panting, exhausted.

Sage screamed, and the world came to life.

From the lake hopped the frogs. From the hills scampered the lizards and the roly-polies. From the fields charged the snakes and the grasshoppers. From the woods raced the snails, squirrels, and birds. While Sage watched in horror, the animals pounced on Tom, nibbling, biting, slurping. And soon, they had eaten Tom up, horn and all.

Sage’s sisters rushed home, and they untied their mother.

The first thing she said was: “Now do you understand why you should never, no never, go into the big woods? Promise me.”

Sage said, “I promise.”

But she was thinking of searching for Tom’s grotto.

It seemed like a good place to find a cuddly bear.

Rachel closed the book. Sipped her beer. “Do you remember Great Grandpa?”

“Sure, I knew him longer than you.”

“He was pretty great, right?”

“It’s right there in the name!”

“Hmm,” Rachel said.

Peach leaned over and tinked Rachel’s bottle with hers.

“You okay?”

“Just thinking. We should tell the girls about him.”

Peach considered. “It might confuse them.”

“Yeah,” Rachel said, setting the book aside. “But if we don’t, who will?”