Strangers In The Forest
Long ago, there was a small hamlet at the foot of the blue mountains. In the hamlet lived a little girl called Ninoska. She had a stepmother who did not love her but made her do all the hard household chores. She gave her very little food and always sought an opportunity to drive her out of the house. Day by day her hatred grew more bitter, as her stepdaughter gradually became more beautiful. It was Christmas eve. The envious woman thought out a wicked scheme. "You good for nothing girl!" she said, calling Ninoska. "Tomorrow we're hosting a feast. I want you to fetch me seven bunches of flowers from the woods. Mind you, each bunch must bear one of the distinct colours of the rainbow. The seven bunches should show the seven colours." "But, Mother! It is icy and cold, and flowers don't blossom in this season!" the girl protested meekly. "What? How dare you defy my orders? Out you go into the forest and stay there with the wolves and the bears till you get those flowers," she shouted angrily, pushing her into the wintry weather, and shut the door.
Ninoska was very sad. Where could she find flowers in that vast expanse of snow-covered land? With tears trickling down her cold cheeks, she walked towards the woods. It was dark when she reached the forest. She was afraid. She came down on her knees and prayed, "Dear God, I'm a little girl. I've to gather flowers for Christmas. Will you please help me? I know you're present everywhere and can here my wee little voice." Suddenly Ninonska saw a light flickering in the darkness. Fear left her and she followed it. No longer was she afraid. It led her to a small clearing deep in the forest There, around a dancing fire, sat four men. "May I sit awhile by your fire and get warm?" she asked courteously, shivering with cold. "Welcome, sweet little damsel, join us in our eve of the Christmas feast," they said in a sing-song manner. Ninoska ate with relish the delicious cakes, honey and the strawberry pie. Indeed, she was hungry after her long, weary journey. "Do tell us, little girl, what brings you into this wilderness at this unearthly hour?" asked the oldest of the four. He was obviously their chief. A golden crown adorned his long silky silvery hair and his white beard stretched to his toes. She then told them about her unusual mission. The old man nodded and smiled. Then he said, gently caressing her head, "I'm King Winter and the other three are my brothers. Don't worry, my little one, all will be well with you." He then turned to the man sitting next to him. He was young and beautiful, and a smile played on his face. "Come, Brother Spring, take my place." The moment Spring changed places with Winter, Ninoska began to feel warmer.
Fresh dawn seemed to have set in. Green tender leaves appeared on the trees and birds began to sing in joy. A host of flowers of varied colours and fragrance also blossomed all over the place. "Gather your flowers quickly, little angel," said Spring, humming a happy tune and performing a pirouette. It was not difficult for Ninoska to collect seven bunches of flowers of the colours of the rainbow. "Thank you for your kind help. Merry Christmas!" she said and gratefully offered each of them a wee little flower as sweet as herself. "Merry Christmas, dear child. Let God bless you," they said and kissed her little hand. King Winter asked his golden deer to leave for her home by their silver sledge. Meanwhile, Winter changed places with Spring and the world again turned cold and bare once again. Ninoska reached home in no time. For so fast did the deer pull the sledge that it practically flew over the snowy carpet. Her stepmother was surprised to see her back so soon and with the flowers, too! "Where did you get them from?" she asked. "From the woods," replied Ninoska innocently and told her no further.
The wicked woman could not sleep until she had hatched another plan. The next day, in the evening, she asked Ninoska to fetch her some good ripe apples. "Remember," she warned, "don't return without them." This time the girl is sure to fail and the wild animals will eat her up in the forest," she chuckled to herself. Ninoska once again sadly wended her way into the woods. It was already dark by the time she reached the magical spot. There, as before, sat the four seasons around the dancing fire. "Wasn't your mother happy with the flowers?" they asked her, inviting her to join them at their dinner. "She wants some good ripe apples now," said Ninoska, "and has asked me not to return without them." The king turned to one of his brothers with blue eyes and a bright glowing face. "Come, Brother Summer, take my place." So summer got up and changed places with Winter. At once it felt warm. The trees were laden with golden fruit and little animals skipped hither and thither. Ninoska went to the trees and the branches lowered themselves so that she could easily pluck the apples. Then King Winter took his original seat and all was cold and bare again. The golden deer carried her back home and she knocked on the door. "Mother," she called, "I'm back with the apples." The woman could not believe her eyes. "Flowers and apples in these cold winter days? I'll go to the woods and gather flowers and fruit myself. I, too, can find them if this little girl can!" she told herself.
So, the following day she made her way into the forest carrying with her a large basket. She looked for flowers and apples everywhere but found none. By and by she came to the place where the four beings sat by the fire. "Good lady, what're you looking for? Have you lost your way?" they asked. "Mind your own business, you thieves hiding in the forest!" she shouted rudely and was about to go her way when King Winter touched her with his staff. Lo and behold! She at once turned into a statue of snow! She thus remained there standing cold, as cold as her heart. Her husband and Ninoska passed by her several times, looking for her, but they could not see her. Only with the onset of the warmer months, when the snow melted, did she assume her living form. She plodded homewards. On seeing her from some distance, Ninoska ran to her and hugged her. Surprisingly, her stepmother was warm, gentle and kind towards her. She never rebuked her again and began to love her. Ninoska never saw the four brothers in the woods even though she visited the spot several times, But when the seasons changed, Ninoska looked out of her window and fondly remembered them in gratitude and mumbled to herself, "They must be roaming from forest to forest and must be camping somewhere else now. They wouldn't remember me. But can I ever forget them?"
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