Sinatra_Z - A Children's Story (An Experiment)

Note:
I have never written a children's story before and this is something new for me. Since I had written some love story might as well go all the way and try something new. I however have to admit that this is not my original writing. I saw the story on an anime called Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien (The eternity that you wish) in which at the end one of the main character wrote this story. This is an adaptation of that story in which I would like to share with you folks.

I had always thought a Child needs to be taught about some of the realities of life,
even the painful ones so that they may learn and understand at a very young age.
In a form of a story.... We come from a culture of story telling in which sadly, in my point of view most of our modern intellectuals fail to realise, thus adopting a very boring technical academic style of writing.

I repeat this is
NOT MY STORY, NOT MY ORIGINAL WRITING. I GOT IT FROM AN ANIME AND ADD SOME WORDS OF MY OWN TO TRY AND WRITE A CHILDREN's STORY.


Once Upon a time.....
there was a group of children who lived in a village at the edge of a forest.
Together the boys and girls play hide and seek, climb trees, fly kites and do lots of other things together.

Then one day one of the boy said....

"Enough of this hiding and kites that go flying
Enough of this climbing and play of pretending,
Let's do something bigger and something much better,
Let's venture into the forest like a great-great explorer."

"My mother said we shouldn't go there." Said one of the girls.
"Don't worry we will be back before sundown, I promise..."
Said the boy who now suddenly began to sound as if he was their leader.
Though some were reluctant they embarked on the journey into the forest,
carrying tools and things you normally bring to an adventure. Things like a long stick to help you hike, a lucky red marble, Fluffy the favorite teddy bear, a compass (though they don't really know how to use it), sweets for snacks and wooden swords in case they encounter unpleasant things.

As they were walking into the forest they saw many things and heard many sounds that they don't normally see or hear in the village. They heard birds chirping, they see squirrels running, bees flying and even butterflies fluttering. Indeed they were so fascinated that they somehow went too deep into the forest and can't remember the way back.

When the sun began to fall and the forest became darker, they began to be feel afraid, lost and confused more than ever.

"I should have listened to my mother." Said one of the girl.
"Don't worry I'll get us out." Said the oldest boy.

But try as best as he could they still couldn't find the way back home. By now it's getting darker, they are getting hungry and some of the girls and boys too began to cry. When it seems everything was about to be lost suddenly there appeared this shining light approaching towards them. The oldest boy who by now took out his trusted wooden sword prepared for the worst.

It turned out that the light was a fairy flying towards them... and the fairy said...

"Fear not, for I come not to disturb you. But I just want to play with you, can we be friends? I am awfully lonely here." said the fairy

"Can you help us find our way home?" Asked one of the girls.
"Oh so you are lost, sure I can, but promise me you will return here tomorrow and play with me."

So they made that promise and the fairy led them home.

The next day they children returned to the forest to keep their promise.
They befriended the fairy and began to come back again to play day after day after day.

When they asked the fairy what was her name,
She said she could not remember,
When they asked the fairy where was she from,
She said she could not remember,
When they asked the fairy why she was alone,
She said she could not remember.

Alas it does not matter to them who she was, all that matter is that she was their friend and they play together every single day.

But day after day, month after month and year after year the number of children that visited the fairy become lesser and lesser. This was because they children began to grow up and grown ups no longer want to play hide and seek, pretending or climbing trees. They began to leave and continue on with their lives. The number get's lesser and lesser till comes the day when there was only one girl left.

Even though this girl is no longer little,
She kept coming to the forest to meet the fairy. Not because she want to climb trees or play hide and seek but because she just didn't have the heart to leave the fairy all alone in the jungle. So she faithfully return to the jungle day after day after day... So that her kind friend will not be lonely.

The Fairy realising this kind act wanted to give her a present,
So one day the fairy told the girl that she didn't want to play today. Instead she wanted to give her a gift. The girl excited and surprised asked the fairy what it was to which the Fairy replied

"You keep coming back here again and again even when everyone is gone. You kept coming to play again and again even when you are no longer a child. I know you can't bear the thought of leaving me all alone and I am truly grateful for that. But like it or not time goes on and you can't do this forever, someday you need to move on and go on with your life....."

The fairy then moved closer to her and whispered to her ear..

"My gift to you is the word 'Farewell'.."

For the fairy is the angel of farewell and it's painful to have nothing but farewells. So she ran away deep into the forest and lived all alone not wanting to cause any more sadness by separating friends and family. But now the fairy realised that there comes a time in life where people have to be parted, to go on continuing the path they each choose. Just as the paths meet in some junction there comes a time where the paths must part into their respective destination.

Up till then humans never knew the word farewell,
and the fairy taught the girl the meaning of that word, it was her gift to the girl .

The girl who first learned the words of farewell would later become the kindest person in the world.

Farewell :
is a wish of happiness or welfare at parting, especially a permanent departure

The End

P/S
Found the original story here http://www.robertsetiadi.or.id/anm/kiminozo.htm
Read at the middle you will find the story about mayauru the angel of farewell.
It's short and much-much simpler, eloquent and beautiful than my version. I really need to learn more and have a long way to go.