The Moonlit Garden
by Diana Sharp, 2004
Once upon a time there was a princess, who lived in a castle. She was held captive there, all alone. Food and clothes were set out for her, but she never saw anyone. There was a lovely garden that she enjoyed throughout the day, but there was no one to talk with and she was lonely. At night she would look out her window and see the garden all outlined in silver from the moonlight. It was a magical sight.
One night when she was looking out her window at the garden, she saw a shape moving at it's edge. She was startled, because she had never seen anything bigger than a bird while she was held captive here. On a following night, she saw the shape again and she saw that it was an animal, but she didn't know what kind of animal. Later, on another night, she saw it again, and could clearly see that it was a wolf, with a big shaggy coat that glistened in the moonlight.
She was afraid, because who wouldn't be afraid of a big shaggy wolf in the night? Yet she was also lonely, and wanted to know if she could be friendly toward it, whether it would keep her company. She wanted to talk to it, and not be so all alone.
One night, when she saw it coming to the edge of the garden, she quietly crept down the stairs in the castle, and into the garden. She didn't want to frighten it away. She forgot that she was afraid. She bent forward and put her hand out, and called gently to the wolf. It had been watching her all this time. He knew she was in the castle all this time and had come purposely to visit her. When she called to him, he quietly walked over to her, his big eyes shining up at her. He came up to her hand and she touched his big gray forehead. She was no longer afraid and the wolf was no longer afraid.
The princess sat down on the bench and started to talk to the wolf. She told him how lonely she had been, how she had seen no one for so long and was happy to be able to sit and talk to him. Then, the wolf began to tell her a story! The princess grew quiet with wonder! He told her about all the beautiful places he had seen in the world. She had never seen anything but the castle and the garden. He told her about rushing rivers and enormous oceans. He told her about the deep forests and all the beautiful birds and butterflies. He told her about the wide grassy fields and the sparkling mountaintops. She was enchanted by his deep voice, his quiet manner, and his wonderful storytelling. Each night they met in the garden, under the moon and stars. He would tell her more about the beautiful world she had never seen.
One night, she told him that she wanted to escape the castle. He told her he would help her if he could. The next night, he led her into the forest and they began to cut down small sapling trees to make a little boat. They worked together every night, until they finished the boat. One night the princess brought the provisions she had been saving, and they put them into the boat. They carried it though the forest to the edge of the water. Until that moment, the princess did not know that she had been living on an island!
She looked across the wide ocean, under the starry night sky and was transfixed by the expanse. She had never seen the horizon, with nothing in sight except the edge of the sky touching the water's surface. She was afraid. Where would she go? The wolf jumped into the little boat and looked at her. She remembered how kind he had been. She remembered how he had helped her. She remembered how safe she felt with him. She knew she would be safe with him now, if she left the castle on the island, for the enormous ocean stretching before her. She stepped into the boat. They pushed off from the shore, floating out into the great unknown, with the waves beneath, carrying them and the stars above, shining upon them.
During the day, the princess and the wolf slept under an awning. During the night, they watched the stars and the waves under the moonlight. Their little boat carried them on and on, every day and each night.
One night, just as it was dawning a new day, they saw land appearing before them. Soon, their little boat came to rest on the shore. They had arrived on a beautiful beach, with an amazing panorama to see! There were the mountaintops the wolf had told her about, far in the distance. On the hills below them, they could see the rolling meadows of grass. They could see the arc of a waterfall down the mountain side, and the river rushing toward the ocean . Directly before them was the forest, and all manner of beautiful creatures peered out at them from under the leaves.
There was a loud "whoop" of joy, arising from the forest. There were cries of delight and singing! There were sounds of celebrations as all the creatures saw the princess and the wolf arrive in their little boat. A crowd of animals rushed forward to welcome the pair of unlikely visitors. The princess and the wolf were surprised at this turn of events! They were delighted with the welcome they were receiving in this beautiful land!
Before the princess stepped out of the boat, the wolf jumped down upon the sand. As he did, he suddenly fell flat! The princess cried out, but as she looked on, the wolf shook himself and began to stand up. As he stood up, the wolf's coat dropped away and a handsome prince stood in his place! The animals gave another shout of joy, for here was their lost prince! He had been taken away many years ago and here he had returned!! The princess looked at the prince in shock! What about her lovely wolf, who was so kind, so wise and with whom she felt so safe with? The prince looked at her and spoke to her with the same gentle voice of the wolf. She knew his voice at once, and that it was truly he who had spoken with her all those many hours in the moonlit garden.
There was much rejoicing! The princess stepped out of the boat and into the arms of the prince. Suddenly the crowd grew quiet. An animal was coming forward with a crown for the prince. Now the prince was becoming the King! The animals all cheered for their King, to rule them with his wisdom, kindness and protection. The princess was to become his Queen and also rule with wisdom, kindness and truth. It was truly a paradise for everyone who lived in this land!
The end!
by Diana Sharp, 2004
Once upon a time there was a princess, who lived in a castle. She was held captive there, all alone. Food and clothes were set out for her, but she never saw anyone. There was a lovely garden that she enjoyed throughout the day, but there was no one to talk with and she was lonely. At night she would look out her window and see the garden all outlined in silver from the moonlight. It was a magical sight.
One night when she was looking out her window at the garden, she saw a shape moving at it's edge. She was startled, because she had never seen anything bigger than a bird while she was held captive here. On a following night, she saw the shape again and she saw that it was an animal, but she didn't know what kind of animal. Later, on another night, she saw it again, and could clearly see that it was a wolf, with a big shaggy coat that glistened in the moonlight.
She was afraid, because who wouldn't be afraid of a big shaggy wolf in the night? Yet she was also lonely, and wanted to know if she could be friendly toward it, whether it would keep her company. She wanted to talk to it, and not be so all alone.
One night, when she saw it coming to the edge of the garden, she quietly crept down the stairs in the castle, and into the garden. She didn't want to frighten it away. She forgot that she was afraid. She bent forward and put her hand out, and called gently to the wolf. It had been watching her all this time. He knew she was in the castle all this time and had come purposely to visit her. When she called to him, he quietly walked over to her, his big eyes shining up at her. He came up to her hand and she touched his big gray forehead. She was no longer afraid and the wolf was no longer afraid.
The princess sat down on the bench and started to talk to the wolf. She told him how lonely she had been, how she had seen no one for so long and was happy to be able to sit and talk to him. Then, the wolf began to tell her a story! The princess grew quiet with wonder! He told her about all the beautiful places he had seen in the world. She had never seen anything but the castle and the garden. He told her about rushing rivers and enormous oceans. He told her about the deep forests and all the beautiful birds and butterflies. He told her about the wide grassy fields and the sparkling mountaintops. She was enchanted by his deep voice, his quiet manner, and his wonderful storytelling. Each night they met in the garden, under the moon and stars. He would tell her more about the beautiful world she had never seen.
One night, she told him that she wanted to escape the castle. He told her he would help her if he could. The next night, he led her into the forest and they began to cut down small sapling trees to make a little boat. They worked together every night, until they finished the boat. One night the princess brought the provisions she had been saving, and they put them into the boat. They carried it though the forest to the edge of the water. Until that moment, the princess did not know that she had been living on an island!
She looked across the wide ocean, under the starry night sky and was transfixed by the expanse. She had never seen the horizon, with nothing in sight except the edge of the sky touching the water's surface. She was afraid. Where would she go? The wolf jumped into the little boat and looked at her. She remembered how kind he had been. She remembered how he had helped her. She remembered how safe she felt with him. She knew she would be safe with him now, if she left the castle on the island, for the enormous ocean stretching before her. She stepped into the boat. They pushed off from the shore, floating out into the great unknown, with the waves beneath, carrying them and the stars above, shining upon them.
During the day, the princess and the wolf slept under an awning. During the night, they watched the stars and the waves under the moonlight. Their little boat carried them on and on, every day and each night.
One night, just as it was dawning a new day, they saw land appearing before them. Soon, their little boat came to rest on the shore. They had arrived on a beautiful beach, with an amazing panorama to see! There were the mountaintops the wolf had told her about, far in the distance. On the hills below them, they could see the rolling meadows of grass. They could see the arc of a waterfall down the mountain side, and the river rushing toward the ocean . Directly before them was the forest, and all manner of beautiful creatures peered out at them from under the leaves.
There was a loud "whoop" of joy, arising from the forest. There were cries of delight and singing! There were sounds of celebrations as all the creatures saw the princess and the wolf arrive in their little boat. A crowd of animals rushed forward to welcome the pair of unlikely visitors. The princess and the wolf were surprised at this turn of events! They were delighted with the welcome they were receiving in this beautiful land!
Before the princess stepped out of the boat, the wolf jumped down upon the sand. As he did, he suddenly fell flat! The princess cried out, but as she looked on, the wolf shook himself and began to stand up. As he stood up, the wolf's coat dropped away and a handsome prince stood in his place! The animals gave another shout of joy, for here was their lost prince! He had been taken away many years ago and here he had returned!! The princess looked at the prince in shock! What about her lovely wolf, who was so kind, so wise and with whom she felt so safe with? The prince looked at her and spoke to her with the same gentle voice of the wolf. She knew his voice at once, and that it was truly he who had spoken with her all those many hours in the moonlit garden.
There was much rejoicing! The princess stepped out of the boat and into the arms of the prince. Suddenly the crowd grew quiet. An animal was coming forward with a crown for the prince. Now the prince was becoming the King! The animals all cheered for their King, to rule them with his wisdom, kindness and protection. The princess was to become his Queen and also rule with wisdom, kindness and truth. It was truly a paradise for everyone who lived in this land!
The end!