Sunday, September 24, 2006

Looking for Enchantment: a tiny story

She was lonely so she built herself a friend of sticks and leaves and sat on the forest floor with it, looking into its attentive acorn eyes and telling it stories. It would either come alive like in a fairy tale, she thought, or it wouldn’t, and then she would know if there was any enchantment in her life. She told it story after story, and the leaf-friend said nothing. It blinked not, and neither did it laugh, and towards evening a breeze stirred and carried it away. She stood and walked slowly out of the forest, sad to discover there was not, after all, any enchantment in her life. She didn’t look back to notice that she was followed by birds. They gathered in the branches at the forest’s edge and watched her go. “How do you suppose that last story ends?” asked one bird, and another bird shrugged and said, “I guess we’ll never know.”

P.S. There is always enchantment.

18 comments:

jennifer said...

I love this story , Laini!
It brightened my morning... Thanks!
I will tell it to Camille....

Amber said...

I love it! Reminds us to keep believing. Very good.

Do you know when the image for your book will up on Amazon? I want to link it to my blog!

:)

Jamie said...

Oh, Laini, Laini, Laini, I love this story! I love it! I exclaimed outloud at the end. Magic!

Suzie Ridler said...

Laini, it is so wonderful to know that there are enchanted souls like you out there. Magick means everything to me too and I believe!

Thanks goes out to Jamie for sharing this link with me, I will definitely be back.

Tinker said...

Oh, this is such a charming little tale, Laini.

Soon those birdies will be singing about your book and everyone will hear them and want to know the rest of your story; they'll be ordering your books by the boatload. Then you will be the Amazon Princess!!!

Deirdre said...

This is great. Your sense of imagery amazes me - like a little movie happening behind my eyes. Kim did a great really short story too. I'm inspired now.

Kim G. said...

I've heard lots of birds talking recently. No wait, it's my one bird going in fits of talking about an hour at a time! Sometimes she is so loud we all have to raise our voices to be heard over her. :) When those birds start talking, they have lots to say!

Thanks for the short story!

kelly rae said...

the visions are so clear in my head with your stories. love it. always, love it.

Claudia said...

Only a beautiful person could write such beautiful stories...sometimes I forget to look back over my shoulder and listen for the birds.

Anonymous said...

hooray for the stick birds! I think my stick turned into a new couch!

Alex S said...

I love this PQ! It makes me think of how much we miss by not paying more attention to all the wonders around us large and small. All these teeny stories are as tasty as the little 2 point bars but without the calories and points. Love this-post some more!

Darlene said...

This was a scene out of my childhood...it went along with the theory that our stuffed animals play as soon as we shut our doors :)

Loved the bird ending...I assumed they were crows?

xxxd

Anonymous said...

I loved this! Reminds me to keep looking for the birds over my shoulder.

Left-handed Trees... said...

This morning, birds were assembled en masse out front of our house--much to the kids' delight. I was instantly reminded of this, reading along here. Loved it...I also HAD to tell you that on Monday, Petunia and I were hitting our Main Street Cafe writing perch. I stopped to pick up some paper first and she was in one of our favorite shops completely "oohing" and "ahhhing" over something. I turned to look and, (guess what?), it was a rack of Laini's Ladies. We bought a bunch and I had to laugh, telling my aspiring author daughter that I "know" the lovely woman who created these! Congratulations on all of your successes!

The Domesticator said...

Hi,
Came here by way of Amber. I loved this story. A great reminder that enchantment abounds, if only we pay attention enough to notice it is there.

paris parfait said...

Wonderful story, Laini! Very clever.

Patry Francis said...

"There is always enchantment." Yes, and especially here. Thanks, Laini.

Jerri said...

There is always enchantment when you are an enchantress. As you are, Laini.

Wonderful post.