The Enchanted Forest

She was a strange and odd girl, that’s what people said. But she thought she was no different from anyone. To be honest, she didn’t even care. Where was the merit being like everyone else, after all you standout by being different. You are memorable because you didn’t toe the line. So she marched to the beat of her own drum.

What she didn’t know was how did she get here, here being the land beyond the enchanted forest.

All she remembered was she was running to the tornado shelter with her uncle and aunt, when the tornado scooped her up. Next thing she knew, she wasn’t in Kansas anymore! Well she was not from Kansas, but it was just figuratively saying.

So she made it to place where no man had ever gone before! Well no one had ever dared to go through the enchanted forest. They say it it was inhabited by strange and ferocious creatures who were once people who dared to set foot in the forest. Most importantly there lived in the forest a wicked enchantress. Nobody had really seen her. She could transform into anything. It was rumoured that she was castaway by the great Wizard for her defiance of his rules, and was the most ugliest person you could set your eyes on.

It was believed that she had created the forest and all its creatures, and didn’t take kindly on anyone who dared trespass on her land.

So this enchantress chick was very much like her. But for now she needed to get home, and cutting across the forest was the only way out. So if she would had any chance of returning home, it was through this forest.

As she approached the forest, she noticed the first signboard, “Beware!!! Trespassers will be persecuted!”

“Shouldn’t that be prosecuted?” She thought, but she continued to trudge along.

Soon she came up to another warning sign, “Are you sure you want to risk it?”

A little further there was yet another warning sign, “Think twice before you go ahead!”

Finally she came across what she knew would be the last of the warning sign, “You are now on your own. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!”

Although these signs felt very ominous, she couldn’t let it get to her. So she continued to move along in the general direction that would take her home.

As she walked along she had this strange but comforting feeling. Although the foliage was generally dense, she felt this calmness, like she belonged here, this was where she was meant to be, which was not really the same as where she wanted to be.

So she continued walking, till she came to a very strange sight. In the middle of the road stood a lion, who appeared to be scared and very much lost. He was a handsome beast but there was something about him that made you want to go and hug him and not be afraid of him.

She approached him cautiously, after all he still was a lion!  She asked him, “What’s the matter, you seem very lost and scared?”

“Oh how I wish you could help me, kind child,” he replied as she cringed, who liked to be called a child anyway. “You see I was with my pride, and they tricked me and left me here. They think I am a disgrace of a lion!”

He said with such a sad look on his face that it made her hug. He was taken aback by this but then he felt grateful for it.

“You know they called me the cowardly lion”, he said trying to flick the tear out of his eyes, “just because I couldn’t be ferocious like them. Just because I was kind to everyone and not ferocious and mannerless like them. They called me names like sissy pants, scaredy-cat and poked fun at me. They said that I didn’t have a brave bone in me.”

“That’s so sad,” she said, “but what are you doing in these woods!”

“Well I thought I could meet this enchantress and ask her if she could help me get that brave bone so that I can be as strong and ferocious like the other lions in my pride,” he explained, “they said that they would take me to her. But alas, it was all trick to get rid of me.”

“Don’t you worry,” she said , “you are a kind and handsome lion. You don’t need someone to give you a brave bone. It will show up at the right moment. Courage and bravery will always find you when you need them the most. So don’t let anyone tell you don’t have one”.

“Is that really true?” he asked with hope in his eyes. “Thank you lil one, that’s the kindest thing anyone has said to me. But can I ask you something, what brings you here to this forest?”

So she explained how she got here and her plan  to get back to her auntie and uncle, who by now would be worried sick, searching for her.

When she was done narrating her story, he asked her, “Can I come with you? I don’t like being here on my own!”

“Why not,” she exclaimed, “I could do with some company, and there’s more fun in two than one.”

So off they went in the general direction she was heading to, two jolly happy souls, and the forest began to reflect their jollyness, it no longer felt scary anymore.

They walked and walked till they stopped in their tracks. They heard a strange sniffling and creaking sound. They searched for the source of the sound. When they finally found it they were quite astonished.

Before them stood a person made of tin. The sniffling sound was that of his crying and the creaking sound was from his joints which was rusted from his tears, because of which he was unable to move which made him cry even more and rust further.

“Why are you crying Tin-man,” she asked, when they finally approached him.

“Who are you?” He asked, in between his sniffles.

They introduced themselves to him, till it was his turn.

“Well, I was lonely man, roaming these forest, till I met these beautiful pixies, who I fell in love with”, he explained, while still tearing up. “They say you can give an arm or leg for the one you love, I literally did just that, till all that was left of me was just a bunch of tin parts. Then she said she couldn’t love a man made from tin. So she left me and ran away, leaving me here.” 

He started to cry even more loudly, even more bitterly, causing him to rust even more.

She walked over to him, took the can of oil and poured it on his joints, freeing from the rust that had paralysed him.

“Thank you kind one,” he said gratefully, “I don’t know how will I ever repay you.”

“I have done nothing great!” She said, “I am always happy to help. Just remember when you love someone, there should be no expectations of anything in return. Otherwise that’s not love.”

“I have noted this, kind soul,” he said, “but may I dare to ask two questions.” 

“Please go ahead, you don’t need my permission”, she said.

“My first question is what brings you to this enchanted forest,” he asked, “and where are you and your pet heading to?” Causing the scaredy lion to let out a low growl.

“Well to answer your first question,” she said , “I was carried over the forest by a very strange tornado.”

“And to answer your second question”, she continued, stroking the scaredy lion to calm him down, “my friend, not my pet, is helping me find my way home, through this strange but enchanting forest.”

The lion felt mighty pleased to hear her refer to him as a friend, and let out soft purr, causing the poor tinman man to rattle.

“If you both don’t mind, can I join you on your journey?” He asked, “I don’t want to be alone if I were to rust again”.

“Please do join us, the more the merrier,” she said

And so the strange trio made their way down the path. They walked and walked and when the sun was ahead, they ate the berries and fruits, which very strangely the scaredy lion enjoyed, something she never expected. Tinman ate hesitatingly not sure if he would be able to taste it.

Once they ate, they all rested for a while before they began their journey again.

They walked and walked till felt they were lost. They didn’t know where to go.

They looked around to see if there was anyone or any sign that could tell them where they were and how to get through the forest. But there was no one, no sign or directions. 

Then she spotted a man, who seemed awfully tall, taller than any man she had seen before. 

“Kind sir, can you tell us where we are and can you help us find a way through the forest?” She asked.

At first he was startled to see her. He cautiously walked from behind the bush. He was a very strange man, if man was what she could call him, because he was half man, half horse.

“Sir, what exactly are you?” Asked the Tinman, breaking the uneasy silence. 

“You are the strangest animal I’ve ever seen, and I thought the tinman was the strangest creature I had seen,” said the scaredy lion, “no offence mr Tinman!”

“None taken!” Said the Tinman with a smile.

“Actually, I don’t really know what I am,” he said with a sad look on his face, “men don’t like me cause I got all the attention of the ladies. So they chased me out. The horses refused to let me be a part of their tribe because I wasn’t horse enough for them. So I am an outcast, neither man nor horse, neither one will let me be a part of them.”

“I know what you are,” she finally said, comforting him. “You are a centaur, a mythical creature which I read in my books, but I never knew they were real!”

“Wow! Can you tell me more about it”, he asked eagerly.

“Well, I will tell you what I have read, if you promise to show us the way home,” she said with a smile.

“Done,” he said eagerly, “but I must warn you that the road leads to the Enchantress of the forest, and I heard she’s quite wicked. She’s a shape shifter and no one know what she really looks like.”

“Well we see what can be done when we meet her. Maybe if we ask politely, she may allow us through” she said hopefully.

“Maybe! Who knows,” said the scaredy lion. 

“If we are with you, we will not let anything happen to you,” added the Tinman.

“So it’s done. We are homeward bound!” She said excitedly.

So off they went, happily on their way. She explained to their new companion what a centaur was, who listened eagerly, lapping up all the information she gave him.

They finally came to a river. They were not sure how they could get across it. She didn’t know how to swim, and the Tinman would surely sink to bottom of the river, or would rust. The lion, like all cats, didn’t quite like the water. It was just the centaur who could get them across the water, and agreed to do so. But he warned, if the scaredy lion dug his claws into his skin he would drop into water, causing the company to burst out laughing, much to the annoyance of the lion.

One by one the centaur took them across the water. Once all made it across, the centaur shook the water off his skin, and they were off on their way.

They continued with the journey, a very strange company, till they heard a booming, which caused them to shudder, especially the lion. 

“Who dares to trespass my forest,” said the voice.

“We are not trespassing,” she finally said, “we wanted to ask you if you could please let us cross your forest.”

“And what makes you think I would allow you to cross my forest,” asked the voice, causing the Tinman shake so much that it startled the poor lion.

“I believe you are kind, and because we are asking you for your permission,” she said bravely, “but it would help if I could see you?”

“Well, we’ll, well,” she said with a really wicked laughter, “I could be anything I want”.

“I could be a dragon,” she said, as out of no where, appeared a dragon, who breathed fire, causing the centaur to jump to avoid being burnt by dragon fire.

“I could be a mighty elephant,” she said as she transformed to an elephant, trumpeting loudly.

“I could be snake,an eagle,” as she quickly transformed into each creature, “I could be anything, what form of me do you want to see?”

“Ask her to become a mouse,” whispered the lion, “I will pounce her and eat her”.

“Well I would like to see who you truly are so that I can ask her in person,” she said, much to the surprise of everyone.

“Now, now, this is a first,” se said, “you asked for it”

As she said these words, she transformed into a woman, who looked beautiful but who’s skin was green, making her look like a very strange creature.

“You are beautiful”, she finally said to the enchantress, “I have seen a lot of women in my village but none are as pretty as you”.

“You really think I am beautiful?” Asked enchantress.

“Well you are first person to say that to me,” she said with a smile, causing the companions to relax. “I was born like this, with green skin. As a child, I was quite rebellious, much to the dismay of my parents,who  already weren’t happy with the way I looked, so they banished me to the boarding school, run by a  very strict wizard. There too I caused problems as I refused to abide by the rules. But here I met this witch who had a kind heart and was always good to me, unlike the other students, who teased and bullied me and called me names. Slowly I felt more deeper for her. At first she accepted my feeling. But was ashamed to admit in front of all. The last straw was when she called me a fag in front of everyone. Finally I was thrown out of the school because they said there was something awful about me that wouldn’t be able to fix. To escape my parents and school and all the people who bullied me, I came here and made this forest home.”

She sighed, as she narrated the last word of her story.

“Wow, you have been through a lot”, she said, “there’s nothing wrong with you. Don’t believe what others have to say about you. You are beautiful and strong, and you have the right love whoever your chose to”.

“Thank you lil one”, said the Enchantress with a smile on her face, “these are the kindest words anyone has ever said to me. Abs because of your kindness, I will not only let you pass but I will also guide you through the forest.”

And so their party grew  and they went down the path merrily and cheerfully, till they came to the edge of the forest.

There she saw her auntie and uncle looking for her. She gave a loud shout and ran towards them. She hugged them tightly. She then introduced her friends to her uncle and aunt. And all though they insisted on them staying a little longer, the companion said would make it some other time.

“You know, whenever you feel lonely, you could always visit me in the forest”, said the enchantress.

“I would really like that,” she said, “thank you all, I would never have found if it wasn’t for you”. She hugged and kissed each one of them, giving the Enchantress the tightest hug.

“Come now friends”, said the Enchantress, “I know a group of centaur who would love to have you part of them . Lion I could show you how to brave, and Tinman, I could do with a man like you buddy my side”.

She stood and watched her companions head back into the forest, knowing this wasn’t the last time she would see them.