Story #283 – Freckles’ Loving Cloak

One cold winter day, 12-year-old Miss Freckles came into a beautiful cloak while she was having an adventure to the forest.

“I’m not a simple cloak. I can sing. I can think. I can share with you a bed time story every night. Please put me on and let me be your shelter and warm you up.”

“That’s fabulous! How lucky I am to have such a precious gift like you!”

From that day on, Miss Freckles wore the cloak wherever she went. They were together all days and nights and never felt bored with each other. They sang by the rivers and sang to the trees. They cheered each other up when feeling tired climbing the mountains and treading through the field. The cloak tightly hugged Freckles for the whole winter and covered her body carefully when it snowed.

But as time went by, little Freckles gradually grew up. Her arms and legs became longer and her height increased day by day.

One night, after the cloak was giving Freckles a bed time story as usual, he breathed out a long sigh: “I’m afraid that I will no longer fit you, my dear Freckles. You have grown up. And the summer days are coming. You will get sunstroke with me.”

“But I love you, dear cloakie. I don’t want to grow up and lose you. If eating no food can stop me becoming taller, then I’ll do it.”

Freckles refused to eat any food from then on. She became skinny and weak as if a gentle breeze could blow her away. Her cheeks became sunken and her face turned pale. Her steps became more and more slowly and her head became dizzy.

“You must eat or you will die, Freckles. Leave me here and you just keep growing up!” asked the cloak anxiously.

“I would rather die in your arms.. I… I cannot imagine how boring life would be… without you by my side. Nobody else can… sing as beautiful as you, and … Nobody… nobody else can tell such interesting stories as you. You… you are irreplaceable… to me.” Freckles said exhaustedly.

In a scorching summer noon, after Freckles used up her final strength, she suddenly tumbled into the bush and lost her consciousness. Her cloak was scraped by the branches and were tore apart.

“Ouch! My skin!” The cloak yelled.

“Wake up, Freckles! Please! Wake up! The whole world would be dead without you alive! Wake up, my dear!” The cloak soared madly.

Just then, a hunter walked by and found Freckles.

“Poor little skinny girl. Why are you falling here. Drink some water and wake up! I’ll help you take off the ragged cloak so that I can see your wound and you will feel cool.” The hunter hugged her into his arms and gently poured water into her mouth.

Freckles feebly opened her eyes and said, “No… Please, please don’t take my cloakie away.”

“But you are too big for it. You will break it. And it is already ragged.” The hunter explained.

“He won’t be happy without me and in that case, me neither!” Freckle argued.

“Mmm… So how about this. I will take you and the cloak home. My wife can make fantastic needlework. She can fix it perfectly well and wash it clean. I have a baby girl as lovely as you. If you don’t mind, I can save this cloak for her.” said the hunter.

“Will you treat him like I do? He can sing and think. He can tell beautiful stories. He is so special.”

“Yes sure. I promise I will treat it well. But first, you need to take a good rest in my hut and start eating food OK?”

Freckles finally reached on an agreement with the hunter and accepted the fact that she no longer fit her loving cloak. But deep in her mind, she knows that the cloak will always be there, warming her heart and soul.

– nicolefantasy, Beijing