The caretaker of the forest, a gentle, wise woman with hair like silver bark, pauses beneath the tallest tree. Her sharp eyes catch sight of movement overhead. Calling out softly, her voice seems to blend with the rustle of leaves.
"Come down, little one. The forest is no place to be alone at such heights,"
The boy, wild-haired and wary, hesitates, then slowly descends. She learns his name is Sam, and with a kind hand, she leads him back through the emerald shadows towards her home.
Renee, the caretaker’s daughter, greets Sam with open curiosity and a shy smile. The two children quickly become friends, sharing stories and games beneath the open sky. At meals, however, they eye the kitchen warily, for the caretaker’s cook is a scowling woman with a sour temper and an even worse reputation for culinary disasters.
Sam[/@ch_2].]
The Bad Cook, always resentful of the newcomers, waits until the house is quiet. She grabs Sam by the arm and drags him toward a great iron pot simmering at the hearth.
"You’ll make a fine stew, strange boy,"
Suddenly, Renee bursts into the kitchen, her eyes wide with horror.
"Let him go! I won’t let you hurt him!"
Sam and Renee don’t dare look back as the cook’s angry shouts echo behind them. They run deeper into the woods, guided by instinct and fear. As night falls, the forest seems alive with mystery and possibility, every twisted root and fluttering leaf part of their adventure.
Sam remembers the old tales the caretaker told them—stories of transformation and clever escape. He clasps Renee’s hand, and together they whisper a wish. In a shimmer of light, Renee becomes a blooming rose, her hair a swirl of crimson petals, while Sam transforms into a miniature church, its windows gleaming with reflected moonlight.
Nearby, the real children—hidden now within their magical disguises—watch with pounding hearts. They feel a thrill of triumph as their pursuer is outwitted. In the hush of the night, they giggle softly, their laughter mingling with the songs of crickets and the rustle of wind in the grass.
Long after the tale is told, children beg their parents to read it once more, captivated by the cleverness and courage of Sam and Renee. The Folktales for Children series grows richer with each retelling, weaving wonder and hope into the hearts of young listeners everywhere.
