The scarf

Once upon a time, there was a little girl living in a small hut near the woods. Her name was Sara. She lived with her father, a wood cutter and mother, a home maker.

Sara’s family was not rich, but her father provided for all their needs, and their needs were small.



Sara had a small garden of her own with plants that flowered during all seasons.

There were plenty of butterflies adding color to the garden and there were sparrows and squirrels that she fed daily and be-friended.



There were very few people who lived nearby and no other kids were around. Sara was being home tutored by her mother on basic math and letters, which she learnt eagerly.

Sara’s was a happy little world.



One day Sara’s mother called her “Little Sara, Little Sara, come here.”

Sara was in the garden chatting with her favorite squirrel and she ran inside “Little Sara, the Christmas is coming, what are you going to ask Santa?”

Sara thought for a while “Yesterday I swept away ants and grains from the verandah. The ants were carrying those home…will Santa still be coming?”

“You ask him for forgiveness, but he will still be coming.”

“Ma, the trees in the woods, those are alive too?”

“Yes, Sara”

“Then, won’t they die when father cuts them off?”

It was the mother’s turn to think. “He asks them for permission, and also he does it only just enough for our survival. In this world, it is okay to take just enough to satisfy basic needs. God won’t be angry for that. Father also plants the seedlings so there will be more trees.”

“Hm…okay.”

“Okay, tell me, what gift are you going to ask him?”

“I saw a beautiful butterfly yesterday, it had all colors of rainbow. I am going to ask him for a scarf like that.”

Mother saw a daunting task ahead, but she said “That is a good choice.”

“It is a shame that he gives gifts only to children; do you want me to ask something for you?”

“No, thank you, he will anyway figure out that it is for me.”

“hm…hm….”



Next day, the mother asked the father to get woolen threads in 7 colors and started knitting secretly.

She had a red scarf ready, with a butterfly in seven colors, a week before Christmas.

The father brought the fir tree and together they decorated their modest Christmas tree. Sock for Sara was hung in a prominent place so that Santa would not miss it.



Sara woke up early in the morning on Christmas day and ran to the tree.

Voilà! She unfolded the scarf. She could not believe her eyes; it was the most beautiful thing she had set eyes on so far. Even better than the butterfly she had seen.



She ran to her parents’ bed and woke them up.



“See….see….”she was jumping up and down “the best gift ever! Santa is no nice!”

The father and mother looked at each other and smiled.



For several weeks Sara could not be seen without that scarf. She showed that off to all the squirrels and sparrows and the rabbits too. They were all as awe struck as she was.



Then one day, the scarf suddenly went missing.

Sara was sure that it was kept at her bedside when she went to sleep, but it was missing in the morning.

Sara looked wherever she could and mother too, but the scarf could not be found.

Sara sulked and sulked, she complained to all her friends, but to no avail.



One day, the father saw something red within a tree cavity near home. He went nearer to check, only a small edge was visible outside, but surely it was Sara’s scarf.

He looked deeper and saw six small baby squirrels spread-out on that scarf.

He called Sara, as the mother squirrel was whining and barking alternately from atop the tree, worried about her kids.

Sara came to check, but was okay to keep it there till the babies grow big enough.

“You could have asked me.” She said. “Keep it till they grow. But make sure to return it, okay!” She cautioned the mother squirrel. And the mother squirrel whined, ashamed of taking it without asking Sara first.



(717 words)