The Cuckoo Flower
Introduction
A Romanian fairy tale. The Cuckoo Flower. It was a cold day at the beginning of March. Everyone in the village was going about their daily chores, and everything was as usual, except for one thing.
The Little Girl at the Door
A strange little girl, holding a bouquet of cuckoo flowers, stood at the door of a farm. She couldn't remember who she was or how she got there. But something urged her to knock on the door.
An Unexpected Meeting
— Yes? What do you want? Who are you? — I don't remember, ma'am. — What? What do you mean you don't remember? Listen, I have a lot of work to do. Don't make me waste my time!
The Refusal
— May I come in? It's cold outside. — Certainly not!
The Husband's Intervention
— What's the problem? — Look at this girl! She doesn't even know who she is, or where she comes from, or what her name is, but she wants to come into the house!
A New Home
— Well, look at the silk she's wearing and the flowers she has. She's probably the daughter of some rich person and got lost. I believe whoever takes care of her will receive a huge reward from her parents. If you don't want her, I'll take her. — Oh, no! I won't give her to you!
The Cuckoo Flower
— She'll stay with us!
And from then on, the little girl stayed with the farmer's family. Because she had many flowers when she arrived, they started calling her Cuckoo Flower.
A Life of a Servant
After a few weeks, no rich person came looking for their daughter.
— Wake up, Cuckoo Flower! Take the cows to pasture and before that, draw water from the well, water the garden, and clean the shed! Wake up now!
Loneliness and Longing
The little girl was made to do all the work around the house, from morning till night. But she didn't complain and worked with pleasure. She liked taking the cows to pasture, because then she was at peace. But she was lonely and wished for a friend.
Discovering Her Brother
One day,
— I think your brother is in the village. — I don't have a brother. — Oh, yes, it must be him, because he doesn't know where he came from either. I saw him walking on crutches. He's probably sick.
Worry
— Sick? And walking on crutches? Poor thing! Where did you see him? Is he staying with someone in the village? — He's alone and lives in that old shed on the road to the forest. That's all I know, and I don't care. Don't annoy me with your questions anymore!
A Kind Heart
The little girl's kind heart yearned to help this boy. So, as soon as she could, she went to see him.
An Unexpected Friendship
— Hello! My name is Cuckoo Flower! — And my name is The Sick Boy. — I brought some hay to make you a mattress and a blanket. — You are very kind. — I know what it's like to be alone and not be loved. — Well, we're both in this situation, aren't we? — Like brother and sister? I don't know if I ever had a family.
Brother and Sister
— Me neither. Can we be brother and sister? — Yes, of course!
Caring for Her Brother
Cuckoo Flower went to the boy daily and brought him food from her own portion. One day, when he was even paler than usual,
— I wish I could bring you some medicine to make you feel well again.
The Unexpected Cure
— No, medicine cannot cure me. — If medicine cannot cure you, what can? — It might seem strange to you, but I have a feeling that the only thing that can cure me is a cake.
Belief in Cake
— A cake? — I know it sounds silly, but something inside me tells me I need a cake to get well. I feel it.
The Decision
Cuckoo Flower was determined to bring her brother a cake. So, on the next baking day,
— Ma'am, could you give me a small cake for the sick boy?
The Farmer's Wife's Refusal
— Ha! First I have to take care of you, and now a strange sick boy? You won't get a single crumb from here! Ha, cake for the sick boy!
The Savings
Cuckoo Flower was very sad. But she had some money she had received from neighbors when she helped them with various chores. That night she counted them. There were six shillings.
The Plan
Surely that was enough to buy her sick brother a small cake. She decided to buy a cake the next day.
A New Demand
But before she could,
— Cuckoo Flower! Cuckoo Flower! — Yes, ma'am? — You have six shillings, don't you? What do you need them for? I need five shillings for this pot! Give me the money!
The Sacrifice
— Oh, please, leave me the money! I saved it to buy a cake for the sick boy! — It's always about the sick boy! Don't forget that we take care of you! Now give me the money!
One Shilling and a Bun
Now Cuckoo Flower was left with only one shilling. She couldn't buy a cake with it, but maybe a bun. Of course, a bun is just as good as a cake.
The Last Shilling Lost
She was about to put the shilling in her pocket when her stepbrother snatched it from her hand.
— I want it to buy myself candy! — Oh, please! I saved it to buy a bun for the sick boy! — Forget about that sick boy! You live in our house!
Tears in the Forest
That day, when she went into the forest with the cows to graze, she cried and cried. Suddenly, she heard a very sweet voice.
A Sweet Voice
— No cake, no bun for her sick brother to get well again. — Huh? Who's speaking?
The Cuckoo Flower Fairy
— Here, Cuckoo Flower!
And Cuckoo Flower saw a very tiny creature, a real fairy with wings, sitting on a cuckoo flower. She was frightened.
The Fairy Knows
— So, you need a cake, don't you? — Yes! To cure my sick brother!
The Choice
— I have an option for you. Listen, your adoptive family treats you like a servant. Come with me! I will take you to a place where you will have a castle and servants to wait on you, and silk dresses, and cakes and pastries and pies every day. You will be treated like a princess and you will never be sad again. But...
Two Paths
— Either this, or the cake. Choose the cake, cure the sick boy, and then you will remain a servant to this family. What will you choose? Think carefully.
The Final Decision
— Thank you for all the wonderful things you listed. But I won't be able to enjoy them knowing that my brother is sick and suffering when I could have cured him. I choose the cake, please!
The Magic of the Cake
Immediately a bright light appeared, as if someone had lit hundreds of lights in the sky. And Cuckoo Flower saw many tiny fairies flying above her. Some carried pots of pollen and poured it into a huge bowl of light, others stirred with a giant spoon made of light. Then, the bowl transformed into a strong red light, and the sweetest aroma of fresh cake spread through the air.
The Magic Cake
Then, suddenly, the fairies gave Cuckoo Flower a cake that looked like a pearl.
— Give it to your brother. — Oh, thank you very much!
The Healing
In a flash, all the fairies disappeared, and Cuckoo Flower ran to her brother.
— I brought you the medicine! I brought you the medicine! Here, get well again!
The Prince of Light
The boy began to eat the cake, while his sister told him what had happened. And then, the boy's body filled with a powerful light, and when the light disappeared, instead of the boy she knew, before her stood a prince who was not quite human.
Memories Regained
— Oh, Cuckoo Flower! Now I remember! I remember everything!
Identities Revealed
— What do you mean? — Don't you remember me? I am the prince of the creatures of light! And you... you... — The Fairy Princess! Oh, yes!
The Test
— And it was time to... — It was time to go through the test!
The Royal Parents
— Come here, Cuckoo Flower! Prince of Light! — For hundreds of years, the creatures of the world and the fairies have lived in peace, serving this world together. — Our friendship is very important for maintaining order in nature.
The Qualities of a Leader
— Well, my son, one day you will lead my kingdom. But only someone who steadfastly resists darkness can understand the true importance of light. — And only someone who can smile when in trouble, who can choose to be kind to others when no one is kind to her, deserves to lead the fairy kingdom.
The Mission on Earth
— So we sent both of you to Earth as ordinary humans, to test the will of your hearts. — And that's why we didn't remember anything!
The Test Passed
— Yes. And now what do we do? Do you think we passed the test? — Oh, yes! You passed with flying colors! You were sick and abandoned, but you never complained.
Returning Home
— And you chose the happiness of another, not your own, even though others were unkind to you. You both made us proud. Now it's time to return home.
Farewell to the World of Humans
Therefore, all the fairies ascended into a huge carriage of light and flew over the village. As they were above the farm, Cuckoo Flower flew down to the farm, left a bouquet of golden cuckoo flowers at the door, and left the world of humans forever.
The Moral of the Story
Well, maybe we are not fairies, but when we are good, even when faced with evil, when we endure problems without complaining, magic happens and our souls are filled with love and happiness.
