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Mabel's Sapling

A short story about a child and her most valuable possession.

By Addrianna WingPublished 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read
8
Mabel's Sapling
Photo by Vitya Lapatey on Unsplash

In a charming town known as Ellewood, there lived a humble little girl. She was well known for her generosity and perseverance.

One curious mid-afternoon, Mabel had been out gathering produce from her mother's garden. Before heading out, she tossed her wicker basket full of fresh vegetables onto the stone steps of her mother's back porch. She then pitter-patted across a soft dewy path. The trail led its way through the small wood that surrounded their garden. Although, she had many chores to finish before nightfall. Little Mabel had her mind set on more perplexing affairs.

By Stella de Smit on Unsplash

Delving further into the grove, she discovered a peculiar thicket. The overgrowth was full of ferns, prickly vines, and brambles. Although it would be a challenging feat, she was determined to locate that odor. Swiftly, Mabel ducked under one of the larger shrugs, then maneuvered her way towards the center. Mabel made her way into the heart of what seemed like a miniature forest. For a moment, she took in the sounds chirping of birds and the rustling of wild creatures. The harmony between them joining synchronically with Mother nature.

At the very heart of the forest remained a weak sprig attempting to erupt from the soil. Mabel gingerly crept to the sapling. Once again, she could smell the sweet fragrance that had been emitting from this fragile seedling all along. After careful examination, she regarded that the little tree lacked in resources viable to its growth. There was quite a deficit of sunlight, which prevented the poor sapling from receiving any nutrients. As an empathetic person would do, Mabel decided to take matters into her own hands and save the poor sap.

In the background, Mabel's mother, Clementine, was frequently calling out to her daughter. She had been very distressed since she could only find the basket that Mabel had left behind. Finally, her daughter snapped out of her daze and began her trek back toward their cottage. "Here I am," Mabel shouted in delight, "I was in the wood and found such a curious thing!". Her mother clutched her chest and gasped a sigh of relief. Clementine spoke endearingly, "You had me worried. What have you discovered?". Mabel spilled over her words trying to encaptivate her mother with stories of her short adventure.

Clementine grasped Mabel's hand and replied, "You could re-bury the tree in that empty plot we have in the flower garden." She then turned around and opened the back door to their kitchen, gesturing to her daughter to enter. "We must get back to our chores and prepare the supper." While Clementine washed her hands and began chopping the vegetables, Mabel slipped out of her boots and put on her slippers. She then ran upstairs to her bedroom to change into her nightgown. Mabel ran back down to the kitchen just in time to help serve dinner. The meal was a delicious home-cooked chicken soup made with all the fresh produce she had harvested earlier that day. After dinner, Mabel helped tidy the kitchen and then washed up before bed. That night she dreamt of the frail sapling alone in the dark forest.

By Jannik Selz on Unsplash

The following morning, Mabel had many errands to do before she could attend to the seedling. Her mother asked her to assist with the laundry and then pick some flowers to arrange for a customer. As time had passed quickly, Mabel completed her work early and was ready to embark on her short journey. She grabbed a shovel and pail to carry the tree. Then was sneaking off into the forest once more. With a bucket in hand, she delved deeply into the thicket, with every twist and turn memorized.

Mabel reached the enchanting meadow, and there remained the sapling in the heart of it. Hurriedly, she pulled out a shovel from her bucket and began sifting the dirt around it. A few minutes later, Mabel dug out the roots and delicately placed the plant inside the pail. She took little time back-tracking her way home so as not to worry her mother further. The sun was beginning to set as Mabel trod the path from the woods back to the garden. Pulling the gate open that led to a flowerbed section, she carried the pail tucked under her arm and the shovel stored in her apron pocket. She weaved through a maze of colorful hydrangeas then turned into an empty plot set apart from the rest of the garden. Mabel sat the potted plant down on the grass and got to work digging. Although it took quite some time, she felt accomplished by her efforts to save the plant. Once she finished re-soiling the sapling, she poured some water over it and had mixed a bit of fresh compost into the soil to help boost its growth.

Some time has progressed since the days that Mabel and her mother saught to tend to the tree. During that period, however, that tree did grow quite a bit. So much so that it bore delicious pears, that just so happened to be Mabel's favorite. She had come to be quite fond of the pear tree and began spending most of her days lounging in a hammock hung from its now strong branches. To her, she believed that you shall find treasure in the things you pour your heart into.

By Олександр К on Unsplash

Short Story
8

About the Creator

Addrianna Wing

I am an Autistic creative writer, digital artist, and content creator! Please support me by sharing and liking my content! Tips are always appreciated!

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