Tall tail

There was a time, long ago, when the animals of the forest could talk. They had their language, one that humans could never understand. They shared stories, jokes, and secrets. They laughed and played, they argued and made up, they gossiped and told tales. It was a wonderful world, full of wonder and magic.

But one day, something terrible happened. A group of humans came into the forest, armed with guns and traps. They were determined to catch as many animals as they could, to sell them or kill them for sport. The animals tried to talk to the humans, to reason with them, to plead with them. But the humans could not hear them. They could not understand the language of the animals. And so the animals were hunted, captured, and killed.

The animals were devastated. They had never felt such pain and sorrow before. They had lost their friends and family members, their homes, and their way of life. They could no longer speak to each other, for fear that the humans might hear them. They could no longer trust anyone, for fear that they might be betrayed.

The animals were forced to adapt to a new world, a world without their voice. They had to learn to communicate in other ways, through body language, scent, and sound. They had to be more careful, more cautious, and more secretive. They had to hide in the shadows, to avoid the eyes of the humans.

But even though they could no longer talk to one another, the animals never forgot their language. They held on to it, deep inside their hearts, like a precious treasure. They whispered it to their children, in the quiet of the night. They sang it in their dreams, in the hope that someday, somehow, they might be able to use it again.

And then, one day, a miracle happened. A young girl wandered into the forest, lost and alone. She had never seen an animal before, and she had never heard of their language. But as she wandered deeper into the woods, she began to hear strange sounds, whispers and laughter, songs and stories. She followed the sounds until she came upon a clearing, where she saw the animals gathered together, talking and playing.

The animals were startled at first, for they had not seen a human in many years. But the girl spoke to them, in a gentle voice, and they understood her. They welcomed her into their circle, and they began to talk to her, sharing their stories and their secrets. And the girl listened, with wonder and amazement.

From that day on, the girl visited the animals in the forest, whenever she could. She learned their language, and they learned hers. They became friends, and they laughed and played together. And even though the humans continued to hunt and harm the animals, the girl promised to protect them, defend them, and speak for them.

And so, the animals of the forest had found their voice again, in the most unexpected way. They had found a friend, a human who could understand them and love them, who could help them to remember who they were, and what they had lost. And in that friendship, they had found hope, and a new beginning.