Next morning, the little fox went with his sister to the woods, searching for a grape tree where they could try getting some.
“Okay, little bro. Ready for me to show you how it’s done?”
“Ready, sis!”
Soon, they found a grape tree.
“Okay, here I go!”
The little fox’s sister jumped as high as she could, over and over again, but she couldn’t reach the grapes. Now it was turn for the little fox to try and reach them.
“Hmmm.” He thought to himself. “If jumping toward the grapes doesn’t work, then I should try climbing the tree!”
He jumped onto the tree’s trunk and started climbing it. However, his claws were still too short, so he slipped down.
“Climbing doesn’t work either!” he thought to himself.
Then he had an idea.
“I know. How about if I use a ladder?”
Then he told his sister to follow him so they could find some wood to build a ladder. They walked for a while until they found a tree with perfect wood. The little fox took some of it, and much for their surprise, it happened to be a hollow tree. But suddenly, the little fox lost his balance and fell into a hole inside the hollow tree. His sister went running to look for her parents. However, she didn’t notice the hole wasn’t so deep, so her little brother was fine. But then, he saw a blue light at the end of a tunnel, and he followed it. Soon, he found out it was a fairy!
“Wow! A real fairy!”
“Indeed, little fox.”
“What’s your name?”
“My name is Fay, and I’ve heard you cannot achieve what a Fairytale Fox can.”
“What? How did you know?”
“I’m a fairy. I am full of knowledge. So, do you want to do something to make your family proud?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, then I have something that might be of interest to you. Please, follow me.”
Fay flew swiftly out of the underground tunnel, so the little fox hurried to keep up with her. Just as he came out of the hole, his family arrived.
“Son, where are you going?” his father asked him.
“I’m gonna achieve something to make you proud. This could be my greatest chance!”
“What are you talking about?” His mother asked.
“I don’t know, but I must follow that fairy!”
“Fairy? What fairy?” His sister asked.
“Sorry, I’ve got no time to explain.”
He began to run, and shouted from afar:
“Please take the wood with you and build a ladder! Sis, you can enjoy the grapes! See you later!”
He left running to follow Fay. She led the little fox to a high, lonely tower in a meadow deep in the woods.
“Hey, that tower…” the little fox said. “It seems familiar.”
“Your destiny is up on that tower.” Fay said.
“You mean I have to climb it?”
“M-hm.”
“But, there seems to be no door, and I have short claws…”
“Don’t worry. Some of its bricks are outgoing. Now go, little fox, and claim your destiny.”
When Fay said this, she vanished in front of his eyes. So the little fox began to climb the tower, jumping from brick to brick until he arrived to a balcony. Then he entered a room. It looked like a princess’s room.
“Could it be?” he said to himself.
Suddenly, he heard a voice coming from where the bed was:
“Who’s there?”
The voice was female, and was coming from behind the curtains of the bed. The little fox ran toward the bed and jumped on it. In front of him, was a beautiful pair of petrified feet, that belonged to a lovely princess who was looking at him, sitting on the bed.
“You… You are the princess from the story mom told me!” he said.
“Who are you?” she asked the little fox.
“Who am I? I’m a fox.”
“Yes, I know that. But I mean your name.”
“My name? … I’ve… never had a name.”
“Really? Well, I’m Princess Rochelle. What brought you here?”
“It was a fairy named Fay. She said I would find my destiny here, so that I could accomplish something to make my family proud and be a true Fairytale Fox.”
“Oh, so you’re from the Fairytale Fox Family. I’ve heard a lot from you.”
“Yeah. My mom, my dad, my uncle, all of them could achieve something recognizable that caused stories to be written about them. But I haven’t earned my story, yet.”
“Wait... could it be you’re the one that will save me from this spell? You said a fairy brought you here, that it would be your destiny. That means you could save me!”
The little fox was looking at her feet, now made of stone.
“The story was right. You have beautiful feet.”
He tried to touch them.
“No, wait!” Rochelle warned him.
When he laid a paw on them, he suddenly felt a burn.
“That dreadful wizard called Fahid casted this spell on my feet.” She said. “Whoever tries to undo it with his or her bare hands will get injured.”
“Where is that evil wizard? I’ll kick his butt!”
“Nobody knows. He wasn’t seen again after casting the spell on me. One thing is for sure, he was never found and executed. So he might still be roaming around. Who knows where.”
“Is there any way to undo the spell without having to touch them or having to find Fahid?”
“It is said that only a pair of magic crystal slippers can break the spell. They’re found in the Mysterious Mine, far, far away from here. It could be dangerous journey for a little fox like you.”
“Don’t worry, Princess Rochelle!” he said. “For you, I will search near and far to find those magic slippers and make your feet move again.”
“But, do you even know how to get there?”
“I have no idea, but I know Fay will guide me.”
“Well, in that case, good luck, little fox.”
Thus, the little fox began his journey to save the princess, and perhaps, become something more than a Fairytale Fox.
TO BE CONTINUED