The Black Forest (standard:fairy tales, 3926 words)
Author: J.A. Aarntzen	Added: Oct 17 2005	Views/Reads: 4089/2843	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Four young elves discover an abanadoned baby in the middle of the Black Forest.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

we should have, we would never have been caught in this storm!” 

Hum sighed, “They were magical shoes, weren't they?  I think if I put my
mind to it I could even make a reindeer fly!” 

“Hush Hum!  Don't get carried away with your tongue.  You were just
lucky with those shoes, that is all!” Kiddo smirked. 

“You're just jealous that you can't make anything, that is all!” Hum
mocked the way that Kiddo spoke. 

“I'm not jealous at all!  I've made better things than your shoes many a
time in my life!” 

“Yeah?  Name one!”  Hum challenged.  He was ready to start brawling. 
His chestnut-sized fists were held up towards Kiddo. 

“I'll break your nose, you stupid little elf!” Kiddo hissed.  His fists
were up as well. 

“Hey!” Diddo cried. 

At that moment Ho stepped in.  “What is wrong with the two of you? 
Elves don't fight!” 

“Elves don't call each other stupid either!” Hum snarled.  He started to
move in closer to Kiddo. 

“They do when they are!” Kiddo replied.  He threw a punch at Hum but Hum
swiftly stepped out of its way. 

He threw a fist himself but Kiddo showed equal skill in eluding it. 
This went on for several more rounds before an exasperated Ho broke 
them up by saying, “Quit acting silly!  Your fighting will not get us 
home any quicker.  Does anybody have any idea where we are?” 

“I judge that we are in a forest by all the trees that are around here,”
Kiddo suggested.  His hand held his chin and one of his eyes were 
closed while the other one studied the surroundings. 

“It can't be a forest!”  Hum disagreed.  “Because you are not supposed
to see the forest for the trees.  So if you see the trees, you cannot 
see the forest!” 

“But isn't a forest made of trees?” Kiddo asked.  His anger towards Hum
was long forgotten. 

“I think it is,” Hum answered.  There was a querulous expression on his
face. 

“So when you see a forest you see trees,” Ho concluded.  Diddo and Kiddo
agreed with him. 

But Hum could not agree.  “No.  If you see trees, you can't see the
forest.  All you see are trees.  You can't be sure if there is a forest 
there.” 

“I guess you are right,” Kiddo responded after some reflection.  “It is
like being underwater.  You don't know if you are in a river, a lake, a 
sea, or an ocean.” 

“There is no ocean around here, is there?” Diddo asked Ho. 

“How should I know?  I am lost.  I don't know where anything is!” 

Hum tapped Ho on the shoulder and said, “Do you see that tree over
there?” 

“Yes.” 

“So you know where that tree is now, don't you?” 

“Yes.” 

“So you are not lost now!” Hum concluded. 

“If you are not lost now Ho, can you tell me if there is an ocean
nearby?” Diddo asked. 

Ho mulled over what was just said.  Finally he answered, “I guess you
are right Diddo.  I am not lost now.  There is an ocean within ten 
thousand miles from here.” 

“Good!  Which way?” Diddo chirped. 

Ho proceeded to point in every direction.  “There is an ocean there. 
There is an ocean there.  There is an ocean there ...” 

“You just pointed at that tree over there!” Hum protested.  “That is not
an ocean!  That is a tree!  The very tree that I showed you before!  
You don't know an ocean from a tree!  My, are you lost!” 

“Great!” moaned Diddo.  “Now we know nothing!” 

“Don't say ‘we' Diddo.  I know that that is a tree and because that is a
tree, we are not in the forest!” Hum said proudly. 

“Will you shut up Hum!” Ho yelled out with frustration. 

Diddo was about to say something but he didn't because Ho was glaring
angrily at him.  Diddo was smart enough to know when to be quiet. 

After silencing Hum and Diddo, Ho was about to do the same to Kiddo. 
But somewhere along the line, Kiddo had disappeared. 

“Where's Kiddo?” Ho cried. 

“I'm over here!” 

The other elves saw their flame-haired associate by Hum's tree. 

“What are you doing over there?” Ho asked. 

Elves' voices carry very well over distances.  And elves have very sharp
ears.  Although Ho and Kiddo were hundreds of meters apart, they talked 
to each other as if they were only separated by inches. 

“Well, I know that we know where this tree is, so I thought, if I go
this tree I might be able to see other things that we might know.” 

“Good thinking!” Diddo cheered. 

“Well, what do you see?” Ho inquired. 

“Nothing that I know.  But I see things that I don't know.” 

“And what do you see that you don't know?” Ho huffed with exasperation. 

“I don't see any exasperation.” 

“What do you see?” Ho said forcefully.  He was getting very angry. 

“Well, for instance,” Kiddo began, “I see this baby over here by my
feet.  But I don't know who he is.  And I see another tree from here 
but I don't know that tree either.” 

“You know that you are not in a forest because of all the trees!” Hum
shouted. 

“But trees and forests are the same thing!” Diddo protested. 

“Wait a minute!” Ho hollered. 

The other elves waited sixty seconds before Ho continued.  “Did you say
that you see a baby Kiddo?” 

“No.  I didn't say that I saw a baby Kiddo but I do see a baby human,”
Kiddo responded. 

“Great!” Diddo cheered exuberantly.  “Now we know two things.  We're
learning fast, aren't we Ho?”  But Ho did not answer for he was running 
towards Kiddo. 

“Why did you shout ‘exuberantly' Diddo?” Hum asked. 

“I don't know.  I don't even know what the word means,” Diddo confided
to Hum. 

“You should not say things that you don't mean!” Hum admonished Diddo. 

“Would you two pea-brains shut up and get over here!” Ho shouted at
them.  The leader of the little elf company was holding a naked, 
shivering baby in his arms. 

... 

“He's a sweet little thing, isn't he?” Kiddo commented.  The infant was
sucking on the elf's little finger. 

“A hungry tot,” Hum observed. 

“I wonder if he can tell us which way is home?” Diddo asked. 

“Don't be silly Diddo!  The little guy can't talk.” 

“We talk and we are little!” Diddo said feeling that he had beaten Hum
in the argument. 

“But we are not young Diddo.  This little tot is so young that I bet you
that he doesn't even have a name yet,” Ho said.  He began tickling the 
baby's belly.  The infant began to laugh. 

“A merry little fellow, isn't he?” Kiddo chuckled. 

“Poor thing! I wonder what he was doing out here all alone in the
woods?” Ho sighed. 

“Maybe he is just lost like us?” Hum speculated. 

“A baby this size does not get lost.  Someone loses him!” Ho stated. 

“Do you mean to say that someone purposefully left him out here?” Hum
began to shiver more from the thought than from the cold. 

“We don't know that for sure but there is a strong possibility that you
are right Hum.” 

“What kind of person would do that to such a poor little thing?” Kiddo
cried. 

“These are rough times Kiddo.  If a grateful cobber can't even say thank
you to those that helped him, you know that there are others who would 
resort to more terrible deeds,” Ho said somberly. He noticed the 
troubled expression on Diddo's face.  “What's the matter Diddo?” 

The elf looked at him and said, “I was just thinking of names.” 

“Names, why?” 

“You said that this child might not even have a name.” 

“Yes, I did say that.  But I might not be right,” Ho said. 

“Well, no matter.  I think that we should name this child,” Diddo
suggested. 

“We are not the child's parents.  It is the right of the parent to name
the child,” Ho responded. 

“But where are the child's parents?” 

“That we don't know Diddo.” 

“We know where this tree is though,” Diddo said forlornly. 

“It is not in the forest,” Hum added sadly. 

The baby started to cry.  Ho tried to tickle the child but it was of no
use.  The baby began to cry even louder. 

“I think that he is hungry,” Ho said. 

“No, I think that he is cold,” Kiddo said. 

“I think that he wants a name,” Diddo said. 

“I think that he wants his Mammy,” Hum said. 

“Perhaps we are all right,” Ho suggested. 

“I don't think that Diddo is right.  The baby is too young to know what
a name is,” Hum argued. 

This made Diddo angry.  “Do you know what a name is Hum?” 

“Of course I do!” 

“Well, tell me, what is a name?” 

“A name is something that you call something else.” Hum was pleased with
his definition. 

“That is right.  It is that simple!” Diddo scoffed.  “Are you meaning to
say that this child would not know something as simple as that?  Are 
you calling the child stupid?” 

“I call you stupid!” Hum huffed.  His fists came up. 

“Oh no, not again!” Ho sighed. 

“I'll tell you what a name is!” 

“Who said that?”  Diddo and Hum said together. 

“I did!”  A woman came out from behind a tree.  She wore a long dress
whose hem was stained by the snow.  She held a shawl tightly wrapped 
around herself. 

“Who are you?” Ho inquired with a nervous edge to his voice. Elves do
not like being spotted by grown-up people.  Perhaps, it is for this 
reason that so many human adults do not believe in elves.  They never 
see them. 

“I am the child's mother,” the woman stated flatly. 

“And now you have come back for him?” Ho asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Why was the baby out here in the cold forest by himself in the first
place?” Ho demanded to know. 

“I have my reasons and I am afraid that not one of them is reason
enough.  What I have done is heinous and criminal and a lifetime of 
suffering would not suffice for punishment for even thinking of doing 
such a cruel act.” 

“I'll say!” said Kiddo. 

“What will you say?” Diddo whispered to Kiddo. 

“Never mind,” Kiddo answered. 

“You'll say never mind?  Why?” 

“You baffle yourself more than a star can shine!” Ho said to Diddo.  The
senior elf returned his attention to the woman. 

“More than a star can shine?  What in the world has that got to do with
anything?” Diddo commented to Kiddo. 

“Never mind Diddo and just listen!  Maybe you'll learn something!” Kiddo
retorted. 

“What's there to learn?” Diddo replied.  “This woman did a very stupid
thing and now she wants to correct her mistake.  What's to learn in 
that?” 

“We can learn reasons so that these mistakes will not be made again,” Ho
snapped angrily. 

“An ounce of prevention Diddo!” Hum said to the bewildered elf. 

Diddo began to dig into his pockets while Ho resumed his questioning. 
“I don't know if it is wise for us to give you your baby back.  What's 
to keep you from doing this again?” 

The woman reddened and her anguish was plain for all to see.  She began
fumbling for words but she was doing a poor job of defending herself. 

“If you can't defend yourself, how can you defend this poor child?” Ho
asked. 

“This is how!” Diddo exclaimed.  In his hand was a leather pouch. 

“What is that?”  Ho demanded. 

“It is an ounce of prevention!” Diddo announced.  He poured the crystal
contents of the pouch into his hand.  Once the pouch was empty, he blew 
the crystals into the woman's face. 

“There!” the little elf said.  “You won't ever do that again!” 

The woman coughed and then she sneezed.  At length, she lifted her face
from her hands and looked directly into Diddo's eyes.  To him she said, 
“I shall be by my baby's side for as long as he needs the warmth and 
succor of a mother.  I pray that that shall be a long, long time!”  
There was a newfound strength in her voice.  She kissed Diddo on his 
cheek. 

Diddo blushed eleven and a half shades of red.  “You see!” he said
finally.  “A little elfin magic can make the world a happy place!” 

“Elfin magic is nothing more than the power of goodness!” Hum added. 
“Why, with elfin magic I swear that someday that I could even make a 
reindeer fly!” 

“I believe that you will!” the woman said with happy tears in her eyes. 

“That's ridiculous!” Kiddo scoffed. 

“What?  That a reindeer can fly?” Hum said gruffingly. 

“No,” replied Kiddo.  “It is ridiculous to believe that that dust that
Diddo blew onto the woman will make her a good mother.  I can't believe 
that!” 

“Ho, Hum, tell him!” Diddo said. 

Ho and Hum looked at each other.  They knew that Diddo's dust was
authentic and did what he said it did. 

“What are you Kiddo?” Ho asked. 

“Why, I am an elf, you know that Ho!” Kiddo answered.  He thought what
he had just said over and then he exclaimed with his eyes all aglow, 
“Of course!  I am an elf!  Of course, the dust will work!” 

The woman was amused with the elves.  She was grateful to them as well. 
She asked them if she could repay them in any manner. 

“Just your thanks is thanks enough!” Ho answered. 

Right upon the heels of Ho's words, Diddo said, “You could let me name
your child!” 

Ho looked angrily at Diddo.  “You can't take that privilege away from a
parent!” 

Diddo shrank and apologized. 

“You don't have to say that you're sorry, little one,” the woman cooed. 
“If it weren't for you, I would not be a parent.  I'll let you name my 
child because I know that you know how important a name is!” 

“I do?” 

“Of course you do!” the woman laughed.  “You know that a name is
something that you live with all of your life and that it should not be 
treated lightly.” 

“Of course I do!” 

“What do you want to name my son?” 

“Ah! ... ah!... ah! ... I don't know!” Diddo shrugged. 

“Come now, little one.  My child will lead an enchanted life if he is
named by an elf!” 

“That he would be, Madam!” Ho said with pride in his people.  He knew
that he was fortunate to have been born an elf. 

“I know what to call him!” Diddo exclaimed loudly. 

“What will you call the child Diddo?” Ho asked. 

“Saint Nicholas.” 

“You can't call the child a saint!” Ho roared.  “Only the Church can do
that!” 

“But look at him Ho!  Isn't he the picture of a saint?” 

Ho looked at the baby.  There was a twinkle in the little eyes and a
good humor in the cheeks.  It was hard to believe that this child could 
ever have been abandoned.  He knew that the child would never be 
abandoned again because of Diddo's magic dust.  Well, it wasn't truly 
magic.  Diddo simply made the woman believe in herself.  It was the 
good old power of suggestion.  If an elf says that you are something 
then you have got to believe the elf because elves don't lie.  Soon you 
would become what the elf said that you were. 

“Why Nicholas?” the woman asked. 

“Well, I always liked the name Nick and also because if we didn't find
the child, we would have been lost.  So it was Nick or Lost.  I thought 
why not put the two names together.  Nick or Lost.  Say it fast enough 
and it sounds like Nicholas.  Right?” 

Hum began to say it fast.  “Nick or Lost.  Nickorlost.  Nickorlast. 
Nicorlas.  Nicolas.  Nicholas.  Hey!  You are right Diddo!  I would 
never have believed that I would say that!  You are right Diddo!  You 
mad little elf!” 

“I still do not approve of you calling the child a saint, Diddo,” Ho
said, shaking his head. 

“Hey, I've got an idea!” Hum piped.  “Let's say Saint Nicholas very fast
and see what we come up with!” 

“That sounds like fun Hum!  Let's do it!”  Kiddo was clapping his hands.


“Okay, we'll try it out,” Ho said.  “We'll begin on the count of three. 
Ready?” 

“One.” 

“Two.” 

“Three!” 

“Saint Nicholas.  Saint Nicholus.  Saint Icholus. Sint Icolus. 
Senticolus. Senticolous.  Senty Clus.  Senta Clus.  Senta Claus.  Santa 
Claus.  San an Claus.  Sand and Claws.” 

“Okay, hold it!  We're not naming a beach crab here, are we?  We're
naming a baby!” Ho protested. 

“I kind of like Santa Claus,” the woman said.  She looked at the baby
who was still in Ho's arms.  She began cooing, “Hello Santa Claus!  
Hello Santa Claus!” 

The baby began to bubble with joy. 

“That's it then!  We'll call the baby Santa Claus!” Ho handed the child
back to his mother.  “Here's your Santa Claus, Madam!” 

“Why, I thank you!” she said and began tickling the child.  “Is there
anything that I can do for you in repayment?” 

“Sure!” Kiddo said quickly.  “You can tell us where we are and how we
can get back home!” 

“Well, I can tell that you are a long way from home.  This is the Black
Forest of Germany but I do not know where your home is.” 

“See!  I told you that it was a forest!” Kiddo said to Hum. 

“It can't be because there are trees!” Hum complained. 

“Well, it is called the Black Forest!” the woman smiled. 

“Then, it's a misnomer!” Hum exclaimed. 

“No, it isn't a misnomer!” the woman laughed.  “I am Miss Gnomer and
this is a forest!  Believe me!” 

Hum began to grumble about how humans always misnamed places and things.


“Never mind him, Miss Gnomer,” Ho said.  “He's always like that.  No
matter where we go, Hum gets himself confused.  But this time it is not 
only Hum that is confused.  I am afraid that we all are.  Can you tell 
us which direction our home lies?” 

“Where is your home?” 

“The North Pole.” 

“Then your home lies to the north!” Miss Gnomer said with assurance. 

“Why with assurance?” Kiddo asked. 

“Well, you want to make sure that you get there, right?” 

“Right?” Ho asked. 

Miss Gnomer faced to the right.  “Yes!  North is to the right.  Just go
right and you will never go wrong.” 

“That's what right means, isn't it?” Diddo remarked. 

“That's right!” Miss Gnomer replied. 

“Well, we can't tarry any longer, Madam.  Take care of your child and
take care of yourself.  Please try to keep in touch with us.  We would 
like to see how the child progresses,” Ho said for the group. 

“I will do that!” Miss Gnomer promised by putting her hand to her heart.


“Come elves!  Let's be off!  We want to be home before Christmas!” Ho
called out. 

The elves waved good-bye to the woman and her child.  As they began to
walk away, the baby started to babble.  It sounded like “Ho, Ho, Ho!” 

Ho turned around and said, “Yes?”  He looked at the child and knew that
it wasn't baby talk.  The baby's eyes said it all and that was thank 
you. 

And then Ho turned to the right and started trudging through the snow. 

Behind him, he could hear Diddo mutter, “Sure!  I give the baby a name
and see to it that he has a good mother.  But all that he can say is 
Ho!  What did Ho do for him?” 


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