Gina had always felt a special connection to the forest near her home. Known to her few friends as “Gina the Guardian,” she would spend hours wandering under the towering trees, absorbing the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. One early morning, while the dew still clung to the ground, Gina noticed something unusual. A soft, glittering light seemed to beckon her deeper into the heart of the woods. Compelled by curiosity, she followed the light until she stumbled upon a clearing that was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Here, the sun poured down in golden beams, illuminating hundreds of delicate spirits, each no taller than her little finger. They shone in every color of the rainbow, some resembling colorful flowers, others tiny animals, and some only visible as soft glows. They danced joyfully but paused the moment they saw Gina, united in an expression of awe.
“Um, hello!” Gina ventured. “Who… what are you?”
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of a nearby oak, and before her appeared a spirit that looked like an elderly man. “We are the spirits of this forest, child,” he said in a voice like the softest wind chime. “You are the first human to find us in many, many years.”
“But why are you here?” Gina asked, astonished.
“To protect this land and everything that lives here. But we have felt a great disturbance. The balance of nature is in jeopardy.”
“What’s happening?” Gina asked with concern.
“There comes a wicked developer, eager to bore steel into the essence of our home, to wrench life from the earth in pursuit of vain comforts. Soon he will arrive, and we shall fade away. But you… you may help us, child of the soil.” The spirit hovered closer and added, “This forest is your home. Would you fight to protect it?”
Gina felt a surge of determination. “I will! Please, tell me what to do!”
The spirits conferred softly. As the sun began to set, they relayed their plan to Gina. “Rouse the animals of the woods, gather the people of your village. Tonight, we shall unite as one to create a magnificent display the likes of which this man has never seen. We will dazzle him and dissuade him from this dark path. Will you aid us?”
Gina nodded vigorously, heart pounding with excitement and fear. “Yes, I will!”
In no time, whispers spread through the woods, and soon all animals gathered to gaze at Gina, their eyes filled with hope. Wolves, deer, rabbits, and many others pressed in close, listening attentively as Gina explained what needed to be done.
Just before midnight, she quietly slipped out of her house to the edge of the village and cast a spell known only to her people, as the spirits instructed. The quiet town was soon alive with lights and sounds—the misty air shimmered, and vibrant songs echoed in the hushed dark.
The developer and his men were taken aback. They had grown accustomed to their destructive processions but had never seen nature celebrate so wildly. “It’s a sign,” one man gasped, trembling. “I can’t do this.”
The developer, however, was frozen, his face white and sweating. He gazed up to the fluttering leaves high above him and shivered at all the eyes watching him from the dark. Never before had he felt so thoroughly watched. And as he prepared to speak, it suddenly began to storm.
Lightning cracked open the sky, and the spirits danced above the young girl and the aninals tenfold brighter, dazzlingly bright. Wind howled, ripping at the people’s cloaks and sending branches tearing from trees. As their frightened shout mingled dismally with the cries of falling birds and beasts, all believed it would be the end.
Suddenly, the winds stopped, and the air was as still as the grave. The woods were eerily silent.
Then the forest began to roar.
Underneath crooked bows and towering trunks, light burst forth in a remarkable kaleidoscope of colors, flooding the evening with rainbows of soft brightness, accompanied by wind chimes, the roar of waves, and a gentle humming deep below the ground. What now the developer witnessed was a living storm so magnificent his men acquiesced to run. And for the first time in his life, he truly regretted. He fled faster than he had ever before.
The next morning, as the sun rose, animals emerged to see the peaceful woods around them, and all spirits of the forest resumed their dances. Yet Gina and her band of helpers, still in awe of the power they had witnessed, turned their gazes quietly to the fading scarlet of the night, which seemed to still echo a deep sorrow, and they were steeped in realization.
The spirits, who saw the children felt the burdened look upon their little hearts and soon began to weave a song of thanks. Then resting against the clearing’s central oak, the elder spirit gazed warmly at them. “Fear not, children,” he said. “The balance has been restored, but it will take many years to heal. Remember this, we can all be the guardians of nature, wherever we may be. By planting seeds, conserving water, protecting all creatures, and spreading the word, all children can help sing this forest back to its old strength.”