The Stone House in the Wood

    Once there was a boy, with two younger brothers, who lived in the wood in a house made of stone with his mother. His father had been chased off by his mother not very long ago. 

-You good for nothing! Scram! -she had shouted! -I’m the most unhappy person you could imagine. I need freedom from your boring ways!

    So the father had left, sad and lonely, out the back door and wandered for a year until far away by the ocean, a fisher woman took pity on him and gave him room and board in her cottage with a cute thatched roof. Which, of course,  turned into a loving if feisty marriage. They were always shouting at each other.

-I’m the one who took pity on you, you need to shape up and ease my loneliness! -she would shout with an annoying edge.

-But you’re so wealthy from all the fish mongering at the market that you should just relax and enjoy my company! What’s your problem, fish woman, fish are good! -he would whisper and then shout back. 

I’ll go to the market for you from here on out -he added and so placated her and they began to enjoy their fish together at the thatched cottage by the sea.

    Meanwhile, back in the wood, the boy and his brothers missed the father and were getting tired of being called boring by their mother in the stone house.

-We’re not boring, we’re just kids! -the oldest brother would say.

-We’re not boring, we’re still learning about the wood. -said the second brother.

-We’re not boring, plus we don’t even like this stone house! -said the third and youngest brother.

    But the bored mother would only say -I think only another woman can help me with my situation, its a spiritual thing, you wouldn’t understand. What would you know of such deep and wide reaching matters, you’re just kids!

    So the three boys sat down by the fire one night and over a cup of steaming broth they discussed the dilemma.

-She’s right -said the oldest brother -We know nothing of women and their dilemmas.

-Yes! -said the middle brother -how can we help her and ourselves at the same time?

-I know! -said the youngest brother, who had only recently began to talk and was hardly walking -We’ll go find father and ask him!

-No -said the oldest brother, -I’m the oldest and I’ll go alone. I can’t get through these woods and watch out for you two at the same time. There’s wolves and bears and snakes out there.

-O my goddess! -said the middle brother. -Yes. Snakes!

-And wolves! -said the youngest brother.

-And bears! -said the oldest. -But I’m a fast runner! I’ll leave tomorrow morning at first light.

    So the three brothers worked together to pack the oldest brother’s satchel and at the crack of dawn, he set out, down the path and out of sight around the curve. The two younger brothers stood in the doorway watching him go and began to feel even lonelier. But soon enough a gigantic thunderstorm gathered its dark clouds overhead. It seemed for a few minutes as if it might be a hurricane the winds were howling so. But instead the rains just fell in sheets and the stone house grew very damp.

    And yes, over at the cottage by the sea side the waves grew very tall and very nearly washed away the fisher woman and her newish beau, because their cottage only had a thatched roof. But it held and the rain washed away to the sea. A rainbow came out after that. And the silver tongued father and the fisher woman knew everything would be ok.