The Tale of Happy Village

Happy village was very happy.

So happy it had happiness on its name.

However, it was also very poor.

So when it came spring, people would say:

“Oh, it’s getting warm! Everyone be happy, because we will have mushrooms!”

So everyone became happy because there was mushrooms.

Then when it was summer, people would say:

“Oh, it’s hot now! Everyone be happy, because there will be lots of fruit!”

So everyone was happy because there was a lot of fruit.

Then it came autumn, and people said:

“It’s beginning to turn cold! Everyone be happy, because the crops are due and the hunt is plenty!”

So everyone was happy because there was a lot of crops and meat.

Then, at winter, people would say:

“It’s so cold now! Everyone be happy, because we have wood for the fire!”

So everyone was happy because there was wood for the fire.

Happy village was near a river, and the river was near a forest with a Forest Spirit in it.

The Forest Spirit loved to hear people’s songs and happiness.

When it was spring it would give people plenty of mushrooms, so it could hear people singing near it while picking the mushrooms.

When it was summer it would make the trees give a lot fruit, so it would be delighted at the faces of people eating the fruit.

When it was autumn it would whisper where male animals where, so the hunters could hunt them, and also protect the crops from winds. This way it would hear happy when people praised it on the festival.

Then, when it was winter it would let old trees die and replace them with new ones. This way there was always good firewood for the village people to use to warm themselves. So they would keep being happy.

But one day a sadness fell on Happy Village, and it wasn’t happy anymore.

The forest spirit looked and looked, but could find no one happy.

So it went deep into the forest, as it heard no laughter.