RogueSummersLover: As you can tell, this is the original. I gave bits and pieces of the animals. Fans of Fruits basket should be able to tell. It's not what I usually write and I'm not that fond of it. Oh well, Soon I'll put the other verision on as a next chapter. Anyways. Enjoy it.
The Thankful Traveler
"Grandpa! Grandpa!" A little boy of 5 years old cried out in excitement. "Grandpa!" An older man across the room chuckle.
"Hello Tommy." He got up from his lazy boy chair and walked over to his grandson. He bent down and smiled at the little boy. "And how are we today, Tommy?" The Grandpa asked. He shot a look up at the woman that little Tommy was standing in front of.
"Mattie, How are you?" The grandpa asked, pulling himself off of the floor to face his daughter-in-law.
"I'm fine, just running a little late today. Do you think you and Dottie can watch him today? Jimmie and I are working late and the baby-sitter isn't available." Mattie sighed. Grandpa smiled.
"We always have time for our favorite grandson. Don't worry about it, Mattie. I'm sure we can find something to keep his attention while you and Jimmie are at work, right Tommy?" Tommy smiled and jumped up and down.
"Ooooh, Grandpa, can you tell me one of your stories? Pwease?" The grandpa chuckled and nodded.
"All right, I see that you two have bonded over your stories. I'll be leaving now, Tommy." Mattie bent down and kissed the little boy on the head. He scrunched up his face in distaste.
"Mommy." He whined. She laughed and smiled.
"Bye Tommy. You be a good boy for Grandma and Grandpa, ok? I love you." Mattie kissed the top of his head. She said good-bye to the Grandpa and then let herself out.
"Dottie, guess who came to stay for awhile?" The grandpa smiled and led the child into the kitchen. The woman poked her out from the kitchen and smiled.
"Oh, Tommy! How wonderful. Would you like some milk and cookies?" The little boy nodded, eagerly. "Ok, well, why don't you go sit down in the study and have story time while I make the cookies?"
"Ok!" Tommy ran into the study with his grandpa following behind.
"Come on Tommy." The grandpa patted his knee as he sat down on his chair. Tommy jumped onto his lap and beamed at his grandpa. "Did I ever tell you the story of the Thankful Traveler?" The grandpa looked down at his grandson. He shook his head. "No? Well, I should tell you then. First and foremost, This isn't an ordinary tale, but a tale filled with animals instead of mankind. One cold fall day...
One cold fall day in the town of Red Oak, there was a traveler who had wondered into the town hoping to find a place to stay for a night. The traveler's name was Oliver. Like the meaning of his name, Oliver was a very kind and caring young rabbit. He was virtuous and selfless. He was the perfect animal that one could ever ask for. Except, he had one fault.
"And do you know what that fault was, Tommy?" The Grandpa asked. The little boy shook his head. "He was kind and caring."
"But, Grandpa, why was that bad?" the little boy asked, confused.
"It wasn't a fault to him, but to everyone else. No one understood him, except a small rat...
One day, as Oliver was walking on the dirt trail he was stopped by Mrs. Cashlin, the snake.
"Why hello there Traveler. I couldn't help but notice you walking down the trail. Are you alone?"
"Hello Ma'am. Yes, I am traveling alone. Do you need anything, Ma'am?" Oliver asked generally concerned for the snake's well being.
"Well, you see, young traveler, my husband is home sick with agenesis. And neither he nor I have the money to pay the medical bill." Mrs. Cashlin said with fake sorrowfulness.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Here take this." Oliver frowned and pulled out 10 silver coins and 20 gold coins. He gave Mrs. Cashlin all of his coins. "I hope this will help you and your husband. I wish you happiness." The rabbit gave the snake a smile. The snake flicked her tongue at Oliver and ran off.
Oliver watched as the snake ran off in the opposite direction. With a shrug of his shoulders, he continued with his search. Soon after his stomach grumbled alerting him of his hunger. I should stop for lunch since I didn't eat breakfast. The rabbit stopped by an oak tree and dug into his bag. He pulled out a loaf of bread and wine. Just as he was about to bite into his bread a little hen appeared.
"Sir, May I have that loaf of bread? My brother is sick and the only way to heal him is through a loaf of bread and some wine. I tired looking in the town, but no one could spare a loaf." The hen said with tears in her eyes.
"What's your name little one?" Oliver asked so stricken with the hen's words.
"My name, Sir? It's Leiko."
"Here you go. Please help your brother, Leiko. I wish you both happiness." The traveler handed the hen the wine and load of bread. The hen left with a grin on her face. Oliver smiled as he watched the hen go.
He picked himself up off of the ground and was forced to continue with his travel. To pass the time he . . .
"Come on you two! The cookies are done. Get them while they're warm!" Dottie's voice rang out, interrupting the story.
"Aw, Grandma, you messed up the story." Little Tommy whined.
"Oh, come on now. Grandpa can tell you the rest of the story after you have your snack."
"Aw ok. Come on Grandpa, lets get some cookies." Tommy got off of his grandpa's lap and ran into the rustic style kitchen. The grandparents exchanged a loving smile before following the boy into the kitchen.
"Grandpa? Can you finish the story?" Little boy asked with his eyes blinking innocently and his lower lip covering the top lip, forming a puppy dog face. He chuckled and took a seat next to his grandson; Dottie followed his actions.
"All right, Tommy, all right." Grapping an cookie, and taking a bite, Grandpa situated himself to he could continue on with the story.
"...To pass the time he whistled a little tone. He walked on and on until he came upon a sheep sitting on the ground, head in his hands and sobbing. Oliver, being the one who thinks of others first, went to the sheep and asked what was wrong. The sheep lifted up his head and smiles at Oliver.
"Sir, we don't have money for planting our seeds for this years crop season. My family hardly gets by with what we do grow. It's so horrible." The sheep buries his head in his arms and snickers so quietly it looked like he was sobbing. To Oliver, it looked like the sheep was so distraught that he bent down so he was eye level with the sheep.
"Don't cry, Please don't cry. Here, take my bag. Surly you could get some money with it." Oliver watched the sheep's eyes dry and brighten. He took the bag from the rabbit and ran off down the road. The traveler smile a small sad smile.
"I wish you happiness." He called after the sheep. What was he do now? He couldn't pay anybody for a place to stay, Oliver decided to stay in the woods. I'll just find an old den or a cave to sleep in. Oliver changed his direction of path and headed into the dense forest. Oliver walked with the wind in his face and his head hung low.
"Sir?" Called a tiny voice so tine that Oliver that it was the wind whispering. Oliver looked up as heard a louder "Sir?"
"Hello? Is any one there?" Oliver asked, and heard a little squeak of a response.
"I'm down here, Sir." Oliver followed the voice and saw a mouse sitting on a rock.
"Hello. . ."
"My name is Candan." The mouse answered Oliver's unmentioned question. "I called to you because you were going to walk all over me." Candan continued.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry. I didn't even realize it. Please forgive me, Candan." Oliver hung his head in a show of self-humility and respect for the mouse.
"It's all right. Where are you heading so late in the night and in the woods?" The mouse asked.
"I was traveling on the road, but some animals needed things and I gave them everything except the clothes off of my back. I'm glad I could help them out. I was looking for a place to stay. I would have asked them, but they all left before I could finish my sentence. I came to the woods hoping to find some abandoned dens that I could sleep in." Oliver explained his adventure to Candan.
"What is it that you desire?" The mouse asked. Oliver blinked.
"What I want? I've never really thought about that. I suppose, a warm place, with friends and family surrounding me. I think, I think that's what I want." Oliver sat down on a rock.
"Good, very good. Everyone deserves to have what they want, especially you. You gave all those animals what they wanted, not what they needed. But you did it with willingness. That is the greatest gift. Giving. But now, You will be granted something you so desperately want. A Home with friends and family surrounding. Come with me and live with me and my family. They'll be happy to meet you." The mouse said with wisdom.
"Oh, thank you Candan, but I don't know if I could except your gracious offer. I would be implying on you and your family."
"Nonsense. Come, We'll be one big family." The mouse lead the thankful traveler to his new home. . .
"And as the traveler fallowed his new friend and family member home, he thought back on everything he did. He truly was thankful." Grandpa fished telling the story. He looked down at Tommy, who was still picking at the cookies. "Well, Tommy, what did you think of the story?" Grandpa asked.
"I thought it was good. But why did the traveler give away all his things, and never got anything in return?" Tommy asked.
"Because he was a kind person and his greatest gift was giving and not receiving." Grandpa responded.
"Just like at Christmas time when you like seeing other people happy when they open your gifts." Dottie explained. Tommy looked thoughtful for a moment as if he was trying to piece together the whole story in his mind. He must have gotten it because his face brightened.
"Tommy, your mother and father will be here shortly." Grandpa said softly.
Tommy whined, "Aw, but I don't wanna go. I wanna here another story." The grandparents exchanged a laughing glance.
"Next time."
"Tommy! We're back!" Mattie and Jimmie's voice called from the living room.
"I guess they're here already." Dottie commented. Tommy got up from his chair and ran into the room and jumped on his mother and father.
"Guess what?" Tommy giggled at his father's face.
"What?" Mattie answered.
"Grandpa told me a story."
"Really. Why don't you tell us in the car, hmm?" Jimmie smiled down at his son and turned to his father.
"Thank you, Dad." Grandpa smiled.
"Ya, ya. now go on and get before that son of yours decides to stay." Grandpa's eye were filled with pride and love.
"You heard Grandpa. Go on and say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa." Mattie ushered the child off. They all said their goodbyes and Jimmie, Mattie and their son went on their way.
THE END