The Wolf and the Baker's Daughter (Sequel to the Wolf and the Seven Kids)
When Mother Goat and her seven little kids went into their cottage, the good hearted Baker was taking his Daughter home from school. They went by the stream and the child saw bubbles rising from the water.
She asked the man to stop the horse and coach and pointed to the rippled water to the Baker. "Father, I see someone beneath the water! We have to help!"
The Baker and his Daughter rushed to the streams edge. The girl took off her shoes and jumped into the water and dived down. Moments later, she resurfaced with the waterlogged Wolf in tow. She swam over to the edge with one arm, the Wolf around the other.
"Hurry Father!" the girl yelled to the Baker, "Please aid me, he is heavy and I am losing my grip!"
The Baker took a rope, leaned down and tied it around the Wolf. He helped his Daughter out of the stream and aiding her father, they pulled the Wolf to land with much difficulty. For he was quite heavy with all those rocks inside of him!
The Baker recognized him immediately.
"This Wolf was in my shop," he told his tired Daughter, "He asked for dough to cover his injured paw. What did he get himself into?"
The man looked overhead and saw the goat's cottage, where Mother Goat and her children were still rejoicing over their enemy's downfall.
"I see now," exclaimed the Baker, "he tried to deceive those goats. He's quite bad!"
The Baker's Daughter looked at the plight that the Wolf was in. She took her hand and felt the rocks inside the Wolf's belly and noticed the stitched thread.
The girl said to her Father, "He's not quite bad, Father, just quite hungry."
The kind man grinned with pride. He was proud on how wise his child was becoming.
Suddenly the Wolf coughed up some water and groaned. He looked at the girl and fell unconscious.
"Poor creature," sighed the Baker. "So Daughter, what shall become of him now?"
The child untied the rope from the Wolf and gave her Father a smile.
The Baker and his Daughter carried the subdued Wolf with great effort to their coach and rode home.
At their cottage home, they placed the Wolf down on the rug by the fireplace so the hearth would dry his fur.
After his Daughter changed into dry clothes she took her beloved Mother's trusty needle and sewing kit. The girl was well experienced with sewing. So she carefully removed the thread of the unconscious Wolf's belly, and took out every single stone that was placed inside of him. The young girl then gently sewn him back up again and put a cloth around his waist.
Meanwhile her father was in the kitchen, cooking. He was quite a good chef as well as a pastry maker.
The Baker and his Daughter both finished their tasks together. The man came into the room and stood by his daughter. They both watched when the Wolf regains consciousness.
The Wolf opened his eyes and glanced around the serene room and rose to his feet. He was relieved that the heaviness of the rocks was no longer his misery. But the absence of the stones also returned his hunger. The Wolf hungrily eyed the little family.
The Baker became worried for his child, but the girl simply looked at the Wolf and smiled. She then pointed to the kitchen.
The Wolf turned his head in that direction and sniffed the air. His nose picked up scents of ham, lamb, and turkey all prepare on the table.
Without a single word, the Wolf dashed into the kitchen and began devouring the cuisine.
The Baker asked his Daughter, "This wily wolf is devious. How can we come to trust him?"
The child replied, "Because he will come to trust us."
After the Wolf finished the feast, he strolled back to the fireplace, stretched his soft full belly and lied down on the rug.
He looked up at the two people and said with a satisfied sigh, "I am uncertain on how I came to be here, but I am certainly staying."
The Wolf growled to them, "I want you to give me my supper every day. If not, then I will eat you! Agreed?"
The Baker was about to yell at the ungrateful brute, but his Daughter knelt beside the Wolf and rubbed his ears. No one has ever caressed him before, and the Wolf enjoyed it so much that he stopped growling.
The girl said softy, "Wolf, you have the ability to eat us but what would you prefer? To sustain yourself briefly, or never become hungry again?"
The Wolf sat up. He recognized the girl's face from back at the stream. He then noticed the large pile of big stones in the corner of the room and understood why the cloth bandage was wrapped around him. The Daughter and Father knew that he realized what had actually happened to him.
The Baker told the Wolf, "Your life nearly ended because of deceit. Trickery only leads to your own treachery."
His Daughter added, "We saved you because we are good. YOU can be good as well."
The girl put her arms around the surprised Wolf and said to him, "You do not have to trick us to remain here, you ARE welcomed here."
The Wolf could not believe how kind this child and her Father were to him. For he was always persecuted and feared since the day he was born. So in return, he kept to himself, becoming wily and threatening to survive.
To the Baker's amazement, the Wolf put his head over the girl's shoulder, leaning in her embrace. The Wolf was tired of his way of living and he wanted to trust.
The young girl whispered to the Wolf, "If you promise to spare us and protect us, I promise to protect you forever. Agreed?"
The Wolf gave a relaxed sigh and replied, "Agreed."
He then sloped down with his head in the girl's lap and yawned, "Thank you for saving me."
Hearing the Wolf's gratitude, the Daughter looked at her Father who nodded his head, "It's a start," he said.
It was a long day for both parties. So when the Wolf fell asleep, the Baker and his Daughter went to their rooms for the evening.
Sometime during the night, the girl was awakened in bed when she felt a big paw on her shoulder. It was the Wolf.
"Do you need protection while you rest?" he questioned the child.
The girl asked him politely, "Wolf, may I ask you the same question?"
Smiling, the Wolf nodded.
The child moved aside in her bed and allowed the Wolf to lie next to her. She placed her arm over him and patted his big belly and fell asleep. The sleepy wolf put his paws over his little friend's hand, wagging his bushy tail. Never has the Wolf been so contented and comfortable in his life.
And being surrounded with trust and warmth he too dozed off.
The Wolf being well-fed fell into a deep slumber and began to snore. The snoring did not awaken the girl as she was used to her Father, who also was a loud sleeper, so her rest was not interrupted!
So the Wolf lived with the Baker and his Daughter. He kept his new family safe and in return, they fed, sheltered and cared for him. The Wolf bonded with them; especially the Baker's young, but very wise Daughter, who gave the Wolf a reason to trust.
The Baker and his Daughter's life even became more pleasant with the new true and trusting Wolf around! And wouldn't you know… They lived happily ever after…especially the Wolf.
THE END!