The Cherry Tree Troll

As the other children ran outside for recess, Annie stood next to her teacher's desk, a worried look on her face. Mrs. Smith, had asked her to stay in for recess.

“Did I do something wrong, Mrs. Smith?” Annie asked nervously.

Mrs. Smith smiled gently at the little girl and asked, “Why didn’t you do your homework, Annie?”

"Oh but I did do my homework, Teacher!” exclaimed Annie.

“Then where is it? Can’t you turn it in?” said Mrs. Smith.

"Well...no...I don't have it anymore. I would like to explain but you won’t believe me when I tell you why." Annie said in a small voice.

Mrs. Smith smiled gently and replied, “I will believe you, if you tell me the truth”

"Well you see, my neighbor’s puppy ate my homework!" Annie looked up at her teacher with a serious expression.

Mrs. Smith tried hard to not smile and finally asked, “And how did that happen?”

Annie chewed on her bottom lip a moment as she studied her teacher and then asked in a little voice, "You promise to listen to me and to believe me?"

Mrs. Smith nodded her head, her eyes were twinkling merrily. Annie took a deep breath and answered in a secretive voice, "Well, alright then. This is exactly what happened this morning..."

This morning, after breakfast, I was walking down our driveway to wait for the school bus. I like to walk down the driveway because it is lined with big cherry trees. It is spring and the trees are covered with pretty pink flowers; when I shake the tree branches, it rains petals on me. I had my homework in my backpack and I was very proud of it. I worked hard on it! I just knew you would give me a star!

Well, as I was shaking the tree at the end of the driveway, I heard a very cranky, squeaky voice shouting at me, 'Stop that shaking; stop it at once I say!' I was very surprised, and stepped back from the tree and looked around for who was talking to me.

'Who said that?' I asked.

'I said it of course. Don’t you have eyes? Who else would be talking to you from the tree,' cried the cranky voice. I looked all around me but didn’t see anyone!

'Well no...I don’t see!' I replied, confused. 'Are you the tree? I have never talked to a tree before.' A sound come out of the tree that sounded like music and bubbling water. I think he was laughing. Something moved in the tree trunk, and I finally saw him. It was a little man, coming out of the tree!

He had nut brown skin and snapping black eyes and a funny white beard. He was bald and had two patches of white hair sticking out from his ears. He wore a silvery brown suit, the same color of the cherry tree trunk. 'Oh! Hello! Who are you?' I asked.

'I am the Cherry Tree Troll, and I am the very last troll.' he said proudly.

'Why are you the last? What happened to the others?' I asked him.

The troll looked very sad. Two great tears fell down his cheeks as he said, 'One by one the homes that we live in have been cut down to make room for big houses and busy streets. When our trees are cut down, then we have to go back to the land of the fairies. You might say that our trees are our doors between here and Fairy Land.' He clapped his hand to his mouth, his eyes wide open as if he had let out a very great secret that he shouldn't have.

I had many questions for him, but asked the first ones I thought of. 'How long have you lived in our cherry tree, and why did you choose this tree?'

The little man smiled merrily and answered, 'I live in this tree because I love cherries, and this tree has the very best cherries. I have lived in this tree since it was not much bigger than a sapling.' He looked at me, waiting for me to think of some more questions.

'Why don't you want to live in Fairy Land?' I paused a moment, dreaming of what Fairy Land must look like and said, 'I bet it is beautiful there.'

The troll smiled and replied, 'Oh yes, it is very lovely. And the Fairy Queen is so beautiful she makes your eyes hurt. I like living there very much, except for one very important problem.' He leaned towards me and whispered, 'You see, the Fairy Queen loves cherries too, and she has made it a law that she is the only one that can eat the cherries in Fairy Land. If anyone else eats even one little cherry, they are banished!

'Well, I just love cherries. I might even like them more than the Fairy Queen! I decided that if I couldn't have them in Fairy Land, then I would find the best cherry tree in Human Land, and make my home in it. Then I can have all the cherries I want!' He leaned back against the trunk of his tree and patted a branch with a loving hand.

I nodded my head at the Cherry Tree Troll and said, 'Yes, I can understand why you would want these cherries. They are my very favorite.' After a couple of minutes, I asked, 'If all your family are gone to Fairy Land, then who do you talk to?'

He looked very sad and replied, 'I used to know a little girl that was my friend. She would come and talk to me and bring me little treats. But she has grown up and doesn’t remember me any more. Her name was Sarah.' He paused a moment and then in a hopeful voice, he asked me, 'Do you know Sarah?’

'Well, my mama’s name is Sarah. She grew up in the house next door. Grandma and Grandpa still live there. Do you think my mama is your friend that grew up?’ I cried out, excited.

He pulled his funny little beard thoughtfully and said, 'I don’t know. You will have to ask her. Why.....'

Just then the little man froze and then, quick as a wink he disappeared. I looked around and saw why. Our neighbor’s puppy was coming to see me. The little dog started barking when he saw the little man in the tree. He wouldn’t hurt anyone, but the Cherry Tree Troll wouldn’t know that. I opened my backpack and put the puppy in it so the troll would feel safe.

'Its ok, Mr. Troll. The little puppy won’t bother you now.' Just when I thought he wouldn’t come out again, he appeared. We had a nice long talk while I waited for the bus to come pick me up. When the bus was coming down my street the Cherry Tree Troll went back into his tree after promising to come see me tomorrow morning, and I let the puppy out of my pack.

He wasn’t happy being in there and tore up all my papers and ate my lunch. I let him down and he ran down the street. That’s when the bus came to my stop and I didn’t have time to redo my homework. And that’s why I don’t have my homework, Teacher." With a great sigh of relief, Annie ended her story.

Mrs. Smith tried very hard to not smile. In a serious voice, Mrs. Smith replied, “Oh, I see. That is quite an adventure! I can’t blame the puppy for eating your homework after being stuck in your back-pack. Why don’t you sit and write down your adventure with the Cherry Tree Troll, and I will count that as your homework. But from now on, remember; don’t put puppies in your backpack.” Annie nodded her head happily, grinning at Mrs. Smith and hurried to her desk to begin writing her story.

Mrs. Smith walked to the chalkboard, a wide smile on her face as she thought of Annie's story. For just a flash of a moment, she remembered speaking to a little man dressed in brown clothes when she was a little girl. He lived in the willow tree in her backyard. They had been very good friends and had some wonderful adventures.

Suddenly the bell rang and the children started returning to their seats, and once again, she had forgotten all about her little friend from long ago. Turning to face the class, Mrs. Smith said with a smile, "It is time for class to begin. Please take out your pencils and journals, children."


Won 3rd Place in "The Myth/Fantasy Contest"