Ebb's Puzzle-Box: A Tale of Honesty and Acceptance
In the small, serene village of Farefolk, nestled on the edge of the thick, fragrant pine forest, lived a common man named Ebb Stewart. Ebb was no ordinary villager, but a craftsman who could create extraordinary wooden artifacts with his hands.
His craftsmanship was loved and respected throughout the region, but his most venerated creation was an intricate wooden puzzle-box of cypress and mahogany. The beauty of this box was unparalleled, carved with an assortment of designs - fluttering butterflies on the lid, a blossom tree on its side, a lush vine twirling around its edges, and a montage of gears inside that unraveled a concealed compartment.
There was an interesting feature about this puzzle-box - the key to unlock the concealed compartment was the owner's deepest secret. One must place the box near their heart and whisper their darkest secret. Only then, would the puzzle-box reveal its hidden chamber.
Years passed. Ebb got older, and he eventually passed away, leaving the wooden puzzle-box behind.
The box was assumed to be an extinct legacy, lost amidst the many artifacts Ebb ever built, until one day, it stumbled into the hands of Ebb's grandson, Oliver.
Oliver was a seven-year-old, mischievous and lively. Ever since he had laid his eyes on the splendid box, he was fascinated, puzzled and excited. Before letting him have the box, Oliver’s father told him about the box’s unique feature; to unlock the compartment, a secret had to be shared.
Days turned into weeks, Oliver spent every minute he could with the box, whispering all sorts of secrets to it - stealing cookies from the jar, not brushing his teeth before bed, hiding his father's pipe. But the box remained as it was.
The situation started to frustrate Oliver. He was convinced that he wasn't thought worthy of the box's secret.
One night, when Oliver slipped into his blanket, the puzzle-box clutched tightly in his hands, he nervously whispered another secret. A secret he had never shared. He felt the pang of guilt and regret as he confessed about a small accident he had caused, which resulted in a fire. It was this fire that claimed the life of Ebb, his beloved grandfather.
The second he finished speaking, the box trembled. Gears started shifting, butterflies fluttered, the tree blossomed, and the vine slithered around till a soft click echoed through. Bowled over by astonishment, Oliver gently opened the compartment, inside of which nestled a folded sheet of paper.
Tears welled up in Oliver's eyes as he read the note. It was a letter from his grandfather, written years ago, not to be found until the right time. It explained how no secret was too small to have consequences, but the step of acceptance and confession was the beginning of healing and growth. The puzzle-box was not just a trinket but a symbol of honesty and wisdom.
That night, Oliver didn't just unlock his grandfather's puzzle-box but also the door towards self-acceptance and growth.
This tale of a boy and a wooden box survived as folklore in Farefolk's heart and will forever be cherished, reminding the entire village about the power of honesty and acceptance.