“All the villages were terrified of the creature in the forest, but one day a curious child decides to investigate, and surprised everyone with what they found—“

“Balki?” Larry interrupted. He looked at the pair of two year old boys already enraptured in Balki’s story.

“Cousin, I’m telling a story here.”

“I just want to make sure this won’t be a scary story,” Larry said, not wanting to admit that he was already feeling goosebumps just from this short blurb.

“Nay, not a scary story at all! Now, the curious young boy loved the forest. He knew most of it like the back of his head—“

“Hand, Balki,” Larry corrected.

“Do you want to tell this, Cousin?” Balki asked, tired of Larry’s interrupting.

“I don’t even know the story so how could I tell it?”

Balki continued, “The young boy entered the forest determined to meet the creature everyone had warned him about. He found a lean-to and gently rapped on its opening. The boy offered a kind greeting but was met with only a grunt. He tried again but heard nothing and bid the creature farewell.”

“I think the creature just wants to be left alone,” Larry commented.

Balki continued again, “The young Mypiot boy returned day after day. He would bring food, flowers, some token of friendship. The creature didn’t ever come out. One day the boy had to accompany his mother to an outing and wasn’t able to visit the creature. When he went back the next day, he finally met the creature…” He paused, then continued, “The creature was short and had dark curly hair over its head and body. It greeted the boy and asked where he’d been the previous day. The boy explained he’d had a chore to do and hadn’t thought he’d be missed. The curly haired creature explained that the boy was the only person to ever stop and try to make friends and when he didn’t visit the day before he worried the boy had had enough of his distant behavior and wouldn’t come back. But the Mypiot boy had returned and the creature wanted to show appreciation. He also asked the boy if he could tell everyone else that he, the creature, wasn’t scary, just liked to be alone. Well, the boy did just that and soon the creature was welcomed with open arms and the villagers even gave him a name: Larriki.” Balki grinned as he watched Larry’s brow lower, then raise again as he realized what just happened.

“Balki!” Larry exclaimed.

“Sorry, Cousin, but that really is what they named him. I never told you that story before, hoh?”

“No, Balki, you sure didn’t.” Larry glowered as their boys hugged Balki in appreciation of the story.

-End-