Molly and Babou

Chapter One A Voice in the Forest Molly crossed the wooden bridge over the little stream and entered the forest. She sometimes liked to be alone first thing in the morning, away from Rags and Pupsie, her adopted sisters. It wasn’t that she didn’t love them or care about them. It was more the strain of feeling responsible for them all the time, having to tell them what they must do or could not do. Now she was freeat least for a while. With her nose to the ground, she zigzagged along the foot-worn trail. She was trying to pick up the scents of animals. She had not gone far when a distant, gruff voice called out from high up in the dense trees ahead. “Hello!” it said. “Who’s there?” Molly answered as she came to a sharp halt. Her ears drew back in sudden fear, her body began to tremble, and her heartbeat raced in terror. She searched the branches against the glare of the bright-blue sky. At first, she could not make out precisely where the voice had come from. Then Molly’s eye picked out an enormous black, hairy mass that seemed to hang from the branches. She wished she could glide through the air and make a beeline for home and the safety of her mama’s embrace. But, paralyzed by fear, she was unable to move. 1  “Who’s there?” she repeated. “I am a bear, can’t you see?” “I meant, what do you want?” Molly said, her voice shaky and her legs wobbly. “To speak with you.” “Why?” “Because I am lonely,” the bear replied, “so very lonely.” “What is your name?” Molly asked as she finally regained control. “My what?” he said, sounding a little confused. 2  3  Just as Molly was about to answer him, a shrill voice broke the silence of the forest. “Molly, M-o-l-l-yyyyy ... where’s my Mol?” “Did you hear that?” Molly asked as she pricked up her ears. “Yes, what was it?” “That was my mama calling me. I have to go home right away.” “But why?” the bear said in surprise. “Because she worries if I stay away in the forest too long.” The bear seemed perplexed by this. “Please, come back and see me tomorrow,” he said. There was a long silence before Molly gathered the courage to ask the bear, “Why?” “Because I would like to be your friend.” What a nice thing to say, Molly thought. “I often see you exploring the woods with your two friends and I think, that must be nice to have close friends like that.” 4  “They are my stepsisters,” Molly replied. After a pause, she added, “All right, I shall come to visit you tomorrow, if you promise me you will not cross the bridge and step onto our land. You must also promise to stay much further back in the woods. My younger sister, Pupsie, will become very frightened if she finds your scent on our land.” “I promise,” the bear said. “And stay higher up in the trees, as well,” Molly added for good measure. “I will, I will,” the bear said resolutely. “Well, you have my word.” As Molly turned to rush back home, a sudden gust of wind swirled the autumn leaves high into the sky. They seemed to chase the flittering little birds. She could not see their magnificent reds and golds, because like all dogs, she saw the world only in black, white, and gray. Besides, she was blind in one eye and poor-sighted in the other. One would never have guessed, watching her run through the forest. She could skip across fallen tree trunks and spring over bushes with the accuracy and grace of a deer in flight. As she entered the house, Molly wondered why she had made such a promise, and to a bear of all creatures. 5