NICO ECENARRO• children's illustrator


THE LAST LEAF
OF AUTUMN
A short folktale about helping another during the cold and quiet last day of autumn. There were prompts from the Folktale Week Challenge.
On the brisk air, they heard a tiny voice call out, “Help! I’ve been such a fool!” coming from inside a hole.

The tiny voice said, “Go to the tree in the distance and bring me back the last leaf of autumn.”

The child returned to the tiny voice inside the hole and dropped the last leaf of autumn into it. As the leaf floated down, it started glowing like a star.

The tiny voice rang out, "Ohh, YEE-AH! I'm a rebel fall fairy!" and flew from the hole. This fairy of autumn stayed too long in the cold and their powers began to fade. Healthy again from the last leaf, they still need help to return home for winter's rest.

The fall fairy explained that no human can be told about their realm, but with sticks and mud and a few adjustments, "This costume is the best tree folk disguise," said the little rebel with wings.

The child set the tiny rebel in it's tree stump home. The fall fairy quickly got comfortable, and uncapped a marked acorn, "This is my winter rest potion. Thanks, kid, now I'll be warm and sleepy all season."

The child returned to the comforts of their own home, rewarded themselves with a mug of hot chocolate in the reading chair, and they thought, 'A day spent helping was a day of victory.'