Once upon a time, in an enchanted forest, lived a young girl. This girl loved the forest in which she lived. However, the little girl was sad.

The little girl had no voice. She could not speak or sing. All her life, the little girl had lived this way. And the little girl was sad.

Every night, when the fireflies were flickering, and the stars were twinkling, and the crickets were chirping, the little girl went out exploring.

The forest shone with magic. The little girl saw the sparkling trails of fairies, and heard the mumbles from the gnomes inside their mossy homes at the bases of the trees.

On this particular night, the little girl went farther than she usually did. She came across a curtain of vines that looked like they were covering a secret entrance. The little girl pushed the vines to the side.

To her surprise, she found a grotto. She tiptoed inside, slightly nervous.

“Who goes there?” said a deep voice. Out of the darkness came a beautiful tiger. The little girl cowered away.

“Don’t be scared, girl. I have never seen a human in the forest. Where are you from?” The little girl could not answer, so she picked up a stick and drew her cottage in the dirt.

“Ah, so you are the one who lives there. Can’t you speak?” The little girl shook her head. “I can help you,” said the tiger, and the little girl nodded, smiling.

The tiger handed her a jar and a satchel. “Go, take this jar. Fill it halfway with water from the grotto, and then with the satchel catch three fireflies and one fairy.” So the girl took the things and left.

She filled the jar with water, caught three fireflies and one fairy. Delighted, she went back to the tiger and gave him all the things. The tiger opened the jar and blew the light from the fireflies into it. He shook the fairy dust into the jar as well.