THE WOLF VILLE

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Avianna. She had skin as white as milk. Her hair fell long and straight
down to her back, like a sheet of rich auburn silk. her eyes shone like two covered ice-covered ponds, a hazel so
soft it was almost colorless, so pale as to be almost translucent.
Although her family was of noble status, no man had stepped forward to ask for her hand in marriage nor have
suitors because they did not think her paleness was beautiful. They thought her strange and thus undesirable.
She attended the balls held by the king, dressed in her most opulent attire: a beautiful white gown adorned with
delicate silver lacing, shimmering crystals, and pearl jewelry. However, no one ever asked her to dance, and she
stood on the sides of the ballroom overcome with shame. Avianna was convinced that she was ugly.
Despite this, she had fallen in love with the King Henry of Hogwarts. He was handsome and charming. But, of
course, he had never even glanced at her. He only danced with beautiful girls, and she was not beautiful. Those
girls had long hair, twisting in luscious curls of golden blonde, chestnut brown, ebony black. Their eyes
outshone the gemstone shimmering on their ballgowns: emeralds, rubies, sapphires. Their cheeks flushed a rosy
pink, they spun across the ballroom floors as light as flowers floating on a summer breeze. Each was as
beautiful as Aphrodite. Avianna wished she could look like them, so perhaps the king would notice her, perhaps
fall in love with her as she had with him. But she knew her wish was futile, as there was nothing, she could do
to win the king’s favor with her looks. So, she had resigned to drown herself rather than continue plodding
through such a lonely, loveless life.
She left the kingdom and entered the Redwood Forest, drifting through the ancient trees like a ghost, already
accepting the dull existence of a shade. She admired the beauty of the woods: the remaining leaves rustling
gently in dance with the wind, dappling the sunlight in elaborate, ever-shifting patterns. The whole forest
glowed with a fiery autumn light, just beginning to dull as winter’s chill slunk in from the north. The first snow
had fallen early that year, and there were still snowdrifts under the shade of the trees. Avianna walked the path
until she came to the lake, its waters calm and dark. She sat down on its edge and let her legs dangle in the
water. It was cool and inviting. She thought that perhaps it would be pleasant to let it take her.
As Avianna sat, pondering what death might feel like as it filled her lungs, a white wolf came trotting out of the
trees. He approaches her silently, sitting down close by and watching her with intent golden eyes. Although
aware of the white wolf’s presence, Avianna continued to stare down into the water, entranced by the ripples
that warped her reflection.
After a brief silence, the white wolf asked, ‘‘Might you have some food to spare?’’ He paused for a moment,
then added, ‘Things are getting scarce since the snow was early, by the way I’m Jacob Cullen’’ Avianna
smiled. She had, indeed, brought a small basket of bread and fruit. “Of course,’’ she said, spilling the contents
of the basket on the ground in front of the white wolf. “Thank you,” he said, beginning to hungrily devour the
berries. “Your kindness will not be forgotten’’
Avianna returned to gazing at the water and the forest, trying to burn the image into her mind so she might have
something pleasant to remember as she drowned. When the white wolf had finished eating, licking the remnants
off his snout contentedly, he said, “It’s very beautiful, isn’t it?” “Oh yes,” Avianna replied. “This has always
been my favorite place to come since I was a child”.
“Why do you come here for?” He asked. Avianna stared into the distance with a smile, remembering the
happy innocence of her youth. “In the winter, I would come to play in the snow and skate across the frozen
lake. In the summer, I would come to flower crowns, sing with the bird, make wishes on dandelions,
Often, I would simply bring a book and read in the company of the trees. Such beautiful stories….”
The wolf could see those pleasant moments replaying themselves across her imagination. “What lovely
memories,” he said. “I would quite like it if you told me one of those beautiful stories sometimes.” He
could hear the sorrow echoing in her voice. ‘‘Why not?”
‘‘I have duties and responsibilities now that keep me from such simple pleasures. I must help my mother
maintain the household, as my family’s only daughter. Though I would much prefer to help my father
and brothers with the business trade. Such work seems far more interesting than sweeping and cooking
and sewing. I could travel, negotiate prices, learn so many things,” she said wistfully.
“Well, surely your fondness of learning suggests that you would be more suited to those intellectual tasks
than menial labor. Why can you not help with the business?”. Avianna laughed lightly. “What a thought!
Such tasks are not a woman’s work, dear wolf “. “Can a woman not do such work? It’s already year
2022” said the wolf.
 “Oh no, A woman is expected simply to do housework. clean, care, for children is part of our family’s
tradition and culture as Bahraini. Perhaps sing or dance or demonstrate some other skill. Obey,” She
added bitterly. “Obey your father and when you find a husband, obey him. Business would fall far outside
of a woman’s capabilities or duties. It is not my place.”
The wolf tilted his head. “It seems to me that you would be far more capable of such tasks than those cruel
men who come to the forest to hunt, yelling and chasing with thoughtless fervor.”. Avianna looked down at
her reflection sadly. “But I cannot even perform simple woman’s tasks well. I cannot sing nor dance with
any exceptional skill. I do not like cooking or cleaning. And I will never be able to find a husband.”.
“Why not?” the wolf asked.
Lost in thought, Avianna did not respond to his question. After a moment, she sighed. She had remembered why
she had returned to the lake, and it would be best to get on with her task before she lost all her courage. She had
brought rope, so she might tie stones to her ankles to weigh herself down. As she began to search for stones that
would serve her purpose, the white wolf watched with curiosity. “What are you doing?” he asked. ‘I am
going to drown myself,” Avianna said simply. The white wolf did not respond for a long moment, silenced by
surprise. “Why are you going to drown yourself?” She sighed, bowing her head and letting her long auburn
hair that covers her face like a curtain. “Because I am ugly, and the king whom I love will never return to
my affections.”
“There is no need to lie to me, good wolf,” Avianna replied sadly. “I have accepted my fate though I know
that you could never understand because you are quite beautiful yourself. Your fur is as white as
alabaster, white as the first winter snow and your eyes are golden like the prince’s treasure, golden like
the sun’s glow.” The white wolf blinked. “And yet your skin is like milk, your hair smooth as silk, your
eyes as clear and bright as emerald. Surely you must be the most beautiful of all women in your king’s
court. And your kindness must exceed even that if you are willing to offer your last meal to a measly wolf.
You exhibit great intelligence and curiosity. This prince is blind if he cannot see your goodness. It seems
to me that he must unworthy of your affections.” Avianna began to cry. “Oh, you are wrong, dear wolf. It
is me that am unworthy. What you describe as beauty is only dullness. I am plain, unfit to stand before a
king. If only I were beautiful…” She dissolved into tears, unable to speak. “Beauty is not the most
important quality to have,” the wolf said, attempting to comfort the poor girl. “But without beauty, no one
will ever love me,” she cried “and is a life without love even worth living?”. The wolf shook his head.
“Surely love should see past appearances.”
“A love is blind,” Avianna said. “But it should be.”. “It doesn’t matter” Avianna sobbed. “It doesn’t
matter. I’m going to drown myself and nothing will matter anymore. I don’t want to keep living like
this.”
The wolf’s heart was moved. He thought that such a kind, a thoughtful girl deserves to be happy, and he felt
resolved to do what he could. So, he left Avianna by the lake and entered the forest, searching for something
that could help her. When the fox returned, he carried in his mouth a lion skin coat. He approached Avianna,
who was still crying quietly at the edge of the water and pawed gently at her arm to get her attention.
She looked up and gasped, reaching out to take the lion coat from the wolf’s mouth as if she could still save it.
As soon as the coat touched her hands, it transformed into a magnificent ball gown. The dress was black, though
it shimmered in hues of iridescent blue and violet. Diamonds sparkled like stars on the rich fabric. A necklace
of silver and onyx gleamed in the sunlight. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” Avianna exclaimed, running her hands
lovingly along with the dress. The wolf appeared to smile. “It is yours,” he said “In return for your kindness.
You will look so stunning that your king will surely fall in love with you at first sight.”
“Thank you, dear wolf,” Avianna said hugging the gown to her chest tightly. “Thank you so much. I will
never be able to express my gratitude enough.” With that Avianna hurried back down the path towards the
kingdom, forgetting her previous desire to die in hopes that the prince might just find her beautiful if he saw her
in such lovely attire. But when Avianna attended the next ball, the king’s eyes slid over her as if she was
invisible. In her despair, she didn’t notice that the other girls whispered among themselves, admiring and
envying her lavish garments. Perhaps if the girl in a silver dress had not first captured the king’s attention that
evening, his eyes might have caught on the striking contrast between the lion-black dress and the milky white
glow of blanches skin.
But look past her yet again, and she determined to end her heartache. She returned to the lake the next day,
where the wolf was already sitting at the edge of the water. He had both hope and not hoped that she would
return, desiring to see her again yet wishing that she had found happiness, even if it meant she forgot about him.
When he saw Avianna he quickly realized that the ball had not gone well. “What happened?” he asked gently.
She collapsed to her knees beside him, burying her face in her hands. “Oh, my dear wolf, the king will never
love me. In my desperate hope, I forgot that I was still ugly, no matter how beautiful the dress I wear.”
 “You are far more beautiful than any dress,” he said laying his head in her lap. She stroked his soft fur and
sniffled. “If only I were half as beautiful as you, I’m sure the prince would notice me.” The wolf looked up
at the girl, wishing only that she could see herself as he saw her. If only he could convince her that, even if she
was ugly, it meant nothing compared to the goodness of her heart. “If you truly believe my fur to be
beautiful, then you may have it.”
“What?” Avianna said, looking down at the fox through teary eyes, “But I didn’t have anything to give you
in return, and I couldn’t possibly ask for something so precious to you.” “Take it,” the wolf insisted. “It
seems to me that you need it far more than I. Besides, your happiness is the best gift you could give me”
The wolf nuzzled his nose in her hand. As he did so, Avianna’s hair changed from auburn to white as alabaster,
transforming from the roots to its tips as if catching snows, and the wolf fur faded from white to black. Avianna
admired her reflection in the lake with awe, running her hands through the fiery white strands. “It is so
beautiful,” she whispered. Turning to the wolf, she added, “I am sure that you are the kindest creature in
this whole world. I might yet find happiness, thanks to you.” The wolf watched as she run back down the
forest path towards the kingdom, hoping that this time she found what she was looking for.
But when Avianna arrived at the ball, the king was already dancing with the girl with the silver dress, and he
didn’t turn his eyes from her for the entire evening. She returned to the lake the next day, determined to finally
end her life. The wolf came trotting out of the trees and sat beside Avianna as she let her legs dangle in the
water “I am going to drown myself” she said sternly.
“Anything but that” the wolf said.
She shook her head. “It’s hopeless, my dear wolf. I have no more tears to cry and no longer hope to give.
There is nothing for me to do but end it.”
“There is one thing I have left to give you,” he said, “and I beg you to take it. Take the gold of my eyes. If
after that you are still not happy, then I will not stop you from drowning yourself.”
Avianna looked at him, tears filling her eyes. “Oh, good wolf, I cannot be asked for any more of you. You
have already given me so much.”
“I want you to have it” He nuzzled his nose in her hand. As he did so, Avianna’s eyes changed from hazel to
the most radiant gold, and the wolf eyes faded from gold to a blank white. “Truly,” Avianna said, smiling
brightly, “I can never repay my debt to you. I will do as you say, and hope for one last time.” She left down
the path, but the wolf couldn’t watch her go, because in giving her his golden eyes he had rendered himself
blind. Avianna arrived at the ball, appearing to be an entirely new person. She had skin as white snow. Her hair
fell long and straight down her back, as white as wolf fur. Her eyes shone like two gold coins, rich and bright.
She wore her lion-black dress, shimmering in hues of iridescent blue and violet. A necklace of silver and onyx
glinted at her throat. As soon as she entered, all of the eyes in the room turned towards her. She was,
undeniably, the most beautiful woman there. The king fell in love with her the moment she saw her. He
approached and made a low bow. “May I have this dance?” Avianna curtsied, her heart pounding in her chest
as she said, “Yes, my king” They danced all evening. The king refuses to dance with anyone but her. When the
night came to a close, he invited her, exclusively, to return again the next night. Avianna thought her heart
would burst with joy. She returned the next night and the next. The king paid her every attention, doting on her
as she were a queen or a goddess. He admired her hair, which was such an exotic color. It shines as brightly as
snow, he told her. And her eyes glowed brighter than the sun, their glance worth more than all of his treasure.
He complimented her beauty, grace, and composure. He told her that she was the most beautiful woman he had
ever seen. Surely, she was made to be a queen.
As the days passed, the king’s adoration for Avianna only increased. He held a ball every evening, and never
took his eyes off her as they danced. He offered her great banquets and took her to the theatre and the opera. He
showered her with lavish gifts; expensive gowns and opulent jewels. Anything that Avianna desired, he
promised, would be hers. Avianna feels like she had gotten stuck in a dream from which she did not want to
wake. Her king finally loved her; she had found happiness.
One afternoon, the couple was walking through the royal gardens. Magic made everything appear in the full
bloom of summer. The paths were labyrinthine, winding around ornate golden fountains and perfectly trimmed
topiaries. The trees were laden with exotic fruits and the perfume of flowers hung heavy in the air. Marble
statues watched as Avianna and the prince wandered aimlessly across the grounds. The prince plucked a rose
and handed it to her. She twirled it between her fingers and relished its fresh, sweet scent.
Avianna realized that they had not had a chance to talk much in their time together, and she was rather eager to
learn more about him. “My king,” she said, “Are you a fond pf reading?”. “Reading?” he repeated, looking
at her blankly. “What need to do we have for reading childish fantasies when all we could desire is here
before us?”. “But what about all the wondrous things you can learn?” The prince waved a hand
dismissively. “Why should you be concerned with learning? You’ll have no need for that when you’re my
queen. You need only to worry about being beautiful and duteous.”
The king continued how about how wonderful life would be for her as his queen, how she would be for her as
his queen, how she would surely enjoy her simple, woman duties, but Avianna was no longer listening.
Suddenly, a great dread had seized her heart. Yes, she had gotten her wish: the prince finally thought her
beautiful enough. He loved her. But he only loved that which he saw, not which was underneath. To him, she
was only a tiny trophy to keep locked safely inside a glass cabinet. A beautiful object to possess and admire.
And like an object, she would be displayed when he wished, but expected to remain quiet and contained
otherwise. The king did not care for her thoughts, interests, or ambitions, so long as she fulfilled her duties, so
long as he gained pleasure from looking at her. But that wasn’t love. Not as Avianna had imagined and desired
it. This was the wolf had been trying to tell her. Avianna’s chest tightened at the thought of him. She realized
that she missed the wolf and his thoughtful questions. He had been kind to her, far kinder than the king. He had
thought her beautiful even before, although her beautiful, even before, although she hadn’t listened.
He had tried to understand her and had cared for her. Suddenly, the king’s company was loathsome. She
couldn’t stand for another moment to around his superficial compliments or materialistic gifts. Ultimately, they
mean nothing. She had the strongest urge to see the wolf. She wanted to apologize and, more importantly, thank
him for helping her to realize the truth.
At the soonest opportunity, Avianna left the king and hurried to the lake, where she hoped the wolf would greet
her as before. She found him lying in the same spot where she had left him so many days ago. He had grown so
thin that her ribs were clearly visible underneath his skin. His black fur was dull and dirty. His breathing was
shallow that for a moment Avianna thought that he was already dead. Although his eyes were open, she realized
that they were blank and sightless. In all her haste, she had not stopped to consider that the wolf sacrifice might
cost him dearly.
Avianna collapsed to her knees and gently pull the wolf unto her lap, stroking the black fur lovingly. “Oh, my
dear wolf, you have shown me more love than the king will ever be capable of showing anyone, and I
have killed you. I know that you would wish me to stay alive and find happiness, but I don’t know how
such a thing is possible. I find the thought of living without you abhorrent, and I do not think capable of
it. But I will do it anyway, to repay my great debt to you. I will live, good wolf, though it will be a life of
suffering, eager for the moment that we might be reunited.” With these last words she buried her face in the
wolf soft fur and sobbed.
At that moment, a fairy appeared and her heart was moved to pity at the sight. “Do not cry, child,” she said
quietly, kneeling beside Avianna. The girl Looked up at the fairy. “How could I hold back such bitter tears?
“I have killed this poor wolf, who has more humanity in his heart than any human I have met before. He
has shown me the greatest kindness and love, and I have repaid him with abandonment and suffering.
My own vanity and selfishness blinded me to the goodness that was right in front of me. I can never atone
for such a grievous mistake.”. The fairy smiled. “It is clear to me that your regret and affection for this
creature are genuine. I wish to help you.”
“Oh, do not help me,” Avianna exclaimed. “I am not deserving of your help. But for my dear wolf, for all
that he has given me, please help him if you can. Take my own life if you must. I would be happy to give it
if it saving his.”. “Although I cannot undo what has already been done, I can save him. For such
selfishness, you both deserve a long, happy life. For true love, I will ensure that you get to spend that life
together.”
A fairy gently lifted the wolf from Avianna’s lap and placed him on the ground, where she waved her magic
wand and say the magic word “Expecto patronum” above his still body. A cloud of snow engulfed the wolf,
and when it cleared there was a young man kneeling in his place. He had skin as white as alabaster. His hair was
as smooth as silk and as black as charcoal. His eyes were as clear and bright as diamonds, although they
remained blind. He wore white clothes as a white fur cloak. Avianna immediately recognized him as the wolf.
She threw her arms around his neck and subbed into his shoulder. “I am so sorry” she cried. He wrapped his
arms around her. “It’s okay now,” he said. “I’m okay now.”
“You were right all along. If only I had listened to you, you wouldn’t have had to suffer, you wouldn’t be
blind.”. “I am simply happy to be here with you,” he said. “But are you not bothered by my appearance,
by my blindness?” Avianna pulled away, grasping his hands and tightly and looking into the eyes that cannot
return her gaze. She told him all about her time with the prince, how she had come to realize that he did truly
love her, but was only enraptured by her beauty. But all that meant nothing to her now, because the wolf taught
her what truly love meant. She touched his face, softly tracing a line under his eye with her thumb. “A true love
is blind,” she said.
And so, the white-haired, golden-eyed Avianna and the blind, black haired Jacob were married, vowing to live
true to themselves and each other, and they loved each other happily for the rest of their days.