Once upon a time, deep in the forest, there lived a magical girl called Samantha. Her father and mother
were the king and queen of the forest, and each day they worked to keep the woods beautiful and
prepare them for winter. Samantha was always busy helping her parents, but she did sneak away at
times, for she was a very dreamy girl who did not like working. Her favorite thing to do was to watch
the humans who lived just outside of the forest.

Samantha could not leave the woods, for it would not be safe for a young girl to come out of a dim and
quiet world into a bright and shouting one. She hid behind the emerald trees, watching the families as
they ate delicious meals and had friends over. Samantha longed so dearly for a friend to come and visit
her. She had no one to talk to.

Her favorite time of year was winter, when the woods became naked and white. She also loved what the
humans called ‘Christmastime’. They decorated their houses with beautiful glowing lights and glittering
trees filled up their windows. The families and their friends had wonderful parties, and tears would drip
down Samantha’s pale face as her loneliness burned. Her family did not believe in Christmas, and she had
no one else to celebrate with.

One day, two little girls came to play in the woods. Samantha hid and watched them secretly as they took
out their elegant dolls to dress up. There was also a tall, wooden man; but the children paid no attention
to him. He was a nutcracker, with a dark blue suit painted upon him, soft dark hair, and a golden scepter
in his frozen hand. He was very, very handsome.

When the girls’ mothers beckoned them home, they gathered up their dolls and left the poor nutcracker
standing alone in the cold. They did not care for their Christmas present! Samantha hurried over to him,
picking him up delicately in her arms. She would keep him, for he would take away her loneliness. She
decided to call him Bernard, and blushed as she smiled upon him.

The strange pair were going to have a party. There were cakes and sugar cookies and hot cocoa and
apple cider. Of course they did not really have these things, but you must pretend. After their great
feast the two danced for hours. Samantha held Bernard lovingly as her lacy white dress fluttered
amongst the hollow trees.

She grew very tired, and laid down upon the earth to rest awhile. Bernard was cradled in her arms as
she curled up in a bed of frosted leaves. She whispered to him that she had fallen quite in love with him,
and began to slumber, murmuring her wish for him to become real. Her father and mother became very
worried when she did not return home, and set out to search the wintry woods.

They found her, sleeping peacefully under a snowfall, the nutcracker pressed dearly to her chest. They
could hear her wishing inside of her dreams, and decided to give her a Christmas gift, for she had made
them believe in the magical holiday. Her father cast his shining sword over her; and when the light faded
away from the forest, Bernard was no longer a small wooden toy. Samantha woke to find herself being
held by her nutcracker!

His hair was still soft, his dark blue suit was still handsome, but now he was her size. Now he was warm
and strong, and she could speak with him and kiss him. She fell into his awaiting arms, knowing that she
would never be lonely again. They were married on that winter’s night, and they lived happily ever after.

The end.