The Vanishing Garden

Maya cares for her garden every morning, wearing her yellow rain boots and green overalls as she waters the plants. Then one day everything changes: the flowers droop, the leaves curl, and the animals disappear. Sitting on a stone, Maya begins to wonder whether her own quick, noisy steps are the reason the garden seems to have gone.

When she stops and holds still, a small hedgehog named Hazel comes out from beneath a leaf. Hazel brings Maya to Old Fern, a gentle green man who explains that the garden withdraws from hurrying feet and comes back to those who are quiet and patient. Behind the hedge, Maya meets shy woodland creatures, including Pip the robin, and learns that moving slowly and speaking softly can open a world that was there all along. Written by Yavuz DEMİRKIRAN, this tale can be read on Online Masal.