The Coral Tree

Watercolor illustration of a young woman, around twenty years old, asleep on a weathered wooden porch swing. Soft morning light filters through the rain, casting blurred shadows on the porch floor. Rain streaks the air, illuminated by distant street lamps, creating a melancholic atmosphere. She is draped in a rough, indigo-dyed blanket, her face serene. A horse-drawn carriage is faintly visible in the background on the cobblestone street, its lamps glowing softly through the rain. Style: dreamy watercolor, soft blending, visible brushstrokes. Palette: muted blues, grays, and browns with pops of indigo and soft yellows.

It was a hot night, and it rained a lot, so I slept outside on the porch instead of in the house. I was in my twenties, starting to work and felt like I needed to be responsible.

Soon, a horse-drawn carriage would take me to the train station. Then a train would take me to a big city, and a ship would take me far away to another country. I’d find a job and a new life! This little house where my grandpa used to live would just be a memory.

When I woke up on the porch, the morning was gray. I smelled the rain on the ground and remembered I was leaving. A girl was standing on the porch, looking at me with a serious face. I sat up quickly when I saw her.

Watercolor illustration of a small girl with dark skin, big black eyes filled with wonder, and pigtails adorned with bright red ribbons, standing on a porch looking at a young woman who is sitting up quickly, startled, on a creaky rocking chair. The morning light is gray and diffused, creating long shadows that stretch across the uneven wooden floorboards. The porch is filled with potted plants and hanging vines. The young woman’s expression is one of confusion mixed with fear. Style: detailed watercolor, emphasizing textures like woven wicker and smooth skin. Palette: cool grays and blues contrasted with the vibrant red of the ribbons, conveying a sense of mystery.

She was a small girl with dark skin, big black eyes, and her hair was in pigtails with bright red ribbons. She looked as fresh and clean as the rain and the red dirt.

She just stood there, looking very serious.

‘Hi,’ I said, smiling to make her feel comfortable. But she was all business and just nodded hello.

‘Can I help you?’ I asked, stretching my arms. ‘Do you live around here?’

She said confidently, ‘Yes, but I can be by myself.’

‘You’re like me,’ I said, forgetting for a moment that I felt like a grown-up at twenty. ‘I like being alone too, but I’m leaving today.’

‘Oh,’ she said softly.

‘Would you like to go to the other country?’

‘I want to go everywhere!’ she said. ‘To all different lands!’

‘Maybe you will,’ I said. ‘I’m going everywhere, and no one can stop me! But what do you want? Why did you come here?’

‘I want some flowers, but I can’t reach them.’ She pointed to the garden. ‘That tree, see?’

The tree with bright flowers stood in front of the house, with puddles of water and fallen flowers all around. The branches were covered in colorful flowers.

‘Okay, just let me get ready.’

The tree was easy to climb, and I sat on one of the lower branches, smiling down at the girl’s serious face looking up.

Watercolor illustration of the young woman nestled comfortably in the branches of a tree laden with bright, colorful blossoms (cherry blossoms and wisteria), their petals cascading down. She is looking down at the small girl standing below, who is looking up at her with admiration, her hands clasped together. The light is dappled, creating a mosaic of shadows and highlights on the ground. Puddles of water reflect the sky and the colorful blooms. The tree’s bark is rough and textured. Style: ethereal watercolor, capturing the movement of light and petals. Palette: vibrant pinks, purples, greens, and blues, creating a sense of joy and wonder.

‘I’ll throw them down to you,’ I said.

I tried to pull a branch, but it was young and bendy. I had to twist it a few times before it broke.

‘I don’t know if I should be doing this,’ I said, dropping the branch full of flowers to the girl.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said.

I suddenly felt like I missed being a kid and wanted to stay here in my grandpa’s house with all its memories. But I was the only one left.

‘Do you have many friends?’ I asked.

‘Oh, yes!’

‘And who is your best friend?’

‘The cook! He lets me stay in the kitchen, which is more fun than the house. I like watching him cook. He gives me things to eat and tells me stories!’

Watercolor illustration of the small girl with dark skin, big black eyes, and pigtails adorned with bright red ribbons, standing hesitantly in a warmly lit kitchen, observing a cook, a kind-faced older woman with flour dusting her apron, in action with curiosity. Warm light from the hearth dances on the copper pots hanging from the rafters. Various cooking utensils (wooden spoons, rolling pins) and ingredients (flour sacks, baskets of fruit) are subtly visible on shelves and countertops. The air is filled with the aroma of baking bread. The girl’s hands are clasped behind her back, her expression a mix of apprehension and fascination. The kitchen walls are a warm, creamy yellow, and the wooden floorboards are worn and uneven. Style: realistic watercolor, emphasizing the warmth and texture of the kitchen setting. Palette: warm yellows, oranges, browns, and reds, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

‘And who is your second-best friend?’

She tilted her head and thought hard.

‘I’ll make you second-best,’ she said.

I dropped some flowers on her head. ‘That’s very nice of you! I’m happy to be second-best.’

A horse carriage bell rang at the gate. I looked out from the tree and said, ‘It’s here for me. I have to go now.’

I climbed down.

‘Will you help me with my suitcases?’ I asked as we walked to the porch. ‘There’s no one here to help me. I’m the last one to leave, not because I want to, but because I have to.’

I sat on the bed and packed a few last things in my suitcase. All the doors were locked. On the way to the station, I’d leave the keys with the caretaker. I already told someone to try and sell the house. There was nothing else to do. We walked in silence to the waiting carriage, thinking about each other. The girl stood by the path, on the wet ground, looking at me.

Watercolor illustration of the small girl holding a large, overflowing branch of colorful flowers (hydrangeas, roses, lilies). Fallen petals surround her bare feet on the damp, red dirt, staining it with pastel hues. She is smiling slightly, her eyes sparkling with happiness, a hint of mud smudging her cheek. Her dress is simple and patched, but clean. Style: expressive watercolor, emphasizing the softness of flower petals and the texture of red dirt. Palette: earthy reds and browns contrasted with the vibrant colors of the flowers (pink, yellow, white, purple).

‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘I hope I see you again.’

‘I’ll see you over there!’ she said. ‘Or to other places! I want to go everywhere!’

‘I’m sure you will,’ I said. ‘And maybe I’ll come back, and we’ll meet again in this garden. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?’

She nodded and smiled. We knew it was an important moment. The carriage driver told the horse to go, and the carriage started down the path, making a little noise. The girl and I waved to each other. In her hand was a branch of bright flowers. As she waved, the flowers fell apart and danced in the breeze.

Watercolor illustration of a horse-drawn carriage departing down a muddy dirt road, kicking up sprays of water. The young woman is inside, partially visible through a lace curtained window, waving goodbye with a gloved hand. The small girl stands by the side of the road, waving back, with the colorful flowers clutched tightly in her hand. Her face is a mixture of sadness and hope. The sky is overcast, suggesting an impending storm. Style: impressionistic watercolor, capturing the movement of the carriage and the emotions of the scene. Palette: muted earth tones with pops of color from the flowers and the woman’s dress.

‘Goodbye!’ I called.

‘Goodbye!’ called the girl.

The ribbon had come loose from her pigtail and lay on the ground with the flowers.

Watercolor illustration of a single bright red ribbon lying abandoned on the wet, red dirt next to scattered fallen flower petals (cherry blossom and rose petals). The background is softly blurred and suggestive of a garden in disarray, with glimpses of weathered stone paths and overgrown bushes. A hint of sunlight breaks through the clouds, creating a single bright highlight on the ribbon. The dirt is rich and textured, with traces of footprints. Style: intimate watercolor, focusing on detail and texture. Palette: predominantly red and brown, with subtle hints of pink and green.

And she was fresh and clean like the rain and the red dirt.

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The Crane and the Fox

THE CLEVER WIFE.

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