The Girl Without Hands
The Girl Without Hands — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a village nestled upon the back of a slumbering giant, where dreams mingled with reality, lived a woodcutter, his innocent daughter Anya, and a devil disguised as a wealthy man. Anya, known for her kindness, found herself ensnared in a wicked bargain, her hands the price of her father's fleeting prosperity. But Anya's spirit was unbreakable, and her journey would carve a path through darkness toward a light of her own making. Could kindness triumph when tested by great loss?
Page 2
The woodcutter's axe sang through the trees, each swing a prayer for better days. "Father, why do you look so troubled?" Anya asked, her voice like the gentle chime of bells. He sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "The devil demands a promise... a terrible price for easing our poverty."
Page 3
"What price, Father?" Anya's voice trembled slightly. He turned away, unable to meet her gaze. "He demands what lies behind the mill." Anya frowned. "But Father, that's our apple orchard! It's just... trees."
Page 4
That night, a figure cloaked in shadow arrived. "Your payment is due," the devil rasped, his eyes gleaming like polished gold. Anya, hidden behind a tree, gasped. Her father stammered, "I... I cannot." The devil smiled, a cruel, glittering expression. "Then I shall take what is most precious to you instead."
Page 5
As the devil approached, Anya ran out, her hands outstretched in protest. He snarled,
Page 6
Cast out and forsaken, Anya wandered into the forest, a place where shadows danced and whispers carried on the wind. Thorns tore at her dress. Hunger gnawed at her belly. Yet, within her heart, a quiet strength bloomed. \"I will survive,\" she murmured, her voice echoing in the silent woods.
Page 7
Years passed. Anya, now a young woman, found refuge in a hidden hermitage. She learned to tend the garden with her arms, coaxing life from the soil. One day, a prince, lost in the forest, stumbled upon her sanctuary. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.
Page 8
"I am Anya," she replied, her eyes filled with a quiet grace. "And what is your story?" the prince asked, intrigued by her serenity and the mystery surrounding her missing hands. She hesitated, then told him of the devil's bargain and her sacrifice. The prince looked at Anya with deep respect and love.
Page 9
The prince, moved by her spirit, sought out the devil. He challenged him to a game of riddles, the prize being Anya's hands. The devil, confident in his deceit, agreed. But the prince, guided by Anya's wisdom, answered every riddle correctly. The devil howled in fury, and in a flash of light, Anya's hands were restored.
Page 10
Anya and the prince returned to the village, her hands whole once more. The devil's power was broken, his influence banished. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that," she announced, quoting Martin Luther King, Jr. Anya's kindness, once a weakness in the devil's eyes, had become her greatest strength, a beacon for all who lived on the sleeping giant's back. And the village knew true peace.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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