The Letter with the Crying Face

The sky grew dark, and the moon came up.

The little light of the Forest Post Office turned on.

Dudu the owl put on his little mail cap—

Nighttime is when Dudu goes to work.

Tonight, there was only one letter in the mailbox.

But how strange—

The envelope had no name, and no address.

Only a drawing of a crying face.

"Hmm? Where should this letter go?"

Dudu turned the letter over, and over again.

No words. Just that little crying face.

"Hmm... let me give it a sniff."

The letter smelled, just a tiny bit, like berries.

"Berries... that's Berry Forest!"

Dudu flapped his wings and rose into the night sky.

"Goodnight letters, away we go!"

The night wind was soft, and the stars twinkled, one by one.

Berry Forest, at last.

At the door of a little tree hollow sat a little fox.

Her name was Lulu.

Lulu was hugging her knees, and her eyes were red.

Dudu landed, soft as a feather.

"Goodnight, Lulu. This letter... did you send it?"

Lulu saw the letter, and nodded.

"But why is there a crying face on it?"

Lulu spoke in a small, small voice.

"Grandma went to live far, far away in the mountains."

"Every night, Grandma used to tell me a story."

"Now when it gets dark, my heart feels all achy. I miss Grandma so much..."

"I want to write Grandma a letter. But I don't know how to write yet. I can only draw a crying face."

Dudu wrapped his wing gently around Lulu.

"Lulu, that achy feeling has a name. It's called missing someone."

"You miss Grandma this much because you love her so, so much."

From his mail bag, Dudu took out a fresh sheet of paper.

"It's okay if you can't write."

"A letter made of pictures — Grandma can read that too."

"Come on, let's draw it together."

Lulu picked up a crayon and drew, ever so carefully.

She drew herself. She drew Grandma.

She drew the two of them holding hands,

and next to them, a great big, great big heart.

All done!

Lulu tucked the letter into a brand-new envelope,

and on the front she drew—

a big smiling face.

"Dudu, please take it to Grandma."

"Goodnight letters, away we go!"

Dudu's wings went fast, fast, fast — whoosh—

Over the forest, over the little river,

all the way to the faraway mountains.

At the very top, a little house still had its light on.

Grandma got the letter, and looked at it for a long, long time.

Then she held it close to her heart, and smiled.

Dudu flew back with a letter in reply.

Lulu opened it—

It was a drawing from Grandma!

Grandma hugging Lulu, with lots and lots of little hearts all around,

and a moon.

"Grandma says—"

Dudu read it softly.

"The moon shines on Grandma, and it shines on Lulu too."

"When you miss me, just look up at the moon — and it will be like we're together."

Lulu hugged the letter close and climbed into her little bed.

And this time, she closed her eyes with a smile.

Dudu flew back to the post office and took off his little cap.

The forest was quiet, so quiet.

The moon shone gently on every home.

Goodnight, Lulu.

Goodnight, Grandma.

And goodnight to you, listening to this story.