Liliana

Long ago, the Man, during the long winter nights, sharpened and polished a stone inside his cave. And then, when the snow melted, he asked the old oak for one of its branches. Then, the wicked man made an axe and, with it, splintered the defenseless tree. Seeing that evil, the trees, horrified, climbed to the top of the mountain and there gathered forming a strong and free town. Thus was born the Forest.
Gnomes swore to always be the faithful guardians of the Forest and took refuge inside the Earth. But when they discovered the first diamond, they desired to possess more and accumulate many treasures, and in this way the inhabitants of the Forest lost the little geniuses that protected them. Only three Gnomes, Flok, Mik, and Puk, remained faithful to their oath because they loved all living things: everything that grows and blooms, that sings and laughs, that sprouts and is reborn.
Year after year, the Forest woke up from the winter's sleep and the trees turned green. Meanwhile, the three Gnomes wrote together the book that collects their history.
One evening, at sunset, Flok heard a very sad cry and wanted to know who it came from.
Not far from there, he found the wasp Zumba, who had been trapped in a huge spider web.
-Oh, good Flok, save me! The spider is far, but will return soon! - exclaimed the prisoner.
After much thought, Flok took pity and set her free.
-Thank you, and from now on always count on me! - said the wasp as she took flight.
Half happy, half sad, while Flok wondered if he had done right or wrong, he saw something moving on the surface of the pond that formed a backwater of the river.
Flok went to explain to his companions what had happened with the wasp Zumba. Mik and Puk scolded him, as by helping the wasp he had harmed the spider and had thus disturbed the good order and balance of the Forest. However, Flok told them that, thanks to that, he had seen something extraordinary, although he didn't know what it was.
The three together, descended that night to the pond to see what was moving on the water. Suddenly, they heard a voice saying:
-Flok, may the weight of your betrayal fall upon you! You have broken my web, all my work. May evil fall upon you, Flok! It is I, the spider, who curses you!
At dawn, the three Gnomes saw the most beautiful creature emerge from the pond, one they couldn't have imagined even in their dreams.
The wise Flok, making a great effort, said:
-Marvelous sight! Whoever you are, old Flok greets you and welcomes you in the name of the Forest. But tell us who you are and where you come from.
-I was born in the depths of the water, where the Sun doesn't reach and the Wind can't move anything, where silence is music, where everything dreams and moves slowly. I am the sister of the lilies and my name is Liliana.
From that day on, the three Gnomes only thought about staying close to that newly arrived being. They no longer remembered the Forest or their oath, as their only task was to worship Liliana.
One beautiful morning in April, Flok and Mik had the same thought and, without any compassion, Mik plucked the most perfect flower... and Flok caught a splendid butterfly. Liliana accepted, flattered, those gifts. With the petals of the dead flower, she made a dress, and with the wings of the butterfly, she adorned her back.
No one heard the agonizing cries of the two victims, only Puk, empty-handed, realized and suffered. The sensitive Puk felt great sadness for the broken flower and the wingless butterfly. But, at the same time, he also wanted to offer a gift to Liliana.
Puk, pensive, arrived at the pond where the frogs croaked. Then, he gathered them and made them learn their love song, and surrounding Liliana's palace, the slimy choir began its song.
Flok and Mik burst into laughter, mocking the concert and the composer. And Puk replied without losing his calm:
-It doesn't hurt me to make you laugh. The music and verses I have written may be bad, but at least they don't cost lives.
In this way, while Liliana watched smiling, the friendship of the three Gnomes broke and bitter rivalry began.
After that day, one morning when, like all mornings, the three Gnomes, went down to the pond by different paths, they suddenly heard voices and laughter: it was Liliana listening pleased to the words of Flor de Lino, the king of the elves.
-What are you doing alone in the Forest, alone at the pond? Come to the valley, come to life, come with the elves, to my kingdom of love! There we sing, we laugh, and we dance, both in the moonlight and in full sun.
And with one sweep, Flor de Lino sat Liliana on his shoulder and, soaring, rose into the sky.
Flok, Mik, and Puk spent many days waiting and waiting... One love had separated them, and now, one pain brought them back together.
And Fobia, the hare, arrived, standing before them, with a voice that made anger and fear tremble, she said:
- Forest, where are your brave defenders? The Man is inside the Forest! And he carries with him the weapon of lightning and death!
The three Gnomes jumped up and, holding hands, shouted:
- The Forest is in danger! Let's unite for our homeland! All for one and one for all!
Then a loud buzzing was heard.
And Flok saw Zumba, the wasp:
- Welcome, Zumba! - he exclaimed happily - If one day you were the cause of evil, may that evil now turn into good! Gather the sting people. The Forest is in danger.
Shortly after, a terrifying cloud spread out, roaring with death. It was the army of stingers, the soldiers of Flok, Mik, and Puk: a parade of wasps, bees, bumblebees, and mosquitoes, all advancing like a great legion.
- Against him! - they all shouted together.
And the whole army rushed upon the Man who, defeated, retreated forever.
Thus, peace was reborn and, with it, the joy of living. Autumns and springs returned. And the Gnomes became once again what they had been before: the faithful guardians of the Forest.
And if traveling through its depths they let you see their Great Book, do not look in its pages for the story of Liliana. It is not there. Not even her name has been written in it.