Clockwork man

My first attempt at a children's story started off as a dark story but decided to change it cuz it was depressing. lol.

There was once a wooden clockwork doll. Now this doll was not very spectacular, his hair made of wool was oddly colored, his wooden body had many cracks because he fell down a lot. He was a broken toy. The clockwork within him just didn't work right whenever u would chain him up he would fall to the ground instead of walking. This made him very sad and many days he would sit by himself wondering why he was this way, was it some sort of cruel joke by his maker, was the tree that he was carved from cursed or was he being punished. One day unable to take it anymore the clockwork doll decided he would go to the fireplace and throw himself into the fire and just end it all. So he climbed from the box he lived in with all the other toys and began to slowly walk across the room towards the fireplace, falling every so often.

Along the way he met a bird who had flown into the house it seemed to have injured its wing and it was crying, “Oh little bird, my dear little bird why are you crying?” he asked, “Boo hoo.” cried the bird, “I have broken my wing and can no longer fly. If I cannot fly, I cannot hunt, if I cannot hunt I cannot eat, I will surely die.” he wept. The broken doll upon hearing this replied, “I will give you my right arm to make u a splint, and I will hunt for you until you are well.” “Oh how will I repay you.” chirped the bird. “No need, my life is worth nothing replied the doll I am broken you see so you need not repay me.” After many days the bird healed and grew strong enough to fly again and before the bird could thank the doll he left.

After a little walk again he came to a weeping mouse. “Mouse, My dear friend mouse why do you cry?” he asked. “Oh Mr Doll.” The mouse replied, “My family is cold, my wife had just had a litter of babies and I cannot find anything to give them to keep them warm and with the winter growing colder I fear they will all die.” Upon hearing this the doll said, “I will give you my clothes and hair for they are both made of wool they will keep them warm, and with that he pulled out the hair from his head and took off his clothes and gave the mouse. “Thank you so much,” squeaked the mouse, “How will I ever repay you?” “You need not bother said the doll for I am already broken and my life holds no value hence you owe me nothing.” and with that the doll walked away.

He was now a very short distance away when he came to a music box and inside it was a weeping porcelain ballerina. “Oh my beautiful ballerina why are u crying?” he asked, “Oh Mr. Doll I have no more purpose my key that would be turned to make me dance is no longer in my box. My key is my heart I am worthless without my heart.” She wept, “Do not cry my beautiful ballerina for I will give you my key and you will dance again.” “Oh thank you Mr. Doll how will I ever repay u? You need not repay. Your beautiful dancing illuminates this world and I enjoy it.” With that the ballerina began to dance and when she was done the doll was gone.

The doll had finally reached the fireplace but sitting in front of it smoking his pipe was an old man. He quietly watched as the doll limped up to the fireplace and just as he was ready to jump in the old man spoke. “Mr. Doll, Mr. Doll.” his voice thundered, “Why do you throw yourself in the fire?” The doll turned to him. “Because I am broken, sir. My life is worth nothing and I am useless.” The man was silent for a minute as he puffed on his pipe. “Mr. Doll I have watched you from the day you set out to this fireplace and I have seen such kindness how could you say you are worthless?” He puffed his pipe, “On your way to extinguish your own life you have saved three lives.” The doll listened silently. “Mr. Doll, oh Mr doll I will not stop you in what you are about to do but know this, you are not worthless, I believe everything happens for a reason and you being broken was a reason for it made you see the world differently, it made you kind.” hearing that the doll began to cry. “Before you got here I spoke to the bird you helped and gave him your arm, he begged me to make you whole again, I told him I will need wood so he rushed out to gather wood, the mouse came to me and begged me to make you the greatest doll in the world I told him, I will need cloth and thread and the little ballerina asked me to make you work again and I said I will need gears, she gave me three of her gears that made her spin. And for showing an old man such unselfish acts of kindness, I will make you a key. From that day the broken clockwork doll learned that even if you are broken you are not worthless you were made that way for a reason.

© 2013 Chris Rampersad

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Reviews

Vidya Bacchus

Who knew you could write two stories in a day you mean there are actually ideas in that big head of yours haha.Anyways i absolutely love this story .Story writing seems to be YOUR thing keep at it even if you have used up all your ideas for this decade:)

Posted 10 Years Ago

Daniel Sala

Once again, words are hard to use to adequately describe the works of others, but the skill shines through, what a beautiful and well-written tale, a real pleasure to read.