Sunday was Evie only day off. And without fail, she would go down The Royal Oak pub and sit in a quiet corner of their garden to read her latest book while sipping an orange juice. People usually left her alone, a mix of amusement, fondness and perhaps a bit of sadness, for she was believed to be a simple minded soul.
That Sunday, when she arrived at the pub, there was a scary wooden statue of an old bearded giant, in the middle of the garden. The Landlord was saying to whom would listen: ''Someone dumped this ugly thing in the middle of the night, I'm calling the Council tomorrow. Can't have that rubbish here. It scares the customers!''.
Evie did not answer but she gently touched the wooden statue and said to it, dreamily:''I don't think you are ugly. Just lost''. The landlord smiled and raised his eyes to the heavens. Only Evie would say that.
Some children started throwing stones at the statue. ''Stop'', cried Evie. ''Can't you see you are hurting him?''. The children scoffed:''How can we hurt this thing? it's an ugly old statue''.
''Oh no'', answered Evie.''It is wood. Wood that once was alive and that once breathed. It has feelings and can feel pain''.
The children started to laugh and cruelly chanted: ''Loony Evie loves the old wooden man , Loony Evie loves the old wooden man, loony Evie is crazy.''
Evie sighed and went back to her book. But from time to time, she lifted her gaze to the old statue and smiled at it kindly, not knowing why, as if it could see her.
That night, a terrible wind arose and fierce lightenings pierced the skies. The lights went off and everywhere was dark. People stayed in, terrified.
But looking out from her window, Evie was not scared when she saw the wooden giant approaching her. It bowed stiffly to her and said in a cavernous voice :''An evil wizard imprisoned me in this state. I travelled far to find a cure. Only true kindness showed to me could break the spell. I am the King of Ebony Country. Please, come with me and I will make you my Queen, if you trust me, for your kindness has freed me.''
Evie climbed into the hand of the giant. She said smiling: ''I knew you to be good, because the heart can feel what the eyes can't see.''
Legend says that upon the King's return to Ebony Country, the spell was broken. He was a handsome and just king and for days after that, his people, who truly loved him, celebrated him and fell in love with his beautiful and wise Queen. For Evie was not simple minded. She was simply the kindest soul on earth.
