The Puppeteer of Hope

In the realm of demons there was once again a state of emergency. Patrols marched through the streets, whoever was caught had to expect the worst. They did not know grace
A little girl with long brown hair and sky blue eyes peered out of a filthy, dusty window. She seemed curiously looking for something in the street.
"Oh no please do not...."
But then she spotted him, an older, gaunt but funny and friendly gentleman who pushed a puppet theater in front of him. Every day he gave his performance here for the children. She put on a smile and ran out of the house delighted.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Puppeteer."
"Ah, have a wonderful good day, little Julia! Oh, look what I have here."
He pulled a lolly out of nowhere and handed it to her.
"Thank you! I like candy!"
Julia followed the gentleman for a while and he told her little fairy tales about great heroes who went out to restore peace.
Finally the two came to a standstill in the town square and the old man set up his puppet theater.
"I love it when the air is as shallow as it is today. A perfect day for our little happy girl."
The girl held out a particularly beautifully crafted doll in a white dress and with long, fine blond hair. "Why doesn't she have a name?"
"Well, she doesn't like being baptized by others. If you listen carefully, you can understand how she should get her name." explained the puppeteer.
Julia held the doll to her ear, but it made no sound.
"But I don't understand! She doesn't feel like talking ..." she looked disappointed.
"Doesn't she like me?"
The Lord calmed her down, "Oh, yes. One day you will be able to understand her. I have to admit you look alike ..."
Julia thought about it, because she was so young she took this as a compliment.
"Thank-you!"
Gradually a number of children gathered in front of the little cart. Little boys and girls, many with ragged clothes and dirty faces.

The gentleman went behind his little theater, the curtain opened and the spectacle began.
The doll, Happy Girl, greeted the little ones.
"Hello, dear ones. Nice to see you again that day. I am so happy to see you."
The strange thing was that she was clearly speaking in a soft female voice, not the puppeteer's voice. As if she had a soul that helped her speak. However, she needed strings to move like a normal marionette.
"Hello! Hello! We look forward to seeing you too!" the children laughed and clapped. Happy Girl eagerly bowed to you and danced in a pleasant, amusing way.
"But children, you must never give up hope. Because hope is what connects us in times like these ..."The puppeteer said: "Happy girl, happy girl. Today you have to help poor little Tyrian. He lost his parents while walking through the dark forest. Say, can you help him find them again?"
"I will redeem him." answers the doll.
And so she set off.
"In gloomy places like this it is always advisable to carry a small lamp with you. Because when the darkness passes, courage grows. However ... shadow cannot exist without light." Happy Girl explained to the children and a little bonfire started.
The children were amused, they were more than fascinated. "Yes, happy girl!"
Julia's eyes shone with enthusiasm, she enjoyed every little performance of Happy Girls. She loved this doll so much because what she said was full of wisdom and hope. She applauded wildly.
Yes! Happy girl! "
At the same time the puppeteer turned a small organ that made jingling, happy tones. This underlined the whole thing appropriately. Again he changed the setting, a gloomy forest landscape as the background
"Oh, this is the lair of evil ... Tyrian. Wait! I'll get you out of your misery!"
The puppeteer brought another puppet into play. It was an exact replica of the rebel Chadhanna.
"Where are you going, brave young girl?" wanted to know the priestess doll.
"Oh, anointed priestess, I'm looking for a lonely little boy who has lost hope and his parents in the madness of this forest." answered Happy Girl.
"Well, look into your heart and you will find what you long to look for. The right path will be revealed to you. Only the broken can never leave this forest again and turn into creatures of discord." explained the priestess.
"I know about this danger, but my desire is to protect this poor boy from the disaster here and to lead him back to his family."
The priestess doll turned to the young onlookers. “It is important that you pay attention to what you consider important. Without love, life is an eternal journey. Keep the things that are important to you.
The children nodded, carried away by what was happening, they forgot the misery that was going on around them. That alone was the most important.

This puppeteer spread important moral messages in his games for children, and his puppet Happy Girl helped him. And as long as it stayed that way, Julia Marevillige would always draw hope from the cheerful spectacles, of that she could be sure. With the support of her favorite doll, she was able to stay strong.