Seven—and One—Fables That May Keep You Awake
If You Read Them on a Sleepless Night — Chapter Six

At dusk,
Guu drifted along the edge of a town.

From the garden of a house,
it heard the voices
of a rabbit and a lion—
stuffed animals.

“We’ve been washed
and become all soft and fluffy again.”

“We’re completely dry,
but it seems our owner forgot
to put us away.”

“Recently,
we haven’t seen our owners
standing side by side.

Do you think…
they might be arguing?”

They looked nervously
toward the room.

Just then,
the door opened.

The woman came into the garden
and gently picked them up.

“You’re so soft…
it feels wonderful.”

She pressed them
against her cheek.

From the sky,
Guu spoke:

“I’m glad you noticed them.”

She looked up and smiled.

“Only when I hold them
do I feel at ease.

He is always busy with work…
and my heart
has become full of thorns.

I want to remove them—
but I don’t know how.”