THE CHILDREN with ONE EYE
by Cyrus MacMillan · from Canadian Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Tom and Mia lived in a big forest. They lived with their mommy. Mommy worked very hard. She went far away. Tom and Mia were often alone.
One day, Mommy left. A pot was on the fire. It was very hot. Mommy warned, but Tom and Mia did not listen.
Tom and Mia played near the pot. Tom took a stick. He put it in the pot. Fire jumped up. It hurt their eyes. They could not see. Their eyes were dark.
Mommy came home. She saw Tom and Mia. She was very sad. She tried to help them. She said, "You did not listen. Now your eyes are dark. This is sad."
Tom and Mia were quiet. They were sad. They listened to Mommy now. They were not noisy.
One day, kind Grandma Willow came. She saw Tom and Mia. She had a magic eye. She gave it to them. She said, "Share this eye. Be very careful with it."
Tom and Mia learned to share. They used the eye. One saw, then the other. They could see the forest. They helped Mommy find food.
One day, Tom and Mia went for food. Tom had the eye. Mia wanted the eye. They started to argue. "My turn!" said Tom. "No, my turn!" said Mia. They forgot to share.
Tom was very angry. He threw the eye. It fell on the ground. It was between them.
They looked for the eye. They could not find it. A little Woodpecker saw it. It took the eye. The Woodpecker flew away.
Grandma Willow came back. She saw the Woodpecker fly. She asked, "Where is the eye?" She saw.
Tom and Mia did not tell the truth. Tom said, "It dropped." Mia said, "We did not!"
Grandma Willow was sad. They did not tell the truth. They did not share. She made Tom like a mole. She made Mia like a bat. Moles and bats live in the dark. They cannot see well.
So, Tom became like a mole. Mia became like a bat. They stayed in the dark. They always remembered to listen. They always remembered to share.
Original Story
THE CHILDREN WITH ONE EYE
Two little children, a boy and a girl, lived long ago with their widowed mother in the Canadian forest. The woman was very poor, for her husband had long been dead and she had to work very hard to provide food for herself and her children. Often she had to go far from home in search of fish and game, and at times she was absent for many days. When she went on these long journeys she left her children behind her, and thus they were allowed to grow up with very little oversight or discipline or care. They soon became very unruly because they were so often left to have their own way, and when their mother returned from her hunting trips she frequently found that they would not obey her, and that they did pretty much as they pleased. As they grew older they became more headstrong and disobedient, and their mother could do very little to control them. And she said, "Some day they will suffer for their waywardness."
One day the woman went to visit a neighbour not far away. She left a large pot of bear-fat boiling on the fire. And she said to the children, "Do not meddle with the pot while I am gone, for the fat may harm you if it catches fire." But she was not gone long when the boy said to the girl as they played around the pot, "Let us see if the fat will burn." So they took a burning stick of wood and dropped it into the fat, and stood looking into the large pot to see what would happen. The fat sputtered for an instant; then there was a sudden flash, and a tongue of flame shot upwards from the pot into the faces of the children. Their hair was burned to a crisp and their faces were scorched, and they ran from the house crying with pain. But when they reached the outer air, they found that they could not see, for the fire had blinded their eyes. So they stumbled around in darkness, crying loudly for help. But no help came.
When their mother came home she tried every remedy she thought might restore their sight. But all her medicine was unavailing, and she said, "You will always be blind. That is the punishment for your disobedience."
So the children lived in darkness for a long time. But they were no longer headstrong and unruly, and although they could no longer see, they were less trouble to their mother than they were when they had their sight, for they did not now refuse to do her bidding.
One day, when their mother was far away hunting in the forest, an old woman came along and asked the children for food. And they brought good food to her as she sat before the door. After she had eaten, she said, "You are blind, but I can help you, for I am from the Land of the Little People. I cannot give you four eyes, but I will give you one eye between you. You can each use it at different times, and it will be better than no sight at all. But handle it with great care and do not leave it lying on the ground." Then she gave them an eye which she took from her pocket, and disappeared. So they used the one eye between them, and when the boy had the eye and the girl wished to see anything, she would say, "Give me the eye," and her brother would carefully pass it to her. When their mother came home she was very glad when she found that they had now some means of sight.
THE BOY WENT INTO THE FOREST WITH HIS BOW AND ARROWS. HE HAD NOT GONE FAR WHEN HE SAW A FAT YOUNG DEER, WHICH HE KILLED
One day when their mother was away again, the boy went into the forest with his bow and arrows. He carried the eye with him. He had not gone far when he saw a fat young deer, which he killed. The deer was too heavy for him to carry home alone. So he said, "I will go and get my sister, and we shall cut it up and put it in a basket and carry it home together." He went home and told his sister of his good fortune, and he led her to where the deer lay, and they began to cut up the body. But they had forgotten to bring a basket or a bag. He called to his sister saying, "You must weave a basket into which we can put the meat to carry it home." And his sister said, "How can I make a basket when I cannot see? If I am to weave a basket, I must have the eye." The boy brought the eye to her and she made a large basket from green twigs.
When she had finished making the basket the boy said, "I must finish cutting up the meat. Give me the eye." So she brought him the eye, and he proceeded to chop up the meat and to put it in the basket. Then he said, "Why can we not have a meal here? I am very hungry." His sister agreed that this was a good idea, and he said, "You cook the meal while I pack the meat." The girl made a fire, but she was afraid she would burn the meat, so she said, "I cannot see to cook. I must have the eye." By this time her brother had finished packing the meat into the basket, and he brought her the eye and she went on with her cooking. The fire was low and she said, "I must have some dry wood. Bring me some dry pine." The boy wandered off into the forest in search of wood, but he had not gone far when he stumbled over a log and fell to the ground. He called to his sister in anger, saying, "You always want the eye for yourself. How can I gather dry pine when I cannot see? Give me the eye at once."
His sister ran to him and helped him up and gave him the eye. She found her way back to the fire, but as she reached it she smelled the meat burning on the spit. She shouted, "The meat is burning and our dinner will be spoiled. Give me the eye at once, so that I may see if the meat is cooked." The boy was some distance away, and in his anger he threw the eye to her, saying, "Find it. I am not going to walk to you with it if you are too lazy to come and get it." The eye fell to the ground between them, and neither of them knew where it lay. They groped for it among the dead leaves, but as they searched for it, a wood-pecker, watching from a branch of a tree near by, swooped suddenly down and gobbled it up and flew away.
As they were still searching for it, the old woman who had given it to them came along. She had been hiding among the trees, and she had seen the wood-pecker flying away with her gift. She said, "Where is the eye I gave you?" "It dropped from my head," answered the boy, "and I cannot find it in the grass." "Yes," said the girl, "it dropped from his head, and we cannot find it." "You have lied to me," said the old woman, "and you have disobeyed, and for that I shall punish you." And with her magic power she changed the boy into a mole and the girl into a bat, and said, "Now live blind upon the earth, with only your sense of sound to guide you." At once the boy and the girl were changed. And so the Mole and the Bat appeared upon the earth.
Story DNA
Moral
Disobedience and selfishness can lead to severe and lasting consequences.
Plot Summary
Two disobedient children, left unsupervised by their widowed mother, blind themselves by playing with boiling bear-fat despite a warning. After living in darkness and becoming more compliant, an old woman gives them a single magical eye to share, cautioning them to be careful. While hunting, the children repeatedly argue over who gets to use the eye, culminating in the boy angrily throwing it, leading to a woodpecker snatching it. The old woman reappears, and upon discovering their lies and continued disobedience, transforms them into a mole and a bat, condemning them to eternal blindness as punishment.
Themes
Emotional Arc
disobedience to suffering to temporary relief to ultimate tragedy
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Cyrus MacMillan was a Canadian folklorist who collected many tales from various Canadian traditions, including Indigenous and European settler stories. This tale reflects themes common in cautionary folklore.
Plot Beats (14)
- Two disobedient children live with their widowed mother who is often away hunting.
- The mother warns them not to meddle with a pot of boiling bear-fat, but they ignore her.
- The children drop a burning stick into the fat, causing a flash that blinds them.
- Their mother returns, tries remedies, but declares their blindness a punishment for disobedience.
- The children become less unruly due to their blindness.
- An old woman appears, gives them a single magical eye to share, with a warning to handle it carefully.
- The children learn to share the eye, which helps them with daily tasks and hunting.
- While hunting a deer, the boy and girl argue repeatedly over who needs the eye for different tasks (cutting meat, weaving a basket, cooking, gathering wood).
- In a fit of anger, the boy throws the eye to his sister, and it falls to the ground between them.
- As they grope for the eye, a woodpecker snatches it and flies away.
- The old woman reappears, having witnessed the event, and confronts them about the lost eye.
- The children lie about how the eye was lost.
- The old woman, angered by their lies and disobedience, transforms the boy into a mole and the girl into a bat, condemning them to eternal blindness.
- The Mole and the Bat appear on Earth, forever blind.
Characters
The Boy ★ protagonist
A young, slender boy, likely with features consistent with Indigenous peoples of the Canadian forest, though specific details are not provided. Before his transformation, he was a typical child, active and prone to mischief.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a child living in the Canadian forest, likely made of animal hides or coarse woven materials, in earthy tones. No specific garments are mentioned.
Wants: Initially, to satisfy his curiosity and desires. After being blinded, to regain his sight and provide for himself and his family. Later, to assert his own needs and desires, even at the expense of his sister.
Flaw: Impulsiveness, disobedience, selfishness, and a quick temper lead to his blindness and ultimately his transformation.
Starts as a disobedient child, becomes blind due to his actions, then learns obedience and resourcefulness with the shared eye. His lingering selfishness and anger lead to the loss of the eye and his transformation into a mole, living out his punishment.
Disobedient, headstrong, mischievous, impulsive, quick to anger, but also capable of resourcefulness and cooperation (when motivated). After being blinded, he becomes more obedient and less troublesome.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young boy of Indigenous Canadian descent, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has dark, straight hair, a scorched face with closed eyes, indicating blindness. He wears simple, practical clothing made of animal hides in earthy tones. He holds a small, unstrung bow in one hand and a few arrows in the other, his posture is slightly hunched, and his hands are outstretched as if searching. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Girl ★ protagonist
A young, slender girl, likely with features consistent with Indigenous peoples of the Canadian forest, though specific details are not provided. Before her transformation, she was a typical child, active and prone to mischief.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a child living in the Canadian forest, likely made of animal hides or coarse woven materials, in earthy tones. No specific garments are mentioned.
Wants: Initially, to satisfy her curiosity and desires. After being blinded, to regain her sight and provide for herself and her family. Later, to use the eye for practical tasks like weaving and cooking.
Flaw: Impulsiveness, disobedience, and a tendency to argue over the shared eye contribute to her downfall.
Starts as a disobedient child, becomes blind due to her actions, then learns obedience and resourcefulness with the shared eye. Her lingering impatience and involvement in the argument over the eye lead to its loss and her transformation into a bat, living out her punishment.
Disobedient, headstrong, mischievous, cooperative (when necessary), more patient than her brother but also capable of frustration. After being blinded, she becomes more obedient and less troublesome.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young girl of Indigenous Canadian descent, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has dark, straight hair, a scorched face with closed eyes, indicating blindness. She wears simple, practical clothing made of animal hides in earthy tones. Her hands are positioned as if she is weaving, and she holds a single, luminous eye in one palm. Her expression is one of concentration. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Mother ◆ supporting
A hardworking, likely lean woman, with features consistent with Indigenous peoples of the Canadian forest. Her life of labor in the wilderness would have given her a resilient physique.
Attire: Practical, durable clothing made of animal hides or coarse woven materials, suitable for hunting and living in the Canadian forest. Likely in muted, earthy colors. No specific garments are mentioned.
Wants: To provide food and care for her children, despite their disobedience. To instill discipline and prevent harm.
Flaw: Her frequent absences leave her children unsupervised, contributing to their waywardness. Her inability to control them fully.
Remains largely static, serving as a backdrop for the children's actions. She warns them, tries to help them after their blindness, and expresses gladness when they gain the eye, but her core character doesn't change.
Hardworking, responsible, concerned for her children's well-being, but also somewhat resigned and fatalistic about their disobedience. She is a provider and a disciplinarian, though her efforts are often thwarted.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged woman of Indigenous Canadian descent, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has dark, straight hair tied back simply, a weathered but kind face, and a lean, strong build. She wears practical clothing made of dark animal hides, possibly with fringe details, and sturdy moccasins. She carries a large, woven hunting bag over one shoulder, filled with game. Her expression is one of quiet determination. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Old Woman ○ supporting | magical
An old woman, likely small in stature, given her origin from the 'Land of the Little People'. Her appearance would suggest ancient wisdom and a connection to nature, possibly with a slightly ethereal quality.
Attire: Simple, traditional clothing, possibly made of natural fibers or animal skins, in muted colors, but with an air of ancient craftsmanship. Perhaps a cloak or shawl. No specific garments are mentioned.
Wants: To offer aid to those in need, but also to enforce consequences for disobedience and lies.
Flaw: None apparent; she possesses magical power and wisdom.
Acts as a catalyst and enforcer of consequences. She introduces the magical element (the eye) and then delivers the final punishment, remaining consistent in her role as a magical arbiter.
Benevolent and helpful initially, but stern and unforgiving when disobeyed. She is a dispenser of both gifts and punishments, embodying a sense of natural justice.
Image Prompt & Upload
A very old woman, small in stature, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has a deeply wrinkled face, sharp, dark eyes, and long, braided white hair. She wears a simple, dark grey cloak made of coarse wool over a plain, long-sleeved dress, and soft leather moccasins. Her hands are gnarled, and she holds a single, glowing, spherical eye in one palm. Her expression is stern and knowing. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Wood-pecker ○ minor
A typical woodpecker, likely a species common to the Canadian forest, such as a Pileated Woodpecker. It would have distinctive markings and a strong beak.
Attire: Its natural plumage.
Wants: To eat the shiny object (the eye) it perceives as food.
Flaw: None apparent in the story.
A brief, pivotal role as the instrument of the eye's final loss.
Opportunistic, quick, observant.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, black and white woodpecker with a prominent red crest, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has bright, beady eyes and a strong, pointed beak. It is perched on a tree branch, holding a single, luminous eye firmly in its beak. Its feathers are detailed and vibrant. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Widowed Mother's Cabin
A simple, rustic cabin in the Canadian forest, likely constructed of rough-hewn logs, with a central hearth where a large pot of bear-fat boils. The interior would be dim, lit by the fire and any small windows.
Mood: Initially neglected and chaotic due to unruly children, later becomes a place of quiet suffering and eventual hope.
The children's initial disobedience and blinding by the boiling fat; later, the old woman's arrival and gift of the shared eye.
Image Prompt & Upload
A rustic, dimly lit interior of a Canadian log cabin. A large, blackened iron pot bubbles over a stone hearth, casting flickering light on the rough-hewn timber walls. Simple wooden stools and a table are visible, with shafts of soft daylight filtering through a small, square window. The floor is packed earth or rough planks. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Canadian Forest Clearing
A sun-dappled clearing within a dense Canadian forest, characterized by tall pine trees, a carpet of dead leaves and pine needles, and scattered fallen logs. The air is likely cool and fresh, with the scent of pine.
Mood: Initially productive and hopeful as the children hunt and prepare food, but quickly turns tense and ultimately tragic.
The children's attempt to butcher and cook a deer, their argument over the eye, its loss to the woodpecker, and their final transformation by the old woman.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-dappled clearing deep within a dense Canadian pine forest. Tall, straight pine trees with dark green needles reach towards a bright blue sky, filtering sunlight onto a forest floor thickly carpeted with russet dead leaves and brown pine needles. A mossy, fallen log lies across the ground, and a small, smoldering cooking fire sends a wisp of smoke into the still air. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
