• Once there was a man named Evan Marshall. As he drove through the forest he heard a noise. He slowed, and looked out the car window. He heard splashing and a loud squawk. As he stepped from the car he saw a thrashing white ball. It took a while to realize that this was actually a swan, tangled in litter. He ran over, knowing very well that the swan could easily swing into him, with the possibility of serious injury. He pulled out a knife, cutting the plastic away from the swans feet. As it flew away he turned to find an old man. "Thank you" he said in a quiet, crackly voice. He was rather short, and covered in wrinkles. He had the specific smell of tree sap and vinegar. Evan's eyebrows rose looking for a car near his. "Where did you come from?" He asked. "Thank you" the old man repeated. He held out a small wallet clip, but inside were no bills, but old, 3 crumpled leaves of brown, yellow, and red, he smiled, a near toothless grin, and said one last thing before vanishing. "Wish well my friend." Evan looked around in astonishment. He chuckled letting one leaf into the air. I wish for a wife as beautiful as the forest. He walked back to his car, driving off. When he made it to his home, he noticed something. "Had I left the door open?" He asked himself, locking the car and walking inside. He was surprised to see a young woman sitting in his armchair, sipping tea. "You wouldn't happen to be the wife I wished for would you?" He joked. "I am" She said turning with a smile. He couldn't help but smile back. "Okay..." he said quietly pondering the strange coincidence. "So... who sent you here?" he continued his questions. "A short old man." At that moment Evan jumped, spilling the tea he had lifted into his lap. "Ahh...what?" he said trying to ward off the pain. "An old man told me that you were the one that was right for me, and now I'm here..." She said quietly. "What's your name?" He asked almost silently. "Scarlet" She said with a warm grin...
    It was several months before Evan accepted this coincidence, but eventually they were wed. Three months after they met, he noticed that she wasn't around the house as much as before. He walked out the door, looking around. He walked to the lake, nearly the same place he had saved the swan. He noticed Scarlet leaned over a beautiful swan, tears falling to the ground. Her arms were wrapped around it, and it took him several seconds to realize the swan was crying as well. "Scarlet?" He asked warmly. "what's the matter?" She looked up at him. "This is my sister" She said filled with sorrow. That's when he understood. "You used to be a swan yourself?" It sounded ridiculous, but he was past that part of their encounter. "Yes" she said kissing the swans forehead. Evan sighed. "I forced you into this with my wishing." She stood and draped her arms around her. "I love you" She said quietly. "I love you too" He said his arms wrapped protectively around her waist. That was when he realized what he had to do. He kissed her forehead and told her to come back to the house when she was done. After a few minutes, she joined him. He hugged her tightly, letting a leaf flow into the wind behind her back. Suddenly he found himself holding a swan in his arms. He smiled at her. "I love you Scarlet" The swan put her head in his hand before turning. It made a squawk and flew off to the lake. Many have heard the story of Evan, and it's true that he is a real person, but no one knows if the legends are true. There have been social debates, and many arguments on whether this was a true story of love and sorrow or a web of lies and myth. However the legend is told to end I will tell you this, on Evan's 81st birthday, after a 911 call from himself reporting his suicide, a team of paramedics had to push two large gray swans, who seemed to be mourning, out of they way to get into his house, when they found him, he had a small diamond ring laying on his chest, and an old red leaf grasped lightly in his hand, the paramedics couldn't help but recall the specific smell....of tree sap....and vinegar....