"That was really unfortunate, that you had to give up Baby Smurf because his parents on Smurfling Island wanted him to return," Polaris said.
"This smurf can sympathize with Grouchy not wanting to give up Baby Smurf and doing everything he can to show how much the Smurfs would care for him," Empath said.
"Believe me, I would smurf myself in Grouchy's place if I understood at the time how much sending Baby Smurf back to Smurfling Island would not benefit him in the long run," Tapper said. "Fortunately Smurfette understood it enough to smurf the parents a very strongly-smurfed letter that went something like this:"
- Dear Parents,
- How could you smurf a child into the world and deny him the chance of ever growing up by smurfing him in a world where nobody ever ages? I think it is unfair, selfish, and unloving to smurf that to any child born on that island, and I wish you would reconsider smurfing that child away from Smurfs who would love him and care for him, to smurf him the kind of life that he deserves to smurf.
- Yours truly, Smurfette.
"And Smurfette had the stork deliver this message along with Baby Smurf to the parents on Smurfing Island?" Polaris asked.
"Aye, that she did, and that we did, because we weren't going to let Baby Smurf go without such a word written on Baby Smurf's behalf," Tapper said. "And then we all gathered around the stork as we smurfed Baby Smurf back up in his blanket and basket to smurf him back home, and we all smurfed our goodbyes to him together."
"This smurf can sense that this part is not easy for you to tell, Tapper," Empath said. "This smurf and Polaris can come back later for you to tell the rest of the story if you want to."
"It's okay, Empath," Tapper said, trying to hold back a tear in his eye. "This needs to be told if we want to make sure we have the complete story. Besides, we wouldn't remain sad for very long."
...
As Tapper continued to tell the story, Empath and Polaris saw the Smurfs watching the stork carry away Baby Smurf in a basket which also had the letter Smurfette wrote to the parents. Everybody among them felt so depressed that Papa Smurf had to tell his little Smurfs that they should go to Tapper's Tavern for the rest of the day to mourn together and ease their burdens.
Into the night, Tapper watched as his fellow Smurfs just sat there with their drinks untouched, not saying a word. Some of them just buried his heads on the table, not wanting for anyone to see them cry. There was clearly no joy to be had knowing that Baby Smurf was now gone from their lives.
Then Jokey entered the tavern and approached Clumsy, carrying a gift box. "Hey, I've got a surprise that was smurfed just for you, Clumsy," Jokey announced, trying to sound cheerful.
"Oh, for me?" Clumsy said, also trying to sound cheerful. "Oh, boy, I can't wait to smurf what it is."
Clumsy took the gift box and opened it, which end up exploding on him. "Surprise!" Jokey said, following it with a rather weak laugh. "It was funny, wasn't it?"
"Uh, yeah, Jokey, it was real funny, all right," Clumsy said, his laughter also sounding weak. And then all of a sudden, the both of them started crying.
"Duncan, where did we go wrong in believing this vision of a little visitor that would smurf joy to the entire village?" Tapper said, finally breaking the silence.
"I don't think any of us were wrong in interpreting this sign, laddie," Duncan said. "I feel that this child was the fulfillment of that vision, but the vision never smurfed us for how long that joy would last."
"Maybe that's just it, that he was nothing more but a visitor in our lives, meant only to smurf us joy for a little while so we can appreciate what it would be like to be parents," Tapper said.
"I would appreciate being a parent much more if I could smurf more time with the little bairn," Duncan said. "I know Hefty was much happier having Baby here, and so were a lot of Smurfs in this village. And Smurfette...I could smurf it in her eyes that she truly felt like a Mama Smurf that would smurf anything for him."
"He would never be able to appreciate how many uncles he would have had if he was allowed to smurf in the village with us, now that he has a life where he will forever remain a child, smurfing no more than a day old," Tapper said. "Sometimes I think a child that smurfs away from life while still in the womb is more fortunate than a child like Baby Smurf that would never be able to smurf a full life from cradle to grave."
"But at least Baby Smurf has a life, for however long he will live it on Smurfling Island as a child, forever young," Duncan said.
Tapper sighed. "I think tonight we should close early, let everyone have a good night's sleep, and maybe in the morning we will all smurf a little better."
"Aye, laddie, I think it would be a good idea for all our sakes," Duncan said, nodding in agreement.
And after the Smurfs went home to their beds and said goodnight to each other, they all said together, "And goodnight, Baby Smurf, wherever you are."
...
"And so the Smurfs slept that night, wondering what tomorrow might bring, if things might be better for all of us without Baby Smurf," Tapper said. "It was well before the early morning light when we were greeted with a surprise."
As Tapper continued his story, Empath and Polaris saw that the basket had returned, only this time it appeared in front of Papa Smurf's doorstep. He peeked inside and saw that there was Baby Smurf, looking happy to be back in the Smurf Village again.
"My little Smurfs," Papa Smurf called out. "Baby Smurf has returned! I repeat, Baby Smurf has returned!"
Every Smurf heard the news and had gathered around Papa Smurf's house while he read the message that came with the basket:
- Dear Smurfs,
- As much as we love the child, we now see the wisdom that Smurfette has smurfed us and we do not wish to keep him from smurfing the kind of life that he should smurf. It is with sincere apologies and with our love that we smurf this baby Smurf back to you, to care for and to love as your very own. May he smurf well and long with you as part of your family.
- Yours truly, the Parents.
"What does that mean, Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked, eager to know the news.
"It means that Baby Smurf is now officially ours to keep, Brainy," Papa Smurf said.
"HURRAY! BABY SMURF IS OUR CHILD!" all the Smurfs shouted together.
Papa Smurf picked up Baby Smurf in his arms and suddenly felt the child tugging playfully at his beard. "Hey, stop smurfing with my beard...not that much, anyway," Papa Smurf said with a chuckle.
"Maybe you should let me hold him if he wants to smurf a hold of my sideburns, Papa," Duncan suggested.
"It's no problem at all, Duncan, not the slightest problem in the world," Papa Smurf said.
"Now that Baby Smurf is back among us, the important thing we need to smurf this child is lots of love and lots of tender smurfing care and...," Brainy began to say.
"What Baby Smurf needs right now, Brainy Smurf, is a didey change," Papa Smurf said.
"Here, Papa Smurf, let me smurf care of it," Grouchy said, stepping forward to take Baby Smurf in his arms.
"Oh, Grouchy, it's so kind of you that you want to smurf Baby a didey change," Smurfette said.
"I hate didey changes, but I love Baby Smurf," Grouchy said, as he headed for his house with Baby Smurf.
"So Papa Smurf, does this mean we'll still have a party for Baby Smurf, now that he's a permanent part of our village?" Hefty asked.
"Of course it does, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Tomorrow night, my little Smurfs, there shall be a party for Baby Smurf."
"Woohoo! There's gonna be a party! There's gonna be a party!" Clumsy shouted, waving his arms in the air and smacking a few Smurfs in the face. "Oops, sorry!"
...
And so at the party the Smurfs had for Baby Smurf, there was food created by Greedy and his kitchen staff, there was dancing where Clumsy was now a part of, and there was a carousel built by Handy that Smurfs could take rides on with Baby Smurf. Everybody took turns having fun with Baby Smurf, including Grouchy, who now wasn't afraid to show how much he cared for the child.
Tapper and Duncan were now talking with each other while Duncan was holding Baby Smurf, who was having fun playing with Duncan's sideburns.
"You're going to be a little warrior, bairn, yes you are," Duncan said to Baby Smurf.
"Only time will tell what he will become, but for now he will be smurfy knowing that he is among his uncle Smurfs that love him so much," Tapper said.
"You can smurf that again, laddie," Duncan said. "It's too bad that there's only one of him for the entire village because I just don't want to let him go."
"I know how you feel, Duncan, I know how you feel," Tapper said. "I couldn't be more pleased to know that, even through the brief trial and tribulation we had to smurf through, the vision of the blue moon has indeed come true, and that our little visitor is no more a visitor."
Just then Smurfette appeared. "Oh, let me smurf him for one more time, Duncan. I just can't seem to get enough of smurfing him in my arms."
"By all means, lassie, the little bairn is yours," Duncan said, handing Baby Smurf over to Smurfette.
Smurfette held Baby Smurf close to her. "Oh, Baby Smurf, I'm so happy that you'll be with us now. You're so lucky to have so many Smurfs who will love you like their very own. I never want to see you leave, ever."
Baby Smurf giggled as he kissed Smurfette, happy to know that he is home.
Papa Smurf then joined Tapper and Duncan. "I feel like I should have smurfed more faith in the vision coming true, Tapper, but for what it's worth, in the end it was truly meant to be fulfilled in this manner."
"If it weren't for the testing of our faith, Papa Smurf, would we truly have believed in the vision?" Tapper said. "Sometimes we need to have that little test of faith in order to see whether we are willing to smurf a vision being fulfilled to its end."
"You make it sound like it's a test of believing in this Almighty of yours, Tapper," Duncan said.
"He also tests the faith of those who believe in Him, my good Duncan," Tapper said. "He wants to know if we are willing to trust Him no matter what happens or what difficulties smurf in our way, even if He has to smurf away everything in the world that we smurf near and dear in our hearts."
"I'm sure that this Almighty only has good intentions for whatever He may smurf upon any of us, Tapper," Papa Smurf said.
"That's all the Almighty ever has in His heart for mankind and for creation in general, Papa Smurf...not to harm us, but to give us a hope and a future," Tapper said, as he, Duncan, and Papa Smurf watched Smurfette play with Baby Smurf.
...
"Hello there, Tapper," Smurfette said as she walked into the tavern. "I hope Baby Smurf has been behaving himself this morning."
"Smurf o' the morning to you, my dear Smurfette," Tapper greeted. "The little darling hasn't been much of a problem, just smurfing his fun with a glass of water while I was telling these two gentlesmurfs how he smurfed into the village."
"Oh, come here, you little big boy," Smurfette said as she picked up Baby Smurf in her arms. "Oh, you're becoming a big Smurf every day, I just know it."
"That was a very fascinating story with a lesson in it, fellow Tapper," Polaris said. "This one did not expect that it would be a testing of faith in a vision of prophecy."
"This smurf has read enough of Tapper's holy book to know that this smurf should have seen it coming from a league away, Polaris," Empath said.
"I believe that stories like this should have something to smurf all of us for whatever occasion they may end up smurfing us in, my fellow Empath," Tapper said.
"This smurf doesn't see anything wrong in teaching lessons through stories, as long as the lessons are good ones to learn from, Tapper," Empath said.
"Now you're sounding like Papa Smurf, Empath," Smurfette said. "Anyway, I hope you don't mind that I'm going to take Baby Smurf off your smurfs for his feeding, Tapper."
"Not at all, Smurfette, not at all," Tapper said. "He's your child and everybody else's, as far as I'm concerned. I'll let you smurf whatever it is that he needs."
"Say goodbye to your uncle Tapper, Baby Smurf," Smurfette said.
"Bye, Unca Tappa," Baby Smurf said, as Tapper and Empath also waved goodbye while Smurfette carried the child out the door.
"Come to smurf of it, why don't you also volunteer to watch over Baby Smurf since you're a member of the Smurf Village, Polaris?" Tapper suggested. "The little darling would like to get to know his uncle Finnegan better."
"This one would appreciate it if the child does not refer to this one as his 'uncle Finnegan', if you don't mind, Tapper," Polaris said.
"What's with the name Finnegan anyway, Tapper?" Empath asked.
"It's just my pet name for Polaris in the Ailill language, my fellow Empath, which means 'little white one'," Tapper said. "I mean no disrespect for your friend, despite the fact that he's a Psyche."
"This smurf understands, Tapper," Empath said. "All the same, though, this smurf understands that Polaris does not want to be reminded of his skin color in any fashion."
"As he wishes, so shall I honor it," Tapper said. "His original name smurfs him well in any case."
"Nonetheless, this one is thinking that it may be time for this one to be better acquainted with Baby Smurf, to show him that he does not have to fear being around a Psyche," Polaris said.
"As long as he doesn't have his face frozen like yours all the time," Empath said.
Polaris looked at Empath with a slight look of displeasure.
"Okay, so it's not always frozen," Empath said.
THE END