Chapter 1:
A Girl Named Asya
There once was a girl named Asya. She didn’t live in a time long ago — like in most fairy tales — but, rather, quite recently.
Her life was ordinary, not too special. But suddenly a real fairy tale started in her life! And it didn’t happen like it usually does, when something wonderful happens but then everything goes back to the way it was. Instead, her whole life became filled with real magic! And, even to this day, her life has been like this!
But I will tell all about it.
Asya lived a normal life, like how most children live. Not good, not bad — but… average.
She lived in a big city, in a nice big apartment with her father and mother. And she studied in an elite preparatory school.
Outwardly, everything was in order: the wealth of their household was nothing beyond the ordinary, but, as the saying goes, they were “no worse off than others”.
However, there was a problem in Asya’s life, which often caused her a lot of pain. Asya’s father was always very strict with her: he very much wanted Asya to be the best in everything. And everything in Asya’s life had to be as he thought it should be. And Asya even had to think the same way as he did, and always act according to how he considered proper.
He praised her very rarely, but criticized her often. And everything that he said to her was so harsh and tough, that Asya began to fear him. When her father was at home and was not busy with anything, she lived in constant tension and fear: worrying that she might do or say something wrong — by accident, and not on purpose — and that her father would “scold” her!
Once, Asya even complained to her friend from school about her fear — and her friend said to her: “Well, so what if he “scolds” you? After all, it’s not like he beats you! Listen to me: spit on his words and live calmly! He doesn’t withhold his money, instead, he buys outfits and gifts for you — which are so great that others die of jealousy! For the sake of such things — be patient! And offensive words of all sorts — they don’t matter!”
But for Asya, they did matter… If she could, she would throw out all of such gifts from her father, without hesitation, just for her dad to change and to be kind to her!
She once even asked her mother to talk to her dad:
“Mom, please, tell dad not to scold me so much! Whenever I am at home, I am always worrying that he might hit me right now for being mistaken in something or for suddenly getting a low mark in school, or for telling him something that he won’t like…”
“What’s the matter with you, my daughter?! What are you talking about?! Daddy loves you! He only wants what’s best for you, he only wants you to be the best in everything! He would never so much as lay a finger on you, he is so proud of you, telling everyone about you and how clever you are!”
“It would be better if he didn’t want me to be so perfect. For when I can’t be what he wants me to be, — he despises me so much! And he says such mean words to me that I cry the whole day long! With his words — he hits me even harder than if he were to beat me!”
… Her mother talked to her father about it. But he did not listen, and he did not understand the problems of his daughter. And her mother also didn’t understand… She loved her husband so much that she as if looked at everything through his eyes, seeing his opinions as correct, and forgetting about her own…
And Asya’s father was a very strong and proud person. Because of that, he never even tried to understand how he was felt and perceived by others. And he could not even imagine that he himself could be wrong in something.
A couple of days after that conversation with Asya’s mother, her father tried to praise his daughter, and not to ridicule her or criticize her mistakes. But then all of this was forgotten, and her life at home continued on as usual.
Except that Asya began to lose a lot of weight, and she started to become sick very often, almost continuously…
Her mother began to take her to physicians. They listened to Asya’s heart, took all sorts of tests, and prescribed pills and medicines…
But none of this helped Asya to feel better.
… By springtime, Asya had become quite weak. She was even hospitalized for examination, but no terrible disease was discovered.
When she was discharged from the hospital, the doctor told Asya’s parents: “This is all very serious! I have seen cases like this more than once. In such cases, it’s as if the life of the child is fading, and a diagnosis cannot be made. This is because medical studies cannot show the cause of the disease! And a year later, cancer or some other severe disease becomes obvious, and then the chances of healing the patient are much less. People begin to say that the doctors overlooked something… But I, however, see that the situation is bad, even though the instruments do not yet see it!
“You would do well to put her in a good health resort for the summer to live in the forest, in nature! Or to look for a good healer, who knows how to treat others with herbs!”
In that moment, they recalled about Asya’s grandfather — the father of Asya’s mother. After all, grandfather Basil lived in the forest. He had his own apiary there, and many people revered him as a very strong healer…