A modern fairy tale, or maybe not?

Most fairy tales begin with the legendary words “Once upon a time…”. This next story starts with this as well, whether it’s a fairy tale, I’m happy to leave that to the readers.

Once upon a time … a young man walked through an ordinary forest on an ordinary day. This young man enjoyed the colourful nature, the green trees, interspersed with pieces of purple heather.
It was early in the morning and the birds sang their morning song. The young man, however, did not hear this song.
After a long walk, the young man discovered a small, low wooden hut with a roof. The hut only had a front door and no windows. Hey, the young man muttered in surprise, what’s that hut doing there and who would it belong to?
– That hut is mine – sounded an old, crackling voice. The young man didn’t hear that voice.

Suddenly the young man was very startled: the door of the hut opened and an old woman in a long, brightly colored dress, dark pointy shoes and long grey hair stood in the doorway.
– I said, that hut is mine – repeated the woman in her old, crackling voice. And again the young man did not hear the old woman’s voice. But he did see her mouth moving, and read the words from her lips.

– Oh, answered the young man, you live so remote and alone in this hut. You don’t happen to be a witch, do you? – He saw the old woman laughing. He didn’t hear the cracking though.
– No, I’m not a witch, really – read the young man off her lips when she was done laughing.
– I’m just old and I like to live alone in this hut – The old woman had to repeat this sentence one more time, because the young man didn’t understand everything.
– Oh, what a pity – answered the young man. – If you had been a witch, you could have conjured away my deafness and could make me hear -.

The old woman thought about these words for a moment. Then she gave the young man the following answer: – If I had been a witch and I could have make you hear again, I should have to ask for your soul in return. That’s why I’m glad I’m not a witch. –
They agreed that the young man would come back around the same time the next day for his answer.

The next day the young man returned early in the morning to the place where he had found the hut and the old woman the day before. The old woman was already waiting for him in the doorway. They wished each other a good morning and the young man was prepared for his answer to the old woman.
– You are right – said the young man. – Without a soul I could not think, feel, smell and see. I couldn’t live without a soul. Without hearing, life isn’t always easy, but I can still enjoy the things that come out of my soul. That’s why I’m glad you’re not a witch. –
The old woman nodded. The young man and the old woman said goodbye to each other and the young man continued his walk.

The young man then went several times later on to look for the hut and the old woman, but he never found them again.