His Tale From Days Long Past

It was just my luck that I met the gingerbread man on my way home. The woman of my dreams had gone missing and a quest I was encouraged to go on.

Her step-mother frightened me, a beautiful creature, yet evil at the core. She wined and dined me, then asked if I would not risk being suitor to an older woman, she.

With half truths, I left in a hurry, not daring to face her anger after telling her that I must attend to my father who was expecting my turn.

The gingerbread man, a delicious looking fellow, warned me of the evil queen’s fancy for herself and told me that during his run he had heard mountain dwarves singing that they had found a woman whose charm and beauty matched only that of a forest nymph.

Taking his words to hear, my quest began by searching the deepest, darkest parts of the woods.

I had reached the point of despair in my search for little men and a forest nymph when I stumbled upon a diamond mine. Jolly voices arose from the hole in the ground singing of their work day.

I followed them that evening, to their cabin deep within the wood and saw with mine own eyes the princess, the woman of my dreams. My quest was complete!

I spoke of our return and she told me she couldn’t accompany unless her step-mother was imprisoned or killed, for she had barely escaped with her life.

I looked up on her skin so fair, her beauty tantalizing, lips so luscious red, and knew what I had to do.
Leaving her in the care of those seven little men was the hardest thing for me to endure.

I rode fast and hard to the evil queen’s castle, ready to seduce the snake and beat her at her own game. Her castle was empty, guards galavanting, so I took the opportunity to snoop around. In her chamber I found, a mirror—not round—but oval in shape.

Frustrated I asked, to none by myself, “Where can the queen be?” Shock filled my mind as a face swirled in the mirror and became clear.

“The woman you seek at heart ugly and meek
Is disguised and trekking, through a wood so deep.
A cabin of seven she seeks.
Red apples she carries, that eaten death will feign.
Your princess beguiled will sleep
Until kiss and curse meet.”

In my fury at leaving my love vulnerable to the evil queen’s tricks, I fled the castle.

I found the queen, disguised, an old woman carrying a basket of the reddest apples ever seen.

“Would you like an apple, Son?” she cackled like that of a witch and I knew it was her, the temptress.

My sword sang as it flashed. Her head toppled and rolled like the apples in her basket.

My horse and I rode, swift into the deep. Over her body, seven men did weep. Already encased in a casket of glass, preserved they she, a beautiful lass. My princess, my fair, lady love already in the through of death.

Weeks passed while I mourned with seven mountain dwarves. Time came to make haste to home for the king can only be so patient. Shaking hands with each little man, the mirrors words suddenly came and struck me.

“Your princess beguiled will sleep until kiss and curse meet."

I climbed the ridge to where her casket had been placed to showcase her beauty to the forest. Carefully we lifted the glass. Gently I caressed her face, and leaned down. Fear knotted in my stomach, then was replaced by courage and strength as I licked my lips and kissed. Her lips were warm as though life had not left. I lingered leaning over her, my lips on hers. When I finally released, her eyes fluttered open then close. I held her close.

Joy rang through the trees as seven men danced and sang:

“She lives, she lives,
There’s magic in the forest,
For she lives, she lives.”

I put her on my horse and together we left in the sighing light of day and returned to my castle with tales of poisoned apples and love’s magic kiss.