Part 1 & 2

This story, I swear to you by the stars, is true. If you don’t believe, you can shun me, and I will be an outcast wandering the earth without leisure. But if you consider my words true, think on them always. 

 

This story is about a queen and a witch. The queen is important and beautiful and has a very fortunate kingdom. But she has no friends but her king and her daughter. When her daughter becomes sick, the queen weeps at the tragedy. She sends the king to see a mysterious woman, a witch, who lives alone on a hill for help. 

 

The witch says that in order to save his daughter, he must kill the love of his life. The king was thinking he had to kill his wife, so he became very sad. Who would love the king if he could not protect his family. How could the people trust him to protect them? What would his daughter think if he did it? 

 

On the hill next to the house of the witch, the king stared into the sun thinking of what to do. He refused to kill his wife. He declared he would not leave until he found another way to save his daughter. Night came and went but the king remained tied up in a black cloud of sadness. Days passed and nevertheless he sat. Each dawn asking the witch for another way. Each dawn she replied “no”. 

 

 

 

Part 3 & 4

 He was overcome by sadness. He did not eat. He did not smile or laugh. The queen sent a servant to lead the king home, but he killed the servant in anger. With this deed, and with the changing of the the moon, the king transformed into a beast. Once again did he eat, but only on those who dared come near the house of the witch. He claimed that none may seek advice until his daughter was saved. The whole from his missing daughter could not be filled. But the blood of his citizens filled his stomach. 

 

With each death, his daughter grew better. But losing his thoughts to madness, none could explain this to the king. So all who went up the hill met the same fate as the queen’s servant. And so he stayed a beast, ever protecting the witch’s hut. 

 

When she was well and heard the story of her father, the daughter went to see him to explain what had become of herself. Because madness overcame him and he lost all reason and wisdom, he killed her as well. Devastated, the queen sent another servant. This one was wise, and called up the hill to the witch. “Will you come and see the queen so that you might help her with a task in the city?” 

 

 

Part 5

The witch agreed and came down the mountain to the home of the queen. Once there the witch was surrounded by soldiers as the queen demanded that she release her husband from the spell. The queen had already lost her daughter and refused to lose more. 

 

The queen, learning from her husbands foolishness, told the witch what she would give to have her husband back. The queen told the witch she would give up her next child, if only the witch could restore her husbands mind. Smiling the witch said, “I will not take away your child, instead I will return one to you.” Confused, the queen released the witch thinking that she could bring her daughter back to life. 

 

The next morning the queen woke to find her king back at home in the palace. Happily, she ran to greet him only to find his mind had indeed been returned as she asked, but to that of when he was a child.  Devastated the queen cried and wept until her home and her kingdom fell into ruin. 

 

Oh miserable king, It was not the queen whom he needed kill to save his daughter, but only his reputation as a wise and amicable lord. Poor queen, it was not the witch who planned the ruin of the kingdom, but you in thinking you could beat her in a game of wits. If the witch told you to kill what you lived most to save another that you loved, would you fare better than our fabled king? Would you make the same mistake as thinking yourself wiser than the witch of the hill?