Once Upon A Time
A Fairy Tale by a Committee of Two:
InStitches and Yetzirah
Started January 9, 2006
In a playful mood one day, InStitches followed up on an open ended statement in my diary. It took on a life of its own, and this was the result.
The parts written by In Stitches are in plain text, and the parts by Yetzirah are in italics.
We hope you enjoy it!
"Once upon a time......."
....in a land far, far away lived a cat with as many names as she had moods. Though her real name was Jasmine to many she was simply known as Your Highness; to others she was....well let's just say some names were not very kind. Her closest friends however, called her Jazzy. To the casual observer Jasmine appeared to be a typical cat, but looks can be deceiving. Jasmine was anything but typical. She was......
*** ....actually the reincarnation of a particularly spoiled princess who had begged her daddy to behead so many people who displeased her, that she ended up living in her castle all alone, eating nothing but raw carrots from the garden because she was too lazy to cook. One fine day while she was digging in her garden for yet another carrot, an old woman came hobbling up to the gate with a cunning little basket over her arm....
*****
At first Jasmine tried to ignore this person who dared come to her garden unannounced. How impertinent she thought haughtily, one just does not invite themselves into the presence of royalty without being announced. After all, there are protocols to be maintained.She was about to say something horrid when she remembered that there was no one left to announce visitors. Not only that, but, due to her hateful behavior, she had been turned into a cat and could no longer speak people.
Suddenly she realized she had no idea what to do is such a situation so she took a deep breath and tried to remember the manners her grandmother, the Queen Mum, had tried so hard to teach heryears ago. Finally she managed a rather feeble smile and said meow, meow which everyone knows is How do you do. in cat language.
The old woman smiled in return, but said nothing. Instead she opened the gate and entered the garden where she hobbled over to the royal bench and sat down. Ignoring Jasmine she adjusted the cover on her basket. Jasmine was tempted to order her from the garden immediately, but she was a rather curious sort and wanted desperately to see the contents of the old womans basket.She was rather hoping for a tasty morsel of some sort; perhaps a bit of fish. Oh how she longed for a taste of mackerel or herring after her endless diet of carrots! She would try one more time to communicate with this unusual visitor. Meow, meow, meow asked Jasmine in her friendliest tone. That would be What is in your basket? for those of you who dont speak cat.
Suddenly the old woman spoke. "I have in my basket the very thing you need to be a princess again if you are willing to pay the price." Slowly she pulled back the cover.......
***
And there, resting in the folds of the linen napkin was a big, bright, perfectly formed, freshly washed. . . CARROT! Jasmine twitched her tail in annoyance. She even let a low menacing growl slip between her clenched teeth. She felt her claws itching to scratch the old womans eyes out. Jumping down from the bench, Jasmine paced to and fro along the garden path, her eyes narrowing in frustration. Does this hag think I am a fool? I am sick to death of carrots! The old woman watched Jasmine's every move in sublime unconcern. . . "Take it or leave it deary, its of no never mind to me if you take my offer. I have other enchanted beings to see today, so make up your mind missy."
***
Jasmine continued to seethe inwardly; pride clouding her judgment. Still, she felt compelled to think about the old womans words. Could it be possible for a carrot to be the answer to her problem? After all she had been eating carrots daily for months and she was still covered in fur and unable to speak a word of people no matter how hard she tried.
It was true that there were certain health benefits; even she had to admit that. Her eyesight had never been so sharp. Why she could see a thousand feet ahead on a moonless night, but for a carrot to restore her to the royal status as Princess of Lunaria, what rubbish! The woman had to be daft.
But the possibility of becoming a princess again burned in her mind. She missed wearing her tiara and pretty gowns; she missed parties and dancing with handsome princes in the castle ballroom. She wanted desperately for life to return to the way it was and, I am sad to report, most of all she wanted to get even with those who had turned her into a cat. She determined then and there that she would eat that carrot if thats what it took to become a princess once again.
Swallowing her pride, (if only for a moment) she returned and daintily jumped into the old womans lap. Then, making a nasty face, she leaned over the basket and took a bite fromthe carrot and waited...... and waited........ and waited.
Nothing happened, nothing at all.
She was still a cat and a cat with no humor at that. Jasmine was disappointed to say the least and let out a yowl that would surely have curdled milk had there been any milk nearby. Then, as if purposefully seeking to add insult to injury, the old woman laughed and said, "No, no, no silly cat; the carrot is not for eating."
Humiliated, Jasmine did not know whether to cry or run away. What was she to do? She did not understand at all. Why would the woman bring her a carrot if not to eat it?
*****
"This carrot is one that you wear. The old woman explained. Shall I help you?" By this time, Jasmine would have done almost anything to find out what this was all about, so she jumped up once more on the bench and sat as quietly as she could. Only her twitching tail betrayed her inner agitation. Producing a tattered pink ribbon, the old woman placed the carrot atop Jasmines head, tying it securely with the bow jauntily under one of her ears. Jasmine looked up, blowing the greenery out of her eyes. This woman was clearly mad as a hatter and should be most summarily deprived of her head. But Jasmine kept her thoughts to herself and tried her best to look fetching in her new hat. She cocked her head to one side and let out a demure, "Meow."
Please go to
InStitches diary for the conclusion of the story.
A Fairy Tale by a Committee of Two:
InStitches and Yetzirah
Started January 9, 2006
In a playful mood one day, InStitches followed up on an open ended statement in my diary. It took on a life of its own, and this was the result.
The parts written by In Stitches are in plain text, and the parts by Yetzirah are in italics.
We hope you enjoy it!
"Once upon a time......."
....in a land far, far away lived a cat with as many names as she had moods. Though her real name was Jasmine to many she was simply known as Your Highness; to others she was....well let's just say some names were not very kind. Her closest friends however, called her Jazzy. To the casual observer Jasmine appeared to be a typical cat, but looks can be deceiving. Jasmine was anything but typical. She was......
*** ....actually the reincarnation of a particularly spoiled princess who had begged her daddy to behead so many people who displeased her, that she ended up living in her castle all alone, eating nothing but raw carrots from the garden because she was too lazy to cook. One fine day while she was digging in her garden for yet another carrot, an old woman came hobbling up to the gate with a cunning little basket over her arm....
*****
At first Jasmine tried to ignore this person who dared come to her garden unannounced. How impertinent she thought haughtily, one just does not invite themselves into the presence of royalty without being announced. After all, there are protocols to be maintained.She was about to say something horrid when she remembered that there was no one left to announce visitors. Not only that, but, due to her hateful behavior, she had been turned into a cat and could no longer speak people.
Suddenly she realized she had no idea what to do is such a situation so she took a deep breath and tried to remember the manners her grandmother, the Queen Mum, had tried so hard to teach heryears ago. Finally she managed a rather feeble smile and said meow, meow which everyone knows is How do you do. in cat language.
The old woman smiled in return, but said nothing. Instead she opened the gate and entered the garden where she hobbled over to the royal bench and sat down. Ignoring Jasmine she adjusted the cover on her basket. Jasmine was tempted to order her from the garden immediately, but she was a rather curious sort and wanted desperately to see the contents of the old womans basket.She was rather hoping for a tasty morsel of some sort; perhaps a bit of fish. Oh how she longed for a taste of mackerel or herring after her endless diet of carrots! She would try one more time to communicate with this unusual visitor. Meow, meow, meow asked Jasmine in her friendliest tone. That would be What is in your basket? for those of you who dont speak cat.
Suddenly the old woman spoke. "I have in my basket the very thing you need to be a princess again if you are willing to pay the price." Slowly she pulled back the cover.......
***
And there, resting in the folds of the linen napkin was a big, bright, perfectly formed, freshly washed. . . CARROT! Jasmine twitched her tail in annoyance. She even let a low menacing growl slip between her clenched teeth. She felt her claws itching to scratch the old womans eyes out. Jumping down from the bench, Jasmine paced to and fro along the garden path, her eyes narrowing in frustration. Does this hag think I am a fool? I am sick to death of carrots! The old woman watched Jasmine's every move in sublime unconcern. . . "Take it or leave it deary, its of no never mind to me if you take my offer. I have other enchanted beings to see today, so make up your mind missy."
***
Jasmine continued to seethe inwardly; pride clouding her judgment. Still, she felt compelled to think about the old womans words. Could it be possible for a carrot to be the answer to her problem? After all she had been eating carrots daily for months and she was still covered in fur and unable to speak a word of people no matter how hard she tried.
It was true that there were certain health benefits; even she had to admit that. Her eyesight had never been so sharp. Why she could see a thousand feet ahead on a moonless night, but for a carrot to restore her to the royal status as Princess of Lunaria, what rubbish! The woman had to be daft.
But the possibility of becoming a princess again burned in her mind. She missed wearing her tiara and pretty gowns; she missed parties and dancing with handsome princes in the castle ballroom. She wanted desperately for life to return to the way it was and, I am sad to report, most of all she wanted to get even with those who had turned her into a cat. She determined then and there that she would eat that carrot if thats what it took to become a princess once again.
Swallowing her pride, (if only for a moment) she returned and daintily jumped into the old womans lap. Then, making a nasty face, she leaned over the basket and took a bite fromthe carrot and waited...... and waited........ and waited.
Nothing happened, nothing at all.
She was still a cat and a cat with no humor at that. Jasmine was disappointed to say the least and let out a yowl that would surely have curdled milk had there been any milk nearby. Then, as if purposefully seeking to add insult to injury, the old woman laughed and said, "No, no, no silly cat; the carrot is not for eating."
Humiliated, Jasmine did not know whether to cry or run away. What was she to do? She did not understand at all. Why would the woman bring her a carrot if not to eat it?
*****
"This carrot is one that you wear. The old woman explained. Shall I help you?" By this time, Jasmine would have done almost anything to find out what this was all about, so she jumped up once more on the bench and sat as quietly as she could. Only her twitching tail betrayed her inner agitation. Producing a tattered pink ribbon, the old woman placed the carrot atop Jasmines head, tying it securely with the bow jauntily under one of her ears. Jasmine looked up, blowing the greenery out of her eyes. This woman was clearly mad as a hatter and should be most summarily deprived of her head. But Jasmine kept her thoughts to herself and tried her best to look fetching in her new hat. She cocked her head to one side and let out a demure, "Meow."
Please go to
InStitches diary for the conclusion of the story.