Week 13 Story: The Secret
Once way back in a time long ago lived this old lady. She had snow white hair, a very round back, and a mole the size of a blueberry, on the corner of her lip. The old lady was seen to be out roaming upon the lands only late at night. However every night, when the moon was its highest, she would stop at a small pond and gaze at the castle that lie ahead. She would sit and stare at the illuminated castle for hours until the sun was near the horizon.
One night the old lady felt as though she was not alone and called out to her surroundings,
"Who goes there?"
she called and received an answer from a very beautiful girl who wore the brightest of colors and of which the fabric was the best.
"It is I, for I have a secret that is eating me away! May I trust in you to tell?"
The old lady nodded her head and the girl began to speak of it. As the sun began to rise, the old lady exclaimed how she must return home and for the girl to do the same. After that night, a fortnight had passed that the old lady hadn't had any other visitors until one night a man was standing at the pond. The old lady walked to him, cautious for who he was and his intentions.
"Who goes there?"
she called to the man who appeared to be in armor, shinning from the moon's radiance.
"It is I, a banished knight of King Arthur's court sent to find what women wish for. Do you have an answer?"
The old lady nodded her head and began to tell the Knight when she stopped and asked for something in return.
"If I do tell you, you must do me a favor."
The knight agreed and after her answer he was elated to go back to the court and give his answer. Upon arrival that night, with the old lady by his side, he proclaimed to the court for he had the answer!
"Women wish for the ability to keep a secret! My fair lady upon us has not been able to do so and has divulged into this old lady that King Arthur has a tail of a donkey!"
Astonished by what he said the King became enraged. The old lady stepped up and said,
"Now fair Knight, do as asked for you now have your life back."
The Knight drew his sword and killed the Queen. There was no breath to be heard in that moment for as the sun shined through the window, the old lady turned into a young girl more beautiful than that of the Queen, yet with the tail of a donkey.
"Don't have sorrow, my King for I shall be your wife instead. We can share the same secret."
Author's Note:
I decided to base my story off of, The Wife of Bath's Tale: The Unknown Bride. In the original story, it is told from the knight's point of view. I wanted to change it and have the audience read it from a more behind the scenes perspective. However I wanted to change what the secret was, making it how its hard to keep secrets and they will always come out due to the lack of strength of the one holding it and the motives of others.
Bibliography:
The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappan (1908)
Wow, Crystel, that was... wild. I had actually read the Canterbury Tales unit earlier this semester. I had forgotten about King Midas having ass ears, so I'm glad you referenced that. It was funny! This seems like such a minor thing, but I like that your story uses a center alignment. It makes the writing more interesting visually. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteHi, Crystel! What an interesting story! I was definitely shocked at the end when the old lady revealed her true form. I thought the secret was really funny, I was not expecting it to be that the king had a donkey's tail. I like how you separated all the dialog from the narration; it makes it easier to read and follow. One suggestion that I have is in the first sentence. I was thinking, what if there were commas like, "Once, way back, in a time long ago, lived an old lady," or something like that?
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