Sleeping
Beauty
by
Maddy C, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Age 13
I’ll admit I haven’t
been looking my best these last few days. It must be the heat that’s
gotten to me. I’m certainly not in the story telling mood.
But since my latest masquerade in the Fairy Times and the National
Fairy I feel it my duty to inform all what really happened concerning
Miss. Sleeping Beauty.
Now, I used
to be beautiful. Back in the day, I was quite the model. I could
pull party invitations out of my ear if I wanted. “Oh, Carabosse,
we would be so honoured if you will grace us at Princess Melanie’s
birthday party” They would beg. And of course I agreed, and
attended.
I studied witchcraft for a couple years and instantly mastered the
hardest spells; it was just a couple curses I had trouble with…
Even so, I
still had my beauty and I began to age.
Okay, so maybe
I got a few pimples. So what! Nothing that some Clearasil can’t
fix. But, my skin became dry and I itched and scratched and discovered
acne, backne and all sorts of warts. I was horrified, so I covered
myself in black and kept two rats to ward off any curious busybodies.
It worked for a couple years.
But then I heard of something marvelous. The children less King
and Queen were christening their newborn Princess Aurora! It would
be the most magnificent event of all my previous years and future.
I knew I would have a ball there. But as I pleasantly waited, the
weeks went by and I did not receive an invitation.
I was very patient, just thinking it would arrive in a couple days
or a week or so. But as I sat alone, I thought I heard hooves, so
I rushed and peered through the window. The hired horseman who carried
the invitations was riding just past my house!
Maybe, he would come again and remember, I thought.
But I never saw the horseman again.
By the day
of the celebration I still hadn’t received an invite. I knew
there must have been some little mistake. Maybe my rat ate up the
invitation or maybe it was dropped or something of that nature.
So I decided to go to the palace, they would be most understanding
as to why I was there, wouldn’t they?
I wore a purple cloak. It might have looked better on one of those
little skinny mini fairies, but I was a fairy too!
I prepared the best of spells for the little baby. As long as I
muttered the right verses, the charming girl would wake up to a
bed full of roses. I think I outdid myself, really!
So I had the
two rats, Paolo and John take me up to the steps of the castle.
The greeting fairy fainted with fright. It must have been because
of my stunning beauty.
I turned my head to the admissions officer. He ran. Maybe it was
because of my attractive new shoes. Whatever the reasons, I smiled
at the last man on the veranda. He frowned and sort-of collapsed
right then and there.
Since they
had all disappeared, I walked up to the grand front doors. They
wouldn’t open. I pushed them harder. They still wouldn’t
budge. Then I kicked and threw some stones at the doors and they
broke free and I walked in. Everyone gasped with horror. They weren’t
staring at my eyelashes - they were looking at my rats. They had
tagged along. Ooops
“Greetings!
Young and old! I am here to cast a spell apon the princess. Now
let me see… Real ribbons ripen with time and with -“
“Stop” Yelled a chorus of fairies. “ You were
not invited to this ceremony, now, kindly step aside and leave us
to the blessings” She turned around and her purple fluffy
little skirt moved with her.
She stuck her nose up and she held up her wand. “Stupid lilac
fairy”, I groaned.
I needed to bless the princess! I pushed my way through everyone
and tried to recite my lines. They came out all wrong, I mean it!
I said doze instead of rose and prick instead of pick. What a fool
I was. I soon apologized, and asked if I could take it back. The
king was shocked , and threw me out of the castle by one arm.
“But wait! I shouted, “You don’t understand!”
“I understand that you’ll be perfectly happy in the
palace dungeon for the rest of your life” he announced.
….............
And here I am, forced to decorate such an ugly cell, forced to eat
nothing but bread and water. To think I was once such a lovely young
fairy! And you believe me right?
