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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#88: Fairy Tale Truths

Did you know that April 2nd marks Hans Christian Andersen’s 216th birthday? Andersen’s work has been adapted and reimagined so many times it's become part of our literary DNA. In fact, it's hard to imagine the world of fairy tales without them. And while some were based on old folklore, many sprang from his own imagination — sometimes even incorporating details of his life and using the genre's fantastical trappings to write parables about his experiences.

This week we invite you to use your stories to explore larger truths. Whether you set them in a magical fairy tale realm or not, stories are a wonderful way to examine important ideas. So sit back, reflect, and prepare to let your imagination run wild through the forest.

This week's prompts

Write a cautionary fable about someone who always lies.

Adults – 116 stories

Write a story about an ordinary person speaking truth to power.

Adults – 68 stories

Write about a prince or princess who is asked to give up something valuable as part of a deal to escape the world they come from.

Fantasy – 190 stories

Write a fairy tale about an outsider trying to fit in.

Kids – 173 stories

Write about an author famous for their fairy tale retellings.

Teens – 73 stories

Stories

“Fairy Tales” by Steve Cripwell

Submitted to Contest #88

‘We love your stories, Uncle Zak, please tell us another one.’The three youngsters were sitting cross-legged in a semicircle around his chair. They were in his sitting room and the sun was shining through the open french windows. He’d been on his own for almost five years, ever since his wife had died, and the visits from his family were precious to him. Closing the book he’d been reading from, he said. ‘Sorry kids but I have to finish a story I’m writing and I have a deadline to meet.’ There was a murmur of dissent from the children but the...

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“Dream Rebirth” by Thompson Emate

Submitted to Contest #88

“Brendan! What are you doing?”“Mum, am coming.” He closed his book and ran to his mum.“How many times will I call you before you respond? For heaven’s sake, how many times will I call you before you come to meet me? Hun?” Sheila stood at akimbo waiting for her son’s reply.“Mum, am very sorry, it won’t happen again,” he scratched his hair.“Ok. I sincerely hope so. And if I may ask, what were you doing?”“Oh, I was, I was reading some book,” he stuttered.“What book is that?”“It’s, It’s Beauty and the beast,” he stuttered more.“You’re at it agai...

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“The Misdeed of Trixie the Pixie” by Olivia Agatha

Submitted to Contest #88

“A pixie?” A low voice awoken Trixie from her slumber. Two eyes —as green as the forest— bore into hers curiously, startling her.“What? Who are you?” she yelled and flew away from the guy. “My apology, I’m new here… just wandering around to make myself familiar,” he said with a sweet smile.Trixie wished to retort, but she just realized the oddity of it all. No passersby had ever come close to her, even if they did, they wouldn’t spare another glance at her for they didn’t believe her existence. And yet, this guy… “How do you e...

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“Bitter the Cherry” by Aleko Mitroudid

Submitted to Contest #88

Let it burn, let it blight. Moon above and out of sight. Cloudy the welkin is tonight. Peak the tale, let it start. Let your wisdom lips unwrap. Tell the story oldest friend. Reach the end and start again. Somewhere in a village, far from the home you call your own, lived once a good woman. She was happy and big herself, as was her laughter. And known was the woman truly in her little village, for the bestest pies ever were prepared by her hands. All the other women in the village were always jealous of her and often tried to distrac...

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“Which Witch?” by Ruth Smith

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of Rockpence which was ruled by King Kilgren, the Warrior King, and his lovely wife, Queen Catira. King Kilgren was a wise and just king, and beloved by all his subjects. He was a fierce warrior, feared by his enemies. Because of this, no one challenged him and his people lived in peace. One summer, a blight came upon the kingdom. No one knew where it came from or what caused it, and His Majesty sent word far and wide in search for an answer. One day, a young girl sought an audience with the King, c...

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“Pause before passing the judgement ” by Farida Doctor

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time in a jungle near the Nile , all the animals and birds lived happily and harmoniously. One day a crow named Kalu happened to pass from there. He was amazed to see that peace prevailed in such a big place. One bad habit of telling lies had already been proven disastrous for him. He had lost his family and friends and all relationships due to this one habit and he was kicked out of his own house by his family members. So he was searching a new place and wanted to build a new house and when he came across this jun...

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“Fact or Fiction ” by Charles Wasilausky

Submitted to Contest #88

Onice, in the far off land of Saision, lived a young man named David. David enjoyed entertaining people by telling stories, although sometimes he got so caught up in his story telling that he couldn't tell what was reality from fiction. His parents tried to tell him before to limit his story telling times, but David didn't listen. One day, David started telling a story to some neighborhood kids. "Did you know that before our ancestors came here to Saision, it was inhabited by a wide variety of monsters. Some had tusks, claws, wings, feathers...

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“You Can Catch a Thief But Not a Liar” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #88

“You Can Catch a Thief But Not a Liar” Suzanne Marsh Paper Airplanes flying all over the classroom. The children of Miss O’Hara’s fifth grade class were singing at the top of their lungs: “From the halls of Blessed Sacrament to the shores of bubble gum bay. We will hit our teachers all the time with spit balls, mud and clay. First we fight for right and freedom; then to keep our desks a mess. We are proud to claim the title of the TEACHERS FIRST CLASS PEST!” Miss O’Hara could stand no mor...

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“The Mask of Deception” by Susan Joy Clark

Submitted to Contest #88

As a music box played a soft but melancholy tune, Moonbeam dreamed of the masquerade ball the king was throwing that night. She had no gown, only a drab dress of coarse fabric and nondescript color. She did have a mask, a white sequined mask with upright bunny ears. She put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. Her clothes might have been humble, but she had a crowning glory of golden ringlets that fell to her waist. With the mask on, one could still see the beauty of her rosy lips, but her eyes and her very identity were hidden. It was...

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“Petit Mensonge (a little lie)” by Emma Sinclair

Submitted to Contest #88

His eyes wrinkled as he sniffed, his nose wiggling as he inhaled some chocolate powder. His granddaughter giggled and swung her legs, still too short to reach the ground. The pair sat in the café’s prime seat, tucked into the bay window for optimal people watching. “Papa! Why do noses wiggle?” Chloé asked, tilting her blonde head from side to side as she contemplated the possibilities. “Eh! How else would they make room for all the smells inside?” He retorted, raising his bushy eyebrow as if to imply that was common knowledge. She nodde...

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“Big Brother Rupert” by Brianna Stilwell

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there lived a poor King and Queen. They lived in a magnificent castle, but the interior was barren of all decorations and other signs of wealth, for they had none. As their kingdom struggled, the benevolent rulers did everything they could to keep their people alive and afloat. In doing so, they began to run out of money, eventually having to sell their possessions just to keep their kingdom afloat. As time went by, though, even that wasn’t enough, and the penniless King and Queen found themselves desp...

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“Price of Life” by Théia Maxon

Submitted to Contest #88

Nelaryn knew what they had to do. With each step they took thought the green, their pain grew deeper, clutching at their bones and seizing their heart. With each breath they felt as though the world pressed heavier down on them and they wondered despairingly if they'd make it at all. They had been walking for days, getting weaker and weaker with each passing moment. Their burden lay heavy on their shoulders but they would not give up. They could not. Slowly the air grew hazy and cold around them and the path ahead seemed to fall away int...

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“The Devil's Marriage ” by Abby Burton

Submitted to Contest #88

What do I have to do to live a normal life like ordinary people, people seem to think that being a princess is perfect but in reality it's not. I am princess Nora, my mother is the queen and my father is missing. No one knows what happened, the night I was born he went missing there was no trace of him what so ever. My mother says I need to be grim and proper, and I have to follow the rules like I am not allowed to leave the castle at all and I can't talk to people outside of the castle walls. My mother is always busy and never has time for ...

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“Prince of Stone” by Jecklyn Hydes

Submitted to Contest #88

Perhaps you’ve seen it twitch out of the corner of your eye. The statue. The weeping boy who stands in the castle garden, guarding the flowers with the angels who scare unwanted visitors off with their silence. History states that the statues were left in remembrance of the young prince that had disappeared. But to anyone who visits the garden, the serenity leaves the strange feeling as if you were being watched. If you stay long enough, you would soon learn the tale of this prince, and who is watching you. There once was a young prince who ...

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“The Shadow's Deal” by Karmissa Ariadne

Submitted to Contest #88

The pact with the Old Gods had been broken and an era of chaotic darkness was soon to follow. What once was a world filled with magic and beauty was now divided by power and dominion and we all had our parts to play. As a high princess, I had become a target. People no longer looked to the royal families as a symbol of hope and strength or fairness and divine judgement, we were now seen as the pitfall of humanity. Our bloodlines, beliefs and magics were deemed self-absorbed despite the millennia of peace we had served.A surge of world magic ...

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$50

Prize money

622

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 09, 2021 EST

Won by Shannon Ethel 🏆

Title: No More Happy Endings

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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