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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

“Princess to Princess ” by Ainsley Y

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time… A real-life girl was in the prince’s garden. The gardner found her there and told her to leave, but the prince said it was quite all right and let her come inside the castle. She thought it would be lovely inside, but it was cold and dark and smelled of nightmares. The walls dripped with tears and the servants were all a shade of gray, their faces dull. The girl told him she must get back to her real-life mother and father, but the prince insisted she stay for dinner. Everyo...

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“A Stream Through a Forest” by Mi E.

Submitted to Contest #88

Princess Minette, daughter of Queen Nephele and King Ludovic. She was, to say the least, a handful of a girl. The Princess was always running off, hiding from tutors and sneaking out of the castle.“Princess, you can not avoid such duties. You must learn to handle responsibility!” That is what the everyone told her. And to such words, the Princess would always respond with the same thing.“I don’t need to know all that. I’m not gonna be a queen!”They all overlooked her reply. After all, there was no plausible way she could avoid her fate. Each...

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“The making of "Princia"” by Kyra Jani

Submitted to Contest #88

"And then the princess lived happily ever after in her rich castle with all her friends!" "Wow! That was amazing! Can I also be a princess, daddy?" I excitedly looked at the shadowy figure of my worn-out old man, my eyes twinkling brighter than the stars above our heads. "Of course you are my princess, you're the most special girl Alaya!" He lifted me up on the very top of the world and spun me around! My hands were spread wide in the air, my hair was dancing with the breeze, my eyes were smiling bright and my laughter bubbled ...

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“Aci” by Leonard Garcia

Submitted to Contest #88

Prince Raphael of Sanguine Kingdom. Raphael is an Ambieximius, a person adept at both sword and magic. Being an Ambieximius and a person of royal blood, his upbringing brought a lot of pressure. Pressure from his family to excel at everything and anything he do. Studies, magic, and sword trainings. To ensure his safety, Raphael is locked in a tower where he trains and study under surveillance 24/7. He has no privacy; all movements are monitored and actions are dictated to him. In other words, he has no freedom at all. One day when he was 1...

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“Value is in the eye of the beholder.” by Andrea Van Egmond

Submitted to Contest #88

‘It says here you have to give up your most valuable possession for the spell to work.’ Naja looked from the book in her hands up to princess Amani. In the candle light she looked almost unreal, the golden headscarf loosely framing her face made her look like an angel, an angel like the ancient artists painted them. They were sitting in a small, dark room just off the castle library, surrounded by books about ancient magic, the only light source being the small candle placed just in between the two girls, who were sitting across from each ot...

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“Till Death Do us Part” by Jai M.

Submitted to Contest #88

Misery and dejection suffocates me; my taut corset allow me more air to breathe than these grand, historic castle walls. As if mourning a dead brother I linger in feelings of grief and despair, this is not living, it is surviving lavishly, nonetheless unhappily. Though I am spoiled with riches and wealth my sorrow grows by each passing morning. Why must I be so miserable? I ask myself this question from the moment I rise from bed to the second I lay my head to rest. Materialistic things can no longer appease me my greed grows stronger, I wan...

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“A Royal Nightmare” by Sonali S

Submitted to Contest #88

Eleanor woke up to thunderous bangs and thuds surrounding her house. She jolted out of bed and fixed her attire then ran towards the large balcony adjacent to her bedroom. ‘What on earth is going on?’ Eleanor gasped in horror at the dreadful sight. Her eyes roamed the area as her vision blurred with tears and her heart pounded in her chest. She saw blood decorating the freshly cut grass, dead bodies littering the front yard of the kingdom. Limbs and torsos submerged into the water fountain. She instantly made her way towards the door, p...

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“Nobody is Free” by Jean Hines

Submitted to Contest #88

A surge of familiarity strikes him when he looks at the boy in the glass. Behind the smudges of dirt and the scars that had puckered and healed since, he could recognize himself. He once used to be a prince. At least he thought he was. Looking down at his hands, then at himself in the glass, the day in question comes to him. What did he have to give up to get away? War-stricken, factions split up by politics, was his old country. Of course, he wouldn’t have known anything about that. Not until the beggar came to t...

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“Drowning” by Kate Stuart

Submitted to Contest #88

She didn’t have a name when Doug first met her. He asked her. It was one of many questions at the start of their romance. She didn’t give him any answers though. Not for many weeks and months, at which point her answers related to the life they were building rather than the life she had when he wasn’t with her. He called her Cora. They always met at the beach. The rolling waves helped Doug’s mind clear and the ridiculous myths his people believed about monsters sneaking through the surf kept the coastline quiet. He could be alone. It ...

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“Escaping From Paradise” by Michael McDonald

Submitted to Contest #88

The palace was a work of art. The external building was eggshell white with pastel blue trim. At over three hundred feet across the front and extending three hundred fifty feet in length, it was an imposing structure. It contained dozens and dozens of bedrooms, offices, and conference rooms. The 25 acre estate sat high on a hill overlooking a beautiful forest. The grounds were immaculate, with a maintenance crew that toiled to keep them in pristine order. Ever present staff attended to every detail of privileged life inside the palace. ...

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“When your former classmates wage war against each other:” by A Living Entity (Or Professional Simulator)

Submitted to Contest #88

Editor's Note: None of the creatures mentioned actually exist. Also, sorry for the excessive cursing. Look here, if you and your fiance were traveling for two months to the human border, what would you bring? Food? Water? A tent? Definitely not the entire treasury. So why exactly are we in this situation? It's because of a fucking war. So, Tailwind got mad at Horesntal because they proposed the Lockwind Alliance. The Lockwind Alliance is this thing where all the kingdoms involved have to gang up on anyone who attacks one ...

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“A Devil's Beauty” by KB Lindy

Submitted to Contest #88

“Azaela, I would like you to meet Prince Ralin of Untalia,” my father—King Olfred of Tanita, the largest Kingdom in the land said. “A pleasure to meet you,” Prince Ralin said, bending down to kiss my hand politely . “The pleasure is mine,” I replied in the customary response. “Come, sit down,” my father said. “A feast awaits us!” Servants trickled out of the side doors, holding trays and platters stacked high with fresh meats and breads. As Tanitan law required, my father sat first. Then, Prince Ralin pulle...

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“The princess and the dragon” by Chloe Barney

Submitted to Contest #88

The princess woke one morning to yet another day of royal duties. Two ladies maids came in and swept her out of bed and into her garb for the day. She went along with it only because she had no other choice. It felt like a tornado every morning. The incessant pulling of her hair to get it just right for the court that day. “Which crown my lady?“ One of them asked. “Marie I have told you before to call me by my name please. ” Looking at the crowns that I could choose from a feeling of boredom washed over me not for the first tim...

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“Soul Binding ” by Krista Pantaleo

Submitted to Contest #88

Walking into the lonely greeting hall, she felt the hard, heavy, golden piece pressing down on her temples. Fiddling with the crown for the millionth time that morning, she stopped in the darkened hallway and turned as she saw her lonely soul in the gold framed mirror. Staring for what felt like a millennium, she cringed as she heard the swishing and clanking of the King’s Sword on the ballroom floor. Grabbing the bottom of her dress, she slipped her dainty feet out of her heeled shoes, and as silent as a church mouse, she tiptoed down the h...

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“The Tower's Walls” by Caera Keane

Submitted to Contest #88

She’s not an outlaw nor a felon. She’s not guilty of any crimes worth to be punished by eternal exile within my sturdy walls. I was quick to be overwhelmed with curiosity, and so I took it upon my own need to scrutinize the girl. And I didn’t know whether or not I was surprised that I saw it with my own eyes that she was indeed kept in good condition. Unmarred, her milky white skin was free of any scars. She was dressed of fine silk – donned with beautiful ribbons and glimmering jewels, and her dark locks were entwined into an intricate br...

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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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