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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

“The Top 10 of Adrian Winkels” by Luca Nemeskéri

Submitted to Contest #88

Dear Readers, Today we celebrate the 90th birthday of Adrian Winkels. He is famous for retelling beloved fairy tales and giving them a new setting and a more detailed narrative arc. His stories would seem well-known and nostalgic and yet entirely new at the same time. Unfortunately, he passed away three years ago, but his memory and legacy will be carried on by his readers. Some would argue, that his work is only a collection of forgeries of other writers' works and he didn't make...

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“A Trace of Diamond” by Oliver Golding

Submitted to Contest #88

The fits had started young. Claire Fontaine was hardly five the first time her world slipped. The doctors had suspected epilepsy, but she experienced some unique symptoms. Her body would seize, but her mind would be transported elsewhere. And she would always see the same girl. Abigail Whitcombe.The first time she saw her, Abigail was also young. But as the years passed, she witnessed Abigail come into her own as a young woman. Abigail founded her own private investigation service focused on helping fairytale characters overcome challenges. ...

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“Prodigies of Age” by Christopher Cayen-Cyr

Submitted to Contest #88

The BLOOD!The SLAUGHTER!The SUSPENSE!These will be splattered across every page as detective Martha Sevinski braves the dangers of the underground organ trafficking scene in her search of the Boston Butcher, a vicious serial killer preying on the fresh college minds of Harvard University. As the predator makes his way down the list of top ranking students to harvest their brains, Sevinski finds herself racing against the clock to uncover his secret identity and teams up with an unlikely ally in the person of her estranged husband, Dr. Ratche...

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“Brigetta and Winston” by P Thrall

Submitted to Contest #88

Reedsy Contest #237: Fairy Tale Truths 1. Write a cautionary fable about someone who always lies. Brigetta and Winston Brigetta stretched out long in the fresh straw as she raked in the delicious fragrances of their new environment, her pale whiskers quivering gently as the rooster crowed. Her feet and legs still ached from the long trek from Portland, but her paws were clean and she was dry. She felt sa...

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“Warrior Princess” by Molly Scully

Submitted to Contest #88

Today’s the day. The one I’ve been dreading. I can’t believe I couldn’t figure out a way to get out of this, but they’re already on their way. Every eligible man within a hundred miles will be coming to the palace ball tonight for my eighteenth birthday. Any other princess would probably be thrilled about this special day, but I would literally rather be anywhere else. I’ve never even been invited to another princess’s suitor ball, so I don’t know what to expect. Of course my mom has drilled the schedule into my brain, but I don’t feel prep...

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“The Entertainer” by Johnny Manc

Submitted to Contest #88

In the Land of Mor, the beloved King Arivan’s reign marked one of peace with the neighboring kingdoms, and his people prospered from the trade route he established through the western realms. His Queen, the Lady Revel, was loved as well while she lived, though she was cut down by a band of thieves who ransacked her traveling party several years prior. The King and their one son, the Prince Pheramin, a young teen at the time, mourned her loss greatly, and their sadness was that of the kingdom’s. The boy grew to be strong and keen, and th...

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“The Starling Prince” by Andromeda Goose

Submitted to Contest #88

The Starling Prince The afternoon sun shines low through the trees bathing the countryside around the castle in a rich golden light. High in the large stone castle sits a little boy whose dreams reach as high as the castle's soaring parapets. The little flaxen haired Prince Nohr sits at his window. He is a small boy for his age. He has big round eyes, a small pointed nose, and ears that stick out. Prince Nohr’s room is covered with colored chalk drawings of the birds he’s seen from this window and in the large garden. Prince Nohr lov...

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“World of SoulQuest” by Christopher Cayen-Cyr

Submitted to Contest #88

***The following is a copy of chat records from World of SoulQuest game instance #17326940, as subpoenaed by court order. SoulStorm Entertainment certifies no alterations have been made to the below records, and intends to fully collaborate with authorities in their investigation over the allegations levelled against us. Please note the contents of the below chat are purely fictional and involve no actual soul transactions, despite recent accusations. It is SSE’s firm belief that we will be cleared of all online soul trafficking charges. ***...

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“Far away” by Anmol Jain

Submitted to Contest #88

"Where am I? This world...this place, I've never been here before. How did I get here?" Romwe was in a state of panic. He didn't understand what was happening. He doesn't remember anything that had happened in the past. The only thing he could recall was a name. "Arima." "Arima? Who is that? Do I know anyone named Arima?" As he was thinking, someone passed him. It was a boy on a...car? A small flying car with wings to be precise. Romwe was so busy in his thoughts he didn't realize he was standing in the middle of the road. It was not a usual...

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“Away with the Fairies” by Colin Taylor

Submitted to Contest #88

I like fantasy. There is so much grim and fearful news in this world, news that cannot be easily escaped, so Rosemary's story is a welcome antidote to the bleakness of COVID Colin Taylor &nbsp...

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“The Mermaids Tail” by Catherine Drabble

Submitted to Contest #88

Rosie hates Monday mornings. It’s swimming lesson day and she is the only one in her class who can’t swim. Thinking about last week makes her shudder and squirm; she had been so embarrassed and here she was again in her pink polka dot swimming suit and yellow sunflower swim hat. She can hear all the chattering, laughing and splashing as she walks slowly out of the changing rooms. She feels so alone as she stands on the side and struggles to put on arm bands. The only one with arm bands. The only one with fear in her heart. She stops at the...

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“Night Changes” by Poorva Wadkar

Submitted to Contest #88

"Absolutely not! I have nothing to do with this kingdom and I refuse to let my children be a part of it!" Queen Kathryn said to the Prime Minister of Serphia. "Please try to understand, Princess.." the Prime Minister began to say but was interrupted by the Queen. "Queen. You keep forgetting, Minister. I'm not your Princess anymore. I'm the Queen of Morteal." "My apologies, Queen. Our King, your father, sacrificed his life for this kingdom." He continued. "And that's why I'm here. You told me my deceased father wanted...

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“The cursed mirror” by Accoral -

Submitted to Contest #88

This story happened not a long time ago. There are not princesses nor evil queens here, but real people and awkward situations between adults who are opening their paths in the world. My name is Julieta. The eldest child, the eldest sibling, the eldest grandchild. The first everything. Normally, traditional fairy tales involve the youngest brother successfully passing his tests and achieving riches. I suppose it happens because, by that point in life, the first children in many families are already too mentally burnt out to try it them...

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“Outsider” by Allen Bloom

Submitted to Contest #88

When it came down to how they were written in epic poems and old tales, they were always full of rage, treacherous and evil, described with repugnance, always terrible, cruel and filthy. Yet she never felt quite like that. Her limbs were too long to ever resemble a human’s, despite her slouched figure she moved graceful and swift. Everything from deep sunken eyes, unruly thick hair and dark feathers, large fangs and sharp claws, everything could be interpreted as dangerous. Yet the only times she had to show her teeth was as she was bein...

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“Broken Wings” by Adriana Greco

Submitted to Contest #88

In his tiny acorn-cup bed, lined with spider silk and tufts of early green moss, Bugul Noz began to stir. The sun had set several hours before and the sky was aglimmer with ice blue stars dangling like delicious dew drops from a blackbird’s wing. Bugul Noz could just spy them through the jagged hidey hole of the tree trunk he called home. He stretched his scaly limbs and rubbed his dry tongue over what was left of his pointed crooked teeth. Oh what thirst! How he wished he could reach up and grasp one of...

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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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